# Geognos Full Data Export Generated: 2026-02-14T06:35:33.925Z This file contains comprehensive data for ALL countries and territories available on Geognos. ## Afghanistan **Slug:** afghanistan **Region:** South Asia **Flag:** 🇦🇫 **Codes:** cek: af, iso2: AF, iso3: AFG, iso_num: 004, genc: AFG, stanag: AFG, internet: .af ### Introduction **Background:** Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian Empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in increased democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 communist countercoup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. Internationally supported anti-communist mujahidin rebels forced the USSR to withdraw in 1989. A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US and Allied military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Usama BIN LADIN. A UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. In 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan, and he was reelected in 2009. Ashraf Ghani AHMADZAI succeeded him as president in 2014 following a disputed election. The Taliban conducted an insurgency for two decades against the Afghan Government and forces from the United States and other countries. In February 2020, the US and the Taliban signed an agreement that led to the withdrawal of international forces in exchange for commitments on counterterrorism and other assurances. The Taliban took over Afghanistan on 15 August 2021. The Taliban established an all-male interim leadership structure dominated by Pashtun clerics under the leadership of Haivatrullah AKHUNDZADA. The Taliban issued numerous edicts that constrained women's mobility, ability to study and work, and access to education beyond primary school. To date, no country has recognized the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran **Geographic coordinates:** 33 00 N, 65 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 652,230 sq km land: 652,230 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** almost six times the size of Virginia; slightly smaller than Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 5,987 km border countries (6): China 91 km; Iran 921 km; Pakistan 2,670 km; Tajikistan 1,357 km; Turkmenistan 804 km; Uzbekistan 144 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers **Terrain:** mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest **Elevation:** highest point: Noshak 7,492 m lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m mean elevation: 1,884 m **Natural resources:** natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 58.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 12% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 46% (2023 est.) forest: 1.9% (2023 est.) other: 39.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 24,930 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Ab-e Istadah-ye Muqur (endorheic basin) - 520 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Amu Darya (shared with Tajikistan [s], Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan [m]) - 2,620 km; Helmand river source (shared with Iran) - 1,130 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Indian Ocean drainage: Indus (1,081,718 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Amu Darya (534,739 sq km); Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km) **Population distribution:** populations tend to cluster in the foothills and periphery of the rugged Hindu Kush range; smaller groups are found in many of the country's interior valleys; in general, the east is more densely settled, while the south is sparsely populated **Natural hazards:** damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts **Geography - note:** landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor) ### People and Society **Population:** total: 49,474,805 (2025 est.) male: 25,051,967 female: 24,422,838 **Nationality:** noun: Afghan(s) adjective: Afghan **Ethnic groups:** current, reliable statistical data on ethnicity in Afghanistan are not available; Afghanistan's 2004 Constitution cited Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Turkman, Baluch, Pashaie, Nuristani, Aymaq, Arab, Qirghiz, Qizilbash, Gujur, and Brahwui ethnicities; Afghanistan has dozens of other small ethnic groups **Languages:** Afghan Persian or Dari (official, lingua franca) 77%, Pashto (official) 48%, Uzbeki 11%, English 6%, Turkmani 3%, Urdu 3%, Pashaie 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, Balochi 1%, other <1% (2020 est.) major-language sample(s): کتاب حقایق جهان، مرجعی ضروری برای اطلاعات اولیە (Dari) د دنیا د حقائېقو کتاب، بنیادی معلوماتو لپاره ضروری سرچینه- (Pashto) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note 1: percentages sum to more than 100% because many people are multilingual note 2: Uzbeki, Turkmani, Pashaie, Nuristani, Balochi, and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks them **Religions:** Muslim 99.7% (Sunni 84.7 - 89.7%, Shia 10 - 15%), other <0.3% (2009 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 39.6% (male 8,062,407/female 7,818,897) 15-64 years: 57.5% (male 11,702,734/female 11,372,249) 65 years and over: 2.9% (2024 est.) (male 535,925/female 629,340) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 82.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 77 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 19 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 18.4 years (2025 est.) male: 20 years female: 20.1 years **Population growth rate:** 2.86% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 35.99 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.79 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** populations tend to cluster in the foothills and periphery of the rugged Hindu Kush range; smaller groups are found in many of the country's interior valleys; in general, the east is more densely settled, while the south is sparsely populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 26.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 4.589 million KABUL (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.9 years (2015 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 521 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 42 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 109.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 92.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 54.4 years (2024 est.) male: 52.8 years female: 56.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 4.89 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 2.39 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99% of population (2022 est.) rural: 76.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 82.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 23.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 17.8% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 21.8% of GDP (2021) 1.1% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.32 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 0.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 93% of population (2022 est.) rural: 58.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 68% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 41.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 32% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 5.5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 20.8% (2025 est.) male: 36.5% (2025 est.) female: 5.2% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 18.4% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 65.9% (2023 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 9.6% (2023) women married by age 18: 28.7% (2023) men married by age 18: 7.3% (2015) **Education expenditure:** 4.3% of GDP (2017 est.) 15.7% national budget (2017 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 37.3% (2021 est.) male: 52.1% (2021 est.) female: 26.6% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 11 years (2018 est.) male: 13 years (2018 est.) female: 8 years (2018 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited natural freshwater resources; inadequate potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water pollution in urban areas **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 58.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 12% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 46% (2023 est.) forest: 1.9% (2023 est.) other: 39.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 26.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 7.757 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 930,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 6.827 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 84 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 5.629 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 11.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 203.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 169.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 20 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 65.33 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (prior to 15 August 2021); current country name disputed conventional short form: Afghanistan local long form: Jamhuri-ye Islami-ye Afghanistan (prior to 15 August 2021; current country name is disputed) local short form: Afghanistan etymology: the name "Afghan" originally referred to the Pashtun people, but today it is understood to include all the country's ethnic groups; the suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so Afghanistan literally means the "Land of the Afghans" **Government type:** theocratic; the United States does not recognize the Taliban Government **Capital:** name: Kabul geographic coordinates: 34 31 N, 69 11 E time difference: UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time etymology: named for the Kabul River, but the river's name is of unknown origin **Administrative divisions:** 34 provinces (welayat, singular - welayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamyan, Daykundi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghor, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabul, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khost, Kunar, Kunduz, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, Nimroz, Nuristan, Paktika, Paktiya, Panjshir, Parwan, Samangan, Sar-e Pul, Takhar, Uruzgan, Wardak, Zabul **Legal system:** the Taliban is implementing its own interpretation of Islamic law, which is partially based on the Hanifi school of Islamic jurisprudence and have enforced strict punishments; before the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan had a mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic law (2021) **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest ratified in 2004, but not currently enforced by the Taliban **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; formerly accepted ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must have been born in - and continuously lived in - Afghanistan dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Taliban Leader HAYBATULLAH Akhundzada (since 15 August 2021) head of government: overall Taliban Leader HAYBATULLAH Akhundzada is the [so-called] Amir-ul Momineen of the Taliban and is effectively the head of government cabinet: the Taliban have announced a “cabinet” for the “caretaker government,” including the “acting prime minister,” “acting deputy prime ministers,” and “ministers” who claim to represent 26 ministries election/appointment process: the 2004 Afghan constitution directed that the president should be elected by majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); the Taliban have given no indication that they intend to reinstate elections or any other mechanism of democratic governance most recent election date: 28 September 2019 note: the United States has not yet made a decision whether to recognize the Taliban or any other entity as the government of Afghanistan **Legislative branch:** note: Afghanistan’s bicameral National Assembly consisted of the House of Elders and House of the People but was dissolved after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): the Taliban are purported to have appointed clerics, including a "Chief Justice," to Afghanistan's Supreme Court subordinate courts: provincial courts, religious courts, and specialty courts **Political parties:** the Taliban Government enforces an authoritarian state and has banned other political parties the Taliban have banned other political parties but have allowed some party leaders, including the head of Hezb-e-Islami, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, to continue to live and work in Afghanistan; Hekmatyar likely continues to enjoy some political support from loyalists; leaders of other parties, including Jamiat-e-Islami’s Salahuddin Rabbani and Jumbesh’s Rashid Dostum, operate from abroad but likely also command some following within Afghanistan note: before 15 August 2021, the Ministry of Justice had licensed 72 political parties as of April 2019 **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none note: the Afghan Embassy closed in March 2022 **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: the United States does not maintain a presence in Afghanistan and its diplomatic mission to Afghanistan has relocated to Doha, Qatar **International organization participation:** Afghanistan is a member of the following organizations but Taliban representatives do not participate: ADB, CICA, CP, ECO, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNAMA, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs) **National holiday:** previous: Independence Day, 19 August (1919); under the Taliban Government, 15 August (2022) is declared a national holiday, marking the anniversary of the victory of the Afghan jihad **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of black (left), red, and green, with the national emblem in white centered on the red band and slightly overlapping the other bands; the emblem shows a mosque with a pulpit and flags on either side; below the mosque are Eastern Arabic numerals for the solar year 1298 (1919 in the Gregorian calendar, the year of Afghan independence from the UK); a border of wheat sheaves circles the mosque; above the mosque is an Arabic inscription of the Shahada (Muslim creed), with rays of the rising sun over the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great"); under the mosque is a scroll with the name Afghanistan meaning: black stands for the past, and red for the blood shed for independence; green can represent hope for the future, agricultural prosperity, or Islam history: Afghanistan had more changes to its national flag in the 20th century -- 19 by one count -- than any other country; the colors black, red, and green appeared on most of them note: the United States has not recognized the Taliban or any other entity as the government of Afghanistan and, accordingly, continues to display the flag of Afghanistan as set forth in the country's constitution of 2004 **National symbol(s):** lion **National color(s):** red, green, black **National anthem(s):** title: "Milli Surood" (National Anthem) lyrics/music: Abdul Bari JAHANI/Babrak WASA history: adopted 2006 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Minaret of Jam; Buddhas of Bamyan note: the monumental 6th- and 7th-century Buddha statues at Bamyan were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001 ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income South Asian economy; economy stable after major contraction due to Taliban takeover, but recovery remains fragile; widespread poverty and obstacles to human development; import-reliant for food, fuel, and machinery; ongoing sanctions, suspended development aid, and frozen reserve assets **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $82.238 billion (2023 est.) $80.416 billion (2022 est.) $85.768 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.3% (2023 est.) -6.2% (2022 est.) -20.7% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $2,000 (2023 est.) $2,000 (2022 est.) $2,100 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $17.152 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** -6.6% (2024 est.) -4.6% (2023 est.) 13.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 34.7% (2023 est.) industry: 13.4% (2023 est.) services: 46.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 98.1% (2023 est.) government consumption: 21.2% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 15.2% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.1% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 16.9% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -50.7% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, milk, grapes, watermelons, potatoes, cantaloupes/melons, vegetables, rice, onions, maize (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** small-scale production of bricks, textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, apparel, food products, non-alcoholic beverages, mineral water, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper **Industrial production growth rate:** 1.8% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 9.133 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 13.3% (2024 est.) 14% (2023 est.) 14.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 16.7% (2024 est.) male: 15.8% (2024 est.) female: 27% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 54.5% (2016 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Remittances:** 1.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $9.093 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: $7.411 billion (2017 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 9.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$3.137 billion (2020 est.) -$3.792 billion (2019 est.) -$3.897 billion (2018 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.476 billion (2020 est.) $1.516 billion (2019 est.) $1.609 billion (2018 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Pakistan 42%, India 40%, China 4%, UAE 2%, Turkey 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** coal, grapes, tropical fruits, gum resins, other nuts (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $6.983 billion (2020 est.) $7.371 billion (2019 est.) $7.988 billion (2018 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** UAE 28%, Pakistan 15%, China 15%, Uzbekistan 12%, Kazakhstan 9% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** wheat flours, tobacco, palm oil, broadcasting equipment, synthetic fabric (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $9.749 billion (2020 est.) $8.498 billion (2019 est.) $8.207 billion (2018 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $2.717 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 76.814 (2020 est.) 77.738 (2019 est.) 72.083 (2018 est.) 68.027 (2017 est.) 67.866 (2016 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 85.3% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 95.9% electrification - rural areas: 81.7% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 627,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 6.468 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 6.221 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 725.652 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 13.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 9.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 77% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 767,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 503,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 265,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 2,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 66 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 58,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 80.2 million cubic meters (2020 est.) consumption: 80.2 million cubic meters (2020 est.) proven reserves: 49.554 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 3.38 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 182,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 25.6 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 60 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** under the Taliban, independent media outlets have decreased and are probably self-censoring; the Ministry of Information and Culture monitors all mass media; television and radio are key media platforms; only about a fifth of Afghans use the internet, mostly through smartphones (2023) **Internet country code:** .af **Internet users:** percent of population: 18% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 33,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** YA **Airports:** 68 (2025) **Heliports:** 8 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** the Taliban has formed a Ministry of Defense and a National Army (aka Army of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Islamic Emirate Army, or Afghan Army); it has also formed police forces under a Ministry of Interior (2025) **Military expenditures:** 3.3% of GDP (2019) 3.2% of GDP (2018) 3.3% of GDP (2017) 3.1% of GDP (2016) 2.9% of GDP (2015) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** the Taliban claims to have 190,000 under the Ministry of Defense and 215,000 under the Ministry of Interior (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Taliban military and security forces are equipped with armaments captured in 2021 from the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, which were largely equipped with Russian/Soviet-era and US material (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** service is voluntary; there are reports indicating that the Taliban has been involved in the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict (2024) note: the Taliban dismissed nearly all women from the former Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, except those serving in detention facilities and assisting with body searches **Military - note:** the Taliban’s key security priorities are border and internal security; specific issues have included tensions with Pakistan along their shared border, armed anti-Taliban resistance elements, and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Khorasan (ISIS-K) terrorist group (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Haqqani Network; Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami; Islamic Jihad Union (IJU); Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province (ISIS-K); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Jaish-e-Mohammed; Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Lashkar i Jhangvi; Lashkar-e Tayyiba; al-Qa’ida; al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS); Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) note 1: as of 2024, Afghanistan was assessed to be a place of global significance for terrorism, with approximately 20 designated and non-designated terrorist groups operating in the country note 2: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 21,236 (2024 est.) IDPs: 5,457,183 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Afghanistan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Afghanistan remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/afghanistan/ **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Akrotiri **Slug:** akrotiri **Region:** Europe **Codes:** cek: ax, genc: XQZ, stanag: -, internet: - --- ## Albania **Slug:** albania **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇦🇱 **Codes:** cek: al, iso2: AL, iso3: ALB, iso_num: 008, genc: ALB, stanag: ALB, internet: .al ### Introduction **Background:** After declaring independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, Albania experienced a period of political upheaval that led to a short-lived monarchy, which ended in 1939 when Italy conquered the country. Germany then occupied Albania in 1943, and communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960) and then with China (until 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. Government-endorsed pyramid schemes in 1997 led to economic collapse and civil disorder, which only ended when UN peacekeeping troops intervened. In 1999, some 450,000 ethnic Albanians fled from Kosovo to Albania to escape the war with the Serbs. Albania joined NATO in 2009 and became an official candidate for EU membership in 2014. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece to the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north **Geographic coordinates:** 41 00 N, 20 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 28,748 sq km land: 27,398 sq km water: 1,350 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Maryland **Land boundaries:** total: 691 km border countries (4): Greece 212 km; Kosovo 112 km; North Macedonia 181 km; Montenegro 186 km **Coastline:** 362 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter **Terrain:** mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast **Elevation:** highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 708 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 38.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 21.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 13.4% (2023 est.) forest: 34.3% (2023 est.) other: 27.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,907 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Scutari (shared with Montenegro) - 400 sq km note - largest lake in the Balkans **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution, with somewhat higher concentrations of people in the western and central parts of the country **Natural hazards:** destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought **Geography - note:** strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea) ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,551,837 (2025 est.) male: 1,229,151 female: 1,322,686 **Nationality:** noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian **Ethnic groups:** Albanian 82.6%, Greek 0.9%, other 1% (including Vlach, Romani, Macedonian, Montenegrin, and Egyptian), unspecified 15.5% (2011 est.) note: data represent population by ethnic and cultural affiliation **Languages:** Albanian 98.8% (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek 0.5%, other 0.6% (including Macedonian, Romani, Vlach, Turkish, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): Libri i fakteve boterore, burimi i pazevendesueshem per informacione elementare (Albanian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 56.7%, Roman Catholic 10%, Orthodox 6.8%, atheist 2.5%, Bektashi (a Sufi order) 2.1%, other 5.7%, unspecified 16.2% (2011 est.) note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 18% (male 292,296/female 267,052) 15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,023,515/female 1,055,388) 65 years and over: 15.1% (2024 est.) (male 215,252/female 253,597) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 49 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 24.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 24.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 37.9 years (2025 est.) male: 34.8 years female: 37.8 years **Population growth rate:** -1.06% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 8.71 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.9 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -11.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution, with somewhat higher concentrations of people in the western and central parts of the country **Urbanization:** urban population: 64.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.29% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 520,000 TIRANA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 26.6 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 79.9 years (2024 est.) male: 77.3 years female: 82.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.09 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.52 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 95.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 94.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 95.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 5.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 4.9% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.3% of GDP (2021) 9.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.88 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Hospital bed density:** 2.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 21.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 4.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 21.4% (2025 est.) male: 37% (2025 est.) female: 6.2% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 1.5% (2017 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 65.7% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 1.4% (2018) women married by age 18: 11.8% (2018) men married by age 18: 1.2% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 3.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.9% national budget (2023 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 97.7% (2023 est.) male: 98.2% (2023 est.) female: 97.2% (2023 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2023 est.) male: 14 years (2023 est.) female: 15 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents; air pollution from industrial and power plants; loss of biodiversity **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter **Land use:** agricultural land: 38.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 21.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 13.4% (2023 est.) forest: 34.3% (2023 est.) other: 27.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 64.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.29% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 3.392 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 566,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.734 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 93,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 16.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.087 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 20.5% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 221 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 11 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 565 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 30.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Albania conventional short form: Albania local long form: Republika e Shqiperise local short form: Shqiperia former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania etymology: name may be derived from the pre-Celtic word alb, meaning "hill," or from the Indo-European root word albh, meaning "white;" the local name "Shqiperia" is derived from the Albanian word shqiponje ("eagle") and is popularly interpreted to mean "Land of the Eagles" **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Tirana (Tirane) geographic coordinates: 41 19 N, 19 49 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name "Tirana" first appears in a 1418 Venetian document; the origin of the name is unclear **Administrative divisions:** 12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane (Tirana), Vlore **Legal system:** civil law system except in the northern rural areas where customary law known as the "Code of Leke" is still present **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest approved by the Assembly 21 October 1998, adopted by referendum 22 November 1998, promulgated 28 November 1998 amendment process: proposed by at least one-fifth of the Assembly membership; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; referendum required only if approved by two-thirds of the Assembly; amendments approved by referendum effective upon declaration by the president of the republic **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Albania dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Bajram BEGAJ (since 24 July 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Edi RAMA (since 10 September 2013) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by the Assembly election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); a candidate needs three-fifths majority vote of the Assembly in 1 of 3 rounds or a simple majority in 2 additional rounds to become president; prime minister appointed by the president on the proposal of the majority party or coalition of parties in the Assembly most recent election date: held in 4 rounds on 16, 23, and 30 May and 4 June 2022 election results: 2022: Bajram BEGAJ elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 78-4, opposition parties boycotted 2017: Ilir META elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 87-2 expected date of next election: 2027 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Albanian Parliament legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: Parliament (Kuvendi) number of seats: 140 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 5/11/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Socialist Party of Albania (PS) (83); Democratic Party - Alliance for a Greater Albania (PD-ASHM) (50); Other (7) percentage of women in chamber: 35% expected date of next election: May 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 19 judges, including the chief justice); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, including the chairman) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Judicial Council with the consent of the president to serve single 9-year terms; Supreme Court chairman is elected for a single 3-year term by the court members; appointments of Constitutional Court judges are rotated among the president, Parliament, and Supreme Court from a list of pre-qualified candidates (each institution selects 3 judges), to serve single 9-year terms; candidates are pre-qualified by a randomly selected body of experienced judges and prosecutors; Constitutional Court chairman is elected by the court members for a single, renewable 3-year term subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; specialized courts: Court for Corruption and Organized Crime, Appeals Court for Corruption and Organized Crime (responsible for corruption, organized crime, and crimes of high officials) **Political parties:** Alliance for Change (electoral coalition led by PD) Democratic Party or PD Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU (part of the Alliance for Change) Social Democratic Party or PSD Freedom Party of Albania or PL (formerly the Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI) Socialist Party or PS **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Ervin BUSHATI (since 15 September 2023) chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942 FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342 email address and website: embassy.washington@mfa.gov.al http://www.ambasadat.gov.al/usa/en consulate(s) general: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Nancy VANHORN (since August 2024) embassy: Rruga Stavro Vinjau, No. 14, Tirana mailing address: 9510 Tirana Place, Washington DC 20521-9510 telephone: [355] 4 2247-285 FAX: [355] 4 2232-222 email address and website: ACSTirana@state.gov https://al.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO note: Albania is an EU candidate country and must complete accession criteria before being granted full membership **Independence:** 28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 28 November (1912), also known as Flag Day **Flag:** description: red with a black two-headed eagle in the center meaning: Albanians traditionally see themselves as descendants of the eagle; they refer to themselves as "Shqiptare," which translates as "sons of the eagle" history: the design is said to originate with 15th-century Albanian hero Georgi Kastrioti SKANDERBEG, who led a successful uprising against the Ottoman Turks **National symbol(s):** black double-headed eagle **National color(s):** red, black **National coat of arms:** adopted in 1998 and features the national symbol, the double-headed black eagle, in the national colors of red and black; red represents the courage and strength of the Albanian people, and the golden border represents the country’s wealth; the helmet above the eagle is modeled on the helmet of Skanderbeg, a 15th-century Albanian military hero who led a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire; the goat on top of the helmet represents defiance and resistance **National anthem(s):** title: "Hymni i Flamurit" (Hymn to the Flag) lyrics/music: Aleksander Stavre DRENOVA/Ciprian PORUMBESCU history: adopted 1912; only the first two stanzas of the original poem are used, with the second stanza as a chorus **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 4 (2 cultural, 1 natural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Butrint (c); Historic Berat and Gjirokastër (c); Primeval Beech Forests (n); Lake Ohrid Region (m) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income Balkan economy; EU accession candidate; growth bolstered by tourism, agriculture, mining, construction, and private consumption; fiscal consolidation through revenue collection and tax compliance enhancements to address public debt; challenges include weak governance, corruption, and high emigration rates **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $51.36 billion (2024 est.) $49.403 billion (2023 est.) $47.532 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4% (2024 est.) 3.9% (2023 est.) 4.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $18,900 (2024 est.) $18,000 (2023 est.) $17,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $27.178 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.2% (2024 est.) 4.8% (2023 est.) 6.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 15.5% (2024 est.) industry: 22.4% (2024 est.) services: 48.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 70.2% (2023 est.) government consumption: 12% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -1.1% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 38.7% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -43.8% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, maize, tomatoes, watermelons, potatoes, wheat, grapes, onions, cucumbers/gherkins, olives (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food; footwear, apparel and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower **Industrial production growth rate:** -0.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 1.37 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 10.3% (2024 est.) 10.2% (2023 est.) 10.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 25.1% (2024 est.) male: 23.9% (2024 est.) female: 26.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 22% (2020 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 29.4 (2020 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.4% (2020 est.) highest 10%: 22.8% (2020 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 8.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 8.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 9.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $6.636 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $6.966 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 81.9% of GDP (2021 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 17.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$646.107 million (2024 est.) -$281.7 million (2023 est.) -$1.117 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $9.848 billion (2024 est.) $9.099 billion (2023 est.) $7.057 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Italy 41%, Greece 10%, Germany 5%, Spain 5%, Serbia 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** garments, footwear, electricity, crude petroleum, iron alloys (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $11.697 billion (2024 est.) $10.374 billion (2023 est.) $9.016 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Italy 22%, China 11%, Turkey 9%, Germany 7%, Greece 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, refined petroleum, garments, packaged medicine, iron bars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $6.516 billion (2024 est.) $6.455 billion (2023 est.) $5.266 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $5.363 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** leke (ALL) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 93.123 (2024 est.) 100.645 (2023 est.) 113.042 (2022 est.) 103.52 (2021 est.) 108.65 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 2.857 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 7.49 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 2.2 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 1.922 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.238 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** solar: 3.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 96.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 473,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 255,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 345,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 180,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 522 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 14,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 21,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 150 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 49.977 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 49.977 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 5.692 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 27.407 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 165,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 2.49 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 89 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** over 65 TV stations, including several that broadcast nationally and are sometimes available to neighboring countries; many viewers have access to Italian and Greek TV via terrestrial reception; TV stations have begun a government-mandated conversion from analog to digital broadcast; cable TV service is available; 2 public radio networks and roughly 78 private radio stations; several international broadcasters are available (2024) **Internet country code:** .al **Internet users:** percent of population: 83% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 632,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** ZA **Airports:** 3 (2025) **Heliports:** 9 (2025) **Railways:** total: 424 km (2017) 2021-All the trains in the country suspended **Merchant marine:** total: 69 (2023) by type: general cargo 46, oil tanker 1, other 22 **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Durres, Shengjin, Vlores ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Republic of Albania Armed Forces (Forcat e Armatosura të Republikës së Shqipërisë (FARSH); aka Albanian Armed Forces (AAF)): Land Forces, Naval Force (includes Coast Guard), Air Forces Ministry of Interior: Guard of the Republic, State Police (includes the Border and Migration Police) (2025) note: the State Police are primarily responsible for internal security, including counterterrorism, while the Guard of the Republic protects senior state officials, foreign dignitaries, and certain state properties **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2025 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 7,500 active-duty military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military is in the process of modernizing by replacing its inventory of Soviet-era weapons with NATO standard armaments; in recent years, acquisitions have included equipment from France, Israel, Italy, Turkey and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-30 for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished 2010 (2025) note: as of 2024, women comprised about 15% of the military's full-time personnel **Military deployments:** 250 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2025) **Military - note:** the Albanian Armed Forces (AAF) are responsible for defending the country’s independence, sovereignty, and territory, assisting with internal security, providing disaster and humanitarian relief, and participating in international peacekeeping missions; the AAF is a small, lightly armed force that has been undergoing a modernization effort to improve its ability to fulfill NATO missions; the AAF has contributed small numbers of forces to several NATO missions since Albania joined NATO in 2009, including peacekeeping/stability missions in Afghanistan, Kosovo, and Iraq, and multinational battlegroups in Bulgaria and Latvia; it has also contributed to EU and UN missions (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 9,381 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 2,203 (2024 est.) --- ## Algeria **Slug:** algeria **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇩🇿 **Codes:** cek: ag, iso2: DZ, iso3: DZA, iso_num: 012, genc: DZA, stanag: DZA, internet: .dz ### Introduction **Background:** Algeria has known many empires and dynasties, including the ancient Numidians (3rd century B.C.), Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, over a dozen different Arab and Amazigh dynasties, Spaniards, and Ottoman Turks. Under the Turks, the Barbary pirates operated from North Africa and preyed on shipping, from about 1500 until the French captured Algiers in 1830. The French southward conquest of Algeria proceeded throughout the 19th century and was marked by many atrocities. A bloody eight-year struggle culminated in Algerian independence in 1962. Algeria's long-dominant political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), was established in 1954 as part of the struggle for independence and has since played a large role in politics, though it is falling out of favor with the youth and current President Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE. The Government of Algeria in 1988 instituted a multi-party system in response to public unrest, but the surprising first-round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the 1991 legislative election led the Algerian military to intervene and postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. An army crackdown on the FIS escalated into an FIS insurgency and intense violence from 1992-98 that resulted in over 100,000 deaths, many of which were attributed to extremist groups massacring villagers. The government gained the upper hand by the late 1990s, and FIS’s armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in 2000. FIS membership is now illegal. In 1999, Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA won the presidency with the backing of the military, in an election that was boycotted by several candidates protesting alleged fraud. He won subsequent elections in 2004, 2009, and 2014. Widespread protests against his decision to seek a fifth term broke out in early 2019. BOUTEFLIKA resigned in April 2019, and in December 2019, Algerians elected former Prime Minister Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE as the country’s new president. A longtime FLN member, TEBBOUNE ran for president as an independent. In 2020, Algeria held a constitutional referendum on governmental reforms, which TEBBOUNE enacted in 2021. Subsequent reforms to the national electoral law introduced open-list voting to curb corruption. The new law also eliminated gender quotas in Parliament, and the 2021 legislative elections saw female representation plummet. The referendum, parliamentary elections, and local elections saw record-low voter turnout. ### Geography **Location:** Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia **Geographic coordinates:** 28 00 N, 3 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 2,381,740 sq km land: 2,381,740 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 6,734 km border countries (6): Libya 989 km; Mali 1,359 km; Mauritania 460 km; Morocco 1,941 km; Niger 951 km; Tunisia 1,034 km **Coastline:** 998 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm **Climate:** arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer **Terrain:** mostly high plateau and desert; Atlas Mountains in the far north and Hoggar Mountains in the south; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain **Elevation:** highest point: Tahat 2,908 m lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m mean elevation: 800 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc **Land use:** agricultural land: 17.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 13.8% (2023 est.) forest: 0.7% (2023 est.) other: 81.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 13,819 sq km (2019) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Lullemeden-Irhazer Aquifer System, Murzuk-Djado Basin, North Western Sahara Aquifer, Taoudeni-Tanezrouft Basin **Population distribution:** the vast majority of the populace is found in the extreme northern part of the country along the Mediterranean Coast **Natural hazards:** mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season; droughts **Geography - note:** largest country in Africa but 80% desert; canyons and caves in the southern Hoggar Mountains and in the barren Tassili n'Ajjer area in the southeast of the country contain numerous examples of prehistoric art -- rock paintings and carvings depicting human activities and wild and domestic animals (elephants, giraffes, cattle) -- that date to the African Humid Period, roughly 5,000 to 11,000 years ago, when the region was completely vegetated ### People and Society **Population:** total: 47,735,685 (2025 est.) male: 24,219,668 female: 23,516,017 **Nationality:** noun: Algerian(s) adjective: Algerian **Ethnic groups:** Arab-Amazigh 99%, European less than 1% note: although almost all Algerians are Amazigh in origin and not Arab, only a minority identify themselves as primarily Amazigh, about 15% of the total population; these people live mostly in the mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algiers and in several other communities; the Amazigh are also Muslim but identify with their Amazigh rather than Arab cultural heritage; some Amazigh have long agitated, sometimes violently, for autonomy; the government is unlikely to grant autonomy but has officially recognized Amazigh languages and introduced them into public schools **Languages:** Arabic (official), French (lingua franca), Tamazight (official) (dialects include Kabyle (Taqbaylit), Shawiya (Tacawit), Mzab, Tuareg (Tamahaq)) major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim (official; predominantly Sunni) 99%, other (includes Christian, Jewish, Ahmadi Muslim, Shia Muslim, Ibadi Muslim) <1% (2012 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 30.8% (male 7,411,337/female 7,062,794) 15-64 years: 62.3% (male 14,846,102/female 14,441,034) 65 years and over: 6.9% (2024 est.) (male 1,597,382/female 1,663,824) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 60.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 48.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 11.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 29.3 years (2025 est.) male: 28.8 years female: 29.4 years **Population growth rate:** 1.47% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 19.62 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.39 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the vast majority of the populace is found in the extreme northern part of the country along the Mediterranean Coast **Urbanization:** urban population: 75.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.902 million ALGIERS (capital), 936,000 Oran (2022) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 62 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 18.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 19.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 77.9 years (2024 est.) male: 77.2 years female: 78.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.91 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.42 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 96.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 90.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 3.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 9.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.3% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.5% of GDP (2021) 5.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.66 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 1.6 beds/1,000 population (2017 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 98.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 91.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 96.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 8.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 3.4% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 27.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 21.4% (2025 est.) male: 41.6% (2025 est.) female: 0.6% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.7% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 55.5% (2019 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0% (2019) women married by age 18: 3.8% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 5.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 15.5% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** female: 74.2% (2019 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 16 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution in major cities; soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices; desertification; river and coastal pollution from dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes, and other industrial effluents; pollution in Mediterranean Sea from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff; inadequate potable water **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer **Land use:** agricultural land: 17.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 13.8% (2023 est.) forest: 0.7% (2023 est.) other: 81.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 75.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 163.661 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 741,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 57.795 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 105.125 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 22.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 2,561.1 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 256 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 486.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 7.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 12.379 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 11% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 3.389 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 181 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 7.391 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 11.667 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria conventional short form: Algeria local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah local short form: Al Jaza'ir etymology: the country name derives from the capital city of Algiers **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Algiers geographic coordinates: 36 45 N, 3 03 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: name derives from the Arabic al-jazair, meaning "the islands," and refers to the four islands formerly off the coast of the capital but joined to the mainland since 1525 **Administrative divisions:** 58 provinces (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain Temouchent, Alger (Algiers), Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Beni Abbes, Biskra, Blida, Bordj Badji Mokhtar, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djanet, Djelfa, El Bayadh, El Meghaier, El Meniaa, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, In Guezzam, In Salah, Jijel, Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila, Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Ouled Djellal, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanrasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Timimoun, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen, Touggourt **Legal system:** mixed system of French civil law and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials including several Supreme Court justices **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest approved by referendum 1 November 2020 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or through the president with the support of three fourths of the members of both houses of Parliament in joint session; passage requires approval by both houses, approval by referendum, and promulgation by the president; the president can forego a referendum if the Constitutional Council determines the proposed amendment does not conflict with basic constitutional principles; articles including the republican form of government, the integrity and unity of the country, and fundamental citizens’ liberties and rights cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the mother must be a citizen of Algeria dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE (since 12 December 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Sifi GHRIEB (since 28 August 2025) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister nominated by the president after consultation with the majority party in Parliament most recent election date: 7 September 2024 election results: 2024: Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE (NLF) 94.7%, Abdelaali Hassani CHERIF (MSP) 3.2%, Youcef AOUCHICHE (FFS) 2.2% 2019: (FLN) 58.1%, Abdelkader BENGRINA (El-Bina) 17.4%, Ali BENFLIS (Talaie El Hurriyet) 10.6%, Azzedine MIHOUBI (RND) 7.3%, Abdelaziz BELAID (Future Front) 6.7% expected date of next election: 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Barlaman) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National People's Assembly (Al-Majlis Al-Chaabi Al-Watani) number of seats: 407 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 6/12/2021 parties elected and seats per party: National Liberation Front (FLN) (98); Movement of Society for Peace (MSP) (65); National Democratic Rally (RND) (58); El-Moustakbel Front (Future", FM) (48); El Binaa Movement (39); Independents (84); Other (15) percentage of women in chamber: 7.9% expected date of next election: June 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Council of the Nation (Majlis al-Oumma) number of seats: 174 (116 indirectly elected; 58 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 3/9/2025 percentage of women in chamber: 2.5% expected date of next election: January 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Le Cour Suprême, (consists of 150 judges organized into 8 chambers: Civil, Commercial and Maritime, Criminal, House of Offenses and Contraventions, House of Petitions, Land, Personal Status, and Social; Constitutional Council (consists of 12 members including the court chairman and deputy chairman) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Council of Magistracy, an administrative body presided over by the president of the republic, and includes the republic vice-president and several members; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council members - 4 appointed by the president of the republic, 2 each by the 2 houses of Parliament, 2 by the Supreme Court, and 2 by the Council of State; Council president and members appointed for single 6-year terms with half the membership renewed every 3 years subordinate courts: appellate or wilaya courts; first instance or daira tribunals note: Algeria's judicial system does not include sharia courts **Political parties:** Algerian National Front or FNA Algerian Popular Movement or MPA Algeria's Hope Rally or TAJ Dignity or El Karama El-Infitah El Mostakbal (Future Front) Ennour El Djazairi Party (Algerian Radiance Party) or PED Equity and Proclamation Party or PEP Islamic Renaissance Movement or Ennahda Movement Justice and Development Front or FJD Movement for National Reform or El Islah Movement of Society for Peace or MSP National Construction Movement or El-Bina (Harakat El-Binaa El-Watani) National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND National Front for Social Justice or FNJS National Liberation Front or FLN National Militancy Front or FMN National Party for Solidarity and Development or PNSD National Republican Alliance or ANR New Dawn Party (El-Fajr El-Jadid) New Generation (Jil Jadid) Oath of 1954 or Ahd 54 Party of Justice and Liberty or PLJ Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD Socialist Forces Front or FFS Union for Change and Progress or UCP Union of Democratic and Social Forces or UFDS Vanguard of Liberties (Talaie El Hurriyet) Workers Party or PT Youth Party or PJ note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted in 1997 **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Sabri BOUKADOUM (since 27 February 2024) chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800 FAX: [1] (202) 986-5906 email address and website: mail@algerianembassy.org https://www.algerianembassy.org/ consulate(s) general: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth Moore AUBIN (since 9 February 2022) embassy: 05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16030, Alger mailing address: 6030 Algiers Place, Washington DC 20521-6030 telephone: [213] (0) 770-08-2000 FAX: [213] (0) 770-08-2299 email address and website: algierspd@state.gov https://dz.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, CAEU, CD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) **Independence:** 5 July 1962 (from France) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 5 July (1962); Revolution Day, 1 November (1954) **Flag:** description: two equal vertical bands of green (left) and white; a red, five-pointed star inside a red crescent, centered over the two-color boundary meaning: the colors represent Islam (green), purity and peace (white), and liberty (red); the crescent and star are also Islamic symbols, but the crescent is more closed than those of other Muslim countries because Algerians believe the long crescent horns bring happiness **National symbol(s):** five-pointed star between the extended horns of a crescent moon; fennec fox **National color(s):** green, white, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Kassaman" (We Pledge) lyrics/music: Mufdi ZAKARIAH/Mohamed FAWZI history: adopted 1962; ZAKARIAH wrote "Kassaman" as a poem while imprisoned in Algiers by French colonial forces **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 7 (6 cultural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Beni Hammad Fort (c); Djémila (c); Casbah of Algiers (c); M'zab Valley (c); Tassili n'Ajjer (m); Timgad (c); Tipasa (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** suffering oil and gas economy; lack of sector and market diversification; political instability chilling domestic consumption; poor credit access and declines in business confidence; COVID-19 austerity policies; delayed promised socio-economic reforms **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $722.912 billion (2024 est.) $699.818 billion (2023 est.) $672.256 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.3% (2024 est.) 4.1% (2023 est.) 3.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $15,400 (2024 est.) $15,200 (2023 est.) $14,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $263.62 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4% (2024 est.) 9.3% (2023 est.) 9.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 13.1% (2023 est.) industry: 37.8% (2023 est.) services: 45.6% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 40.8% (2023 est.) government consumption: 17.9% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 32.8% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 4.9% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 23.6% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -20.1% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** potatoes, watermelons, wheat, milk, onions, tomatoes, vegetables, oranges, dates, barley (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.9% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 13.294 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 11.5% (2024 est.) 11.8% (2023 est.) 12.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 29.8% (2024 est.) male: 26.8% (2024 est.) female: 45.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Average household expenditures:** on food: 37.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Remittances:** 0.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 1% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $55.185 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $64.728 billion (2019 est.) **Public debt:** 27.5% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover central government debt as well as debt issued by subnational entities and intra-governmental debt **Current account balance:** $6.359 billion (2023 est.) $19.433 billion (2022 est.) -$4.513 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $59.426 billion (2023 est.) $69.226 billion (2022 est.) $41.846 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Italy 29%, France 14%, Spain 13%, USA 6%, Netherlands 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** natural gas, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, fertilizers, iron bars (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $51.131 billion (2023 est.) $46.613 billion (2022 est.) $44.287 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 24%, France 12%, Italy 8%, Turkey 7%, Brazil 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** wheat, plastics, cars, milk, corn (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $83.007 billion (2024 est.) $81.217 billion (2023 est.) $71.852 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $4.764 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 134.053 (2024 est.) 135.843 (2023 est.) 141.995 (2022 est.) 135.064 (2021 est.) 126.777 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 99.3% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 22.591 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 85.687 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 2.753 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 475.8 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 9.237 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 98.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 3,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 241,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 223 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 1.443 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 446,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 12.2 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 104.896 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 52.831 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 51.566 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 4.504 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 61.843 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 6.93 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 54.1 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 115 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** Radio Algérienne is the state-run radio broadcast; the National Company of Television (Entreprise Nationale de Télévision (ENTV)) is the primary state-run public TV station (2024) **Internet country code:** .dz **Internet users:** percent of population: 77% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 5.54 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 7T **Airports:** 95 (2025) **Heliports:** 11 (2025) **Railways:** total: 4,020 km (2019) **Merchant marine:** total: 119 (2022) by type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 4, general cargo 11, oil tanker 14, other 89 **Ports:** total ports: 17 (2024) large: 2 medium: 1 small: 6 very small: 8 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Alger, Annaba, Arzew, Arzew El Djedid, Bejaia, Mers El Kebir, Oran, Port Methanier, Skikda ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Algerian People's National Army (ANP): Land Forces, Naval Forces (includes Coast Guard), Air Forces, Territorial Air Defense Forces, Republican Guard, National Gendarmerie Ministry of Interior: General Directorate of National Security (national police) (2025) note: the Republican Guard is subordinate to the ANP, but responsible to the President; the National Gendarmerie performs police functions outside urban areas under the auspices of the Ministry of National Defense and shares responsibility with the General Directorate of National Security for maintaining law and order; it is comprised of territorial, intervention/mobile, border guard, railway, riot control, and air support units **Military expenditures:** 8% of GDP (2024 est.) 8% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 5.6% of GDP (2021 est.) 6.7% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information varies; estimated 200,000 active ANP, including the National Gendarmerie (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Algerian military has traditionally been armed mostly with Russian and Soviet-era weapons systems and equipment; over the past decade, it has made investments in acquiring more modern armored vehicles, air defense systems, fighter aircraft, missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and warships, largely from Russia, its traditional supplier, but also China and Western European suppliers such as Germany (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 19 years of age for mandatory national service for men (all Algerian men must register at age 17); 12 months national service obligation (2025) **Military - note:** the ANP is responsible for external defense but also has some internal security responsibilities; key areas of concern include border and maritime security, terrorism, regional instability, and tensions with Morocco; Algeria supports the pro-independence Polisario Front in Western Sahara and accuses Morocco of supporting the Algerian separatist Movement for the Autonomy of Kabylie (MAK); border security and counterterrorism have received additional focus since the Arab Spring events of 2011 and the rise of terrorist threats emanating from Libya and the Sahel; the Army and Ministry of Defense (MND) paramilitary forces of the Gendarmerie and the border guards have beefed up their presence along the frontiers with Tunisia, Libya, Niger, and Mali to interdict and deter cross-border attacks by Islamist militant groups; the ANP and MND paramilitary forces have also increased counterterrorism cooperation with some neighboring countries, particularly Tunisia, including joint operations the ANP has also played a role in the country’s politics since independence in 1962, including coups in 1965 and 1991; it was a key backer of BOUTEFLIKA’s election in 1999 and remained a center of power during his 20-year rule; the military was instrumental in BOUTEFLIKA’s resignation in 2019, when it withdrew support and called for him to be removed from office (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Algerian Space Agency (Agence Spatiale Algérienne, ASAL; established 2002) (2025) **Space launch site(s):** none; note - in 1947, Algeria began hosting a French military rocket test site known as the Centre Interarmées d’Essais d’Engins Spéciaux (CIEES or Interarmy Special Vehicles Test Center); it was the continent of Africa's first rocket launch site and was in service until 1967 **Space program overview:** has a national space policy and space research program with stated goals of supporting internal development, managing resources, mastering space technology, and reinforcing national sovereignty; builds and operates communications and remote sensing (RS) satellites; researching and developing a range of space-related capabilities, including satellites and satellite payloads, communications, RS, instrumentation, image processing, and geo-spatial information; works with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including Argentina, China, France, Germany, India, Russia, Slovenia, Ukraine, the UK, and other African countries; member of the African Space Agency and the Arab Space Coordination Group (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2002 - first remote sensing (RS) satellite (Alsat-1A) built jointly with the UK and launched by Russia 2006 - announced a national space program 2010 and 2016 - first Algerian-designed and -built RS satellites (Alsat-2A and 2B) launched by India 2017 - first communications satellite (Alcomsat-1) built jointly with and launched by China; announced a 2040 national space plan 2026 - RS satellite (AlSat-3A) launched by China ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) – Algeria; al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 188,206 (2024 est.) IDPs: 25 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Algeria did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Algeria remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/algeria/ --- ## American Samoa **Slug:** american-samoa **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇦🇸 **Codes:** cek: aq, iso2: AS, iso3: ASM, iso_num: 016, genc: ASM, stanag: ASM, internet: .as ### Introduction **Background:** Tutuila -- the largest island in American Samoa -- was settled by 1000 B.C., and the island served as a refuge for exiled chiefs and defeated warriors from the other Samoan islands. The Manu’a Islands, which are also now part of American Samoa, developed a traditional chiefdom that maintained autonomy by controlling oceanic trade. In 1722, Dutch explorer Jacob ROGGEVEEN was the first European to sail through the Manu’a Islands, and he was followed by French explorer Louis Antoine DE BOUGAINVILLE in 1768. Whalers and missionaries arrived in American Samoa in the 1830s, but American and European traders tended to favor the port in Apia -- now in independent Samoa -- over the smaller and less-developed Pago Pago on Tutuila. In the mid-1800s, a dispute arose in Samoa over control of the Samoan archipelago, with different chiefs gaining support from Germany, the UK, and the US. In 1872, the high chief of Tutuila offered the US exclusive rights to Pago Pago in return for US protection, but the US rejected this offer. As fighting resumed, the US agreed to the chief’s request in 1878 and set up a coaling station at Pago Pago. In 1899, with continued disputes over succession, Germany and the US agreed to divide the Samoan islands, while the UK withdrew its claims in exchange for parts of the Solomon Islands. Local chiefs on Tutuila formally ceded their land to the US in 1900, followed by the chief of Manu’a in 1904. The territory was officially named “American Samoa” in 1911. The US administered the territory through the Department of the Navy. In 1949, there was an attempt to organize the territory, granting it formal self-government, but local chiefs helped defeat the measure in the US Congress. Administration was transferred to the Department of the Interior in 1951, and in 1967, American Samoa adopted a constitution that provides significant protections for traditional Samoan land-tenure rules, language, and culture. In 1977, after four attempts, voters approved a measure to directly elect their governor. Nevertheless, American Samoa officially remains an unorganized territory, and people born in American Samoa are US nationals rather than US citizens. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand **Geographic coordinates:** 14 20 S, 170 00 W **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 224 sq km land: 224 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Atoll and Swains Island **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 116 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October); little seasonal temperature variation **Terrain:** five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Atoll, Swains Island) **Elevation:** highest point: Lata Mountain 964 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** pumice, pumicite **Land use:** agricultural land: 14.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 9.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2023 est.) forest: 79.2% (2023 est.) other: 6% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Natural hazards:** cyclones common from December to March volcanism: limited volcanic activity on the Ofu and Olosega Islands; neither has erupted since the 19th century **Geography - note:** Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean ### People and Society **Population:** total: 43,268 (2025 est.) male: 21,478 female: 21,790 **Nationality:** noun: American Samoan(s) (US nationals) adjective: American Samoan **Ethnic groups:** Pacific Islander 88.7% (includes Samoan 83.2%, Tongan 2.2%, other 3.3%), Asian 5.8% (includes Filipino 3.4%, other 2.4%), mixed 4.4%, other 1.1% (2020 est.) note: data represent population by ethnic origin or race **Languages:** Samoan 87.9% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 3.3%, Tongan 2.1%, other Pacific Islander 4.1%, Asian languages 2.1%, other 0.5% (2020 est.) note: most people are bilingual **Religions:** Christian 98.3%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 25.3% (male 5,738/female 5,387) 15-64 years: 66% (male 14,291/female 14,679) 65 years and over: 8.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,775/female 2,025) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 51.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 37.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 13.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 7.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 30.6 years (2025 est.) male: 29.4 years female: 30.6 years **Population growth rate:** -1.33% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 15.3 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -22.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 87.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.26% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 49,000 PAGO PAGO (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 9.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 11.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 75.8 years (2024 est.) male: 73.4 years female: 78.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.99 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.96 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 99.8% of population unimproved: total: 0.2% of population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 98.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 1.5% of population (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 47.4% (2020 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited supply of drinking water; pollution; waste disposal; coastal and stream alteration; soil erosion **Climate:** tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October); little seasonal temperature variation **Land use:** agricultural land: 14.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 9.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2023 est.) forest: 79.2% (2023 est.) other: 6% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 87.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.26% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 389,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 389,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 19,000 tons (2024 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa former: Eastern Samoa abbreviation: AS etymology: the name's meaning is disputed; according to one theory, sa means "sacred" and moa means "center," so the name can mean "Holy Center"; alternatively, some assert that the name can mean "place of the sacred moa bird" of Polynesian mythology; however, the name may pre-date the Polynesian era (before 1000 B.C.), with sa'a meaning "tribe or people" and moa meaning "deep sea," or "people of the deep sea" **Government type:** unincorporated, unorganized Territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches **Dependency status:** unincorporated, unorganized Territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior **Capital:** name: Pago Pago geographic coordinates: 14 16 S, 170 42 W time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) note: pronounced PAHN-go PAHN-go **Administrative divisions:** no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 3 districts and 2 islands* are considered second-order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western **Legal system:** mixed legal system of US common law and customary law **Constitution:** history: adopted 17 October 1960; revised 1 July 1967 amendment process: proposed by either house of the Legislative Assembly; passage requires three-fifths majority vote by the membership of each house, approval by simple majority vote in a referendum, approval by the US Secretary of the Interior, and only by an act of the US Congress **Citizenship:** see United States note: in accordance with US Code Title 8, Section 1408, persons born in American Samoa are US nationals but not US citizens **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025) head of government: Governor Nikolao PULA (since 3 January 2025) cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 department directors appointed by the governor with the consent of the Legislature or Fono election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories such as American Samoa do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 19 November 2024 election results: Lemanu Peleti MAUGA elected governor in first round; percent of vote - Lemanu Peleti MAUGA (independent) 60.3%, Gaoteote Palaie TOFAU (independent) 21.9%, I'aulualo Fa'afetai TALIA (independent) 12.3% expected date of next election: November 2028 **Legislative branch:** note: American Samoa elects 1 member by simple majority popular vote to serve a 2-year term as a delegate to the US House of Representatives; the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): High Court of American Samoa (consists of the chief justice, associate chief justice, and 6 Samoan associate judges and organized into trial, family, drug, and appellate divisions) judge selection and term of office: chief justice and associate chief justice appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior to serve for life; Samoan associate judges appointed by the governor to serve for life subordinate courts: district and village courts note: American Samoa has no US federal courts **Political parties:** Democratic Party Republican Party **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (territory of the US) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (territory of the US) **International organization participation:** AOSIS (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, PIF (observer), SPC **Independence:** none (territory of the US) **National holiday:** Flag Day, 17 April (1900) **Flag:** description: a large white triangle edged in red is based on the right side and extends to the left side, and it is on a dark blue field; a bald eagle holding a Samoan war club (fa'alaufa'i) and a coconut-fiber fly whisk (fue) sits on the right side of the flag meaning: the war club and fly whisk are traditional Samoan symbols of authority; the eagle carrying two objects echoes the US Great Seal and reflects the relationship between the United States and American Samoa; the red, white, and blue colors are traditionally used by both countries **National symbol(s):** a fue (coconut fiber fly whisk that represents wisdom) crossed with a to'oto'o (staff that represents authority) **National color(s):** red, white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "Amerika Samoa" (American Samoa) lyrics/music: Mariota Tiumalu TUIASOSOPO/Napoleon Andrew TUITELELEAPAGA history: local anthem adopted 1950 _____ title: "The Star-Spangled Banner" lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH history: official anthem, as a US territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** tourism, tuna, and government services-based territorial economy; sustained economic decline; vulnerable tuna canning industry; large territorial government presence; minimum wage increases to rise to federal standards by 2036 **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $658 million (2016 est.) $674.9 million (2015 est.) $666.9 billion (2014 est.) note: data are in 2016 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.7% (2022 est.) -0.8% (2021 est.) 4.4% (2020 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **GDP (official exchange rate):** $871 million (2022 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Agricultural products:** bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock **Industries:** tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts **Budget:** revenues: $249 million (2016 est.) expenditures: $262.5 million (2016 est.) **Exports:** $409 million (2022 est.) $332 million (2021 est.) $427 million (2020 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Australia 31%, UK 18%, Tanzania 9%, UAE 7%, Senegal 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** animal meal, aluminum, refined petroleum, gas turbines, broadcasting equipment (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $677 million (2022 est.) $694 million (2021 est.) $686 million (2020 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Singapore 28%, NZ 15%, Fiji 14%, Taiwan 11%, Malaysia 11% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, fish, paper containers, wood, construction vehicles (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** the US dollar is used ### Energy **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 50,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 157.697 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 13.975 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 97.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 89.105 million Btu/person (2019 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 9,690 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 2,250 (2004 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2004 est.) **Broadcast media:** 3 TV stations; multi-channel pay TV services are available; about a dozen radio stations, some of which are repeater stations **Internet country code:** .as **Internet users:** percent of population: 40.3% (1990 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 3 (2025) **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Pago Pago Harbor ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the US --- ## Andorra **Slug:** andorra **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇦🇩 **Codes:** cek: an, iso2: AD, iso3: AND, iso_num: 020, genc: AND, stanag: AND, internet: .ad ### Introduction **Background:** The landlocked Principality of Andorra -- one of the smallest states in Europe and nestled high in the Pyrenees between the French and Spanish borders -- is the last independent survivor of the Hispanic March states created by Frankish King Charlemagne in 795 after he halted the Moorish invasion of Spain. The March states were a series of buffer states to keep the Muslim Moors from advancing into Christian France. For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607 onward, the French chief of state and the Bishop of Urgell). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the introduction of a modern constitution; the co-princes remained as titular heads of state, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy. Andorra's winter sports, summer climate, and duty-free shopping attract approximately 8 million people each year. Andorra has also become a wealthy international commercial center because of its mature banking sector and low taxes. As part of the effort to modernize its economy, Andorra has opened to foreign investment and engaged in other reforms, such as tax initiatives aimed at supporting broader infrastructure. Although not a member of the EU, Andorra enjoys a special relationship with the bloc that is governed by various customs and cooperation agreements, and Andorra uses the euro as its national currency. ### Geography **Location:** Southwestern Europe, Pyrenees mountains, on the border between France and Spain **Geographic coordinates:** 42 30 N, 1 30 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 468 sq km land: 468 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** 2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 118 km border countries (2): France 55 km; Spain 63 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers **Terrain:** rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys **Elevation:** highest point: Pic de Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m mean elevation: 1,996 m **Natural resources:** hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead **Land use:** agricultural land: 39.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 38.3% (2023 est.) forest: 38.7% (2023 est.) other: 21.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** population is unevenly distributed and is concentrated in the seven urbanized valleys that make up the country's parishes (political administrative divisions) **Natural hazards:** avalanches **Geography - note:** landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees ### People and Society **Population:** total: 85,266 (2025 est.) male: 43,557 female: 41,709 **Nationality:** noun: Andorran(s) adjective: Andorran **Ethnic groups:** Spanish 34.3%, Andorran 32.1%, Portuguese 10%, French 5.6%, other 18% (2024 est.) note: data represent population by country of birth **Languages:** Catalan (official) 44.1%, Castilian 40.3%, Portuguese 13.5%, French 10%, English 3%, other 6.8% (2022 est.) note: data represent mother tongue **Religions:** Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) 89.5, other 8.8%, unaffiliated 1.7% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 12% (male 5,276/female 4,954) 15-64 years: 67.7% (male 29,562/female 28,201) 65 years and over: 20.4% (2024 est.) (male 8,814/female 8,563) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 49.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 17.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 31.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 49.4 years (2025 est.) male: 48.7 years female: 48.8 years **Population growth rate:** -0.12% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 6.88 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.14 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population is unevenly distributed and is concentrated in the seven urbanized valleys that make up the country's parishes (political administrative divisions) **Urbanization:** urban population: 87.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 23,000 ANDORRA LA VELLA (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 32.8 years (2019) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 11 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 83.8 years (2024 est.) male: 81.6 years female: 86.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.47 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.71 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8.3% of GDP (2021) 15.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 5.07 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 25.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 10.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 4.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 33% (2025 est.) male: 31.7% (2025 est.) female: 34.4% (2025 est.) **Education expenditure:** 1.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 12.1% national budget (2025 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2023 est.) male: 14 years (2023 est.) female: 15 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 39.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 38.3% (2023 est.) forest: 38.7% (2023 est.) other: 21.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 87.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 8.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 43,000 tons (2024 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 315.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Principality of Andorra conventional short form: Andorra local long form: Principat d'Andorra local short form: Andorra etymology: the origin of the country's name is obscure; may originate from the Navarrese word andurrial, meaning "shrub-covered land;" alternatively, may derive from the Arabic ad-darra meaning "the forest," a reference to its location; many other theories exist **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains its chiefs of state in the form of a co-principality; the two princes are the President of France and Bishop of Seu d'Urgell, Spain **Capital:** name: Andorra la Vella geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: translates as "Andorra the Old" in Catalan **Administrative divisions:** 7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria **Legal system:** mixed legal system of civil and customary law with the influence of canon (religious) law **Constitution:** history: drafted 1991, approved by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 28 April 1993 amendment process: proposed by the co-princes jointly or by the General Council; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the General Council, ratification in a referendum, and sanctioning by the co-princes **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the mother must be an Andorran citizen or the father must have been born in Andorra and both parents maintain permanent residence in Andorra dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 25 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Co-prince Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Patrick STROZDA (since 14 May 2017); and Co-prince Archbishop Joan-Enric VIVES i Sicilia (since 12 May 2003); represented by Eduard Ibanez PULIDO (since 27 November 2023) head of government: Prime Minister Xavier Espot ZAMORA (since 16 May 2019) cabinet: Executive Council composed of head of government and 11 ministers designated by the head of government election/appointment process: head of government indirectly elected by the General Council (Andorran parliament), formally appointed by the co-princes for a 4-year term; the leader of the majority party in the General Council is usually elected head of government most recent election date: 2 April 2023 election results: 2023: Xaviar Espot ZAMORA (DA) reelected head of government; percent of General Council vote - 57.1% 2019: Xaviar Espot ZAMORA (DA) elected head of government; percent of General Council vote - 60.7 expected date of next election: April 2027 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: General Council (Consell General) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 28 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 4/2/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Democrats for Andorra (DA) and its allies (17); Concordia (Concòrdia) and its allies (5); Andorra Forward (Andorra Endavant) (3); Social Democrat Party (PS) - Social Democracy and Progress (SDP) (3) percentage of women in chamber: 50% expected date of next election: April 2027 note: voters cast two separate ballots -- one for the national election and one for their parish **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or Tribunal Superior de la Justicia d'Andorra (consists of the court president and 8 judges organized into civil, criminal, and administrative chambers); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 4 magistrates) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president and judges appointed by the Supreme Council of Justice, a 5-member judicial policy and administrative body appointed 1 each by the co-princes, 1 by the General Council, 1 by the executive council president, and 1 by the courts; judges serve 6-year renewable terms; Constitutional magistrates - 2 appointed by the co-princes and 2 by the General Council; magistrates' appointments limited to 2 consecutive 8-year terms subordinate courts: Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal de Corts **Political parties:** Concordia or C Democrats for Andorra or DA Forward Andorra or AE Liberals of Andorra or L'A Social Democratic Party or PS Social Democracy and Progress or SDP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Joan FORNER ROVIRA (since 13 January 2025); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064 FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630 email address and website: contact@andorraun.org https://www.exteriors.ad/en/embassies-of-andorra/andorra-usa-embassy **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US ambassador to Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the US Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda de Montcada, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Espana; telephone: [34] (93) 280-22-27; FAX: [34] (93) 280-61-75; email address: Barcelonaacs@state.gov **International organization participation:** CE, FAO, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer) **Independence:** 1278 (formed under the joint sovereignty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgell) **National holiday:** Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278) **Flag:** description: three vertical bands of blue (left side), yellow, and red, with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band, which is slightly wider than the other two; the coat of arms features a quartered shield with the emblems of Urgell, Foix, Bearn, and Catalonia; the motto reads VIRTUS UNITA FORTIOR (Strength United is Stronger) meaning: the flag combines the blue and red French colors with the red and yellow of Spain to symbolize Franco-Spanish protection note: similar to the flags of Chad and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem **National symbol(s):** red cow (breed unspecified) **National color(s):** blue, yellow, red **National anthem(s):** title: "El Gran Carlemany" (The Great Charlemagne) lyrics/music: Joan BENLLOCH i VIVO/Enric MARFANY BONS history: adopted 1921; the anthem provides a brief history of Andorra in a first-person narrative **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley ### Economy **Economic overview:** high GDP; low unemployment; non-EU Euro user; co-principality duty-free area between Spain and France; tourist hub but hit hard by COVID-19; modern, non-tax haven financial sector; looking for big tech investments; new member of SEPA and IMF **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $5.402 billion (2024 est.) $5.226 billion (2023 est.) $5.094 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.4% (2024 est.) 2.6% (2023 est.) 9.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $65,900 (2024 est.) $64,600 (2023 est.) $63,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $4.04 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 6.2% (2022 est.) 1.7% (2021 est.) 0.1% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.5% (2024 est.) industry: 12.8% (2024 est.) services: 77.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables, tobacco, sheep, cattle **Industries:** tourism (particularly skiing), banking, timber, furniture **Industrial production growth rate:** 6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Remittances:** 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.054 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $989.38 million (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Current account balance:** $538.287 million (2023 est.) $393.62 million (2022 est.) $499.422 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $3.169 billion (2023 est.) $2.736 billion (2022 est.) $2.446 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Spain 39%, USA 21%, France 11%, UK 5%, UAE 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** paintings, integrated circuits, cars, orthopedic appliances, garments (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $2.716 billion (2023 est.) $2.44 billion (2022 est.) $2.143 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Spain 65%, France 11%, Germany 4%, China 3%, Italy 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, refined petroleum, garments, perfumes, electricity (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.951 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) note: while not an EU member state, Andorra has a 2011 monetary agreement with the EU to produce limited euro coinage—but not banknotes—that began enforcement in April 2012 ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 53,200 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 65 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 128,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 156 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** the media scene is partly shaped by the proximity to France and Spain; Andorrans have access to broadcasts from both countries (2023) **Internet country code:** .ad **Internet users:** percent of population: 95% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 42,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 52 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** C3 **Heliports:** 2 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; Police Corps of Andorra (under the Ministry of Justice and Interior) **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of France and Spain --- ## Angola **Slug:** angola **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇦🇴 **Codes:** cek: ao, iso2: AO, iso3: AGO, iso_num: 024, genc: AGO, stanag: AGO, internet: .ao ### Introduction **Background:** Bantu-speaking people settled in the area now called Angola in 6th century A.D.; by the 10th century various Bantu groups had established kingdoms, of which Kongo became the most powerful. From the late-14th to the mid-19th century, a Kingdom of Kongo stretched across central Africa from present-day northern Angola into the current Congo republics. It traded heavily with the Portuguese who, beginning in the 16th century, established coastal colonies and trading posts and introduced Christianity. Angola became a major hub of the transatlantic slave trade conducted by the Portuguese and other European powers -- often in collaboration with local kingdoms, including the Kongo. The Angola area is estimated to have lost as many as 4 million people as a result of the slave trade. The Kingdom of Kongo’s main rival was the Kingdom of Ndongo to its south, whose most famous leader was Nzingha Mbande, the 17th century diplomat to the Portuguese and later Queen, who successfully fought off Portuguese encroachment during her nearly 40-year reign. Smaller kingdoms, such as the Matamba and Ngoyo, often came under the control of the Kongo or Ndongo Kingdoms. During the Berlin Conference of 1884-85, Portugal and other European powers set Angola’s modern borders, but the Portuguese did not fully control large portions of the territory. Portugal gained control of the Kingdom of Kongo in 1888 when Kongo’s King Pedro V sought Portuguese military assistance in exchange for becoming a vassal. After a revolt in 1914, Portugal imposed direct rule over the colony and abolished the Kongo Kingdom. The Angolan National Revolution began in 1961, and in 1975, Angola won its independence when Portugal’s dictatorship fell, a collapse that occurred in part because of growing discontent over conflict in Angola and other colonies. Angola’s multiple independence movements soon clashed, with the Popular Movement for Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Agostinho NETO, taking power and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, emerging as its main competitor. After NETO’s death in 1979, Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, also of the MPLA, became president. Over time, the Angolan civil war escalated and became a major Cold War conflict, with the Soviet Union and Cuba supporting the MPLA and the US and South Africa supporting UNITA. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost -- and 4 million people displaced -- during the more than a quarter-century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and cemented the MPLA's hold on power. DOS SANTOS did not seek reelection in 2017 and supported Joao LOURENCO’s successful bid to become president. LOURENCO was reelected in 2022. Angola scores low on human development indexes despite using its large oil reserves to rebuild since 2002. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo **Geographic coordinates:** 12 30 S, 18 30 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 1,246,700 sq km land: 1,246,700 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about eight times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 5,369 km border countries (4): Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,646 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province); Republic of the Congo 231 km; Namibia 1,427 km; Zambia 1,065 km **Coastline:** 1,600 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April) **Terrain:** narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau **Elevation:** highest point: Moca 2,620 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 1,112 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium **Land use:** agricultural land: 36.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 32.4% (2023 est.) forest: 51.6% (2023 est.) other: 11.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 860 sq km (2014) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Rio Zambeze (Zambezi) (shared with Zambia [s], Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Rio Cubango (Okavango) river source (shared with Namibia and Botswana [m]) - 1,600 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km) Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Congo Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin **Population distribution:** most people live in the western half of the country; urban areas account for the highest concentrations of people, particularly the capital of Luanda **Natural hazards:** locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau **Geography - note:** the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo ### People and Society **Population:** total: 38,984,796 (2025 est.) male: 19,115,781 female: 19,869,015 **Nationality:** noun: Angolan(s) adjective: Angolan **Ethnic groups:** Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, Mestico (mixed European and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22% **Languages:** Portuguese 71.2% (official), Umbundu 23%, Kikongo 8.2%, Kimbundu 7.8%, Chokwe 6.5%, Nhaneca 3.4%, Nganguela 3.1%, Fiote 2.4%, Kwanhama 2.3%, Muhumbi 2.1%, Luvale 1%, other 3.6% (2014 est.) note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census **Religions:** Roman Catholic 41.1%, Protestant 38.1%, other 8.6%, none 12.3% (2014 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 46.9% (male 8,752,419/female 8,701,422) 15-64 years: 50.7% (male 9,076,080/female 9,795,035) 65 years and over: 2.4% (2024 est.) (male 367,559/female 509,546) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 95.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 90 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 19.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 16.6 years (2025 est.) male: 15.8 years female: 16.8 years **Population growth rate:** 3.32% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 39.75 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.73 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most people live in the western half of the country; urban areas account for the highest concentrations of people, particularly the capital of Luanda **Urbanization:** urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 9.292 million LUANDA (capital), 959,000 Lubango, 905,000 Cabinda, 809,000 Benguela, 783,000 Malanje (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.4 years (2015/16 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 183 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 46.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 60.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 50.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 62.9 years (2024 est.) male: 60.8 years female: 65.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 5.45 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 2.68 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 71.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 27.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 57.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 28.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 72.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 42.3% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3% of GDP (2021) 6.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.24 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 0.8 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 93.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 30.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 73.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 6.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 69.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 26.5% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 8.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 5.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 57.2% (2016 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 7.9% (2016) women married by age 18: 30.3% (2016) men married by age 18: 6% (2016) **Education expenditure:** 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 6.5% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 66.2% (2015 est.) male: 83.8% (2015 est.) female: 51.9% (2015 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion; desertification; deforestation of tropical rainforest from international demand for timber and domestic use as fuel; loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April) **Land use:** agricultural land: 36.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 32.4% (2023 est.) forest: 51.6% (2023 est.) other: 11.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 19.66 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 9,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 17.21 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 2.441 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 27.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 1,009.1 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 374.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 123 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 78.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.214 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 19% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 319.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 239.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 146.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 148.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Angola conventional short form: Angola local long form: Republica de Angola local short form: Angola former: People's Republic of Angola etymology: in the 15th century, Portuguese explorers derived the name from the title "N'gola," which was held by kings of the Ndongo **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Luanda geographic coordinates: 8 50 S, 13 13 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time etymology: the Portuguese named the city São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda (Saint Paul of the Assumption of Loanda); over time, it was shortened to "Luanda," which may derive from a Bantu word meaning "tax" or "duty," in reference to local people paying their dues to the king of the Congo **Administrative divisions:** 21 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando, Cubango, Cuanza-Norte, Cuanza-Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Icolo e Bengo, Luanda, Lunda-Norte, Lunda-Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Moxico Leste, Namibe, Uige, Zaire **Legal system:** civil legal system based on Portuguese civil law; no judicial review of legislation **Constitution:** history: previous 1975, 1992; latest passed by National Assembly 21 January 2010, adopted 5 February 2010 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or supported by at least one third of the National Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly subject to prior Constitutional Court review if requested by the president of the republic **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Angola dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017) head of government: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: the candidate of the winning party or coalition in the last legislative election becomes the president; president serves a 5-year term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term) most recent election date: 24 August 2022 election results: Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (MPLA) elected president by then winning party following the 24 August 2022 general election expected date of next election: 2027 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Assembleia nacional) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 220 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 8/24/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) (124); National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) (90); Other (6) percentage of women in chamber: 39.1% expected date of next election: August 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo (consists of the court president, vice president, and a minimum of 16 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 11 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president on recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council, an 18-member body chaired by the president; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges - 4 nominated by the president, 4 elected by National Assembly, 2 elected by Supreme National Council, 1 elected by competitive submission of curricula; judges serve single 7-year terms subordinate courts: provincial and municipal courts **Political parties:** Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola Electoral Coalition or CASA-CE Humanist Party of Angola or PHI National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA; note - party has two factions National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA (largest opposition party) Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA; note- ruling party in power since 1975 Social Renewal Party or PRS **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Agostinho de Carvalho dos Santos VAN-DÚNEM (since 30 June 2023) chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156 FAX: [1] (202) 822-9049 email address and website: info@angola.org https://angola.org/ consulate(s) general: Houston, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Shannon Nagy CAZEAU (since 2 October 2025) embassy: Rua Houari Boumedienne, #32, Luanda mailing address: 2550 Luanda Place, Washington, DC 20521-2550 telephone: [244] (222) 64-1000 FAX: [244] (222) 64-1000 email address and website: Consularluanda@state.gov https://ao.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 11 November 1975 (from Portugal) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 11 November (1975) **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered yellow emblem of a five-pointed star inside half a cogwheel, crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle) meaning: red stands for liberty and black for the African continent; the emblem symbolizes workers and peasants **National symbol(s):** giant black sable antelope (Palanca negra gigante) **National color(s):** red, black, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Angola Avante" (Forward Angola) lyrics/music: Manuel Rui Alves MONTEIRO/Rui Alberto Vieira Dias MINGAO history: adopted 1975 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Mbanza-Kongo ### Economy **Economic overview:** middle-income, oil-dependent African economy; widespread poverty; rising inflation and currency depreciation; seeking diversification through agricultural production; significant corruption in public institutions; major infrastructure investments from China and US; exited OPEC in 2023 **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $278.239 billion (2024 est.) $266.452 billion (2023 est.) $263.61 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.4% (2024 est.) 1.1% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $7,300 (2024 est.) $7,300 (2023 est.) $7,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $80.397 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 28.2% (2024 est.) 13.6% (2023 est.) 21.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 16.4% (2024 est.) industry: 44.2% (2024 est.) services: 39.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 55.3% (2024 est.) government consumption: 6.3% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 25% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 37.9% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -24.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** cassava, bananas, maize, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, tomatoes, pineapples, onions, potatoes, citrus fruits (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing; food processing, brewing, tobacco products, sugar; textiles; ship repair **Industrial production growth rate:** 5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 15.961 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 14.5% (2024 est.) 14.6% (2023 est.) 14.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 27.9% (2024 est.) male: 30.2% (2024 est.) female: 25.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 32.3% (2018 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 51.3 (2018 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 50% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.3% (2018 est.) highest 10%: 39.6% (2018 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2024 est.) 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $18.117 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $13.871 billion (2019 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 10.1% (of GDP) (2019 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $6.31 billion (2024 est.) $4.185 billion (2023 est.) $11.763 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $36.924 billion (2024 est.) $36.961 billion (2023 est.) $50.12 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 40%, India 9%, UAE 6%, Spain 6%, Netherlands 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, diamonds, natural gas, ships, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $22.683 billion (2024 est.) $23.688 billion (2023 est.) $28.564 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 19%, Portugal 10%, UAE 7%, India 6%, USA 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, wheat, ships, cars, trucks (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $14.243 billion (2024 est.) $13.942 billion (2023 est.) $13.655 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $45.299 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** kwanza (AOA) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 869.846 (2024 est.) 685.02 (2023 est.) 460.568 (2022 est.) 631.442 (2021 est.) 578.259 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 48.5% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 76.2% electrification - rural areas: 7.3% (2018 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 7.6 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 16.214 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.725 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 23.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 74% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 3,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 1.175 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 121,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 7.783 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 5.984 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 1.244 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 4.928 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 343.002 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 9.146 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 80,300 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 26.4 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 70 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned media dominate; only four privately owned newspapers still exist in print form; state-run Radio Nacional de Angola (RNA) is the only outlet to offer programs in local languages such as Bantu; private stations operate in cities, including Catholic Radio Ecclesia, but RNA is the only radio broadcaster with near-national coverage (2023) **Internet country code:** .ao **Internet users:** percent of population: 45% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 137,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** D2 **Airports:** 107 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Railways:** total: 2,761 km (2022) narrow gauge: 2,638 km (2022) 1.067-m gauge 123 km 0.600-mm gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 64 (2023) by type: general cargo 13, oil tanker 8, other 43 **Ports:** total ports: 21 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 8 very small: 13 ports with oil terminals: 17 key ports: Cabinda, Estrela Oil Field, Lobito, Luanda, Malongo Oil Terminal, Namibe, Palanca Terminal, Takula Terminal ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Angolan Armed Forces (Forcas Armadas Angolanas, FAA): Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra Angola, MGA), Angolan National Air Force (Forca Aerea Nacional Angolana, FANA) Ministry of Interior: National Police, Border Guard Police (2025) **Military expenditures:** 1% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 100,000 active duty Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** most Angolan military weapons and equipment are of Russian or Soviet-era origin; there are smaller quantities of items originating from such suppliers as China, Brazil, Israel, Italy, South Africa, and the UAE (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 20-45 years of age for compulsory and 18-45 years for voluntary military service for men; 20-45 years of age for voluntary service for women; 24-month conscript service obligation; the Navy is entirely staffed with volunteers (2025) **Military - note:** the Angolan Armed Forces were created in 1991 under the Bicesse Accords signed between the Angolan Government and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA); the current force is responsible for country’s external defense but also has some domestic security responsibilities, such as border protection; it participates in multinational exercises, as well as regional peacekeeping operations, including the deployment of several hundred troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2023; in recent years, the military has placed additional emphasis on maritime security and protecting offshore resources (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** National Space Program Office (Gabinete de Gestão do Programa Espacial Nacional, GGPEN; established 2013) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a national space strategy with a focus on capacity-building, developing space infrastructure, investing in domestic space sector, supporting socioeconomic growth, and establishing cooperation agreements with foreign technical and scientific institutions in the space industry; contracts with foreign companies to build and launch satellites; operates satellites; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of France, Portugal, Russia, the US, and other African countries; member of the African Space Agency (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2017 - first communications satellite (AngoSat-1) built, launched, and operated by Russia (satellite failed in 2018) 2022 - second communications satellite (AngoSat-2) with French-built payload, integrated and launched by Russia 2023 - signed US-led Artemis Accords outlining best practices for space exploration 2024 - inaugurated a national maritime coordination and surveillance center and country's first satellite mission control center 2025 - signed financial agreement with France for construction of country’s first high-resolution remote sensing satellite (ANGEO-1) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 55,542 (2024 est.) IDPs: 75,308 (2024 est.) --- ## Anguilla **Slug:** anguilla **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇦🇮 **Codes:** cek: av, iso2: AI, iso3: AIA, iso_num: 660, genc: AIA, stanag: AIA, internet: .ai ### Introduction **Background:** English settlers from Saint Kitts first colonized Anguilla in 1650. Great Britain administered the island until the early 19th century, when -- against the wishes of the inhabitants -- Anguilla was incorporated into a single British dependency along with Saint Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this arrangement was formally recognized in 1980, when Anguilla became a separate British dependency. In 2017, Hurricane Irma caused extensive damage on the island, particularly to communications and residential and business infrastructure. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico **Geographic coordinates:** 18 15 N, 63 10 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 91 sq km land: 91 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about one-half the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 61 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds **Terrain:** flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone **Elevation:** highest point: Crocus Hill 73 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** salt, fish, lobster **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) arable land: 0% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 61.1% (2022 est.) other: 38.9% (2022 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2020) **Population distribution:** most of the population is concentrated in The Valley in the center of the island; settlement is fairly uniform in the southwest, but rather sparse in the northeast **Natural hazards:** frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) **Geography - note:** the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles ### People and Society **Population:** total: 19,753 (2025 est.) male: 9,247 female: 10,506 **Nationality:** noun: Anguillan(s) adjective: Anguillan **Ethnic groups:** African/Black 85.3%, Hispanic 4.9%, mixed 3.8%, White 3.2%, East Indian/Indian 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.) note: data represent population by ethnic origin **Languages:** English (official) **Religions:** Protestant 73.2% (includes Anglican 22.7%, Methodist 19.4%, Pentecostal 10.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.3%, Baptist 7.1%, Church of God 4.9%, Presbyterian 0.2%, Brethren 0.1%), Roman Catholic 6.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other Christian 10.9%, other 3.2%, unspecified 0.3%, none 4.5% (2011 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 20.8% (male 2,056/female 1,992) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 5,958/female 7,147) 65 years and over: 11.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,093/female 1,170) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 49.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 18.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 5.5 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 37.5 years (2025 est.) male: 34.8 years female: 39 years **Population growth rate:** 1.71% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 11.69 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.76 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 10.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is concentrated in The Valley in the center of the island; settlement is fairly uniform in the southwest, but rather sparse in the northeast **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1,000 THE VALLEY (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.83 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 2.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 82.6 years (2024 est.) male: 80 years female: 85.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.72 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.85 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 97.5% of population **Physician density:** 1.51 physicians/1,000 population (2018) **Education expenditure:** 2.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 10.3% national budget (2024 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** inadequate potable water **Climate:** tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) arable land: 0% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 61.1% (2022 est.) other: 38.9% (2022 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Anguilla etymology: in 1493, Christopher COLUMBUS named the island Anguilla, meaning "eel" in Spanish, because of the island's elongated shape **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (House of Assembly); self-governing overseas territory of the UK **Dependency status:** overseas territory of the UK **Capital:** name: The Valley geographic coordinates: 18 13 N, 63 03 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: name may derive from the capital's location among several hills **Legal system:** common law based on the English model **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest 1 April 1982 **Citizenship:** see United Kingdom **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Julia CROUCH (since 11 September 2023) head of government: Premier Cora RICHARDSON-HODGE (since 27 February 2025) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among elected members of the House of Assembly election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as premier **Legislative branch:** legislature name: House of Assembly legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 11 (7 directly elected, 2 appointed, 2 ex-officio members) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 6/29/2020 parties elected and seats per party: APM (7); AUF (4) percentage of women in chamber: 27.3% **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts judge selection and term of office: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62 subordinate courts: Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court **Political parties:** Anguilla Progressive Movement or APM; (formerly Anguilla United Movement or AUM) Anguilla United Front or AUF **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK); alternate contact is the US Embassy in Barbados [1] (246) 227-4000 **International organization participation:** Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU **Independence:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **National holiday:** Anguilla Day, 30 May (1967) **Flag:** description: blue, with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms shows three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background, with a turquoise-blue field below meaning: the white on the coat of arms stands for peace; the blue base for the sea, faith, youth, and hope; and the three dolphins for endurance, unity, and strength **National symbol(s):** dolphin **National coat of arms:** the Anguillan coat of arms features three interlocking dolphins jumping out of seawater; they represent endurance, unity, and strength, and their circular motion stands for continuity; the white background symbolizes peace and tranquility, and the turquoise-blue base represents the sea, as well as faith, youth, and hope **National anthem(s):** title: "God Bless Anguilla" lyrics/music: Alex RICHARDSON history: local anthem, adopted 1981 _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as an overseas UK territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** small, tourism-dependent, territorial-island economy; very high public debt; COVID-19 crippled economic activity; partial recovery underway via tourism, benefitting from its high amount of timeshare residences; considering reopening oil refinery **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $362.499 million (2024 est.) $345.238 million (2023 est.) $336.924 million (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **Real GDP per capita:** $31,000 (2024 est.) $28,900 (2023 est.) $27,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $452.73 million (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3% (2022 est.) 1.8% (2021 est.) -0.5% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **Agricultural products:** small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising **Industries:** tourism, boat building, offshore financial services **Budget:** revenues: $81.925 million (2017 est.) expenditures: $72.352 million (2017 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Exports:** $7.9 million (2017 est.) $3.9 million (2016 est.) note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports. **Exports - partners:** Chile 60%, Netherlands 8%, Brazil 5%, Hungary 4%, USA 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** packaged medicine, garments, vehicle parts/accessories, vaccines, cars (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports - partners:** Chile 50%, USA 27%, Botswana 15%, Japan 1%, Dominican Republic 1% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** poultry, copper ore, natural gas, refined petroleum, fish (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2.7 (2024 est.) 2.7 (2023 est.) 2.7 (2022 est.) 2.7 (2021 est.) 2.7 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2020) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 5,970 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 42 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 25,900 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 182 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 private TV station; multi-channel cable TV subscription services are available; about 10 radio stations, one of which is government-owned (2024) **Internet country code:** .ai **Internet users:** percent of population: 81.6% (2021 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 5,000 (2018 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35 (2018 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** VP-A **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 2 (2023) by type: other 2 ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the UK --- ## Antarctica **Slug:** antarctica **Region:** Antarctica **Flag:** 🇦🇶 **Codes:** cek: ay, iso2: AQ, iso3: ATA, iso_num: 010, genc: ATA, stanag: ATA, internet: .aq, comment: ISO defines as the territory south of 60 degrees south latitude ### Introduction **Background:** Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was confirmed in the early 1820s when British and American commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions began exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south of the Antarctic Circle. In 1840, it was finally established that Antarctica was indeed a continent and not merely a group of islands or an area of ocean. Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th century, but the area saw little human activity. Following World War II, however, the continent experienced an upsurge in scientific research. A number of countries have set up a range of year-round and seasonal stations, camps, and refuges to support scientific research in Antarctica. Seven have made territorial claims, with two maintaining the basis for a claim, but most countries do not recognize these claims. In order to form a legal framework for countries' activities on the continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies nor recognizes existing territorial claims; it was signed in 1959 and entered into force in 1961. Also relevant to Antarctic governance are the Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty and the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. ### Geography **Location:** continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle **Geographic coordinates:** 90 00 S, 0 00 E **Map references:** Antarctic Region **Area:** total : 14.2 million sq km land: 14.2 million sq km (285,000 sq km ice-free, 13.915 million sq km ice-covered) (est.) note: fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the continent of Europe **Area - comparative:** slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US **Land boundaries:** note: see entry on Disputes - international **Coastline:** 17,968 km **Maritime claims:** Australia, Chile, and Argentina claim Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) rights or similar over 200 nm extensions seaward from their continental claims, but like the claims themselves, these zones are not accepted by other countries; 22 of 29 Antarctic Treaty consultative parties have made no claims to Antarctic territory, although Russia and the United States have reserved the right to do so, and no country can make a new claim **Climate:** the coldest, windiest, and driest continent on Earth; severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing; summers characterized by continuous daylight, while winters bring continuous darkness; persistent high pressure over the interior brings dry, subsiding air that results in very little cloud cover **Terrain:** about 99% thick continental ice sheet and 1% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 m; mountain ranges up to nearly 5,000 m; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent **Elevation:** highest point: Vinson Massif 4,892 m lowest point: Denman Glacier more than -3,500 m (-11,500 ft) below sea level mean elevation: 2,300 m note: the lowest known land point in Antarctica is hidden in the Denman Glacier; at its surface is the deepest ice yet discovered and the world's lowest elevation not under seawater **Natural resources:** iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small noncommercial quantities; mineral exploitation except for scientific research is banned by the Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty; krill, icefish, toothfish, and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries, which are managed through the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) **Natural hazards:** katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; large icebergs may calve from ice shelf volcanism: volcanic activity on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak **Geography - note:** the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent; during the summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than is received at the equator in an equivalent period mostly uninhabitable, 99% of the land area is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, the largest single mass of ice on Earth; it covers an area of 14 million sq km (5.4 million sq mi) and contains 26.5 million cu km (6.4 million cu mi) of ice (almost 62% of the world's fresh water) ### People and Society **Population:** no permanent inhabitants, but staff is present at year-round and summer-only research stations note: 56 countries have signed the 1959 Antarctic Treaty; 30 of those operate a number of seasonal-only (summer) and year-round research stations on the continent and its nearby islands; the population varies from approximately 5,000 in summer to 1,100 in winter, with about 1,000 support personnel on ships nearby as of 2024, peak summer (December-February) maximum capacity in scientific stations - 4,713 total; Argentina 425, Australia 238, Belarus 15, Belgium 55, Brazil 64, Bulgaria 25, Chile 375, China 164, Czechia 32, Ecuador 35, Finland 16, France 136, France and Italy jointly 70, Germany 60, India 72, Italy 150, Japan 130, South Korea 158, New Zealand 85, Norway 60, Peru 30, Poland 41, Russia 211, South Africa 80, Spain 79, Sweden 16, Ukraine 15, United Kingdom 315, United States 1,495 , Uruguay 66 (2024) winter (June-August) maximum capacity in scientific stations - 1,056 total; Argentina 221, Australia 52, Brazil 15, Chile 114, China 32, France 24, France and Italy jointly 13, Germany 9, India 48, Japan 40, Netherlands 10, South Korea 25, NZ 11, Norway 7, Poland 16, Russia 125, South Africa 15, Ukraine 12, UK 44, US 215, Uruguay 8 (2024) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** size of ozone hole over continent; ice loss **Climate:** the coldest, windiest, and driest continent on Earth; severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing; summers characterized by continuous daylight, while winters bring continuous darkness; persistent high pressure over the interior brings dry, subsiding air that results in very little cloud cover **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 15,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 13,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Antarctica etymology: name derived from two Greek words, anti and arktikos, meaning "opposite to the Arctic" or "opposite to the north" **Government type:** the Antarctic Treaty and its follow-on agreements govern the use of Antarctica, ensuring it is used only for peaceful purposes and scientific research; signed in 1959 and in force since 1961, the original Treaty bans military activity, weapons testing, and nuclear waste disposal, while allowing military personnel to assist with research or other peaceful efforts; it promotes international cooperation in science, guarantees the free exchange of research, and freezes territorial claims; the Treaty covers all land and ice south of 60° south latitude, and allows Treaty nations to inspect any station or facility decisions are made by consensus at annual meetings, and member countries implement these decisions through their national laws (see “Legal system”); additional agreements have strengthened the Treaty system, including conventions to protect seals (1972) and other marine life (1980), as well as an environmental protocol (1991, took effect in 1998); the protocol bans mining and includes strict rules on environmental impact, waste, pollution, wildlife, and protected areas; as of December 2024, there are 58 member nations: 29 consultative members, including the 7 claimant countries (Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK), and 29 non-consultative members; a permanent Antarctic Treaty Secretariat, established in 2004 in Buenos Aires, supports the system **Legal system:** Antarctica is administered through annual Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings that include member nations, observer groups, and experts; decisions are made by consensus and enforced by each country through its own laws, applying to their citizens and operations in the region south of 60° south latitude, including all ice shelves and islands; in the US, the Antarctic Conservation Act prohibits actions like harming native wildlife, introducing non-native species, polluting, or entering protected areas without authorization; the US National Science Foundation and Department of Justice enforce these rules; US expeditions must also notify the Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs at the US Department of State, which informs other Treaty nations, as required under Public Law 95-541 **Flag:** description: two horizontal bands of navy and white, with a stylized white peak at the center; the peak casts a navy shadow in the shape of a compass arrow pointed south meaning: the bands represent the long days and nights at Antarctica's extreme latitude; the compass arrow is an homage to the continent's legacy of exploration; the peak and the arrow together create a diamond, symbolizing the hope that Antarctica will continue to be a center of peace, discovery, and cooperation history: the flag is unofficial; created in 2018, the True South flag has quickly become popular for its simple yet elegant design and has been used by national Antarctic programs, Antarctic nonprofits, and expedition teams ### Energy **Coal:** imports: 2,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 79 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Communications **Internet country code:** .aq **Internet users:** percent of population: 100% (2021 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 31 (2025) **Heliports:** 5 (2025) **Ports:** total ports: 8 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 7 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Admiralty Bay, Andersen Harbor, Ellefsen Harbor, McMurdo Station, Melchior Harbor, Port Foster, Port Lockroy, Scotia Bay **Transportation - note:** US coastal stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E) and Palmer (64 43 S, 64 03 W); government use only; all ships are subject to inspection in accordance with Article 7 of the Antarctic Treaty; ships must comply with relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures under the Antarctic Treaty (see "Legal System"); The Hydrographic Commission on Antarctica (HCA), a commission of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), coordinates and facilitates provision of accurate and appropriate charts and other aids to navigation; membership in HCA is open to any IHO Member State whose government has acceded to the Antarctic Treaty and which contributes resources or data to IHO Chart coverage of the area ### Military and Security **Military - note:** the Antarctic Treaty of 1961 prohibits any measures of a military nature, such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, or the testing of any type of weapon; it permits the use of military personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes --- ## Antigua and Barbuda **Slug:** antigua-and-barbuda **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇦🇬 **Codes:** cek: ac, iso2: AG, iso3: ATG, iso_num: 028, genc: ATG, stanag: ATG, internet: .ag ### Introduction **Background:** The Siboney were the first people to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but the Arawaks populated the islands when Christopher COLUMBUS landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early Spanish and French settlements were succeeded by an English colony in 1667. Slavery, which provided labor on the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. In 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the island of Barbuda, devastating the island and forcing the evacuation of the population to Antigua. Almost all of the structures on Barbuda were destroyed and the vegetation stripped, but Antigua was spared the worst. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico **Geographic coordinates:** 17 03 N, 61 48 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 443 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) land: 443 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km **Area - comparative:** 2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 153 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation **Terrain:** mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Obama 402 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism **Land use:** agricultural land: 20.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 9.1% (2023 est.) forest: 18% (2023 est.) other: 61.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1.3 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** the island of Antigua is home to approximately 97% of the population; nearly the entire population of Barbuda lives in Codrington **Natural hazards:** hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts **Geography - note:** Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a large western harbor ### People and Society **Population:** total: 103,769 (2025 est.) male: 48,816 female: 54,953 **Nationality:** noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s) adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan **Ethnic groups:** African descent 87.3%, mixed 4.7%, Hispanic 2.7%, White 1.6%, other 2.7%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.) note: data represent population by ethnic group **Languages:** English (official), Antiguan Creole (an English-based creole) **Religions:** Protestant 68.3% (Anglican 17.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.4%, Pentecostal 12.2%, Moravian 8.3%, Methodist 5.6%, Wesleyan Holiness 4.5%, Church of God 4.1%, Baptist 3.6%), Roman Catholic 8.2%, other 12.2%, unspecified 5.5%, none 5.9% (2011 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 21.8% (male 11,384/female 11,034) 15-64 years: 67.6% (male 32,312/female 37,094) 65 years and over: 10.5% (2024 est.) (male 4,615/female 6,195) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 48.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 32.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 16.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 6.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 34.1 years (2025 est.) male: 31.9 years female: 35.7 years **Population growth rate:** 1.09% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 14.7 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.77 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 1.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the island of Antigua is home to approximately 97% of the population; nearly the entire population of Barbuda lives in Codrington **Urbanization:** urban population: 24.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 21,000 SAINT JOHN'S (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 35 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 16.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 78.3 years (2024 est.) male: 76.1 years female: 80.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.92 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.94 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.9% of GDP (2021) 14% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.92 physicians/1,000 population (2017) **Hospital bed density:** 3.3 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 95.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98% of population (2022 est.) total: 97.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 2% of population (2022 est.) total: 2.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 18.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 11.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.95 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.55 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.9% national budget (2025 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited natural freshwater resources; water management hampered by tree-clearing to increase crop production, causing rapid rainfall runoff **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation **Land use:** agricultural land: 20.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 9.1% (2023 est.) forest: 18% (2023 est.) other: 61.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 24.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 725,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 725,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 8.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 30,600 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 7.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 2.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 52 million cubic meters (2022) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Antigua and Barbuda conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda etymology: antiguo is Spanish for "ancient" or "old;" Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in 1493, after the church of Santa Maria la Antigua (Old Saint Mary's) in Seville, Spain; barbuda is Spanish for "bearded" and may refer to the island's lichen-covered fig trees **Government type:** parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm **Capital:** name: Saint John's geographic coordinates: 17 07 N, 61 51 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after Saint John the Apostle **Administrative divisions:** 6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip **Legal system:** common law based on the English model **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest presented 31 July 1981, effective 31 October 1981 (The Antigua and Barbuda Constitution Order 1981) amendment process: proposed by either house of Parliament; passage of amendments to constitutional sections such as citizenship, fundamental rights and freedoms, the establishment, power, and authority of the executive and legislative branches, the Supreme Court Order, and the procedure for amending the constitution requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the membership of both houses, approval by at least two-thirds majority in a referendum, and assent to by the governor general; passage of other amendments requires only two-thirds majority vote by both houses **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Rodney WILLIAMS (since 14 August 2014) head of government: Prime Minister Gaston BROWNE (since 13 June 2014) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the governor general usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives number of seats: 18 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 1/18/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) (9); United Progressive Party (UPP) (6); Barbuda People's Movement (BPM) (1); Independents (1); (1); Republican Force (1) percentage of women in chamber: 5.6% expected date of next election: January 2028 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 17 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 2/17/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 41.2% expected date of next election: February 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62 subordinate courts: Industrial Court; Magistrates' Courts **Political parties:** Antigua Labor Party or ABLP Barbuda People's Movement or BPM Democratic National Alliance or DNA Go Green for Life or GGL United Progressive Party or UPP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Sir Ronald SANDERS (since 17 September 2015) chancery: 3216 New Mexico Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 email address and website: embantbar@aol.com https://www.antigua-barbuda.org/Aghome01.htm consulate(s) general: Miami, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda **International organization participation:** ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 1 November 1981 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 1 November (1981) **Flag:** description: red, with an inverted isosceles triangle in the center that spans the flag from top to bottom; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising sun in the black band meaning: the sun stands for the dawn of a new era, black for the African heritage of most of the population, blue for hope, and red for the dynamism of the people; the "V" shape of the triangle stands for victory; the yellow, blue, and white colors are also meant to evoke the country's tourist attractions of sun, sea, and sand **National symbol(s):** fallow deer **National color(s):** red, white, blue, black, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Fair Antigua, We Salute Thee" lyrics/music: Novelle Hamilton RICHARDS/Walter Garnet Picart CHAMBERS history: adopted 1967 _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: royal anthem, as a Commonwealth country **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Antigua Naval Dockyard (Nelson's Dockyard) ### Economy **Economic overview:** dual island-tourism and construction-driven economy; emerging “blue economy”; limited water supply and susceptibility to hurricanes limit activity; improving road infrastructure; friendly to foreign direct investment; looking at financial innovation in cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $2.772 billion (2024 est.) $2.657 billion (2023 est.) $2.594 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.3% (2024 est.) 2.4% (2023 est.) 9.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $29,600 (2024 est.) $28,500 (2023 est.) $27,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $2.225 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 6.2% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 7.5% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.9% (2023 est.) industry: 19% (2023 est.) services: 69.1% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** tropical fruits, milk, mangoes/guavas, eggs, lemons/limes, pumpkins/squash, sweet potatoes, vegetables, cucumbers/gherkins, yams (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances) **Industrial production growth rate:** 1% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Remittances:** 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $251.418 million (2014 est.) expenditures: $266.044 million (2014 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Current account balance:** -$181.366 million (2024 est.) -$271.047 million (2023 est.) -$291.674 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.314 billion (2024 est.) $1.185 billion (2023 est.) $1.111 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Suriname 29%, Poland 21%, USA 8%, Dominican Republic 7%, Australia 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, ships, soybean meal, shellfish, paintings (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $1.282 billion (2024 est.) $1.273 billion (2023 est.) $1.227 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 43%, Poland 6%, China 5%, UK 4%, Germany 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum, cars, plastic products, furniture (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $358.441 million (2024 est.) $364.367 million (2023 est.) $396.506 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2.7 (2024 est.) 2.7 (2023 est.) 2.7 (2022 est.) 2.7 (2021 est.) 2.7 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 148,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 322.923 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 38.121 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 93.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 6.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 25 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 110.114 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 27,300 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 186,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 201 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-controlled Antigua and Barbuda Broadcasting Service (ABS) operates 1 TV station; multi-channel cable TV subscription services are available; ABS operates 1 radio station; roughly 20 radio stations (2024) **Internet country code:** .ag **Internet users:** percent of population: 78% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 10,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** V2 **Airports:** 4 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 614 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 24, container ship 109, general cargo 425, oil tanker 6, other 50 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: St. John's ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (ABDF): Antigua and Barbuda Regiment, Air Wing, Coast Guard Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda (RPFAB) (2025) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 300 active Defense Force personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the ABDF's equipment inventory is limited to small arms, light weapons, and soft-skin vehicles; the Coast Guard maintains ex-US patrol vessels and some smaller boats (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-23 years of age for voluntary military service for both men and women; no conscription (2025) **Military - note:** the ABDF’s responsibilities include providing for internal security and support to the police in maintaining law and order, interdicting narcotics smuggling, responding to natural disasters, and monitoring the country’s territorial waters and maritime resources; the force was established in 1981 from colonial forces originally formed in 1897 the country has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 5 (2024 est.) --- ## Arctic Ocean **Slug:** arctic-ocean **Region:** Oceans **Codes:** cek: xq ### Introduction **Background:** The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five ocean basins (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two important seasonal waterways. In recent years, the polar ice pack has receded in the summer allowing for increased navigation and raising the possibility of future sovereignty and shipping disputes among the Arctic coastal states affected (Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Iceland, Norway, Russia, US). ### Geography **Location:** body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America, mostly north of the Arctic Circle **Geographic coordinates:** 90 00 N, 0 00 E **Map references:** Arctic Region **Area:** total : 15.558 million sq km note: includes Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, Norwegian Sea, and other tributary water bodies **Area - comparative:** slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US **Coastline:** 45,389 km **Climate:** polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature range; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow **Ocean volume:** ocean volume: 18.75 million cu km percent of World Ocean total volume: 1.4% **Major ocean currents:** two major, slow-moving, wind-driven currents (drift streams) dominate: a clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyre in the western part of the Arctic Ocean and a nearly straight line Transpolar Drift Stream that moves eastward across the ocean from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to the Fram Strait (between Greenland and Svalbard); sea ice that lies close to the center of the gyre can complete a 360 degree circle in about 2 years, while ice on the gyre periphery will complete the same circle in about 7-8 years; sea ice in the Transpolar Drift crosses the ocean in about 3 years **Bathymetry:** continental shelf: more than one quarter of the Arctic sea floor; the Eurasian shelf is very wide, extending out 1,500 km (930 mi), and is the largest continental shelf in the world the following are examples of continental-shelf features in the Arctic Ocean (see Figure 2): Barents Shelf Beaufort Shelf Davis Sill Chukchi Shelf East Siberian Shelf Kara Shelf Laptev Shelf Lincoln Shelf continental slope: the following are examples of continental-slope features in the Arctic Ocean (see Figure 2): Litke Trough Novaya Zemlya Trough Svyataya Anna Trough (Saint Anna Trough) Voronin Trough abyssal plains: the following are examples of abyssal-plain features in the Arctic Ocean (see Figure 2): Baffin Basin Canada Basin Fram/Amundsen Basin Greenland Abyssal Plain Iceland Basin Makarov Basin Molloy Deep (deepest point in the Arctic Ocean) Nansen Basin Norwegian Basin mid-ocean ridge: the following are examples of mid-ocean ridges in the Arctic Ocean (see Figure 2): Gakkel Ridge Mohns Ridge undersea terrain features: the following are examples of undersea terrain features on the floor of the Arctic Ocean (see Figure 2): Lomonosov Ridge Gakkel Ridge Alpha Ridge Mendeleev Rise Chukchi Plateau ocean trenches: none atolls: none **Elevation:** highest point: sea level lowest point: Molloy Deep -5,577 m mean depth: -1,205 m ocean zones: the ocean is divided into three zones based on depth and light level; sunlight entering the water may travel about 1,000 m into the oceans under the right conditions, but there is rarely any significant light below 200 m euphotic zone: the upper 200 m (656 ft) is also called "sunlight" zone; only a small amount of light penetrates beyond this depth dysphotic zone: between 200 m (656 ft) and 1,000 m (3,280 ft), and also called the twilight zone; the intensity of light rapidly dissipates as depth increases, and photosynthesis is no longer possible aphotic zone: below 1,000 m (3,280 ft) and also called the midnight zone; sunlight does not penetrate to these depths **Natural resources:** sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales) **Natural hazards:** ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May **Geography - note:** major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10 months ### Environment **Environmental issues:** changes in biodiversity and temperature; water pollution from use of toxic chemicals; endangered marine species; ecosystem slow to recover from disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack **Climate:** polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature range; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow **Marine fisheries:** the Arctic fishery region (Region 18) is the smallest in the world with a catch of only 708 mt in 2019, although the Food and Agriculture Organization assesses that some Arctic catches are reported in adjacent regions; Russia and Canada were historically the major producers; in 2017, Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Iceland, Norway, Russia, and the US, along with the People’s Republic of China, the European Union, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, agreed to a 16-year ban on fishing in the Central Arctic Ocean to allow for time to study the ecological system of these waters Regional fisheries bodies: International Council for the Exploration of the Seas; Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean ### Government **Country name:** etymology: the name comes from the Greek word arktikos meaning "near the bear" or "northern," and that word derives from arktos, meaning "bear;" the name refers either to the constellation Ursa Major, the "Great Bear," which is prominent in the northern celestial sphere, or to the constellation Ursa Minor, the "Little Bear," which contains Polaris, the North (Pole) Star ### Transportation **Transportation - note:** sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways --- ## Argentina **Slug:** argentina **Region:** South America **Flag:** 🇦🇷 **Codes:** cek: ar, iso2: AR, iso3: ARG, iso_num: 032, genc: ARG, stanag: ARG, internet: .ar ### Introduction **Background:** In 1816, the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata declared their independence from Spain. After Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their separate ways, the area that remained became Argentina. European immigrants heavily shaped the country's population and culture, with Italy and Spain providing the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal political unrest and conflict between civilian and military factions. After World War II, former President Juan Domingo PERÓN -- the founder of the Peronist political movement -- introduced an era of populism, serving three non-consecutive terms in office until his death in 1974. Direct and indirect military interference in government throughout the PERÓN years led to a military junta taking power in 1976. In 1982, the junta failed in its bid to seize the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) by force from the United Kingdom. Democracy was reinstated in 1983 and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the successive resignations of several presidents. The years 2003-15 saw Peronist rule by Néstor KIRCHNER (2003-07) and his spouse Cristina FERNÁNDEZ DE KIRCHNER (2007-15), who oversaw several years of strong economic growth (2003-11) followed by a gradual deterioration in the government’s fiscal situation and eventual economic stagnation and isolation. Argentina underwent a brief period of economic reform and international reintegration under Mauricio MACRI (2015-19), but a recession in 2018-19 and frustration with MACRI’s economic policies ushered in a new Peronist government in 2019 led by President Alberto FERNÁNDEZ and Vice President Cristina FERNÁNDEZ DE KIRCHNER. Argentina's high public debts, its pandemic-related inflationary pressures, and systemic monetary woes served as the catalyst for the 2023 elections, culminating with President Javier MILEI's electoral success. Argentina has since eliminated half of its government agencies and is seeking shock therapy to amend taxation and monetary policies. ### Geography **Location:** Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay **Geographic coordinates:** 34 00 S, 64 00 W **Map references:** South America **Area:** total : 2,780,400 sq km land: 2,736,690 sq km water: 43,710 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US **Land boundaries:** total: 11,968 km border countries (5): Bolivia 942 km; Brazil 1,263 km; Chile 6,691 km; Paraguay 2,531 km; Uruguay 541 km **Coastline:** 4,989 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest **Terrain:** rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border **Elevation:** highest point: Cerro Aconcagua (located in the northwestern corner of the province of Mendoza; highest point in South America) 6,962 m lowest point: Laguna del Carbón (located between Puerto San Julián and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa Cruz) -105 m mean elevation: 595 m **Natural resources:** fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 42.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 14.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 27.3% (2023 est.) forest: 17.2% (2023 est.) other: 40.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 13,910 sq km (2018) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lago Buenos Aires (shared with Chile) - 2,240 sq km; Lago Argentino - 1,410 sq km; Lago Viedma - 1,090 sq km; Lago San Martín (shared with Chile) - 1,010 sq km; Lago Colhué Huapi - 800 sq km; Lago Fagnano (shared with Chile) - 590 sq km; Lago Nahuel Huapi - 550 sq km salt water lake(s): Laguna Mar Chiquita - 1,850 sq km; **Major rivers (by length in km):** Río de la Plata/Paraná river mouth (shared with Brazil [s], Paraguay, and Uruguay) - 4,880 km; Paraguay (shared with Brazil [s], and Paraguay [m]) - 2,549 km; Uruguay (shared with Brazil [s] and Uruguay [m]) - 1,610 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Paraná (2,582,704 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Guaraní Aquifer System **Population distribution:** one third of the population lives in Buenos Aires; pockets of agglomeration occur throughout the northern and central parts of the country; Patagonia to the south remains sparsely populated **Natural hazards:** San Miguel de Tucumán and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding in some areas volcanism: volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains along the Chilean border; Copahue (2,997 m) last erupted in 2000; other historically active volcanoes include Llullaillaco, Maipo, Planchón-Peteroa, San José, Tromen, Tupungatito, and Viedma **Geography - note:** second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); diverse geophysical landscapes range from tropical climates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua is the Western Hemisphere's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbón is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere; shares Iguazú Falls, the world's largest waterfalls system, with Brazil ### People and Society **Population:** total: 45,418,098 (2025 est.) male: 22,535,980 female: 22,882,118 **Nationality:** noun: Argentine(s) adjective: Argentine **Ethnic groups:** European (mostly Spanish and Italian descent) and Mestizo (mixed European and Indigenous ancestry) 97.2%, Indigenous 2.4%, African descent 0.4% (2010 est.) **Languages:** Spanish (official), Italian, English, German, French, indigenous (Quechua, Guarani, Mapudungun) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 62.9%, Evangelical 15.3% (Pentecostal 13%, other Evangelical 2.3%), Jehovah's Witness and Church of Jesus Christ 1.4%, other 1.2% (includes Muslim, Jewish), none 18.9% (includes agnostic and atheist), unspecified 0.3% (2019 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 23.3% (male 5,632,983/female 5,301,778) 15-64 years: 63.9% (male 15,071,215/female 14,956,069) 65 years and over: 12.8% (2024 est.) (male 2,570,596/female 3,461,743) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 49.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 19.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 5.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 34.6 years (2025 est.) male: 32.1 years female: 34.6 years **Population growth rate:** 0.26% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.47 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.94 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** one third of the population lives in Buenos Aires; pockets of agglomeration occur throughout the northern and central parts of the country; Patagonia to the south remains sparsely populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 92.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 15.490 million BUENOS AIRES (capital), 1.612 million Córdoba, 1.594 million Rosario, 1.226 million Mendoza, 1.027 million San Miguel de Tucumán, 914,000 La Plata (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 33 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 78.8 years (2024 est.) male: 75.8 years female: 82 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.43 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.69 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) total: (2020 est.) NA **Health expenditure:** 9.7% of GDP (2021) 15.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 5.11 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 3.3 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 28.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 7.95 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 21.9% (2025 est.) male: 26.9% (2025 est.) female: 17.1% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2% (2018 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 49.7% (2020 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 2.4% (2020) women married by age 18: 15.5% (2020) **Education expenditure:** 5.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 14% national budget (2023 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 99.1% (2020 est.) male: 99.1% (2020 est.) female: 99.2% (2020 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 19 years (2022 est.) male: 17 years (2022 est.) female: 21 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; soil degradation (erosion, salinization); desertification; air pollution; water pollution **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest **Land use:** agricultural land: 42.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 14.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 27.3% (2023 est.) forest: 17.2% (2023 est.) other: 40.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 92.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 198.141 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 5.022 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 102.998 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 90.122 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 12 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 1,553.3 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 3,035.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 631 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 89.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 17.911 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 9.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 5.85 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 27.93 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 876.24 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Argentine Republic conventional short form: Argentina local long form: República Argentina local short form: Argentina etymology: the name is derived from one of the Spanish words for "silver," but the origin is unclear; it may have described the land next to the Rio de la Plata ("Silver River"), a major river that forms the boundary between Argentina and Uruguay; another possible source is the Spanish explorers in the 16th century mistakenly believing that the silver ornaments they bought from inhabitants came from a local source of silver **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Buenos Aires geographic coordinates: 34 36 S, 58 22 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name translates as "fair winds" in Spanish; the full original name, Nuestra Senora Santa Maria de los Buenos Aires, was given only to the port; the city was founded separately from the port in 1536 and was named Ciudad de la Santissima Trinidad (City of the Most Holy Trinity); the shortened version of the port name eventually became the city name **Administrative divisions:** 23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 autonomous city*; Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires*, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del Atlántico Sur (Tierra del Fuego - Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands), Tucuman note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica **Legal system:** civil law system based on Western European legal systems note: in 2015, Argentina adopted a new civil code, replacing the old one in force since 1871 **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest effective 11 May 1853 amendment process: a declaration of proposed amendments requires two-thirds majority vote by both houses of the National Congress followed by approval by an ad hoc, multi-member constitutional convention **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years **Suffrage:** 18-70 years of age; universal and compulsory; 16-17 years of age: optional for national elections **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Javier Gerardo MILEI (since 10 December 2023) head of government: President Javier Gerardo MILEI (since 10 December 2023) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by qualified majority vote (to win, a candidate must receive at least 45% of votes, or 40% of votes and a 10-point lead over the second-place candidate; if neither occurs, a second round is held); the president serves a 4-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term) most recent election date: 22 October 2023, with a runoff held 19 November 2023 election results: 2023: Javier Gerardo MILEI elected president in second round; percent vote in first round - Sergio Tomás MASSA (FR) 36.7%, Javier Gerardo MILEI (PL) 30%, Patricia BULLRICH 23.8% (JxC/PRO), Juan SCHIARETTI (PJ) 6.8%, Myriam BREGMAN (PTS) 2.7%; percent of vote in second round - Javier Gerardo MILEI 55.7%, Sergio Tomás MASSA 44.3% 2019: Alberto Ángel FERNÁNDEZ elected president; percent of vote - Alberto Angel FERNÁNDEZ (TODOS) 48.1%, Mauricio MACRI (PRO) 40.4%, Roberto LAVAGNA (independent) 6.2%, other 5.3% expected date of next election: October 2027 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Congress (Congreso de la nación) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados) number of seats: 257 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/22/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Union for the Homeland (UP) (48); Freedom Advances (LLA) (28); Together for Change (JxC/Juntos) (27); Other (25) percentage of women in chamber: 42.4% expected date of next election: October 2025 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Senado) number of seats: 72 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 10/22/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Union for the Homeland (UP) (9); Freedom Advances (LLA) (6); Together for Change (JxC/Juntos) (2); Front for the Renewal of Social Concord – Federal Innovation (2); Federal Renewal (2); For Santa Cruz (2); Other (1) percentage of women in chamber: 45.8% expected date of next election: October 2025 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (consists of the court president, vice president, 2 judges, 1 vacancy) judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the president and approved by the Senate; ministers can serve until mandatory retirement at age 75; extensions beyond 75 require renomination by the president and approval by the Senate subordinate courts: federal-level appellate, district, and territorial courts; provincial-level supreme, appellate, and first-instance courts **Political parties:** Avanza Libertad or AL Civic Coalition ARI or CC-ARI Consenso Federal (Federal Consensus) or CF Frente Cívico por Santiago (Civic Front for Santiago) Frente de Izquierda y de los Trabajadores – Unidad (Workers' Left Front) or FIT-U (coalition of leftist parties in lower house; includes PTS, PO, and MST) Frente de la Concordia Misionero (Front for the Renewal of Social Concord) or FRCS Frente Renovador (Renewal Front) or FR Generación por un Encuentro Nacional (Generation for a National Encounter) or GEN Hacemos por Córdoba (We do for Cordoba) or HC Hacemos por Nuestro Pais (We Do For Our Country) or NHP Juntos por el Cambio (Together for Change) or JxC (includes CC-ARI, PRO, and UCR); note - primary opposition coalition since 2019 Juntos Somos Río Negro (Together We Are Rio Negro) or JSRN Partido Justicialista (Justicialist Party) or PJ La Cámpora La Libertad Avanza (The Liberty Advances) or LLA Movimiento Popular Neuquino (Neuquén People's Movement) or MPN Movimiento Socialista de los Trabajadores (Workers' Socialist Movement) or MST Partido de los Trabajadores Socialistas (Socialist Workers' Party) or PTS Partido Demócrata (Democratic Party) or PDN Partido Libertario (Libertarian Party) or PL; note - party is also a founding member of the coalition La Libertad Avanza Partido Obrero (Workers' Party) or PO Partido Socialista or PS Propuesta Republicana (Republican Proposal) or PRO Unidad Federal (coalition of provencial parties in the lower house; includes FRCS and JSRN) Unión Cívica Radical (Radical Civic Union) or UCR Unión por la Patria (Union for the Homeland) or UP (formerly Frente de Todos (Everyone's Front) or FdT) (includes FR, La Cámpora, and PJ); note - ruling coalition since 2019; includes several national and provincial Peronist political parties Vamos con Vos (Let's Go with You) or VcV **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Alejandro (Alec) Carlos Francisco OXENFORD (since 11 June 2025) chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400 FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171 email address and website: eeeuu@mrecic.gov.ar https://eeeuu.cancilleria.gob.ar/en consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Peter LAMELAS (since 4 November 2025) embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, (C1425GMN) Buenos Aires mailing address: 3130 Buenos Aires Place, Washington DC 20521-3130 telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533 FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240 email address and website: Buenosairespublicaffairs@state.gov https://ar.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (associate), CD, CABEI, CELAC, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNOOSA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 9 July 1816 (from Spain) **National holiday:** Revolution Day (May Revolution Day), 25 May (1810) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of sky blue (top), white, and sky blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face that is known as the Sun of May meaning: the colors represent the clear skies and snow of the Andes Mountains; the sun commemorates the first mass demonstration in favor of independence on 25 May 1810, when the sun broke through the clouds; the sun is designed to look like Inti, the Incan god of the sun **National symbol(s):** Sun of May (a sun-with-face symbol) **National color(s):** sky blue, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Himno Nacional Argentino" (Argentine National Anthem) lyrics/music: Vicente LOPEZ y PLANES/Jose Blas PARERA history: adopted 1813; Vicente LOPEZ was inspired to write the anthem after watching a play about the 1810 May Revolution against Spain; a 1900 presidential decree declared that only the first and last verses would be considered official, rather than the original nine verses **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 12 (7 cultural, 5 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Los Glaciares National Park (n); Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis (c); Iguazú National Park (n); Cueva de las Manos (c); Valdés Península (n); Ischigualasto/Talampaya National Parks (n); Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba (c); Quebrada de Humahuaca (c); Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** large diversified economy; financial risks from debt obligations, rapid inflation, and reduced investor appetites; resource-rich, export-led growth model; increasing trade relations with China; G20 and OAS leader; tendency to nationalize businesses and under-report inflation **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.213 trillion (2024 est.) $1.234 trillion (2023 est.) $1.255 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -1.7% (2024 est.) -1.6% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $26,500 (2024 est.) $27,100 (2023 est.) $27,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $633.267 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 73.1% (2022 est.) 47.1% (2021 est.) 40.5% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 6% (2024 est.) industry: 24% (2024 est.) services: 53.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 68.1% (2024 est.) government consumption: 15% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 15.8% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -0.1% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 15.3% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -12.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** maize, soybeans, sugarcane, wheat, milk, sunflower seeds, barley, beef, potatoes, chicken (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel **Industrial production growth rate:** -7.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 22.286 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 7.9% (2024 est.) 6.2% (2023 est.) 6.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 21.2% (2024 est.) male: 19.8% (2024 est.) female: 23% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 41.7% (2023 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 42.4 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 23.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.9% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 31% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $115.69 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $139.037 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 10% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $6.285 billion (2024 est.) -$20.956 billion (2023 est.) -$4.055 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $96.899 billion (2024 est.) $82.947 billion (2023 est.) $102.928 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Brazil 18%, USA 9%, Chile 8%, China 8%, India 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** soybean meal, corn, trucks, soybean oil, crude petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $79.999 billion (2024 est.) $92.3 billion (2023 est.) $97.399 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Brazil 23%, China 20%, USA 12%, Paraguay 5%, Germany 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** soybeans, vehicle parts/accessories, refined petroleum, natural gas, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $29.56 billion (2024 est.) $23.081 billion (2023 est.) $44.795 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $74.362 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Argentine pesos (ARS) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 914.695 (2024 est.) 296.258 (2023 est.) 130.617 (2022 est.) 94.991 (2021 est.) 70.539 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 47.631 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 114.667 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 31 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 11.393 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 27.027 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 61.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 11% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 16.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 3 (2025) Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 1 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 1.64GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 6.3% (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 869,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 2.534 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 300 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1.936 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 799.999 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 807,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 749,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 2.483 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 43.69 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 46.028 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 2.344 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 5.225 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 396.464 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 78.496 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 6.42 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 64.1 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 140 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** one of South America's biggest media markets; dozens of TV networks, hundreds of radio stations, and more than 150 daily newspapers (2023) **Internet country code:** .ar **Internet users:** percent of population: 89% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 11.5 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** LV **Airports:** 764 (2025) **Heliports:** 148 (2025) **Railways:** total: 17,866 km (2018) **Merchant marine:** total: 201 (2023) by type: container ship 1, bulk carrier 1 general cargo 8, oil tanker 33, other 158 **Ports:** total ports: 37 (2024) large: 1 medium: 2 small: 10 very small: 24 ports with oil terminals: 19 key ports: Buenos Aires, Campana, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Puerto Belgrano, Puerto Ingeniero White, Puerto Madryn, Rosario, San Sebastian Bay, Santa Fe, Ushuaia, Zarate ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic (Fuerzas Armadas de la República Argentina): Argentine Army (Ejercito Argentino, EA), Navy of the Argentine Republic (Armada Republica, ARA; includes naval aviation and naval infantry), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina, FAA) Ministry of Security: Gendarmería Nacional Argentina (National Gendarmerie), Coast Guard (Prefectura Naval) (2025) note: all federal police forces are under the Ministry of Security **Military expenditures:** 0.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 75,000 active-duty Armed Forces (45,000 Army; 15,000 Navy, including about 3,500 marines; 15,000 Air Force) (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the inventory of Argentina's armed forces is a mix of domestically produced and imported weapons, largely from Europe and the US; in recent years, France and the US have been the leading suppliers of equipment; Argentina has an indigenous defense industry that produces air, land, and naval systems (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-24 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription suspended in 1995; citizens can still be drafted in times of crisis, national emergency, or war, or if the Defense Ministry is unable to fill all vacancies to keep the military functional (2025) note 1: as of 2024, women comprised nearly 20% of the active-duty military note 2: in 2025, the Argentine Government announced the creation of a Voluntary Military Service program for people aged 18–28 to be managed by the Ministries of Defense and Human Capital; the program's goals include to instill values like discipline and patriotism while offering training in trades such as cooking, mechanics, and security, alongside opportunities to complete compulsory education **Military deployments:** 230 Cyprus (UNFICYP) (2025) **Military - note:** the Argentine military’s primary responsibilities are territorial defense and protecting the country’s sovereignty; duties also include border security, countering narcotics trafficking, and other internal missions, such as disaster response and infrastructure development; it conducts support operations and has bases in Antarctica to promote an active presence in areas of national territory that are sparsely populated; the military also participates in both bilateral and multinational training exercises and supports UN peacekeeping operations Argentina participates in the Tripartite Command, an interagency security mechanism created by Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay to exchange information and combat transnational threats, such as crime and terrorism, in the Tri-Border Area; in addition, Argentina and Chile have a joint peacekeeping force known as the Combined Southern Cross Peacekeeping Force, designed to be made available to the UN; Argentina has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation the Army and Navy were both created in 1810 during the Argentine War of Independence, while the Air Force was established in 1945; the military conducted coups d'état in 1930, 1943, 1955, 1962, 1966, and 1976; the 1976 coup, aka the "National Reorganization Process," marked the beginning of the so-called "Dirty War," a period of state-sponsored terrorism that saw the deaths or disappearances of thousands of Argentinians; the defeat in the 1982 Falklands War led to the downfall of the military junta (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Argentina National Space Activities Commission (Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales, CONAE; formed in 1991) (2025) note: CONAE’s predecessor was the National Commission for Space Research (Comisión Nacional de Investigaciones Espaciales, CNIE; formed in 1960) **Space launch site(s):** Manuel Belgrano Space Center (Buenos Aires province); Punta Indio Space Center (Buenos Aires province); Teofilo Tabanera Space Center (CETT; Cordoba Province; testing/mission control) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a national space program and a history in the development of space-related capabilities, including rockets and satellites; develops, builds, and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites, often in partnership with other countries; developing additional satellites with more advanced payloads; contracts with commercial and other government space agencies for launches, but has a domestic rocket program and is developing space launch vehicle (SLV) capabilities; cooperates with a broad range of space agencies and industries, including those of Brazil, China, the European Space Agency and its member states (particularly France, Italy), and the US; also has a commercial space industry (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1961-1967 - launched first rocket (Alfa Centauro) and was first country in Latin America to send an animal into space 1997 - first domestically built communications satellite (Nahuel-1A) launched on European satellite launch vehicle (SLV) 2007 - launch of first sub-orbital test rocket for domestic SLV (Tronador) project 2018 - first domestically built, synthetic-aperture-radar remote sensing satellite (SAOCOM 1A) launched by US 2020-2021 - worked with Mexico to create the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) 2023 - signed US-led Artemis Accords outlining best practices for space exploration 2025 - continued development of two-stage Tronador SLV ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Hizballah note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 9,175 (2024 est.) IDPs: 74 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 34 (2024 est.) --- ## Armenia **Slug:** armenia **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇦🇲 **Codes:** cek: am, iso2: AM, iso3: ARM, iso_num: 051, genc: ARM, stanag: ARM, internet: .am ### Introduction **Background:** Armenia prides itself on being the first state to formally adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Armenia has existed as a political entity for centuries, but for much of its history it was under the sway of various empires, including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, Ottoman, and Russian. During World War I, the Ottoman Empire instituted a policy of forced resettlement that, coupled with other harsh practices targeting its Armenian subjects, resulted in at least 1 million deaths; these actions have been widely recognized as constituting genocide. During the early 19th century, significant Armenian populations fell under Russian rule. Armenia declared its independence in 1918 in the wake of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, but it was conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenia, along with Azerbaijan and Georgia, was initially incorporated into the USSR as part of the Transcaucasian Federated Soviet Socialist Republic; in 1936, the republic was separated into its three constituent entities, which were maintained until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. For over three decades, Armenia had a longstanding conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan about the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which historically had a mixed Armenian and Azerbaijani population, although ethnic Armenians have constituted the majority since the late 19th century. In 1921, Moscow placed Nagorno-Karabakh within Soviet Azerbaijan as an autonomous oblast. In the late Soviet period, a separatist movement developed that sought to end Azerbaijani control over the region. Fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988 and escalated after Armenia and Azerbaijan declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By the time a cease-fire took effect in 1994, separatists with Armenian support controlled Nagorno‑Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. Armenia and Azerbaijan engaged in a second military conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020; Armenia lost control over much of the territory it had previously captured, returning the southern part of Nagorno-Karabakh and the territories around it to Azerbaijan. In September 2023, Azerbaijan took military action to regain control over Nagorno-Karabakh; after an armed conflict that lasted only one day, nearly the entire ethnic Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh fled to Armenia. Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in support of Azerbaijan during the first period of conflict with Armenia and has since maintained a closed border, leaving Armenia with closed borders both in the west (with Turkey) and east (with Azerbaijan). Armenia and Turkey engaged in intensive diplomacy to normalize relations and open the border in 2009, but the signed agreement was not ratified in either country. In 2015, Armenia joined the Eurasian Economic Union alongside Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. In 2017, Armenia signed a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the EU. In 2018, former President of Armenia (2008-18) Serzh SARGSIAN of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) tried to extend his time in power, prompting protests that became known as the “Velvet Revolution.” After SARGSIAN resigned, the National Assembly elected the leader of the protests, Civil Contract party chief Nikol PASHINYAN, as the new prime minister. PASHINYAN’s party has prevailed in subsequent legislative elections, most recently in 2021. ### Geography **Location:** Southwestern Asia, between Turkey (to the west) and Azerbaijan; note - Armenia views itself as part of Europe; geopolitically, it can be classified as falling within Europe, the Middle East, or both **Geographic coordinates:** 40 00 N, 45 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 29,743 sq km land: 28,203 sq km water: 1,540 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Maryland **Land boundaries:** total: 1,570 km border countries (4): Azerbaijan 996 km; Georgia 219 km; Iran 44 km; Turkey 311 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** highland continental, hot summers, cold winters **Terrain:** Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley **Elevation:** highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m lowest point: Debed River 400 m mean elevation: 1,792 m **Natural resources:** small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, bauxite **Land use:** agricultural land: 58.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 15.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 41.5% (2023 est.) forest: 11.8% (2023 est.) other: 13.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,559 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Sevan - 1,360 sq km **Population distribution:** most of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the capital of Yerevan is home to more than five times as many people as Gyumri, the second-largest city in the country **Natural hazards:** occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts **Geography - note:** landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,963,837 (2025 est.) male: 1,451,842 female: 1,511,995 **Nationality:** noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian **Ethnic groups:** Armenian 98.1%, Yezidi 1.1%; less than 1%: Russian, other, Assyrian, Kurd, Ukrainian, Greek (2022 est.) **Languages:** Armenian 97.2%, Russian 1.4%, Ezidian 1.0%; less than 1%: other, unknown (2022) major-language sample(s): Աշխարհի Փաստագիրք, Անփոխարինելի Աղբյւր Հիմնական Տեղեկատվւթյան. (Armenian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Armenian Apostolic 95.2%, not stated 1.7%; less than 1%: Catholic, no religion, Evangelical, Shar-fadinian, other, Armenian Orthodox, Jehovah's Witness, Pagan, Molokan (2022 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 17.7% (male 275,589/female 250,630) 15-64 years: 67% (male 991,490/female 1,004,101) 65 years and over: 15.3% (2024 est.) (male 189,336/female 265,619) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 50.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 26.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 24.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 39.5 years (2025 est.) male: 37.6 years female: 40.3 years **Population growth rate:** -0.45% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.24 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -5.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the capital of Yerevan is home to more than five times as many people as Gyumri, the second-largest city in the country **Urbanization:** urban population: 63.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.095 million YEREVAN (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 25.2 years (2019 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 19 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 13.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.7 years (2024 est.) male: 73.4 years female: 80.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.66 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.8 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 12.3% of GDP (2021) 6.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.36 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 4.6 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 84.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 15.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 20.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.77 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 21.5% (2025 est.) male: 47.6% (2025 est.) female: 1.6% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.6% (2016 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 61.5% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0% (2016) women married by age 18: 5.3% (2016) men married by age 18: 0.4% (2016) **Education expenditure:** 2.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 8.7% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 99.8% (2023 est.) male: 99.8% (2023 est.) female: 99.9% (2023 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2023 est.) male: 14 years (2023 est.) female: 14 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** soil pollution from toxic chemicals; deforestation; river pollution; threats to drinking water supplies from use of hydropower; nuclear power plant located in earthquake zone **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants **Climate:** highland continental, hot summers, cold winters **Land use:** agricultural land: 58.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 15.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 41.5% (2023 est.) forest: 11.8% (2023 est.) other: 13.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 63.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 7.144 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 48,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.934 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 5.162 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 28.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 492,800 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.5% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 542 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 150 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 2.38 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 7.769 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Armenia local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun local short form: Hayastan former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, Armenian Republic etymology: the etymology of the country's name remains obscure; according to tradition, the local name for the country, Hayastan, comes from Hayk, the legendary patriarch of the Armenians and the great-great-grandson of Noah; the name Armenia was first recorded in a rock inscription from A.D. 521 in modern-day Iran **Government type:** parliamentary democracy; note - constitutional changes adopted in December 2015 transformed the government to a parliamentary system **Capital:** name: Yerevan geographic coordinates: 40 10 N, 44 30 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: name origin is unclear; it may derive from the name of a local ethnic group, or from the ancient fortress of Erebuni that was built on the current site of Yerevan in 782 B.C. **Administrative divisions:** 11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan **Legal system:** civil law system **Constitution:** history: previous 1915, 1978; latest adopted 5 July 1995 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or by the National Assembly; passage requires approval by the president, the National Assembly, and a referendum with at least 25% registered-voter participation and more than 50% of votes; constitutional articles on the form of government and democratic procedures are not amendable **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Armenia dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Vahagn KHACHATURYAN (since 13 March 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Nikol PASHINYAN (since 10 September 2021) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly in 3 rounds, if needed, for a single 7-year term; prime minister indirectly elected by majority vote in two rounds, if needed, by the National Assembly most recent election date: 3 March 2022 election results: 2022: Vahagn KHACHATURYAN elected president in second round; note - Vahagn KHACHATURYAN (independent) ran unopposed and won the Assembly vote 71-0 2018: Armen SARKISSIAN elected president in first round; note - Armen SARKISSIAN (indpendent) ran unopposed and won the Assembly vote 90-10 expected date of next election: 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Azgayin Zhoghov) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 107 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 6/20/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Civil Contract Party (71); Armenia Alliance (29); I Have the Honour Alliance (7) percentage of women in chamber: 38.3% expected date of next election: June 2026 note 1: additional seats allocated as necessary; the numbers usually change with each parliamentary convocation note 2: four mandates are reserved for national minorities; no more than 70% of the top membership of a party list can belong to the same sex; political parties must meet a 5% threshold and alliances a 7% threshold to win seats; at least three parties must be seated in the Parliament **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Appeals Court (consists of the Criminal Chamber with a chairman and 5 judges and the Civil and Administrative Chamber with a chairman and 10 judges – with both civil and administrative specializations); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges nominated by the Supreme Judicial Council, a 10-member body of selected judges and legal scholars; judges appointed by the president; judges can serve until age 65; Constitutional Court judges - 4 appointed by the president, and 5 elected by the National Assembly; judges can serve until age 70 subordinate courts: criminal and civil appellate courts; administrative appellate court; first instance courts; specialized administrative and bankruptcy courts **Political parties:** Armenia Alliance or HD Armenian National Congress or ANC Bright Armenia or BA Civil Contract or KP Hanrapetutyun Party or HP Heritage I Have Honor Alliance (formerly known as the Republican Party of Armenia) PUD Orinats Yerkir or OY Prosperous Armenia or PAP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Narek MKRTCHYAN (since 19 September 2025) chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982 email address and website: armembassyusa@mfa.am https://usa.mfa.am/en/ consulate(s) general: Glendale (CA) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires David ALLEN (since 16 January 2026) embassy: 1 American Ave., Yerevan 0082 mailing address: 7020 Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020 telephone: [374] (10) 464-700 FAX: [374] (10) 464-742 email address and website: acsyerevan@state.gov https://am.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CIS, CSTO, EAEC (observer), EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 21 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: 321 B.C. (Kingdom of Armenia established under the Orontid Dynasty), A.D. 884 (Armenian Kingdom reestablished under the Bagratid Dynasty); 1198 (Cilician Kingdom established); 28 May 1918 (Democratic Republic of Armenia declared) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 21 September (1991) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange meaning: red stands for the blood shed for liberty, blue for the Armenian skies and hope, and orange for the land and the courage of the workers who farm it **National symbol(s):** Mount Ararat, eagle, lion **National color(s):** red, blue, orange **National anthem(s):** title: "Mer Hayrenik" (Our Fatherland) lyrics/music: Mikael NALBANDIAN/Barsegh KANACHYAN history: adopted 1991; based on the anthem of the Democratic Republic of Armenia (1918-1922), but with different lyrics **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (3 cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin; Monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat Valley; Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle income, fast-growing Caucasus economy; stable fiscal and monetary regime but vulnerable to geopolitical shocks; economic and energy ties to Russia but seeking more EU and US trade; key copper and gold exporter; business-friendly and anti-corruption reforms; persistent unemployment; influx of migrants from Ukraine war easing **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $60.909 billion (2024 est.) $57.516 billion (2023 est.) $53.108 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5.9% (2024 est.) 8.3% (2023 est.) 12.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $20,100 (2024 est.) $19,400 (2023 est.) $17,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $25.787 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 0.3% (2024 est.) 2% (2023 est.) 8.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 7.9% (2024 est.) industry: 23.2% (2024 est.) services: 61.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 66.5% (2024 est.) government consumption: 10.7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.7% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.5% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 76.3% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -75.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, potatoes, grapes, vegetables, wheat, tomatoes, watermelons, apricots, apples, barley (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** brandy, mining, diamond processing, metal-cutting machine tools, forging and pressing machines, electric motors, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, jewelry, software, food processing **Industrial production growth rate:** 6.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 1.51 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 13.4% (2024 est.) 13.3% (2023 est.) 13.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 26.2% (2024 est.) male: 24.8% (2024 est.) female: 27.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 24.8% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 27.2 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 4% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 22.9% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 4.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 6% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.4% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $5.812 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $6.27 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 48.3% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 22.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$997.086 million (2024 est.) -$556.329 million (2023 est.) $64.725 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $18.618 billion (2024 est.) $14.338 billion (2023 est.) $10.118 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Russia 37%, UAE 25%, Hong Kong 7%, China 5%, Georgia 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, diamonds, copper ore, broadcasting equipment, jewelry (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $19.087 billion (2024 est.) $14.532 billion (2023 est.) $10.265 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Russia 29%, China 12%, Vietnam 6%, Georgia 5%, Iran 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, gold, diamonds, broadcasting equipment, natural gas (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $3.685 billion (2024 est.) $3.607 billion (2023 est.) $4.112 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $6.002 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** drams (AMD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 392.73 (2024 est.) 392.476 (2023 est.) 435.666 (2022 est.) 503.77 (2021 est.) 489.009 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 4.265 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 7.012 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 1.3 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 194.045 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 530.327 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 43% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 29% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 8.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 19% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 1 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 0.42GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 31.1% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 1 (2025) **Coal:** production: 300 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 19,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 24 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 23,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 317 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 2.631 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 2.631 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 54.689 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 297,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 4.01 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 135 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** government-run Public Television network operates alongside 100 privately owned TV stations that provide local to near-nationwide coverage; three Russian TV companies are broadcast under interstate agreements; subscription cable TV services are available in most regions; several major international broadcasters are available, including CNN; Armenian TV completed conversion from analog to digital broadcasting in 2016; Public Radio of Armenia is a national, state-run broadcast network that operates alongside 18 privately owned radio stations (2024) **Internet country code:** .am **Internet users:** percent of population: 80% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 546,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** EK **Airports:** 11 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 686 km (2017) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armenian Republic Armed Forces: Armenian Army (includes land, air, air defense forces) (2025) note: the Police of the Republic of Armenia is responsible for internal security, while the National Security Service is responsible for national security, intelligence activities, and border control **Military expenditures:** 5.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 5.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 4.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 40-50,000 active Armenian Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory includes mostly Russian and Soviet-era equipment; in recent years however, Armenia has looked to other countries besides Russia to provide military hardware, including France and India (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-27 for voluntary (men and women), contract (men and women) or compulsory (men) military service; contract military service is 3-12 months or up to 5 years; conscripts serve 24 months; all citizens aged 27-50 are registered in the military reserve and may be called to serve if mobilization is declared (2025) note: in 2023, Armenia approved six-month voluntary service for women, after which they have the option to switch to a five-year contract; previously, women served on a contract basis; as of 2021, women made up about 10% of the active-duty military **Military - note:** the Armenian Armed Forces were officially established in 1992, although their origins go back to 1918; the modern military’s missions include deterrence, territorial defense, crisis management, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response, as well as socio-economic development projects; territorial defense is its primary focus, particularly in regards to tensions with neighboring Azerbaijan; Armenia and Azerbaijan engaged in open conflicts over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in 1991-94 and 2020; Azerbaijan seized the entire enclave in 2023 Armenia has traditionally had close military ties with Russia; it has been a member of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) since 1994 and committed troops to CSTO's rapid reaction force until suspending its engagement in 2024; Armenia has relations with NATO going back to 1992 when Armenia joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council; in 1994, it joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program and has contributed to the NATO force in Kosovo, as well as the former NATO deployment in Afghanistan (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 145,354 (2024 est.) IDPs: 4 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 373 (2024 est.) --- ## Aruba **Slug:** aruba **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇦🇼 **Codes:** cek: aa, iso2: AW, iso3: ABW, iso_num: 533, genc: ABW, stanag: ABW, internet: .aw ### Introduction **Background:** Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. Three main industries have since dominated the island's economy: gold mining, oil refining, and tourism. A 19th-century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening of an oil refinery in 1924. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, semi-autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela **Geographic coordinates:** 12 30 N, 69 58 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 180 sq km land: 180 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 68.5 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation **Terrain:** flat with a few hills; scant vegetation **Elevation:** highest point: Ceru Jamanota 188 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** NEGL; white sandy beaches foster tourism **Land use:** agricultural land: 11.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 2.7% (2023 est.) other: 86.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** NA **Population distribution:** most residents live in or around Oranjestad and San Nicolaas; most settlements tend to be located on the less mountainous western side of the island **Natural hazards:** hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened **Geography - note:** a flat, riverless island known for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit) ### People and Society **Population:** total: 126,402 (2025 est.) male: 59,720 female: 66,682 **Nationality:** noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban; Dutch **Ethnic groups:** Dutch 78.7%, Colombian 6.6%, Venezuelan 5.5%, Dominican 2.8%, Haitian 1.3%, other 5.1% (2020 est.) note: data represent population by nationality **Languages:** Papiamento (official) (a creole language that mixes Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, French, African languages, and Arawak) 69.4%, Spanish 13.7%, English (widely spoken) 7.1%, Dutch (official) 6.1%, Chinese 1.5%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.) **Religions:** Roman Catholic 75.3%, Protestant 4.9% (includes Methodist 0.9%, Adventist 0.9%, Anglican 0.4%, other Protestant 2.7%), Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, other 12%, none 5.5%, unspecified 0.5% (2010 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 17.2% (male 10,815/female 10,747) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 39,621/female 42,487) 65 years and over: 17.1% (2024 est.) (male 8,665/female 12,728) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 53.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 26.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 27.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 41.2 years (2025 est.) male: 39.3 years female: 42.4 years **Population growth rate:** 1.05% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 11.44 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.85 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 7.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most residents live in or around Oranjestad and San Nicolaas; most settlements tend to be located on the less mountainous western side of the island **Urbanization:** urban population: 44.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 30,000 ORANJESTAD (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 15.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 78.5 years (2024 est.) male: 75.4 years female: 81.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.82 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.9 (2025 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 98.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 1.2% of population (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 46.8% (2020 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.6% of GDP (2021 est.) 11% national budget (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** difficulty in properly disposing waste from tourists; air pollution from waste-burning; water pollution from plastics **Climate:** tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation **Land use:** agricultural land: 11.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 2.7% (2023 est.) other: 86.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 44.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 1.163 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.163 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 88,100 tons (2024 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Country of Aruba conventional short form: Aruba local long form: Land Aruba (Dutch); Pais Aruba (Papiamento) local short form: Aruba etymology: the origin of the island's name is unclear; according to tradition, the name comes from the Spanish phrase oro hubo ("there was gold"), but no gold was ever found on the island; other possible sources are either the local word oruba ("well-situated") or a combination of two Carib Indian words, ora and oubao ("shell" and "island," respectively) **Government type:** parliamentary democracy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands **Dependency status:** one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch government responsible for defense and foreign affairs note: the other three constituent countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands are the Netherlands, Sint Maarten, and Curacao **Capital:** name: Oranjestad geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: translates as "orange city" in Dutch; in 1824, the city was named after the royal family of the Netherlands, the House of Orange-Nassau **Legal system:** civil law system based on the Dutch civil code **Constitution:** history: previous 1947, 1955; latest drafted and approved August 1985, enacted 1 January 1986 (regulates governance of Aruba but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands); in 1986, Aruba became a semi-autonomous entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands **Citizenship:** see the Netherlands **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor General Alfonso BOEKHOUDT (since 1 January 2017) head of government: Prime Minister Mike EMAN (since 28 March 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Legislature (Staten) election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a 6-year term; prime minister and deputy prime minister indirectly elected by the Staten for 4-year term most recent election date: 6 December 2024 election results: Mike EMAN (AVP) elected prime minister; percent of Staten vote - NA expected date of next election: by December 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Legislature (Staten) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 21 electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 6 December 2024 parties elected and seats per party: AVP (9); MEP (8); FUTURO (3); PPA (1) percentage of women in chamber: 38.1% expected date of next election: by December 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba or "Joint Court of Justice" (sits as a 3-judge panel); final appeals heard by the Supreme Court in The Hague, Netherlands judge selection and term of office: Joint Court judges appointed for life by the monarch subordinate courts: Court in First Instance **Political parties:** Accion21 Aruban People's Party or AVP Democratic Network or RED FUTURO Movimiento Aruba Soberano (Aruban Sovereignty Movement) or MAS Partido Patriotico di Aruba (Aruban Patriotic Party) or APP People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP Pueblo Orguyoso y Respeta or POR RAIZ (ROOTS) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Aruba **International organization participation:** ACS (associate), Caricom (observer), FATF, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU **Independence:** none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) **National holiday:** National Anthem and Flag Day, 18 March (1976) **Flag:** description: blue, with two narrow, horizontal yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper-left corner meaning: the star stands for Aruba's red soil and white beaches, and its four points for the major languages (Papiamento, Dutch, Spanish, English) and the points of a compass, to indicate that its inhabitants come from all over the world; blue symbolizes Caribbean waters and skies; the stripes represent the island's two main industries, tourism and mining **National symbol(s):** Hooiberg (Haystack) Hill **National color(s):** blue, yellow, red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Aruba Deshi Tera" (Aruba Sweet Land) lyrics/music: Juan Chabaya 'Padu' LAMPE/Rufo Inocencio WEVER history: national anthem adopted 1976 _____ title: “Het Wilhelmus” lyrics/music: Philips VAN MARNIX van Sint Aldegonde (presumed)/unknown history: official anthem, as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands ### Economy **Economic overview:** small, tourism-dependent, territorial-island economy; very high public debt; COVID-19 crippled economic activity; partial recovery underway via tourism, benefitting from its high amount of timeshare residences; considering reopening oil refinery **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $4.35 billion (2023 est.) $4.172 billion (2022 est.) $3.844 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.3% (2023 est.) 8.5% (2022 est.) 24.1% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $40,500 (2023 est.) $38,900 (2022 est.) $35,700 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $3.649 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.3% (2019 est.) 3.6% (2018 est.) -1% (2017 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0% (2019 est.) industry: 11.4% (2019 est.) services: 78.3% (2019 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 52.1% (2023 est.) government consumption: 19.6% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.5% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 88.3% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -81.5% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** aloes; livestock; fish **Industries:** tourism, petroleum transshipment facilities, banking **Remittances:** 1.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $793 million (2019 est.) expenditures: $782 million (2019 est.) **Current account balance:** $194.498 million (2023 est.) $230.556 million (2022 est.) $79.257 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $3.153 billion (2023 est.) $2.853 billion (2022 est.) $2.201 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Jordan 34%, Colombia 31%, USA 7%, Guyana 5%, Slovakia 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** tobacco, gas turbines, refined petroleum, steam turbines, heating machinery (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $2.565 billion (2023 est.) $2.429 billion (2022 est.) $1.947 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 53%, Netherlands 15%, China 6%, Colombia 3%, Brazil 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, tobacco, cars, garments, jewelry (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.468 billion (2023 est.) $1.544 billion (2022 est.) $1.513 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.79 (2024 est.) 1.79 (2023 est.) 1.79 (2022 est.) 1.79 (2021 est.) 1.79 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 99.9% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 100% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 305,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 824.036 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 166.766 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 83.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 13.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 8,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 153.952 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 34,500 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 141,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 131 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** freedom of the press respected, as guaranteed under Dutch law; newspapers are in the Papiamento language; 2 commercial TV stations, with a cable TV subscription service providing access to foreign channels; wide range of commercial radio stations available (2023) **Internet country code:** .aw **Internet users:** percent of population: 97% (2017 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 19,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** P4 **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 1 (2023) by type: other 1 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Paardenbaai (Oranjestad), Sint Nicolaas Baai ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; Aruban Militia (ARUMIL); Police Department for local law enforcement, supported by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Gendarmerie), the Dutch Caribbean Police Force (Korps Politie Caribisch Nederland, KPCN), and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG or Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied (KWCARIB)) (2025) **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the Aruba security services focus on organized crime and terrorism; the Dutch Government controls foreign and defense policy; the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG) provides maritime security; the Dutch military maintains a presence on Aruba, including a marine company and a naval base (2025) --- ## Ashmore and Cartier Islands **Slug:** ashmore-and-cartier-islands **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Codes:** cek: at, genc: XAC, stanag: AUS, internet: -, comment: ISO includes with Australia ### Introduction **Background:** Indonesian fishermen have long fished in the area around Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island. British explorers were the first Europeans to see Cartier Island and Ashmore Reef in 1800 and 1811, respectively. American whalers frequently sailed by the islands in the 1850s and later settled to mine the phosphate deposits on Ashmore Reef, which were exhausted by 1891. The UK disputed US access to Ashmore Reef and formally annexed it in 1878. Cartier Island was annexed in 1909. In 1931, the UK transferred the islands to Australia, which accepted them in 1934 as part of Western Australia. In 1938, Australia transferred governance to the Northern Territory. During World War II, Cartier Island was used as a bombing range. In 1978, governance of Ashmore and Cartier Islands was moved to the federal government. Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island became marine reserves in 1983 and 2000 respectively. In 1974, Australia and Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to allow Indonesian fishermen to continue fishing around the islands. The MOU also allows Indonesian fishermen to visit the graves of past fishermen, replenish their fresh water, and shelter in the West Island Lagoon of Ashmore Reef. In the 1990s, Indonesia challenged Australia’s claim to the islands, which was settled in a maritime boundary treaty in 1997. The islands were a popular first point of contact for migrants and refugees seeking to enter Australia, so in 2001, Australia declared the islands to be outside the Australian migration zone. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, midway between northwestern Australia and Timor island; Ashmore Reef is 840 km west of Darwin and 610 km north of Broome; Cartier Islet is 70 km east of Ashmore Reef **Geographic coordinates:** 12 25 S, 123 20 E note: Ashmore Reef - 12 14 S, 123 05 E; Cartier Islet - 12 32 S, 123 32 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 5 sq km land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island **Area - comparative:** about eight times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 74.1 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical **Terrain:** low with sand and coral **Elevation:** highest point: Cartier Island 5 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) **Natural hazards:** surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards **Geography - note:** Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in 1983; Cartier Island Marine Reserve established in 2000 ### People and Society **Population:** total: no permanent inhabitants note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island; access to East and Middle Islands is by permit only ### Environment **Environmental issues:** illegal killing of protected wildlife; overfishing; sea-level rise, changes in sea temperature, and ocean acidification; marine debris **Climate:** tropical **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands etymology: named after British Captain Samuel ASHMORE, who first sighted the island in 1811, and after the ship Cartier, from which the second island was discovered in 1800 **Dependency status:** territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport **Legal system:** the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply **Citizenship:** see Australia **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (territory of Australia) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (territory of Australia) **Flag:** the flag of Australia is used ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of Australia --- ## Atlantic Ocean **Slug:** atlantic-ocean **Region:** Oceans **Codes:** cek: zh ### Introduction **Background:** The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five ocean basins (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal (Germany), Oresund (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of Gibraltar (Morocco-Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US) are important strategic access waterways. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth world ocean basin, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude. For convenience and because of its immense size, the Atlantic Ocean is often divided at the Equator and designated as the North Atlantic Ocean and the South Atlantic Ocean. ### Geography **Location:** body of water between Africa, Europe, the Arctic Ocean, the Americas, and the Southern Ocean **Geographic coordinates:** 0 00 N, 25 00 W **Map references:** Map of the world oceans **Area:** total : 85.133 million sq km note: includes Baffin Bay, Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, part of the Drake Passage, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Gulf of America, Labrador Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, almost all of the Scotia Sea, and other tributary water bodies **Area - comparative:** about 7.5 times the size of the US **Coastline:** 111,866 km **Climate:** tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near Cabo Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can occur from May to December but are most frequent from August to November **Ocean volume:** ocean volume: 310,410,900 cu km percent of World Ocean total volume: 23.3% **Major ocean currents:** clockwise North Atlantic Gyre consists of the northward flowing, warm Gulf Stream in the west, the eastward flowing North Atlantic Current in the north, the southward flowing cold Canary Current in the east, and the westward flowing North Equatorial Current in the south; the counterclockwise South Atlantic Gyre composed of the southward flowing warm Brazil Current in the west, the eastward flowing South Atlantic Current in the south, the northward flowing cold Benguela Current in the east, and the westward flowing South Equatorial Current in the north **Bathymetry:** continental shelf: the passive margins of the Atlantic Ocean provide for wide continental shelves in North America, Northwest Europe, and the southern coast of South America the following are examples of features on the continental shelf of the Atlantic Ocean: Blake Plateau (Figure 5) Celtic Shelf (Figure 2) Dogger Bank (Figure 2) Flemish Cap (Figure 2) Falkland Plateau (Figure 3) Grand Banks of Newfoundland (Figure 2) Great Bahama Bank (Figure 5) Little Bahama Bank (Figure 5) Tunisian Plateau (Figure 4) Yucatán Shelf (Figure 5) continental slope: the following are examples of features on the continental slope of the Atlantic Ocean: Amazon Cone (Figure 3) Congo Fan (Figure 3) Hudson Canyon (Figure 5) Mississippi Fan (Figure 5) abyssal plains: the following are examples of features on the abyssal plains of the Atlantic Ocean: Angola Basin (Figure 3) Agulhas Basin (Figure 3) Argentine Basin (Figure 3) Brazil Basin (Figure 3) Canary Basin (Figure 2) Cape Basin (Figure 3) Colombia Basin (Figure 2) Labrador Basin (Figure 2) Mexico Basin (Figure 2) Newfoundland Basin (Figure 2) North American Basin (Figure 2) Venezuela Basin (Figure 2) West European Basin (Figure 2) mid-ocean ridge: the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone displaces the mid-ocean ridge 350 km to the west, separating the Mid-Atlantic Ridge from the Reykjanes Ridge; the Romanche Fracture Zone, located near the equator, offsets the Mid-Atlantic Ridge 900 km and is considered the dividing line between the North and South Atlantic Oceans the following are examples of mid-ocean ridges on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean: East Mediterranean Ridge (Figure 4) Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Figures 2, 3) Reykjanes Ridge (Figure 2) undersea terrain features: the following are examples of undersea terrain features on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean: Bermuda Rise (Figure 2) Cape Verde Plateau (Figure 2) New England Seamounts (Figure 2) Rio Grande Plateau (Figure 3) Rockall Plateau (Figure 2) ocean trenches: the following are examples of ocean trenches on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean: Cayman Trench (Caribbean Sea) (Figure 2) Hellenic Trench (Mediterranean Sea) (Figure 4) Puerto Rico Trench (Figure 2) - deepest point in the Atlantic South Sandwich Trench (South Atlantic) (Figure 3) atolls: Rocas Atoll (Brazil) is the only atoll in the South Atlantic **Elevation:** highest point: sea level lowest point: Puerto Rico Trench -8,605 m mean depth: -3,646 m ocean zones: the ocean is divided into three zones based on depth and light level; sunlight entering the water may travel about 1,000 m into the oceans under the right conditions, but there is rarely any significant light below 200 m euphotic zone: the upper 200 m (656 ft) is also called "sunlight" zone; only a small amount of light penetrates beyond this depth dysphotic zone: between 200 m (656 ft) and 1,000 m (3,280 ft), and also called the twilight zone; the intensity of light rapidly dissipates as depth increases, and photosynthesis is no longer possible aphotic zone: below 1,000 m (3,280 ft) and also called the midnight zone; sunlight does not penetrate to these depths **Natural resources:** oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, precious stones **Natural hazards:** icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September; hurricanes (May to December) **Geography - note:** major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the equator divides the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean ### Environment **Environmental issues:** endangered marine species; fishery issues (over-fishing, unregulated bottom trawling, drift-net fishing, discards, catch of non-target species); pollution (maritime transport, discharges, offshore drilling, oil spills, improperly disposed waste); municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of America, Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea **Climate:** tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near Cabo Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can occur from May to December but are most frequent from August to November **Marine fisheries:** the Atlantic Ocean fisheries are the second most important in the world accounting for 25.8%, or 20,300,000 mt, of the global catch in 2020; of the seven regions delineated by the Food and Agriculture Organization in the Atlantic basin, the most important include the following: Northeast Atlantic region (Region 27) is the fourth most important in the world, producing 10.5% of the global catch or 8,310,000 mt in 2020; the region encompasses the waters north of 36º North latitude and east of 40º West longitude, with the major producers including Norway (3,528,240 mt), Russia (1,044,153 mt), Iceland (933,019 mt), UK (823,669 mt), and Denmark (641,927 mt); the region includes the historically important fishing grounds of the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Atlantic waters around Greenland, Iceland, and the British Isles; the principal catches include Atlantic cod, haddock, saithe (pollock), blue whiting, herring, and mackerel Eastern Central Atlantic region (Region 34) is the second most important Atlantic fishery, and seventh largest in the world, producing more than 6.3% of the global catch or 4,950,000 mt in 2020; the region encompasses the waters between 36º North and 6º South latitude and east of 40º West longitude off the west coast of Africa, with the major producers including Morocco (1,419,872 mt), Mauritania (705,850 mt), Senegal (472,571 mt), Nigeria (451,768 mt), Ghana (303,001 mt), Cameroon (265,969 mt), and Sierra Leone (200,000 mt); the principal catches include pilchard, sardinellas, shad, and mackerel Northwest Atlantic region (Region 21) is the fourth most important Atlantic fishery and eleventh in the world producing 1.9% of the global catch and 1,540,000 mt in 2020; it encompasses the waters north of 35º North latitude and west of 42º West longitude, including major fishing grounds over North America's continental shelf (the Grand Banks, Georges Bank, Flemish Cap, and Baffin Bay); the major producers include the US (927,777 mt), Canada (615,651 mt), and Greenland (179,990 mt); the principal catches include sea scallops, prawns, lobster, herring, and menhaden Mediterranean and Black Sea region (Region 37) is a minor fishing region representing 1.5% or 1,190,000 mt of the world’s total capture in 2020; the region encompasses all waters east of the Strait of Gibraltar, with the major producers including Turkey (686,650 mt), Italy (281,212 mt), Tunisia (129,325 mt), Spain (119,759 mt), and Russia (72,279 mt); the principal catches include European anchovy, European pilchard, gobies, and clams Regional fisheries bodies: Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna, Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic, Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea, General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, International Council for the Exploration of the Seas, Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization, North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization, North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission, Southeast Atlantic Fisheries Organization, Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission ### Government **Country name:** etymology: name derives from the ancient Greek description of the waters beyond the Strait of Gibraltar, Atlantis thalassa, meaning "Sea of Atlas" ### Transportation **Transportation - note:** Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways; significant domestic commercial and recreational use of Intracoastal Waterway on central and south Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of America coast of US --- ## Australia **Slug:** australia **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇦🇺 **Codes:** cek: as, iso2: AU, iso3: AUS, iso_num: 036, genc: AUS, stanag: AUS, internet: .au, comment: ISO includes Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands ### Introduction **Background:** Aboriginal Australians arrived on the continent at least 60,000 years ago and developed complex hunter-gatherer societies and oral histories. Dutch navigators led by Abel TASMAN were the first Europeans to land in Australia in 1606, and they mapped the western and northern coasts. They named the continent New Holland but made no attempts to permanently settle it. In 1770, Englishman James COOK sailed to the east coast of Australia, named it New South Wales, and claimed it for Great Britain. In 1788 and 1825 respectively, Great Britain established New South Wales and then Tasmania as penal colonies. Great Britain and Ireland sent more than 150,000 convicts to Australia before ending the practice in 1868. As Europeans began settling areas away from the coasts, they came into more direct contact with Aboriginal Australians. Europeans also cleared land for agriculture, impacting Aboriginal Australians’ ways of life. These issues, along with disease and a policy in the 1900s that forcefully removed Aboriginal children from their parents, reduced the Aboriginal Australian population from more than 700,000 pre-European contact to a low of 74,000 in 1933. Four additional colonies were established in Australia in the mid-1800s: Western Australia (1829), South Australia (1836), Victoria (1851), and Queensland (1859). Gold rushes beginning in the 1850s brought thousands of new immigrants to New South Wales and Victoria, helping to reorient Australia away from its penal colony roots. In the second half of the 1800s, the colonies were all gradually granted self-government, and in 1901, they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia. Australia contributed more than 400,000 troops to Allied efforts during World War I, and Australian troops played a large role in the defeat of Japanese troops in the Pacific in World War II. Australia severed most constitutional links with the UK in 1942 but remained part of the British Commonwealth. Australia’s post-war economy boomed and by the 1970s, racial policies that prevented most non-Whites from immigrating to Australia were removed, greatly increasing Asian immigration to the country. In recent decades, Australia has become an internationally competitive, advanced market economy due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980s and its proximity to East and Southeast Asia. In the early 2000s, Australian politics became unstable with frequent attempts to oust party leaders, including five changes of prime minister between 2010 and 2018. As a result, both major parties instituted rules to make it harder to remove a party leader. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean **Geographic coordinates:** 27 00 S, 133 00 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 7,741,220 sq km land: 7,682,300 sq km water: 58,920 sq km note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than the 48 contiguous US states **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 25,760 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north **Terrain:** mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,228 m lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m mean elevation: 330 m **Natural resources:** alumina, coal, iron ore, copper, lithium, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, rare earth elements, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, opals, natural gas, petroleum note 1: Australia is the world's largest net exporter of coal accounting for 26.5% of global coal exports in 2021; coal is the country’s most abundant energy resource, and coal ranks as the second-largest export commodity from Australia in terms of revenue; in 2020, Australia held the third-largest recoverable coal reserves in the world behind the United States and Russia note 2: Australia is by far the world's largest supplier of opals note 3: Australia holds the largest uranium reserves in the world and was the second-largest global uranium producer behind Kazakhstan in 2020 note 4: Australia was the largest exporter of LNG in the world in 2020 **Land use:** agricultural land: 47.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 43.1% (2023 est.) forest: 17.3% (2023 est.) other: 35.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 19,450 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Alexandrina - 570 sq km salt water lake(s): Lake Eyre - 9,690 sq km; Lake Torrens (ephemeral) - 5,780 sq km; Lake Gairdner - 4,470 sq km; Lake Mackay (ephemeral) - 3,494 sq km; Lake Frome - 2,410 sq km; Lake Amadeus (ephemeral) - 1,032 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** River Murray - 2,508 km; Darling River - 1,545 km; Murrumbidgee River - 1,485 km; Lachlan River - 1,339 km; Cooper Creek - 1,113 km; Flinders River - 1,004 km **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Indian Ocean drainage: (Great Australian Bight) Murray-Darling (1,050,116 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Eyre (1,212,198 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Great Artesian Basin, Canning Basin **Population distribution:** population is primarily located on the periphery, with the highest concentration of people residing in the east and southeast; a secondary population center is located in and around Perth in the west; of the states and territories, New South Wales has, by far, the largest population; the interior, or "outback," has a very sparse population **Natural hazards:** cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires volcanism: volcanic activity on Heard and McDonald Islands **Geography - note:** note 1: world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; the largest country in Oceania, the largest country entirely in the Southern Hemisphere, and the largest country without land borders note 2: the Great Dividing Range that runs along eastern Australia is that continent’s longest mountain range and the third-longest land-based range in the world; the term "Great Dividing Range" refers to the fact that the mountains form a watershed crest from which all of the rivers of eastern Australia flow – east, west, north, and south note 3: Australia is the only continent without glaciers; it is the driest inhabited continent on earth; Perth on the west coast is home to the invigorating sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor," one of the most consistent winds in the world; Australia hosts 10% of the world's biodiversity, and a great number of its flora and fauna exist nowhere else in the world ### People and Society **Population:** total: 27,490,921 (2025 est.) male: 13,685,935 female: 13,804,986 **Nationality:** noun: Australian(s) adjective: Australian **Ethnic groups:** English 33%, Australian 29.9%, Irish 9.5%, Scottish 8.6%, Chinese 5.5%, Italian 4.4%, German 4%, Indian 3.1%, Australian Aboriginal 2.9%, Greek 1.7%, unspecified 4.7% (2021 est.) note: data represent self-identified ancestry, with the option of reporting two ancestries **Languages:** English 72%, Mandarin 2.7%, Arabic 1.4%, Vietnamese 1.3%, Cantonese 1.2%, other 15.7%, unspecified 5.7% (2021 est.) note: data represent language spoken at home **Religions:** Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant 18.1% (Anglican 9.8%, Uniting Church 2.6%, Presbyterian and Reformed 1.6%, Baptist 1.4%, Pentecostal 1%, other Protestant 1.7%), other Christian 3.5%, Muslim 3.2%, Hindu 2.7%, Buddhist 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3% (Eastern Orthodox 2.1%, Oriental Orthodox 0.2%), other 2.1%, none 38.4%, unspecified 7.3% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 2,526,772/female 2,369,425) 15-64 years: 64.7% (male 8,688,023/female 8,640,671) 65 years and over: 17% (2024 est.) (male 2,090,315/female 2,453,392) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 53.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 26.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 26.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.8 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 38.5 years (2025 est.) male: 36.9 years female: 39.2 years **Population growth rate:** 1.59% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.75 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 11.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population is primarily located on the periphery, with the highest concentration of people residing in the east and southeast; a secondary population center is located in and around Perth in the west; of the states and territories, New South Wales has, by far, the largest population; the interior, or "outback," has a very sparse population **Urbanization:** urban population: 86.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island **Major urban areas - population:** 5.235 million Melbourne, 5.121 million Sydney, 2.505 million Brisbane, 2.118 million Perth, 1.367 million Adelaide, 472,000 CANBERRA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 28.7 years (2019 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 2 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 83.5 years (2024 est.) male: 81.3 years female: 85.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.5 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.73 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 10.5% of GDP (2021) 20.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.09 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 3.8 beds/1,000 population (2016 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 29% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 9.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.71 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 11.4% (2025 est.) male: 13.6% (2025 est.) female: 9.2% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 54% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 12.7% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 21 years (2023 est.) male: 20 years (2023 est.) female: 21 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** soil erosion from overgrazing, deforestation, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; limited natural freshwater resources; soil salinity from use of poor-quality water, drought, desertification; habitat loss from agricultural clearing; floral extinctions; Great Barrier Reef preservation; overfishing; pollution; invasive species **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north **Land use:** agricultural land: 47.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 43.1% (2023 est.) forest: 17.3% (2023 est.) other: 35.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 86.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 394.653 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 146.81 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 154.346 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 93.497 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 9.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 2,146 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 2,382.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 587.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 144.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 13.345 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 52.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 2.43 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 3.11 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 11.19 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 492 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia conventional short form: Australia etymology: the name Australia derives from the Latin australis meaning "southern;" the Australian landmass was long referred to as "Terra Australis," or the Southern Land **Government type:** federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm **Capital:** name: Canberra geographic coordinates: 35 16 S, 149 08 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends first Sunday in April time zone note: Australia has six time zones, including Lord Howe Island (UTC+11) etymology: the name may derive from the Aboriginal word nganbirra, meaning "meeting place" **Administrative divisions:** 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia **Dependent areas:** Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Jervis Bay, Norfolk Island (7) **Legal system:** common law system based on the English model **Constitution:** history: approved in a series of referenda from 1898 through 1900 and became law 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901 amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires approval of a referendum bill by absolute majority vote in both houses of Parliament, approval in a referendum by a majority of voters in at least four states and in the territories, and Royal Assent; proposals that would reduce a state’s representation in either house or change a state’s boundaries require that state’s approval prior to Royal Assent **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 4 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal and compulsory **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Samantha (Sam) MOSTYN (since 1 July 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Anthony ALBANESE (since 23 May 2022) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister from among members of Parliament and sworn in by the governor general election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the governor general **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives number of seats: 150 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 3 years most recent election date: 5/3/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Australian Labor Party (ALP) (94); Liberal National coalition (43); Independents (10); Other (3) percentage of women in chamber: 46% expected date of next election: May 2028 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 76 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 5/3/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Australian Labor Party (ALP) (16); Liberal (6); The Greens (6); Liberal/Nationals (4); Pauline Hanson's One Nation (3); Liberal National Party of Queensland (2); Other (3) percentage of women in chamber: 56.6% expected date of next election: May 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): High Court of Australia (consists of 7 justices, including the chief justice); each of the 6 states, 2 territories, and Norfolk Island has a Supreme Court; the High Court is the final appellate court judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor-general in council for life with mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: subordinate courts: at the federal level: Federal Court; Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia; at the state and territory level: Local Court - New South Wales; Magistrates' Courts – Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory; District Courts – New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia; County Court – Victoria; Family Court – Western Australia; Court of Petty Sessions – Norfolk Island **Political parties:** Australian Greens Party or The Greens Australian Labor Party or ALP Australia's Voice Centre Alliance (formerly known as the Nick Xenophon Team or NXT) Jacqui Lambie Network or JLN Katter's Australian Party (KAP) Liberal Party of Australia The Nationals Pauline Hanson's One Nation or ONP United Australia Party note: the Labor Party is Australia’s oldest political party, established federally in 1901; the present Liberal Party was formed in 1944; the Country Party was formed in 1920, renamed the National Country Party in 1975, the National Party of Australia in 1982, and since 2003 has been known as the Nationals; since the general election of 1949, the Liberal Party and the Nationals (under various names) when forming government have done so as a coalition **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin Michael RUDD (since 19 April 2023) chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000 FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168 email address and website: info.us@dfat.gov.au https://usa.embassy.gov.au/ consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Erika OLSON (since January 2025) embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Australian Capital Territory 2600 mailing address: 7800 Canberra Place, Washington DC 20512-7800 telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600 FAX: [61] (02) 9373-9184 email address and website: AskEmbassyCanberra@state.gov https://au.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney **International organization participation:** ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CP, EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF, SAARC (observer), Quad, SICA (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNMIT, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 1 January 1901 (from the federation of UK colonies) **National holiday:** Australia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorates the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915) **Flag:** description: blue, with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower-left quadrant; on the right half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white, with one small five-pointed star and four larger seven-pointed stars meaning: the largest star is known as the Commonwealth or Federation Star and represents the federation of the Australian colonies in 1901; the star has one point for each of the six original states, plus one representing all of Australia's internal and external territories **National symbol(s):** Commonwealth Star (seven-pointed Star of Federation), golden wattle tree (Acacia pycnantha), kangaroo, emu **National color(s):** green, gold **National coat of arms:** King George V of the United Kingdom granted the current Commonwealth Coat of Arms to Australia on 19 September 1912; the center of the shield has the symbols of Australia’s six states; the kangaroo and the emu symbolize a nation moving forward, since neither animal can move backward easily; the gold Commonwealth star sits above the shield, with six points representing the Australian states and the seventh representing the territories; the gold and blue in the wreath under the star are the livery, or identifying, colors for the coat of arms; Australia’s floral emblem, the golden wattle, frames the shield **National anthem(s):** title: Advance Australia Fair lyrics/music: Peter Dodds McCORMICK history: adopted 1984; although originally written in the late 19th century, the anthem was not used for all official occasions until 1984 _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: royal anthem, as a Commonwealth country note: the well-known and much-loved bush ballad "Waltzing Matilda" is often referred to as Australia's unofficial national anthem; Australian poet Banjo PATERSON wrote the original lyrics in 1895, and they were first published as sheet music in 1903; since 2012, a Waltzing Matilda Day has been held annually on 6 April, the anniversary of the first performance of the song in 1895 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 21 (5 cultural, 12 natural, 4 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Great Barrier Reef (n); Greater Blue Mountains Area (n); Fraser Island (n); Gondwana Rainforests (n); Lord Howe Island Group (n); Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens (c); Shark Bay (n); Sydney Opera House (c); Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park (m); Kakadu National Park (m); Murujuga Cultural Landscape (c) note: includes one site on Heard Island and McDonald Islands ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income and globally integrated economy; strong mining, manufacturing, and service sectors driving slow but steady growth; net exporter, driven by commodities to East Asian trade partners; weak productivity and aging population straining labor force participation **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.635 trillion (2024 est.) $1.611 trillion (2023 est.) $1.558 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.4% (2024 est.) 3.4% (2023 est.) 4.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $60,100 (2024 est.) $60,500 (2023 est.) $59,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.752 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.2% (2024 est.) 5.6% (2023 est.) 6.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2.2% (2024 est.) industry: 26% (2024 est.) services: 65.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 51.2% (2024 est.) government consumption: 22.2% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.3% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.1% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 24.7% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -22.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, sugarcane, barley, rapeseed, milk, cotton, sorghum, beef, lentils, grapes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 14.912 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.1% (2024 est.) 3.7% (2023 est.) 3.8% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 9.5% (2024 est.) male: 10.2% (2024 est.) female: 8.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 34.3 (2018 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 9.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.8% (2018 est.) highest 10%: 26.2% (2018 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $431.27 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $453.105 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 58% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 23.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$34.402 billion (2024 est.) -$5.186 billion (2023 est.) $5.707 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $425.16 billion (2024 est.) $448.507 billion (2023 est.) $465.99 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 37%, Japan 16%, S. Korea 6%, India 5%, Taiwan 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** iron ore, coal, natural gas, gold, minerals (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $405.336 billion (2024 est.) $389.211 billion (2023 est.) $379.981 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 26%, USA 11%, S. Korea 6%, Japan 6%, Thailand 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, trucks, broadcasting equipment, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $60.404 billion (2024 est.) $61.703 billion (2023 est.) $56.702 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.515 (2024 est.) 1.505 (2023 est.) 1.442 (2022 est.) 1.331 (2021 est.) 1.453 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 108.193 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 267.818 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 11.455 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 64.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 17.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 11.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 5.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 445.077 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 95.667 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 348.32 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 630,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 149.472 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 386,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 1.151 million bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 2.446 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 151.307 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 48.845 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 105.146 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 521.034 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 3.228 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 223.158 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 5.95 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 30.1 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 113 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** tradition of public broadcasting, but privately owned TV and radio have the biggest audiences; ownership of print and broadcast media is concentrated; Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) runs national and local public radio and TV; other main public broadcaster is the multilingual Special Broadcasting Service (SBS); national commercial TV is dominated by three big free-to-air networks; broadcasters must carry a minimum percentage of Australian-made programs; pay TV via cable, satellite, and IPTV has a strong foothold (2023) **Internet country code:** .au **Internet users:** percent of population: 97% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 9.63 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** VH **Airports:** 2,257 (2025) **Heliports:** 392 (2025) **Railways:** total: 32,606 km (2022) 3,448 km electrified standard gauge: 18,007 km (2022) 1.435 mm narrow gauge: 11,914 km (2022) 1.067 mm broad gauge: 2,685 km (2022) 1.600 mm **Merchant marine:** total: 604 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 2, general cargo 76, oil tanker 6, other 520 **Ports:** total ports: 66 (2024) large: 5 medium: 8 small: 24 very small: 29 ports with oil terminals: 38 key ports: Brisbane, Dampier, Darwin, Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Adelaide, Port Dalrymple, Port Kembla, Port Lincoln, Sydney ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force (2025) note: the Australian Federal Police (AFP) is an independent agency of the Attorney-General’s Department; the AFP, state, and territorial police forces are responsible for internal security; the Australian Border Force (ABF) is under the Department of Home Affairs **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2024 est.) 2% of GDP (2023 est.) 2% of GDP (2022 est.) 2% of GDP (2021 est.) 2% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 60,000 active ADF personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and imported Western weapons systems; in recent years, the US has been the largest supplier of arms; the Australian defense industry produces a variety of land and sea weapons platforms; the defense industry also participates in joint development and production ventures with other Western countries, including the US and Canada (2025) note: in 2023, the Australian defense ministry announced a new strategic review that called for the acquisition of more long-range deterrence capabilities, including missiles, submarines, and cyber tools; in early 2024, Australia announced a 10-year plan to more than double the number of the Navy's major surface combatant ships **Military service age and obligation:** 17 years of age (with parental consent; 18 years of age to deploy) for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (abolished 1972) (2025) note 1: as of July 2024, New Zealanders who are permanent residents and have lived in Australia for at least 12 months could apply to join the ADF; from January 2025, eligible permanent residents from Canada, the UK, and the US were also to be allowed to apply note 2: women have served in all roles, including combat arms, since 2013; in 2024, they comprised slightly more than 20% of the military **Military deployments:** note: the number of Australian military forces varies by mission; since the 1990s, Australia has deployed more than 30,000 personnel on nearly 100 UN peacekeeping and coalition military operations around the World **Military - note:** the ADF's missions include protecting Australia’s borders and maritime interests, responding to domestic natural disasters, and deploying overseas for humanitarian, peacekeeping, and other security-related missions; in 2024, it established a cyber command; the ADF regularly participates in bilateral and multilateral exercises with foreign militaries Australia has been part of the Australia, New Zealand, and US Security (ANZUS) Treaty since 1951; Australia is also a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK Australia has long-standing bilateral defense and security ties to the UK, including defense and security cooperation treaties in 2024 and 2013; the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) is their premier bilateral forum on foreign policy, defense, and security issues Australia also has a long-standing military relationship with the US; Australian and US forces first fought together in France in 1918 and have fought together in every major US conflict since; Australia and the US signed an agreement in 2014 that allowed for closer bilateral defense and security cooperation, including rotations of US military forces and equipment to Australia; Australian military forces train often with US forces; Australia has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation in 2021, Australia, the UK, and the US announced an enhanced trilateral security partnership called “AUKUS” which would build on existing bilateral ties, including deeper integration of defense and security-related science, technology, industrial bases, and supply chains, as well as deeper cooperation on a range of defense and security capabilities (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Australian Space Agency (ASA; established 2018; headquarters opened in 2020) (2025) note: Australia established a Defense Space Command in 2022 **Space launch site(s):** Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex (commercial site, South Australia); Arnhem Space Center (commercial site, Northern Territory); Bown Orbital Spaceport (commercial site, North Queensland) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a history of involvement in space-related activities, including astronomy, rockets, satellites, and space tracking; develops, builds, operates, and tracks satellites, including communications, remote sensing (RS), and navigational, often in partnership with other countries; develops other space technologies, including communications, RS capabilities, and telescopes; encouraging growth in domestic commercial space-industry sector, including satellite launch vehicles; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, the ESA, individual ESA member states, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the UK, and the US; co-leads the Global Earth Observation System of Systems and hosts one of the telescopes for the international Square Kilometer Array radio telescope (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1960 - built first space-tracking station outside the US 1967 - first domestically built satellite (WRSEA) launched on a US rocket from Australian test range 1981 - commissioned first national satellite system 1996 - first Australian in space on US Space Shuttle 2021 - announced intent to provide a robotic lunar lander for US Artemis project 2022 - launched a US NASA rocket from a commercial launch site; joint Australia-US space surveillance telescope based in Western Australia became operational 2025 - first attempted launch of Australian-designed and -manufactured orbital launch vehicle failed to reach orbit ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 120,789 (2024 est.) IDPs: 185 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 6,922 (2024 est.) --- ## Austria **Slug:** austria **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇦🇹 **Codes:** cek: au, iso2: AT, iso3: AUT, iso_num: 040, genc: AUT, stanag: AUT, internet: .at ### Introduction **Background:** Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Nazi Germany annexed Austria in 1938, and the victorious Allies then occupied the country in 1945. As a result, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade after World War II, until a State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. Austria joined the EU in 1995, but the obligation to remain neutral kept it from joining NATO, although the country became a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace program in 1995. Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. ### Geography **Location:** Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia **Geographic coordinates:** 47 20 N, 13 20 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 83,871 sq km land: 82,445 sq km water: 1,426 sq km **Area - comparative:** about the size of South Carolina; slightly more than two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania **Land boundaries:** total: 2,524 km border countries (8): Czech Republic 402 km; Germany 801 km; Hungary 321 km; Italy 404 km; Liechtenstein 34 km; Slovakia 105 km; Slovenia 299 km; Switzerland 158 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers **Terrain:** mostly mountains (Alps) in the west and south; mostly flat or gently sloping along the eastern and northern margins **Elevation:** highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m mean elevation: 910 m **Natural resources:** oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 31.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 16% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 14.7% (2023 est.) forest: 47.2% (2023 est.) other: 20.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 382 sq km (2016) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Constance (shared with Switzerland and Germany) - 540 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Donau (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** the northern and eastern portions of the country are more densely populated; nearly two thirds of the populace lives in urban areas **Natural hazards:** landslides; avalanches; earthquakes **Geography - note:** note 1: landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere note 2: the world's largest and longest ice cave system at 42 km (26 mi) is the Eisriesenwelt (Ice Giants World) inside the Hochkogel mountain near Werfen, about 40 km south of Salzburg; ice caves are bedrock caves that contain year-round ice formations; they differ from glacial caves, which are transient and are formed by melting ice and flowing water within and under glaciers ### People and Society **Population:** total: 9,174,390 (2025 est.) male: 4,471,802 female: 4,702,588 **Nationality:** noun: Austrian(s) adjective: Austrian **Ethnic groups:** Austrian 80.8%, German 2.6%, Bosnian and Herzegovinian 1.9%, Turkish 1.8%, Serbian 1.6%, Romanian 1.3%, other 10% (2018 est.) note: data represent population by country of birth **Languages:** German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in southern Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 est.) major-language sample(s): Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 55.2%, Muslim 8.3%, Orthodox 4.9%, Evangelical Christian 3.8%, Jewish 0.1%, other 5.4%, none 22.4% (2021 est.) note: data on Muslim is a 2016 estimate; data on other/none/unspecified are from 2012-2018 estimates **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 14.1% (male 648,639/female 616,334) 15-64 years: 64.7% (male 2,904,587/female 2,898,339) 65 years and over: 21.2% (2024 est.) (male 839,672/female 1,060,411) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 54.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 21.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 32.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 44.5 years (2025 est.) male: 43.6 years female: 46.3 years **Population growth rate:** 0.28% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 8.81 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 10.21 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 4.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the northern and eastern portions of the country are more densely populated; nearly two thirds of the populace lives in urban areas **Urbanization:** urban population: 59.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.975 million VIENNA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 29.7 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 82.7 years (2024 est.) male: 80.1 years female: 85.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.35 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.66 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 12.1% of GDP (2021) 16.3% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 5.52 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 7.1 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 20.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 11.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 6.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 19.7% (2025 est.) male: 21.1% (2025 est.) female: 18.3% (2025 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 9.9% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2023 est.) male: 16 years (2023 est.) female: 17 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** some forest degradation from air and soil pollution; soil pollution from agricultural chemicals; air pollution from coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants, and from trucks transiting Austria; water pollution **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Antarctic-Environmental Protection **Climate:** temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers **Land use:** agricultural land: 31.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 16% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 14.7% (2023 est.) forest: 47.2% (2023 est.) other: 20.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 59.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 56.959 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 10.527 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 33.036 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 13.397 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 10.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 5.22 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 36% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 34.36 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 2.21 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 124 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 77.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 3 global geoparks and regional networks: Ore of the Alps; Styrian Eisenwurzen; Karawanken/Karavanke (includes Slovenia) (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Austria conventional short form: Austria local long form: Republik Oesterreich local short form: Oesterreich etymology: the name Oesterreich means "eastern realm" and dates to the 10th century; the designation refers to the fact that Austria was the easternmost extension of Bavaria and the German peoples; the word Austria is a Latinization of the German name **Government type:** federal parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Vienna geographic coordinates: 48 12 N, 16 22 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name may have evolved from the Roman name Vindobona, which was taken from the Celtic words vindo (white) and bona (fort) **Administrative divisions:** 9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria), Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria), Tirol (Tyrol), Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna) **Legal system:** civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 1 October 1920, revised 1929, replaced May 1934, replaced by German Weimar constitution in 1938 following German annexation, reinstated 1 May 1945 amendment process: proposed through laws designated "constitutional laws" or through the constitutional process if the amendment is part of another law; approval required by at least a two-thirds majority vote by the National Assembly and the presence of one-half of the members; a referendum is required only if requested by one-third of the National Council or Federal Council membership; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Austria dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 16 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (since 26 January 2017) head of government: Chancellor Christian STOCKER (since 3 March 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the chancellor and appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); chancellor appointed by the president but determined by the majority coalition parties in the Federal Assembly; vice chancellor appointed by the president on the advice of the chancellor most recent election date: 9 October 2022 election results: 2022: Alexander VAN DER BELLEN reelected in first round; percent of vote - Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (independent) 56.7%, Walter ROSENKRANZ (FPO) 17.7%, Dominik WLAZNY (Beer Party) 8.3%, Tassilo WALLENTIN (independent) 8.1%, Gerald GROSZ (independent) 5.6% 2016: Alexander VAN DER BELLEN elected in second round; percent of vote in first round - Norbert HOFER (FPOe) 35.1%, Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (independent, allied with the Greens) 21.3%, Irmgard GRISS (independent) 18.9%, Rudolf HUNDSTORFER (SPOe) 11.3%, Andreas KHOL (OeVP) 11.1%, Richard LUGNER (independent) 2.3%; percent of vote in second round - Alexander VAN DER BELLEN 53.8%, Norbert HOFER 46.2% expected date of next election: 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Parlament) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Council (Nationalrat) number of seats: 183 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/29/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Freedom Party (FPÖ) (57); People's Party (ÖVP) (51); Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) (41); NEOS (“New Austria”) (18); Greens (16) percentage of women in chamber: 35.5% expected date of next election: September 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Federal Council (Bundesrat) number of seats: 60 (all indirectly elected) parties elected and seats per party: People's Party (OVP) (22); Social Democratic Party (SPO) (18); Freedom Party (16); Greens (3); NEOS (New Austria) (1) percentage of women in chamber: 46.7% **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Oberster Gerichtshof (consists of 85 judges organized into 17 senates or panels of 5 judges each); Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof (consists of 20 judges including 6 substitutes; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof - 2 judges plus other members depending on the importance of the case) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by executive branch departments and appointed by the president; judges serve for life; Constitutional Court judges nominated by several executive branch departments and approved by the president; judges serve for life; Administrative Court judges recommended by executive branch departments and appointed by the president; terms of judges and members determined by the president subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (4); Regional Courts (20); district courts (120); county courts **Political parties:** Austrian People's Party or OeVP Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe The Greens - The Green Alternative NEOS - The New Austria and Liberal Forum Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Petra SCHNEEBAUER (since 19 APRIL 2023) chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035 telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750 email address and website: washington-ob@bmeia.gv.at https://www.austria.org/ consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York consulate(s): Chicago **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Art FISHER (since 19 November 2025) embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, 1090, Vienna mailing address: 9900 Vienna Place, Washington DC 20521-9900 telephone: [43] (1) 31339 0 FAX: [43] (1) 31339 2017 email address and website: ConsulateVienna@state.gov https://at.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** no official date of independence: 976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 6 January 1453 (Archduchy of Austria acknowledged); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed); 30 March 1867 (Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy established); 12 November 1918 (First Republic proclaimed); 27 April 1945 (Second Republic proclaimed) **National holiday:** National Day (commemorates passage of the law on permanent neutrality), 26 October (1955) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red history: one of the oldest national flags in the world; according to tradition, after a fierce battle in the Third Crusade in 1191, Duke Leopold V of Austria's white tunic became blood-spattered; when his sash was removed, a white band was revealed, and the red-white-red color combination was adopted as his banner **National symbol(s):** eagle, edelweiss, Alpine gentian **National color(s):** red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Bundeshymne" (Federal Hymn) lyrics/music: Paula von PRERADOVIC/Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART or Johann HOLZER (disputed) history: adopted 1947; Austria adopted a new national anthem after World War II to replace the former imperial anthem composed by Franz Josef HAYDN, which Germany had appropriated in 1922 and was thereafter associated with the Nazi regime; the Austrian Federal Assembly adopted a gender-neutral version of the lyrics in 2012 note: the beloved waltz "The Blue Danube" ("An der schoenen, blauen Donau"), composed in 1866 by Johann STRAUSS II, is widely considered Austria's unofficial national anthem **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 12 (11 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Salzburg (c); Palace and Gardens of Schönbrunn (c); Halstadt–Dachstein/Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape (c); Semmering railway (c); Historic Graz and Schloss Eggenberg (c); Wachau Cultural Landscape (c); Historic Vienna (c); Fertő/Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape (c); Baden bei Wien (c); Primeval Beech Forests - Dürrenstein, Kalkalpen (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** one of the strongest EU and euro economies; diversified trade portfolios and relations; enormous trade economy; Russian energy dependence, but investing in alternative energy; aging labor force but large refugee population; large government debt **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $581.131 billion (2024 est.) $588.031 billion (2023 est.) $593.701 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -1.2% (2024 est.) -1% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $63,300 (2024 est.) $64,400 (2023 est.) $65,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $521.642 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.9% (2024 est.) 7.8% (2023 est.) 8.5% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.2% (2024 est.) industry: 23.1% (2024 est.) services: 65.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 52.2% (2023 est.) government consumption: 20.5% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.9% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.5% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 59.5% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -57.3% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, sugar beets, maize, wheat, barley, potatoes, pork, grapes, triticale, soybeans (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber and paper, electronics, tourism **Industrial production growth rate:** -5.5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 4.768 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.5% (2024 est.) 5.3% (2023 est.) 5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 11.7% (2024 est.) male: 11.4% (2024 est.) female: 12% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 14.8% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 30.9 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 10.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.8% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 24.6% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $231.132 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $241.516 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 78.3% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 25.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $12.642 billion (2024 est.) $6.783 billion (2023 est.) -$3.911 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $299.366 billion (2024 est.) $303.914 billion (2023 est.) $291.804 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 25%, USA 9%, Italy 7%, Switzerland 5%, Hungary 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** cars, packaged medicine, vaccines, vehicle parts/accessories, nitrogen compounds (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $284.467 billion (2024 est.) $293.692 billion (2023 est.) $294.324 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 34%, China 7%, Italy 7%, Switzerland 5%, Czechia 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, garments, vaccines, vehicle parts/accessories, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $35.406 billion (2024 est.) $31.212 billion (2023 est.) $33.078 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 33.371 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 64.611 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 21.631 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 21.55 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.095 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 14.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 11.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 56.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 7.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 1.288 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 5.403 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 2,000 metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 4.179 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 18,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 244,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 35.2 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 548.976 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 6.971 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 7.084 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 5.04 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 120.211 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 3.48 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 11.4 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 124 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** public broadcaster, Oesterreichischer Rundfunk (ORF), is a major player in the TV and radio markets; private broadcasters, cable, and satellite TV are available in most homes are widely used; some German stations carry programs for Austrian viewers; national and regional newspapers compete fiercely for readers; the print media are owned by a handful of mostly Austrian and German media groups (2023) **Internet country code:** .at **Internet users:** percent of population: 95% (2024 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2.71 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** OE **Airports:** 62 (2025) **Heliports:** 112 (2025) **Railways:** total: 6,123 km (2022) 3,523 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 1 (2023) by type: other 1 ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Austrian Armed Forces (Bundesheer): Land Forces, Air Force, Cyber Forces, Special Operations Forces, Militia (reserves) (2025) note 1: the federal police maintain internal security and report to the Ministry of the Interior note 2: the militia is comprised of men and women who have done their basic military or training service and continue to perform a task in the armed forces; they are integrated into the military but have civilian jobs and only participate in exercises or operations; missions for the militia may include providing disaster relief, assisting security police, and protecting critical infrastructure (energy, water, etc.), as well as deployments on missions abroad **Military expenditures:** 1% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 22,000 active Armed Forces (includes about 14,000 regular troops and around 8,000 reservists/militia undergoing refresher training) (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and imported armaments from European countries and the US; the Austrian defense industry produces a range of equipment and partners with other countries (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** registration requirement at age 17, the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; men above the age of 18 are subject to compulsory military service; women may volunteer; compulsory service is for 6 months, or optionally, alternative civil/community service (Zivildienst) for 9 months (2025) note: Austria also has a One-Year Volunteer Program (Einjährig-Freiwilligen-Ausbildung) for men and women, which substitutes for compulsory military service and serves as a gateway for those interested in a long-term military career **Military deployments:** 210 Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR stabilization force); 100 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); 160 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025) **Military - note:** the military’s primary responsibilities are national defense and protecting Austria’s neutrality; it also has some domestic security and disaster response responsibilities; each of the nine federal states has a military command that provides a link between the military and civil authorities; the main tasks of these commands include providing military assistance during disasters and supporting security police operations the Austrian military contributes to international peacekeeping and humanitarian missions; Austria has been constitutionally militarily non-aligned since 1955 but is an EU member and actively participates in EU peacekeeping and crisis management operations under the EU Common Security and Defense Policy; Austria is not a member of NATO but joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace framework in 1995 and participates in some NATO-led crisis management and peacekeeping operations (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Aeronautics and Space Agency (ALR; established in 1972 as the Austrian Space Agency) (2025) **Space program overview:** established a national space program in 2002; develops, builds, operates, and tracks satellites, including remote sensing and research/scientific satellites; member of the ESA; works closely with ESA and EU member states and the commercial sector to develop a range of space capabilities and technologies, including applications for satellite payloads, space flight, and space research; participates in a range of ESA/EU programs, including Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST), Copernicus Earth observation, and Galileo global navigation satellite system; also cooperates with other foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, India, Russia, and the US (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1981 - became an associate ESA member (full member in 1987) 1991 - first Austrian in space on Soviet Mir Space Station 2013 - first domestically built science/technology (star observation) satellites (TUGSAT-1 and UniBRITE) launched by India 2017 - worked with China to produce world’s first quantum-encrypted satellite communications teleconference from Beijing to Vienna 2024 - signed US-led Artemis Accords outlining best practices for cooperative space exploration ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 313,711 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 3,919 (2024 est.) --- ## Azerbaijan **Slug:** azerbaijan **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇦🇿 **Codes:** cek: aj, iso2: AZ, iso3: AZE, iso_num: 031, genc: AZE, stanag: AZE, internet: .az ### Introduction **Background:** Azerbaijan -- a secular nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Shia Muslim population -- was briefly independent (from 1918 to 1920) following the collapse of the Russian Empire; it was subsequently incorporated into the Soviet Union for seven decades. Beginning in 1988, Azerbaijan and Armenia fought over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which was populated largely by ethnic Armenians but incorporated into Soviet Azerbaijan as an autonomous oblast in the early 1920s. In the late Soviet period, an ethnic-Armenian separatist movement sought to end Azerbaijani control over the region. Fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh escalated after Armenia and Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By the time a ceasefire took effect in 1994, separatists with Armenian support controlled Nagorno‑Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. After decades of cease-fire violations and sporadic flare-ups, a second sustained conflict began in 2020 when Azerbaijan tried to win back the territories it had lost in the 1990s. After significant Azerbaijani gains, Armenia returned the southern part of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding territories to Azerbaijan. In September 2023, Azerbaijan took military action to regain the rest of Nagorno-Karabakh; after a conflict that lasted only one day, nearly the entire ethnic Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh fled to Armenia. Since gaining its independence in 1991, Azerbaijan has significantly reduced the poverty rate and has directed some revenue from its oil and gas production to develop the country’s infrastructure. However, corruption remains a burden on the economy, and Western observers and members of the country’s political opposition have accused the government of authoritarianism. The country’s leadership has remained in the ALIYEV family since Heydar ALIYEV, the most highly ranked Azerbaijani member of the Communist Party during the Soviet period, became president during the first Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1993. ### Geography **Location:** Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range **Geographic coordinates:** 40 30 N, 47 30 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 86,600 sq km land: 82,629 sq km water: 3,971 sq km note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the Nagorno-Karabakh region; the final status of the region has yet to be determined **Area - comparative:** about three-quarters the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Maine **Land boundaries:** total: 2,468 km border countries (5): Armenia 996 km; Georgia 428 km; Iran 689 km; Russia 338 km; Turkey 17 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) note: Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (713 km) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** dry, semiarid steppe **Terrain:** large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland, much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) to the west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea **Elevation:** highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,466 m lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m mean elevation: 384 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite **Land use:** agricultural land: 57.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 25.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 29.2% (2023 est.) forest: 14.4% (2023 est.) other: 27.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 14,693 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km **Population distribution:** highest population density is found in the far eastern area of the country, in and around Baku; apart from smaller urbanized areas, the rest of the country has a fairly light and evenly distributed population **Natural hazards:** droughts **Geography - note:** both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked ### People and Society **Population:** total: 10,694,370 (2025 est.) male: 5,354,376 female: 5,339,994 **Nationality:** noun: Azerbaijani(s) adjective: Azerbaijani **Ethnic groups:** Azerbaijani 94.8%, other 1.8%; less than 1%: Talish, Russian, Avar, Sakhur, Tartar, Georgian, Jewish, Kurd (2019 est.) note: Nagorno-Karabakh, which is part of Azerbaijan on the basis of the borders recognized when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, was populated almost entirely by ethnic Armenians; Azerbaijan has over 80 ethnic groups **Languages:** Azerbaijani 96.1%, other 1.4%; less than 1%: Russian, Avar, Talyshi, Turkish, Tatar, Sakhur, Tat, Ukrainian, Georgian, Hebrew (2019 est.) major-language sample(s): Dünya fakt kitabı, əsas məlumatlar üçün əvəz olunmaz mənbədir (Azerbaijani) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: Russian is widely spoken **Religions:** Muslim 97.3% (predominantly Shia), Christian 2.6%, other <0.1, unaffiliated <0.1 (2020 est.) note: religious affiliation for the majority of Azerbaijanis is largely nominal, percentages for actual practicing adherents are probably much lower **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 22.3% (male 1,269,241/female 1,104,529) 15-64 years: 68.7% (male 3,659,441/female 3,656,493) 65 years and over: 9% (2024 est.) (male 401,551/female 558,984) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 45.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 31.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 14 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 7.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 34.8 years (2025 est.) male: 32.8 years female: 36 years **Population growth rate:** 0.4% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 11.13 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.44 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** highest population density is found in the far eastern area of the country, in and around Baku; apart from smaller urbanized areas, the rest of the country has a fairly light and evenly distributed population **Urbanization:** urban population: 57.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Nagorno-Karabakh **Major urban areas - population:** 2.432 million BAKU (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.15 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.15 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 24 years (2019 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 18 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 12.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 75.9 years (2024 est.) male: 73.5 years female: 78.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.69 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.79 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 94.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 97.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 5.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 2.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.7% of GDP (2021) 4.6% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.19 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 3.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 19.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 18.4% (2025 est.) male: 37.9% (2025 est.) female: 0.1% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 3% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 59.7% (2019 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 11.9% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 99.8% (2023 est.) male: 99.8% (2023 est.) female: 99.7% (2023 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2023 est.) male: 13 years (2023 est.) female: 13 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** severe air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution from oil spills, pesticides, and toxic defoliants used in producing cotton; surface and underground water pollution from untreated municipal and industrial wastewater and agricultural run-off **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** dry, semiarid steppe **Land use:** agricultural land: 57.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 25.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 29.2% (2023 est.) forest: 14.4% (2023 est.) other: 27.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 57.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Nagorno-Karabakh **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 38.892 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 17,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 13.954 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 24.921 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 27.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 268.8 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 188.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 93.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 1 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.93 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 14.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 408 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 598 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 11.962 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 34.675 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan conventional short form: Azerbaijan local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi local short form: Azarbaycan former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the name can be translated as "Fire Keeper" or "The Land of Fire," from the local word azer, or "fire," and baydjan, a word derived from the Iranian word baykan, or "guardian;" may refer to fire worshippers who lived in the region **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Baku (Baki, Baky) geographic coordinates: 40 23 N, 49 52 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time etymology: the name may derive from the Old Persian word badkuba, meaning "windward" and referring to its windy location on the shore of the Caspian Sea note: at approximately 28 m below sea level, Baku's elevation makes it the lowest capital city in the world **Administrative divisions:** 66 districts (rayonlar; singular - rayon), 11 cities (saharlar; sahar - singular) districts: Abseron, Agcabadi, Agdam, Agdas, Agstafa, Agsu, Astara, Babak, Balakan, Barda, Beylaqan, Bilasuvar, Cabrayil, Calilabad, Culfa, Daskasan, Fuzuli, Gadabay, Goranboy, Goycay, Goygol, Haciqabul, Imisli, Ismayilli, Kalbacar, Kangarli, Kurdamir, Lacin, Lankaran, Lerik, Masalli, Neftcala, Oguz, Ordubad, Qabala, Qax, Qazax, Qobustan, Quba, Qubadli, Qusar, Saatli, Sabirabad, Sabran, Sadarak, Sahbuz, Saki, Salyan, Samaxi, Samkir, Samux, Sarur, Siyazan, Susa, Tartar, Tovuz, Ucar, Xacmaz, Xizi, Xocali, Xocavand, Yardimli, Yevlax, Zangilan, Zaqatala, Zardab cities: Baku, Ganca, Lankaran, Mingacevir, Naftalan, Naxcivan (Nakhichevan), Saki, Sirvan, Sumqayit, Xankandi, Yevlax **Legal system:** civil law system **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 12 November 1995 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or by at least 63 members of the National Assembly; passage requires at least 95 votes of Assembly members in two separate readings of the draft amendment six months apart and requires presidential approval after each of the two Assembly votes, followed by presidential signature; constitutional articles on the authority, sovereignty, and unity of the people cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Ali ASADOV (since 8 October 2019) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds (if needed) for a 7-year term; a single individual is eligible for unlimited terms; prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly most recent election date: 7 February 2024 election results: 2024: Ilham ALIYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Ilham ALIYEV (YAP) 92.1%, Zahid ORUJ (independent) 2.2%; on 16 February 2024, Ali ASADOV reappointed prime minister by parliamentary vote, 105-1 2018: Ilham ALIYEV reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Ilham ALIYEV (YAP) 86%, Zahid ORUJ (independent) 3.1%, other 10.9% expected date of next election: 2031 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Milli Majlis) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 125 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/1/2024 parties elected and seats per party: New Azerbaidjan Party (YAP) (68); Independents (44); Other (13) percentage of women in chamber: 20.8% expected date of next election: November 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chairman, vice chairman, and 23 judges in plenum sessions and organized into civil, economic affairs, criminal, and rights violations chambers); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Milli Majlis; judges appointed for 10 years; Constitutional Court chairman and deputy chairman appointed by the president; other court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Milli Majlis to serve single 15-year terms subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (replaced the Economic Court in 2002); district and municipal courts **Political parties:** Azerbaijan Hope Party or ÜMİD Azerbaijan Democratic Enlightenment Party or ADMP Azerbaijan National Independence Party or AMİP Civic Solidarity Party or VHP Democratic Reforms Party or DiP Great Order Party or BAP Justice, Law, Democracy Party or ƏHD Great Order Party or BQP Motherland Party or AVP National Front Party or MCP National Revival Movement Party or MDHP New Azerbaijan Party or YAP Republican Alternative Party or REAL Unity Party or VƏHDƏT **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Khazar IBRAHIM (since 15 September 2021) chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500 FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911 email address and website: azerbaijan@azembassy.us https://washington.mfa.gov.az/en consulate(s) general: Los Angeles **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Amy CARLON (since 23 June 2025) embassy: 111 Azadlig Avenue, AZ1007 Baku mailing address: 7050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050 telephone: [994] (12) 488-3300 FAX: [994] (12) 488-3330 email address and website: BakuACS@state.gov https://az.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CICA, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) **Independence:** 30 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 18 October 1991 (adopted by the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan) **National holiday:** Republic Day (founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan), 28 May (1918) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of sky blue (top), red, and green; a vertical crescent moon and an eight-pointed star in white are centered in the red band meaning: the blue band stands for Azerbaijan's Turkic heritage, red for modernization and progress, and green for Islam; the crescent moon and star are a Turkic insignia; the eight star points represent the eight Turkic peoples of the world **National symbol(s):** flames of fire **National color(s):** blue, red, green **National anthem(s):** title: "Azerbaijan Marsi" (March of Azerbaijan) lyrics/music: Ahmed JAVAD/Uzeyir HAJIBEYOV history: adopted 1992; originally written in 1919 during a brief period of independence, but did not become the official anthem until after the dissolution of the Soviet Union **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 5 (4 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Walled City of Baku; Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape; Historic Center of Sheki; Cultural Landscape of Khinalig People and "Koc Yolu" Transhumance Route ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle income, oil-dependent Caucasus economy; minimal economic diversification and dominance of state-owned enterprises; growth and fiscal consolidation supported by oil revenues, but risks remain from demand shocks; potential economic gains from Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire; education investments to diversify and retain human capital **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $225.198 billion (2024 est.) $216.388 billion (2023 est.) $213.497 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.1% (2024 est.) 1.4% (2023 est.) 4.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $22,100 (2024 est.) $21,300 (2023 est.) $21,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $74.316 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.2% (2024 est.) 8.8% (2023 est.) 13.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 5.7% (2024 est.) industry: 42.6% (2024 est.) services: 42.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 55.4% (2024 est.) government consumption: 14.4% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 16.8% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 4.3% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 45.9% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -36.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, wheat, barley, potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, onions, apples, maize, cotton (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore; cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 5.02 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.6% (2024 est.) 5.7% (2023 est.) 5.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 13.7% (2024 est.) male: 12.3% (2024 est.) female: 15.3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Average household expenditures:** on food: 42.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Remittances:** 1.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 5% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $30.966 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $22.95 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 16.8% of GDP (2021 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 15.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $4.671 billion (2024 est.) $8.329 billion (2023 est.) $23.478 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $34.113 billion (2024 est.) $35.487 billion (2023 est.) $47.274 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Italy 37%, Turkey 19%, Israel 5%, Greece 4%, Russia 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, natural gas, refined petroleum, plastics, electricity (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $27.339 billion (2024 est.) $25.016 billion (2023 est.) $21.274 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Russia 17%, China 16%, Turkey 14%, Georgia 4%, Germany 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $12.699 billion (2024 est.) $13.749 billion (2023 est.) $11.338 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $12.378 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Azerbaijani manats (AZN) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.7 (2024 est.) 1.7 (2023 est.) 1.7 (2022 est.) 1.7 (2021 est.) 1.7 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 8.383 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 23.857 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 3.246 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 212 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.197 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 93.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 5.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 6,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 10,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 618,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 109,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 7 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 35.775 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 12.703 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 23.65 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 2.173 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.699 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 66.467 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.33 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 11.3 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** TV is the most popular medium; many homes are hooked up to satellite; all Azerbaijan-based channels promote government positions; state-owned AzTV runs three national channels, and state-funded iTV is a national public service broadcaster; 4 national privately-owned stations; Turkish, Russian, and western TV is available on cable; analog terrestrial TV was phased out in 2016-17; radio outlets focus on entertainment, with around a dozen stations on FM in Baku; newspaper distribution is largely limited to Baku (2023) **Internet country code:** .az **Internet users:** percent of population: 89% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2.15 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 4K **Airports:** 32 (2025) **Heliports:** 5 (2025) **Railways:** total: 2,944.3 km (2017) broad gauge: 2,944.3 km (2017) 1.520-m gauge (approx. 1,767 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 312 (2023) by type: general cargo 40, oil tanker 44, other 228 ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Azerbaijan Armed Forces: Land Forces, Air Forces, Navy Forces, Special Forces, State Border Service, Coast Guard Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Troops, local police forces; Special State Protection Service (SSPS): National Guard (2025) note: the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Security Service (intelligence, counterterrorism) are responsible for internal security; the SSPS is under the president and provides protective services to senior officials, foreign missions, significant state assets, government buildings, etc; the National Guard also serves as a reserve for the Army **Military expenditures:** 5.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 4.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 5% of GDP (2021 est.) 5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information varies widely; estimated 100,000 active Armed Forces personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** Baku has been actively upgrading the military's inventory for over a decade with equipment acquisitions from several sources, including Belarus, China, Israel, Russia, and Türkiye; while most of the military's equipment was once Soviet-era material, it now fields quantities of modern armaments, including armored vehicles, artillery systems, air defense systems, fighter aircraft, tanks, and UAVs (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for men; 18-35 years of age voluntary/contractual service for men (18-40 for women volunteers); 18 months service for conscripts, 36 months for voluntary/contractual service (2025) **Military - note:** the Azerbaijani military was established in 1991, although its origins go back to 1918; territorial defense is the military’s primary focus, particularly with regards to neighboring Armenia; Armenia and Azerbaijan engaged in open conflicts over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in 1991-94 and 2020; Azerbaijan seized the entire enclave in 2023; a secondary focus for the military is guarding against Iran key bilateral security relationships include Israel, Russia, and Turkiye; Azerbaijan's ties with Turkiye have included weapons transfers, technical advice, bilateral training exercises, and military support during its conflicts with Armenia; Azerbaijan is not part of NATO but has had a cooperative relationship with it dating back to when it joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994 and has provided troops to NATO-led missions in Kosovo (1999-2008) and Afghanistan (2002-2014) (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azercosmos; established 2010 as a state-owned satellite operating company); Azerbaijan National Aerospace Agency (NASA; Azərbaycan Milli Aerokosmik Agentliyi, MAKA; established 1992; since 2006, has operated under the Ministry of Defense Industry) (2025) **Space program overview:** largely focused on the acquisition and operation of satellites; operates foreign-built communications and remote sensing (RS) satellites; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of China, the ESA (bilaterally with individual member states such as France), Israel, Russia, Turkey, and the US; Azercosmos is the largest satellite operator in the Caucasus region (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2013 - first communications satellite (Azerspace-1) built by US company and launched on European rocket 2014 - took operational control over remote sensing (RS) satellite (SPOT-7, now Azersky) from a French company (satellite ceased operations in 2023) 2017 - second communications satellite (Azerspace-2) built by US company and launched on European rocket 2023 - agreed to participate in China's International Lunar Research Station Cooperation project, which aims to establish a base on the Moon in the 2030s; signed agreement with Israel to jointly develop two multi-spectral RS satellites (Azersky-2 program) for scheduled launches in 2026 and 2028 (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 6,698 (2024 est.) IDPs: 657,996 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 271 (2024 est.) --- ## Bahamas, The **Slug:** bahamas-the **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇧🇸 **Codes:** cek: bf, iso2: BS, iso3: BHS, iso_num: 044, genc: BHS, stanag: BHS, internet: .bs ### Introduction **Background:** Lucayan Indians inhabited the Bahama islands when Christopher COLUMBUS first set foot in the New World in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Piracy thrived in the 17th and 18th centuries because of The Bahamas' close proximity to shipping lanes. Since gaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas has prospered through tourism, international banking, and investment management, which comprise up to 85% of GDP. Because of its proximity to the US -- the nearest Bahamian landmass is only 80 km (50 mi) from Florida -- the country is a major transshipment point for illicit trafficking to the US mainland, as well as to Europe. US law enforcement agencies cooperate closely with The Bahamas; the Drug Enforcement Administration, US Coast Guard, and US Customs and Border Protection assist Bahamian authorities with maritime security and law enforcement through Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, or OPBAT. ### Geography **Location:** chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba; note - although The Bahamas does not border the Caribbean Sea, geopolitically it is often designated as a Caribbean nation **Geographic coordinates:** 24 15 N, 76 00 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 13,880 sq km land: 10,010 sq km water: 3,870 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Connecticut **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 3,542 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream **Terrain:** long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills **Elevation:** highest point: 1.3 km NE of Old Bight on Cat Island 64 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** salt, aragonite, timber, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 1.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.2% (2023 est.) forest: 50.9% (2023 est.) other: 47.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 10 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** most of the population lives in urban areas, with two thirds living on New Providence Island where Nassau is located **Natural hazards:** hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage **Geography - note:** strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited ### People and Society **Population:** total: 415,306 (2025 est.) male: 192,055 female: 223,251 **Nationality:** noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian **Ethnic groups:** African descent 90.6%, White 4.7%, mixed 2.1%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.7% (2010 est.) note: data represent population by racial group **Languages:** English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants) **Religions:** Protestant 69.9% (includes Baptist 34.9%, Anglican 13.7%, Pentecostal 8.9% Seventh Day Adventist 4.4%, Methodist 3.6%, Church of God 1.9%, Plymouth Brethren 1.6%, other Protestant 0.9%), Roman Catholic 12%, other Christian 13% (includes Jehovah's Witness 1.1%), other 0.6%, none 1.9%, unspecified 2.6% (2010 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 21.4% (male 41,675/female 46,363) 15-64 years: 70% (male 132,626/female 154,866) 65 years and over: 8.6% (2024 est.) (male 15,799/female 19,533) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 43.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 13 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 7.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 31.1 years (2025 est.) male: 30.6 years female: 30.7 years **Population growth rate:** 1.08% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 13.1 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.44 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 3.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population lives in urban areas, with two thirds living on New Providence Island where Nassau is located **Urbanization:** urban population: 83.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.02% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 280,000 NASSAU (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 76 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 9.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 10.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.7 years (2024 est.) male: 75.1 years female: 78.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.45 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.71 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 98.9% of population **Health expenditure:** 7.1% of GDP (2021) 15.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.9 physicians/1,000 population (2017) **Hospital bed density:** 2.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 31.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 9.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 10.8% (2025 est.) male: 20.8% (2025 est.) female: 1.9% (2025 est.) **Education expenditure:** 2.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.6% national budget (2025 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** coral reef decay; solid waste disposal **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream **Land use:** agricultural land: 1.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.2% (2023 est.) forest: 50.9% (2023 est.) other: 47.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 83.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.02% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 2.99 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.966 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 23,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 5.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 264,000 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 24.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 31 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 700 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas etymology: name may be derived from the Spanish baha mar, meaning "low sea," which describes the shallow waters of the Bahama Banks; alternatively, it may be a form of the local name Guanahani, which is of unknown origin and meaning **Government type:** parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm **Capital:** name: Nassau geographic coordinates: 25 05 N, 77 21 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November etymology: named after King WILLIAM III of England (1650-1702), who was a member of the House of Orange-Nassau **Administrative divisions:** 31 districts; Acklins Islands, Berry Islands, Bimini, Black Point, Cat Island, Central Abaco, Central Andros, Central Eleuthera, City of Freeport, Crooked Island and Long Cay, East Grand Bahama, Exuma, Grand Cay, Harbour Island, Hope Town, Inagua, Long Island, Mangrove Cay, Mayaguana, Moore's Island, North Abaco, North Andros, North Eleuthera, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador, South Abaco, South Andros, South Eleuthera, Spanish Wells, West Grand Bahama **Legal system:** common-law system based on the English model **Constitution:** history: previous 1964 (pre-independence); latest adopted 20 June 1973, effective 10 July 1973 amendment process: proposed as an "Act" by Parliament; passage of amendments to articles such as the organization and composition of the branches of government requires approval by at least two-thirds majority of the membership of both houses of Parliament and majority approval in a referendum; passage of amendments to constitutional articles such as fundamental rights and individual freedoms, the powers, authorities, and procedures of the branches of government, or changes to the Bahamas Independence Act 1973 requires approval by at least three-fourths majority of the membership of both houses and majority approval in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of The Bahamas dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 6-9 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General Cynthia A. PRATT (since 1 September 2023) head of government: Prime Minister Philip Edward DAVIS (since 17 September 2021) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by governor-general on recommendation of prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor-general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the governor-general appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral note: Parliament sits for 5 years from the date of the last general election: the government may dissolve the parliament and call elections at any time **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Assembly number of seats: 39 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/16/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) (32); Free National Movement (FNM) (7) percentage of women in chamber: 17.9% expected date of next election: September 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 16 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 10/6/2021 percentage of women in chamber: 31.3% expected date of next election: October 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 6 justices, organized in 3-member panels); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 19 justices) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal president and Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister after consultation with the leader of the opposition party; other Court of Appeal and Supreme Court justices appointed by the governor general upon recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, a 5-member body headed by the chief justice; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement normally at age 68 but can be extended until age 70; Supreme Court justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement normally at age 65 but can be extended until age 67 subordinate courts: Industrial Tribunal; Magistrates' Courts; Family Island Administrators (can also serve as magistrates) note: The Bahamas is a member of the 15-member Caribbean Community but is not party to the agreement establishing the Caribbean Court of Justice as its highest appellate court; the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) serves as the final court of appeal for The Bahamas **Political parties:** Coalition of Independents Party or COI Democratic National Alliance or DNA Free National Movement or FNM Progressive Liberal Party or PLP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Wendall Kermith JONES (since 19 April 2022) chancery: 600 New Hampshire Ave NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668 email address and website: embassy@bahamasembdc.org https://www.bahamasembdc.org/ consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Miami, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Herschel WALKER (since 9 December 2025) embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau mailing address: 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370 telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181 FAX: [1] (242) 356-7174 email address and website: acsnassau@state.gov https://bs.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) **Independence:** 10 July 1973 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 10 July (1973) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the left side meaning: the band colors represent the islands' golden beaches surrounded by the aquamarine sea; black stands for the vigor and force of a united people, and the triangle for the people's enterprise and determination **National symbol(s):** blue marlin, flamingo, yellow elderflower **National color(s):** aquamarine, yellow, black **National coat of arms:** the motto on the Bahamas coat of arms is “Forward, Upward, Onward Together;” the flamingo and marlin supporting the shield are national animals that represent respectively the land and sea; the pink conch shell symbolizes the marine life of the islands, and the green palm fronds represent the natural vegetation; the Santa Maria, Christopher Columbus’s flagship, also appears; the sun signifies the world-famous climate and the bright future of the islands **National anthem(s):** title: "March On, Bahamaland!" lyrics/music: Timothy GIBSON history: adopted 1973 _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: royal anthem, as a Commonwealth country ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income tourism and financial services economy; major income inequality; strong US bilateral relations; several tax relief programs; targeted investment in agriculture, energy, light manufacturing, and technology industries **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $14.544 billion (2024 est.) $14.069 billion (2023 est.) $13.653 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.4% (2024 est.) 3% (2023 est.) 10.9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $36,200 (2024 est.) $35,200 (2023 est.) $34,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $15.833 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 0.4% (2024 est.) 3.1% (2023 est.) 5.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.5% (2024 est.) industry: 9.6% (2024 est.) services: 77.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 64.3% (2024 est.) government consumption: 12.9% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 25.7% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 1.1% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 37.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -41.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, grapefruits, vegetables, bananas, tomatoes, chicken, tropical fruits, oranges, coconuts, mangoes/guavas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, banking, oil bunkering, maritime industries, transshipment and logistics, salt, aragonite, pharmaceuticals **Industrial production growth rate:** 12.5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 237,100 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 8.5% (2024 est.) 8.7% (2023 est.) 9.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 17.8% (2024 est.) male: 17.8% (2024 est.) female: 17.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 0.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $2.855 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $3.389 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 73.7% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 16.2% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$1.053 billion (2024 est.) -$1.069 billion (2023 est.) -$1.233 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $6.771 billion (2024 est.) $6.011 billion (2023 est.) $5.425 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 36%, Zimbabwe 16%, Cote d'Ivoire 14%, Germany 8%, Guyana 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, ships, aluminum, shellfish, plastics (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $7.069 billion (2024 est.) $6.273 billion (2023 est.) $5.843 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 60%, Germany 13%, China 5%, Japan 3%, Brazil 2% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, ships, aircraft, cars, crude petroleum (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $2.512 billion (2023 est.) $2.609 billion (2022 est.) $2.433 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Bahamian dollars (BSD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1 (2024 est.) 1 (2023 est.) 1 (2022 est.) 1 (2021 est.) 1 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 608,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 2.036 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 10 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 99.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 600 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 20,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 14.13 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 14.13 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 104.409 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 93,100 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 388,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 97 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 4 major TV providers; 1 TV station is operated by government-owned, commercially run Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas (BCB) and competes with 4 privately owned TV stations; multi-channel cable TV subscription service is widely available; 32 licensed broadcast (radio) service providers, with 31 privately owned FM radio stations; the BCB operates a multi-channel radio network with national coverage; the sector is regulated by the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (2019) **Internet country code:** .bs **Internet users:** percent of population: 95% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 95,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** C6 **Airports:** 54 (2025) **Heliports:** 9 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 1,274 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 345, container ship 39, general cargo 58, oil tanker 193, other 639 **Ports:** total ports: 6 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 1 very small: 4 ports with oil terminals: 4 key ports: Clifton Pier, Cockburn Town, Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau, South Riding Point ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF): includes land, air, maritime elements; Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) (2025) note: the RBPF maintains internal security; both the RBDF and the RBPF, as well as the Department of Corrections, report to the Minister of National Security **Military expenditures:** 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 1,500-1,800 active RBDF (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** most of the RBDF's major equipment inventory has been acquired from the Netherlands or the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-30 years of age for voluntary service for men and women (18-60 for Reserves); no conscription (2025) **Military - note:** the RBDF was established in 1980; its primary responsibilities are maritime security and safeguarding the territorial integrity of the Bahamas, providing disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, and supporting internal law and order in cooperation with law enforcement agencies; the RBDF is a naval force with a few light aircraft, coastal patrol craft, and patrol boats, as well as a lightly-armed marine infantry/commando squadron for base and internal security; the RBDF has training relationships with the UK and the US (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 30 (2024 est.) IDPs: 30 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025) --- ## Bahrain **Slug:** bahrain **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇧🇭 **Codes:** cek: ba, iso2: BH, iso3: BHR, iso_num: 048, genc: BHR, stanag: BHR, internet: .bh ### Introduction **Background:** In 1783, the Sunni AL-KHALIFA family took power in Bahrain. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. A steady decline in oil production and reserves since 1970 prompted Bahrain to take steps to diversify its economy, in the process developing petroleum processing and refining, aluminum production, and hospitality and retail sectors. It has also endeavored to become a leading regional banking center, especially with respect to Islamic finance. Bahrain's small size, central location among Gulf countries, economic dependence on Saudi Arabia, and proximity to Iran require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Its foreign policy activities usually fall in line with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In 2022, the United States designated Bahrain as a major non-NATO ally. The Sunni royal family has long struggled to manage relations with its Shia-majority population. In 2011, amid Arab uprisings elsewhere in the region, the Bahraini Government responded to similar pro-democracy and reform protests at home with police and military action, including deploying Gulf Cooperation Council security forces. Ongoing dissatisfaction with the political status quo continues to factor into sporadic clashes between demonstrators and security forces. In 2020, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed the US-brokered Abraham Accords with Israel. In 2023, Bahrain and the United States signed the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement to enhance cooperation across a wide range of areas, from defense and security to emerging technology, trade, and investment. ### Geography **Location:** Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia **Geographic coordinates:** 26 00 N, 50 33 E **Map references:** Middle East **Area:** total : 760 sq km land: 760 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** 3.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 161 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined **Climate:** arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers **Terrain:** mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment **Elevation:** highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 135 m lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m **Natural resources:** oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls **Land use:** agricultural land: 10.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 5% (2023 est.) forest: 4.3% (2023 est.) other: 84.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 40 sq km (2012) **Major aquifers:** Arabian Aquifer System **Population distribution:** smallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraq **Natural hazards:** periodic droughts; dust storms **Geography - note:** close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,579,544 (2025 est.) male: 945,265 female: 634,279 **Nationality:** noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini **Ethnic groups:** Bahraini 47.4%, Asian 43.4%, other Arab 4.9%, African 1.4%, North American 1.1%, Gulf Co-operative countries 0.9%, European 0.8%, other 0.1% (2020 est.) **Languages:** Arabic (official), English, Farsi, Urdu major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 74.2%, other 25.9% (2020 est) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 18.1% (male 143,399/female 139,667) 15-64 years: 77.7% (male 762,190/female 454,616) 65 years and over: 4.3% (2024 est.) (male 34,433/female 32,583) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 29.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 23.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 17 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 33.5 years (2025 est.) male: 34.6 years female: 31.2 years **Population growth rate:** 0.79% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 12.08 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 2.86 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** smallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraq **Urbanization:** urban population: 89.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 709,000 MANAMA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.68 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female total population: 1.5 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 17 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 9.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 80.4 years (2024 est.) male: 78.1 years female: 82.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.64 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.81 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.3% of GDP (2021) 8.6% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.74 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Hospital bed density:** 1.7 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 29.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 17.3% (2025 est.) male: 24.3% (2025 est.) female: 4.8% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 56.4% (2020 est.) **Education expenditure:** 1.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 8.3% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 97.8% (2024 est.) male: 98.7% (2024 est.) female: 96.3% (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 17 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** desertification; drought; coastal degradation from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater resources; saline contamination from lowered water table **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 10.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 5% (2023 est.) forest: 4.3% (2023 est.) other: 84.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 89.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 47.818 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: -1,401 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 8.825 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 38.995 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 51.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 165.3 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 0.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 163.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 1.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 951,900 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 14.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 275.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 14.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 144.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 116 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain conventional short form: Bahrain local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn local short form: Al Bahrayn former: Dilmun, Tylos, Awal, Mishmahig, Bahrayn, State of Bahrain etymology: the name means "the two seas" in Arabic and refers to the water bodies on each side of the archipelago **Government type:** constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Manama geographic coordinates: 26 14 N, 50 34 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: name derives from the Arabic word al-manama, meaning "place of rest" or "place of dreams" **Administrative divisions:** 4 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Asimah (Capital), Janubiyah (Southern), Muharraq, Shamaliyah (Northern) **Legal system:** mixed legal system of Islamic (sharia) law, English common law, Egyptian civil, criminal, and commercial codes; customary law **Constitution:** history: previous 1973; latest adopted 14 February 2002, entry into force 14 February 2002 amendment process: proposed by the king or by at least 15 members of either chamber of the National Assembly followed by submission to an Assembly committee for review and, if approved, submitted to the government for restatement as drafts; passage requires a two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both chambers and validation by the king; constitutional articles on the state religion (Islam), state language (Arabic), and the monarchy and "inherited rule" cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Bahrain dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 25 years; 15 years for Arab nationals **Suffrage:** 20 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (since 11 November 2020) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Al-Majlis Al-Watani) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Council of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nuwab) number of seats: 40 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/12/2022 to 11/19/2022 percentage of women in chamber: 20% expected date of next election: November 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Shura Council (Majlis Al-Shura) number of seats: 40 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/27/2022 percentage of women in chamber: 25% expected date of next election: November 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Cassation (consists of the chairman and 3 judges); Supreme Court of Appeal (consists of the chairman and 3 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the president and 6 members); High Sharia Court of Appeal (court sittings include the president and at least one judge) judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by royal decree and serve for a specified tenure; Constitutional Court president and members appointed by the Higher Judicial Council, a body chaired by the monarch and includes judges from the Court of Cassation, sharia law courts, and Civil High Courts of Appeal; members serve 9-year terms; High Sharia Court of Appeal member appointments by royal decree for a specified tenure subordinate courts: Civil High Courts of Appeal; middle and lower civil courts; High Sharia Court of Appeal; Senior Sharia Court; Administrative Courts of Appeal; military courts note: the judiciary of Bahrain is divided into civil law courts and sharia law courts; sharia courts (involving personal status and family law) are further divided into Sunni Muslim and Shia Muslim; the Courts are supervised by the Supreme Judicial Council. **Political parties:** note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulla bin Rashed AL KHALIFA (since 21 July 2017) chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111 FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 email address and website: ambsecretary@bahrainembassy.org https://www.mofa.gov.bh/Default.aspx?language=en-US&tabid=7702 consulate(s) general: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Stephanie HALLETT (since 19 December 2025); Chargé d’Affaires Elizabeth A. LITCHFIELD embassy: Building 979, Road 3119, Block 331, Zinj District, P.O. Box 26431, Manama mailing address: 6210 Manama Place, Washington DC 20521-6210 telephone: [973] 17-242700 FAX: [973] 17-272594 email address and website: ManamaConsular@state.gov https://bh.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CICA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 15 August 1971 (from the UK) **National holiday:** National Day, 16 December (1971) note: 15 August 1971 was the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 was the date of independence from British protection **Flag:** description: red, with a white serrated band of five white points on the left side meaning: red is the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states; the five points represent the five pillars of Islam history: until 2002, the flag had eight white points, but this was reduced to five to avoid confusion with the Qatari flag **National symbol(s):** a white serrated band with five white points on top of a red field **National color(s):** red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Bahrainona" (Our Bahrain) lyrics/music: unknown history: adopted 1971; Mohamed Sudqi AYYASH wrote the original lyrics, but they were changed in 2002 after Bahrain became a kingdom **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Dilmun Burial Mounds; Qal'at al-Bahrain – Ancient Harbor and Capital of Dilmun; Bahrain Pearling Path ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, growing Middle Eastern island economy; oil and aluminum exporter with diversification led by services, construction and manufacturing; regional finance and tourism hub; high public debt linked to oil revenue dependence and limited tax base; vulnerable to water reservoir depletion **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $93.937 billion (2024 est.) $91.185 billion (2023 est.) $87.781 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3% (2024 est.) 3.9% (2023 est.) 6.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $59,100 (2024 est.) $57,800 (2023 est.) $57,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $47.737 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 0.9% (2024 est.) 0.1% (2023 est.) 3.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.3% (2023 est.) industry: 43.4% (2023 est.) services: 51.9% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 38.9% (2023 est.) government consumption: 14.6% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 27.5% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 1.8% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 87.4% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -70.1% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** lamb/mutton, dates, milk, tomatoes, chicken, eggs, sheep offal, sheepskins, eggplants, chillies/peppers (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.1% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 913,300 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 1.2% (2024 est.) 1.2% (2023 est.) 1.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 5.2% (2024 est.) male: 2.5% (2024 est.) female: 12.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Average household expenditures:** on food: 13.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $5.538 billion (2020 est.) expenditures: $9.982 billion (2020 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 111.6% of GDP (2020 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 2.8% (of GDP) (2020 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $2.282 billion (2024 est.) $2.699 billion (2023 est.) $6.839 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $41.303 billion (2024 est.) $40.344 billion (2023 est.) $44.58 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UAE 16%, Saudi Arabia 15%, South Africa 8%, USA 6%, India 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, aluminum, iron ore, aluminum wire, jewelry (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $33.044 billion (2024 est.) $32.374 billion (2023 est.) $33.066 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 13%, Saudi Arabia 12%, UAE 11%, Brazil 8%, Australia 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** iron ore, aluminum oxide, ships, cars, gold (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $4.949 billion (2024 est.) $5.118 billion (2023 est.) $4.775 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.376 (2024 est.) 0.376 (2023 est.) 0.376 (2022 est.) 0.376 (2021 est.) 0.376 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 7.031 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 35.09 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 467.898 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 480.883 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.093 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 99.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** exports: 600 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 300 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 190,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 72,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 186.5 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 19.55 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 19.878 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 81.98 million cubic meters (2020 est.) proven reserves: 81.383 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 554.202 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 256,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 2.56 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 160 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-run Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) operates 6 terrestrial TV networks and several radio stations; satellite TV systems provide access to international broadcasts; 1 private FM station has broadcasts for Indian listeners; radio and TV broadcasts from countries in the region are available (2023) **Internet country code:** .bh **Internet users:** percent of population: 100% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 268,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** A9C **Airports:** 3 (2025) **Heliports:** 8 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 184 (2023) by type: general cargo 12, oil tanker 3, other 169 **Ports:** total ports: 4 (2024) large: 0 medium: 3 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Al Manamah, Khalifa Bin Salman, Mina Salman, Sitrah ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Bahrain Defense Force (BDF): Royal Bahraini Army (includes the Royal Guard), Royal Bahraini Navy, Royal Bahraini Air Force Ministry of Interior: National Guard, Special Security Forces Command (SSFC), Coast Guard (2025) note 1: the Royal Guard is officially under the command of the Army, but exercises considerable autonomy note 2: the Ministry of Interior is responsible for internal security and oversees police and specialized security units responsible for maintaining internal order; the National Guard's primary mission is to guard critical infrastructure such as the airport and oil fields and is a back-up to the police; the Guard is under the Ministry of Interior but reports directly to the king **Military expenditures:** 3% of GDP (2024 est.) 3.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.6% of GDP (2021 est.) 4.2% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information varies; approximately 10,000 active Bahrain Defense Force; approximately 3,000 National Guard (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is comprised of mostly older US armaments alongside smaller quantities from other countries, such as France, Germany, Turkey, and the UK (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service; 18-55 to voluntarily join the reserves (2025) **Military - note:** the BDF (established 1968) is responsible for territorial defense and support to internal security; its primary concern is Iran, both the conventional military threat and Tehran's support to regional terrorist groups; the BDF participates in multinational exercises and has conducted small deployments outside of the country; in 2015, for example, Bahrain joined the Saudi Arabia-led military intervention in Yemen, supplying a few hundred troops and combat aircraft Bahrain’s closest security partners are Saudi Arabia and the US; Bahraini leaders have said that the security ties of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are “indivisible”; Saudi Arabia sent forces to Bahrain to assist with internal security following the 2011 uprising; Bahrain hosts the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT; established 1983), which includes the US 5th Fleet and the Combined Maritime Forces (established 2002), a coalition of more than 30 nations providing maritime security for regional shipping lanes; Bahrain also has close security ties with the UK, which maintains a naval support facility there Bahrain hosts the Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) Unified Maritime Operations Center and is a member of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Bahrain Space Agency (BSA; established 2014) (2025) **Space program overview:** focuses on promoting space research and science, applying space-related technologies, and building capacity in the fields of satellite manufacturing, tracking, control, data processing and analysis, and remote sensing; cooperates with a variety of foreign agencies and commercial entities, including those of India, Italy, Japan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the UK, the UAE, and the US; also a member of the Arab Space Coordination Group (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2022 - first scientific nanosatellite (Light-1 CubeSat) built with assistance from the UAE and launched by Japan; joined US-led Artemis Accords for space exploration 2023 - first domestically built technology-demonstrator nanosatellite (Kuwait Sat-1) launched by US 2025 - first domestically built remote-sensing nanosatellite (Al Munther) launched by US ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): al-Ashtar Brigades; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force note 1: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide note 2: in addition to the al-Ashtar Brigades and the IRGC/Qods Force, Saraya al-Mukhtar (aka The Mukhtar Brigade) is an Iran-backed terrorist organization based in Bahrain, reportedly receiving financial and logistic support from the IRGC; Saraya al-Mukhtar's self-described goal is to depose the Bahraini Government with the intention of paving the way for Iran to exert greater influence in Bahrain; the group was designated by the US as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in Dec 2020 ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 371 (2024 est.) --- ## Bangladesh **Slug:** bangladesh **Region:** South Asia **Flag:** 🇧🇩 **Codes:** cek: bg, iso2: BD, iso3: BGD, iso_num: 050, genc: BGD, stanag: BGD, internet: .bd ### Introduction **Background:** The huge delta region at the confluence of the Ganges and Brahmaputra River systems -- now referred to as Bangladesh -- was a loosely incorporated outpost of various empires for much of the first millennium A.D. Muslim conversions and settlement in the region began in the 10th century, primarily from Arab and Persian traders and preachers. Europeans established trading posts in the area in the 16th century. Eventually the area known as Bengal, which is primarily Hindu in the western section and mostly Muslim in the eastern half, became part of British India. After the partition of India in 1947, the Muslim-majority area became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western areas of Pakistan led to a Bengali independence movement. That movement, led by the Awami League (AL) and supported by India, won the independence war for Bangladesh in 1971. The military overthrew the post-independence AL government in 1975, the first of a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and the subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that took power in 1979. That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections were held in 1991. The BNP and AL alternated in power from 1991 to 2008, with the exception of a military-backed, emergency caretaker regime in 2007. The country returned to fully democratic rule in 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA. With the help of international development assistance, Bangladesh is on track to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Countries (LDC) list in 2026. The economy has grown at an annual average of about 6.25% for the last two decades. Poverty declined from 11.8 percent in 2010 to 5.0 percent in 2022, based on the international poverty line of $2.15 a day (using 2017 Purchasing Power Parity exchange rate). The country made a rapid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, but still faces economic challenges. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India **Geographic coordinates:** 24 00 N, 90 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 148,460 sq km land: 130,170 sq km water: 18,290 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Pennsylvania and New Jersey combined; slightly smaller than Iowa **Land boundaries:** total: 4,413 km border countries (2): Burma 271 km; India 4,142 km **Coastline:** 580 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: to the outer limits of the continental margin **Climate:** tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October) **Terrain:** mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast **Elevation:** highest point: Mowdok Taung 1,060 m lowest point: Bay of Bengal 0 m mean elevation: 85 m **Natural resources:** natural gas, arable land, timber, coal **Land use:** agricultural land: 72.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 60.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 7.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.6% (2023 est.) forest: 14.4% (2023 est.) other: 13.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 83,690 sq km (2022) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Brahmaputra river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 3,969 km; Ganges river mouth (shared with India [s]) - 2,704 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin **Natural hazards:** droughts; cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season **Geography - note:** most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal ### People and Society **Population:** total: 174,370,536 (2025 est.) male: 83,908,720 female: 90,461,816 **Nationality:** noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladeshi **Ethnic groups:** Bengali at least 99%, other indigenous ethnic groups 1% (2022 est.) note: Bangladesh's government recognizes 27 indigenous ethnic groups under the 2010 Cultural Institution for Small Anthropological Groups Act; other sources estimate there are about 75 ethnic groups **Languages:** Bangla 98.8% (official, also known as Bengali), other 1.2% (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): বিশ্ব ফ্যাক্টবুক, মৌলিক তথ্যের অপরিহার্য উৎস (Bangla) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 91%, Hindu 8%, other 1% (2022 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 25.1% (male 21,540,493/female 20,800,712) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 55,071,592/female 58,180,322) 65 years and over: 7.8% (2024 est.) (male 6,096,167/female 7,007,898) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 54.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 43.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 11.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 27.8 years (2025 est.) male: 28.7 years female: 30.4 years **Population growth rate:** 0.91% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 19.45 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.05 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -4.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 40.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 23.210 million DHAKA (capital), 5.380 million Chittagong, 955,000 Khulna, 962,000 Rajshahi, 964,000 Sylhet, 906,000 Bogra (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 18.6 years (2017/18 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 115 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 22 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 31.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 75.2 years (2024 est.) male: 73.1 years female: 77.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.25 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.1 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 2.4% of GDP (2021) 1.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.72 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 0.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 90.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 81.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 84.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 9.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 18.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 15.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 3.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 29.7% (2025 est.) male: 47.6% (2025 est.) female: 12.5% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 21.7% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 80.6% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 15.5% (2019) women married by age 18: 51.4% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 2% of GDP (2024 est.) 11.9% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 79% (2022 est.) male: 81.4% (2022 est.) female: 76.5% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 11 years (2023 est.) male: 11 years (2023 est.) female: 12 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** flooding; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, from the use of commercial pesticides; groundwater pollution from naturally occurring arsenic; falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; destruction of wetlands; severe overpopulation with noise pollution **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October) **Land use:** agricultural land: 72.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 60.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 7.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.6% (2023 est.) forest: 14.4% (2023 est.) other: 13.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 40.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 125.956 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 26.967 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 42.083 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 56.906 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 42.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 544 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 2,391.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 693 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 38.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 14.778 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.7% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 3.6 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 770 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 31.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 1.227 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh conventional short form: Bangladesh local long form: Gana Prajatantri Bangladesh local short form: Bangladesh former: East Bengal, East Pakistan etymology: the name is a compound of the Bengali words Bangla (Bengali) and desh (country) **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Dhaka geographic coordinates: 23 43 N, 90 24 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the origins of the name are unclear, but it may be derived from either the dhak tree or Dhakeshwari, a goddess with a shrine in the city **Administrative divisions:** 8 divisions; Barishal, Chattogram, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet **Legal system:** common law, incorporating elements of English common law; since independence, statutory law has been the primary form of legislation; Islamic law applies to Muslims in family and inheritance laws, with Hindu personal law applying to Hindus and Buddhists **Constitution:** history: previous 1935, 1956, 1962 (pre-independence); latest enacted 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended March 1982, restored November 1986 amendment process: proposed by the House of the Nation; approval requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the House membership and assent of the president of the republic **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Bangladesh dual citizenship recognized: yes, but limited to select countries residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi (since 24 April 2023) head of government: Interim Prime Minister Muhammad YUNUS (since 8 August 2024) cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister, appointed by the president election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the National Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); the president appoints as prime minister the majority party leader in the National Parliament most recent election date: 13 February 2023 election results: President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi (AL) elected unopposed by the National Parliament; Sheikh HASINA reappointed prime minister for a fifth term following the 7 January 2024 parliamentary election but fled the country on 5 August 2024 following mass protests against her government in July and August 2024; Mohammad YUNIS was appointed as interim Prime Minister on 8 August 2024 expected date of next election: 2028 note: On August 5, 2024, former prime minister Sheikh HASINA fled the country as protesters stormed her official residence, and army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced that an interim government would be formed to run Bangladesh; the President dissolved Parliament on 6 August and swore in Nobel laureate Muhammad YUNUS as interim prime minister on 8 August **Legislative branch:** expected date of next election: February 2026 note: the Parliament (House of the Nation) was dissolved on 6 August 2024 by President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wazed on 5 August 2024; new national elections will be held in February 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Bangladesh (organized into the Appellate Division with 7 justices and the High Court Division with 99 justices) judge selection and term of office: chief justice and justices appointed by the president; justices serve until retirement at age 67 subordinate courts: civil courts include: Assistant Judge's Court; Joint District Judge's Court; Additional District Judge's Court; District Judge's Court; criminal courts include: Court of Sessions; Court of Metropolitan Sessions; Metropolitan Magistrate Courts; Magistrate Court; special courts/tribunals **Political parties:** Awami League or AL Bangladesh Jamaat-i-Islami or JIB Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP Islami Andolan Bangladesh Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) Jatiya Party or JP (Manju faction) National Socialist Party (Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal) or JSD Workers Party or WP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Tareq Md Ariful ISLAM (since 5 September 2025) chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183 FAX: [1] (202) 244-2771 email address and website: mission.washington@mofa.gov.bd Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Washington, DC (mofa.gov.bd) consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Brent CHRISTENSEN (since 15 January 2026) embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka - 1212 mailing address: 6120 Dhaka Place, Washington DC 20521-6120 telephone: [880] (2) 5566-2000 FAX: [880] (2) 5566-2907 email address and website: DhakaACS@state.gov https://bd.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CD, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNIFIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 26 March (1971); Victory Day, 16 December (1971) note: 26 March 1971 is the date of the Awami League's declaration of an independent Bangladesh, and 16 December (Victory Day) memorializes the military victory over Pakistan and the official creation of the state of Bangladesh **Flag:** description: green field with a large red disk shifted slightly to the left meaning: the red disk represents the rising sun and the sacrifice to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush vegetation of Bangladesh **National symbol(s):** Bengal tiger, water lily **National color(s):** green, red **National coat of arms:** the water lily is the national flower and symbolizes promise, aesthetics, and elegance; the water under the lily, the rice sheaves on the sides, and the jute leaves at the top represent the Bangladeshi landscape and economy; the four stars represent the aims and ambition of the nation **National anthem(s):** title: "Amar Shonar Bangla" (My Golden Bengal) lyrics/music: Rabindranath TAGORE history: adopted 1971; Rabindranath TAGORE, a Nobel laureate, also wrote India's national anthem **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Bagerhat Historic Mosque (c); Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur (c); Sundarbans (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** one of the fastest growing emerging market economies; strong economic rebound following COVID-19; significant poverty reduction; exports dominated by textile industry; weakened exports and remittances resulted in declining foreign exchange reserves and 2022 IMF loan request **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.473 trillion (2024 est.) $1.413 trillion (2023 est.) $1.336 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.2% (2024 est.) 5.8% (2023 est.) 7.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $8,500 (2024 est.) $8,200 (2023 est.) $7,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $450.119 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 10.5% (2024 est.) 9.9% (2023 est.) 7.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 11.2% (2024 est.) industry: 34.1% (2024 est.) services: 51.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 70.1% (2024 est.) government consumption: 5.9% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 30.7% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 10.5% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -16.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** rice, milk, potatoes, maize, sugarcane, onions, jute, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, tropical fruits (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** cotton, textiles and clothing, jute, tea, paper, cement, fertilizer, sugar, light engineering **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 77.355 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.7% (2024 est.) 4.5% (2023 est.) 4.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 11.5% (2024 est.) male: 13.7% (2024 est.) female: 9.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 18.7% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 33.4 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 52.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.5% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 27.4% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 6% of GDP (2024 est.) 5.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.7% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $39.849 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $51.558 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 7.6% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $1.87 billion (2024 est.) $4.388 billion (2023 est.) -$14.438 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $53.848 billion (2024 est.) $58.885 billion (2023 est.) $60.066 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 16%, Germany 15%, UK 8%, Spain 7%, Poland 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** garments, footwear, fabric, textiles, trunks and cases (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $74.96 billion (2024 est.) $73.172 billion (2023 est.) $93.635 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 34%, India 17%, Indonesia 5%, Singapore 5%, Malaysia 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cotton fabric, natural gas, cotton, fabric (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $21.395 billion (2024 est.) $21.86 billion (2023 est.) $33.747 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $58.02 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** taka (BDT) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 115.604 (2024 est.) 106.309 (2023 est.) 91.745 (2022 est.) 85.084 (2021 est.) 84.871 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 99.4% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 99.3% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 22.699 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 107.285 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 9.407 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 8.279 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 98.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 2 (2025) **Coal:** production: 767,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 14.05 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 13.305 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 3.26 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 263,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 28 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 22.334 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 29.119 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 6.785 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 126.293 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 11.472 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 285,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 188 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 108 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV) broadcasts nationally; some channels operate via satellite; the government also owns a medium-wave radio channel and some private FM radio news channels; of the 41 approved TV stations, 26 are currently being used to broadcast, and 23 operate under private management via cable distribution **Internet country code:** .bd **Internet users:** percent of population: 45% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 12.9 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** S2 **Airports:** 17 (2025) **Heliports:** 36 (2025) **Railways:** total: 2,460 km (2014) narrow gauge: 1,801 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge broad gauge: 659 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 558 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 68, container ship 10, general cargo 170, oil tanker 162, other 148 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Chittagong, Mongla ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of Bangladesh (aka Bangladesh Defense Force): Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force Ministry of Home Affairs: Bangladesh Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Bangladesh Coast Guard, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ansars, Village Defense Party (VDP) (2025) note 1: the Armed Forces of Bangladesh are jointly administered by the Ministry of Defense (MOD) and the Armed Forces Division (AFD), both under the Prime Minister's Office; the AFD has ministerial status and parallel functions with MOD note 2: the RAB, Ansars, and VDP are paramilitary organizations for internal security; the RAB is a joint task force comprised of Police, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Border Guards personnel seconded to the RAB; its mandate includes internal security, intelligence gathering related to criminal activities, and government-directed investigations **Military expenditures:** 0.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information varies; approximately 170,000 active Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** much of the military's inventory is comprised of Chinese- and Russian-origin equipment, but in recent years suppliers have expanded to include Germany, Turkey, the UK, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** varies by service, but generally 17-23 for voluntary military service; length of service also varies (2025) **Military deployments:** approximately 1,400 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,700 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO; plus about 200 police); 120 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 1,600 South Sudan (UNMISS); 500 Sudan (UNISFA) (2024) **Military - note:** the military’s primary responsibility is external defense but it also has a domestic security role; following widespread domestic protests in September 2024, the Army was given law enforcement powers, including making arrests, conducting searches, and dispersing unlawful assemblies; the military has traditionally been involved in the country's politics and has commercial business interests in such areas as banking, food, hotels, manufacturing, real estate, and shipbuilding; it also manages government construction and infrastructure projects the military has a long history of participating in UN peacekeeping missions, which has provided operational experience and a source of funding; it runs an international institute for the training of peacekeepers; the military also conducts multinational and bilateral exercises with foreign partners, particularly India (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO; established as a statutory body in 1991 and designated as the country's national focal point for space-related activities in 1995) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a modest space program focused on designing, building, and operating satellites, particularly those with remote sensing (RS) capabilities; SPARSSO's mandate is to use space and RS technology in areas such as agriculture, education, environmental studies, fisheries, forestry, geology, land use, mapping, meteorology, and oceanography; has a government-owned company for acquiring and operating satellites (Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited, established in 2017); works with several foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of France, Japan, Russia, and the US; member of several international space organizations, such as the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2017 - first educational/scientific nanosatellite (BRAC-Onnesha) acquired from Japan and launched by US 2018 - first communications satellite (Bangabandhu-1) built by a French company and launched by US 2025 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for the safe and responsible exploration of space ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami/Bangladesh (HUJI-B); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) in Bangladesh (ISB); al-Qa'ida; al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 1,005,637 (2024 est.) IDPs: 756,743 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 1,005,520 (2024 est.) --- ## Barbados **Slug:** barbados **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇧🇧 **Codes:** cek: bb, iso2: BB, iso3: BRB, iso_num: 052, genc: BRB, stanag: BRB, internet: .bb ### Introduction **Background:** Barbados was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Enslaved Africans worked the sugar plantations established on the island, which initially dominated the Caribbean sugar industry. By 1720, Barbados was no longer a dominant force within the sugar industry, having been surpassed by the Leeward Islands and Jamaica. Slavery was abolished in 1834. The Barbadian economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance. Barbados became a republic in 2021, with the former Governor-General Sandra MASON elected as the first president. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela **Geographic coordinates:** 13 10 N, 59 32 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 430 sq km land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** 2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 97 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; rainy season (June to October) **Terrain:** relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, fish, natural gas **Land use:** agricultural land: 23.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 16.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.7% (2023 est.) forest: 14.7% (2023 est.) other: 62.1% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 50 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** most densely populated country in the eastern Caribbean; approximately one third of the population lives in urban areas **Natural hazards:** infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides **Geography - note:** easternmost Caribbean island ### People and Society **Population:** total: 274,431 (2025 est.) male: 133,146 female: 141,285 **Nationality:** noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial) adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial) **Ethnic groups:** African descent 92.4%, mixed 3.1%, White 2.7%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.2%, unspecified 0.3% (2010 est.) **Languages:** English (official), Bajan (English-based creole language, widely spoken in informal settings) **Religions:** Protestant 66.4% (includes Anglican 23.9%, other Pentecostal 19.5%, Adventist 5.9%, Methodist 4.2%, Wesleyan 3.4%, Nazarene 3.2%, Church of God 2.4%, Baptist 1.8%, Moravian 1.2%, other Protestant 0.9%), Roman Catholic 3.8%, other Christian 5.4% (includes Jehovah's Witness 2.0%, other 3.4%), Rastafarian 1%, other 1.5%, none 20.6%, unspecified 1.2% (2010 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16.6% (male 25,273/female 25,284) 15-64 years: 67% (male 100,328/female 103,536) 65 years and over: 16.3% (2024 est.) (male 20,986/female 28,732) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 44.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 20.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 24.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 42.2 years (2025 est.) male: 40.3 years female: 42.5 years **Population growth rate:** -0.42% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 8.02 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 11.96 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most densely populated country in the eastern Caribbean; approximately one third of the population lives in urban areas **Urbanization:** urban population: 31.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 89,000 BRIDGETOWN (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 35 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 11.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 79 years (2024 est.) male: 76.3 years female: 81.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.24 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.62 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 98.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 1.5% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8.1% of GDP (2021) 8.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.96 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 5.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 23.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 9.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 6.2% (2025 est.) male: 11.4% (2025 est.) female: 1.5% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 57.2% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 14.2% national budget (2025 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid-waste disposal **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; rainy season (June to October) **Land use:** agricultural land: 23.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 16.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.7% (2023 est.) forest: 14.7% (2023 est.) other: 62.1% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 31.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 1.348 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.284 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 64,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 9.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 174,800 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 20 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 6.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 54.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 80 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Barbados etymology: the name is the plural of the Spanish word barbado and means "the bearded ones," which could refer either to the beard-like leaves of the island's fig trees or to the beards of Carib inhabitants **Government type:** parliamentary republic; a Commonwealth realm **Capital:** name: Bridgetown geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: originally named Indian Bridge in 1628 for a bridge built beside Carlisle Bay, then called St. Michael's Town until the 19th century; now named after a bridge built over the Constitution River that flows through the center of the city **Administrative divisions:** 11 parishes and 1 city*; Bridgetown*, Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas **Legal system:** English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts **Constitution:** history: adopted 22 November 1966, effective 30 November 1966; Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2021 establishes Barbados as a republic and revokes the earlier Order in Council amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments to constitutional sections such as citizenship, fundamental rights and freedoms, and the organization and authorities of the branches of government requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of Parliament; passage of other amendments only requires a majority vote of both houses **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Jeffrey Davidson BOSTIC (since 30 November 2025) head of government: Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 25 May 2018) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment process: president elected by an electoral college of both Houses of Parliament for a 4-year renewable term; following legislative elections, the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party or leader of the majority coalition as prime minister; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister most recent election date: 7 October 2025 election results: Jeffrey Davidson BOSTIC elected as the country's second president expected date of next election: NA **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parlement de Barbade (Parliament of Barbados) legislative structure: bicameral note: tradition dictates that the next election is held within 5 years of the last election, but constitutionally it is 5 years from the first seating of Parliament plus a 90-day grace period **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Assembly number of seats: 30 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 1/19/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Barbados Labour Party (BLP) (30) percentage of women in chamber: 26.7% expected date of next election: January 2027 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 21 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 2/4/2022 percentage of women in chamber: 33.3% expected date of next election: February 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the High Court with 8 justices) and the Court of Appeal (consists of the High Court chief justice and president of the court and 4 justices; Caribbean Court of Justice is the final court of appeal judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister and opposition leader of Parliament; other justices appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, a 5-member independent body consisting of the Supreme Court chief justice, the commission head, and presidential appointees recommended by the prime minister; justices serve until mandatory retirement at age 65 subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts **Political parties:** Alliance Party for Progress or APP Barbados Labor Party or BLP Democratic Labor Party or DLP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Victor Anthony FERNANDES (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200 FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467 email address and website: washington@foreign.gov.bb https://www.foreign.gov.bb/embassies-high-commissions-and-permanent-missions/ consulate(s) general: Miami, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Karin B. SULLIVAN (since January 2025); note - also accredited to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines embassy: Wildey Business Park, St. Michael BB 14006, Barbados, W.I. mailing address: 3120 Bridgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3120 telephone: (246) 227-4000 FAX: (246) 431-0179 email address and website: bridgetownpublicaffairs@state.gov https://bb.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 30 November 1966 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 30 November (1966) **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of ultramarine blue (left side), gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered on the gold band meaning: blue stands for the sea and sky, and gold for the beaches; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past **National symbol(s):** Neptune's trident, pelican, red bird of paradise flower (also known as "Pride of Barbados") **National color(s):** blue, yellow, black **National anthem(s):** title: "The National Anthem of Barbados" lyrics/music: Irving BURGIE/C. Van Roland EDWARDS history: adopted 1966 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income Eastern Caribbean economy; high standard of living among regional peers; key tourism, construction, and financial sectors driving recent GDP growth; declining but still very high public debt leading to IMF support programs; susceptible to natural disasters and reliance on import partners **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $5.634 billion (2024 est.) $5.428 billion (2023 est.) $5.214 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.8% (2024 est.) 4.1% (2023 est.) 17.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $19,900 (2024 est.) $19,200 (2023 est.) $18,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $7.165 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** -0.5% (2024 est.) 9.8% (2023 est.) 4.1% (2019 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.9% (2023 est.) industry: 13.2% (2023 est.) services: 75.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 75.6% (2022 est.) government consumption: 11.8% (2022 est.) investment in fixed capital: 16.5% (2022 est.) investment in inventories: 0.2% (2022 est.) exports of goods and services: 34.3% (2022 est.) imports of goods and services: -42.2% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, chicken, vegetables, milk, eggs, sweet potatoes, pork, coconuts, tropical fruits, pulses (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export **Industrial production growth rate:** -1.3% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 147,200 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 7.6% (2024 est.) 7.9% (2023 est.) 8.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 23.7% (2024 est.) male: 27.5% (2024 est.) female: 19.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 34.1 (2016 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.5% (2016 est.) highest 10%: 25.8% (2016 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.269 billion (2015 est.) expenditures: $1.664 billion (2015 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 133.2% of GDP (2016 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 24.9% (of GDP) (2016 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$296.396 million (2017 est.) -$452.39 million (2016 est.) -$98.732 million (2015 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $2.228 billion (2017 est.) $2.41 billion (2016 est.) $2.358 billion (2015 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 22%, Jamaica 17%, Trinidad & Tobago 8%, Canada 6%, Guyana 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** liquor, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, margarine, baked goods (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $2.12 billion (2021 est.) $2.213 billion (2017 est.) $2.238 billion (2016 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 32%, Trinidad & Tobago 19%, Netherlands 6%, UK 6%, Guyana 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, plastic products, ships (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.606 billion (2023 est.) $1.52 billion (2022 est.) $1.673 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Barbadian dollars (BBD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2 (2024 est.) 2 (2023 est.) 2 (2022 est.) 2 (2021 est.) 2 (2020 est.) note: the Barbadian dollar is pegged to the US dollar ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 320,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.025 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 64.586 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 91.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 7.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** exports: 4 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 57 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 8,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 1.978 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 7.957 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 32.593 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 24.636 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 113.267 million cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 68.293 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 121,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 323,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 115 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** government-owned Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) operates the lone terrestrial TV station; CBC also has a multi-channel cable TV subscription service; roughly a dozen CBC-operated radio stations operate alongside privately owned radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .bb **Internet users:** percent of population: 80% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 106,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 8P **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 272 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 90, general cargo 149, oil tanker 5, other 28 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Bridgetown ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Barbados Defense Force (BDF): The Barbados Regiment, The Barbados Coast Guard (2025) note 1: the Barbados Police Service (TBPS) is the national police force; it is modeled after London's Metropolitan Police Service and divided into three territorial divisions note 2: the Barbados Cadet Corps is a national youth organization affiliated with the BDF; membership is open to all school children in Barbados between the ages of 11 and 18 **Military expenditures:** 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 600 active BDF personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the BDF's major equipment inventory is comprised mostly of donated items from China, the Netherlands, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 for voluntary active service at the start of recruit training; 18-30 for reserves (2025) **Military - note:** formed in 1979, the Barbados Defense Force (BDF) is responsible for protecting national security, but it may also be called upon to maintain internal public order in times of crisis, emergency, or other specific needs, such as special joint patrols with the police; it also provides humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations both domestically and regionally; other duties include assisting with national development, such as the training of the country's youth through the Barbados Cadet Corps Barbados has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security; the RSS is headquartered in Barbados (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 13 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Barbados did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period and was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/barbados/ --- ## Belarus **Slug:** belarus **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇧🇾 **Codes:** cek: bo, iso2: BY, iso3: BLR, iso_num: 112, genc: BLR, stanag: BLR, internet: .by ### Introduction **Background:** After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. In 1999, Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union, envisioning greater political and economic integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place and negotiations on further integration have been contentious. Since taking office in 1994 as the country's first and only directly elected president, Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means and a centralized economic system. Government restrictions on political and civil freedoms, freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion have remained in place. Restrictions on political freedoms have tightened in the wake of the disputed presidential election in 2020. The election results sparked large-scale protests as members of the opposition and civil society criticized the election’s validity. LUKASHENKA has remained in power as the disputed winner of the presidential election after quelling protests in 2020. Since 2022, Belarus has facilitated Russia's war in Ukraine, which was launched in part from Belarusian territory. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Europe, east of Poland **Geographic coordinates:** 53 00 N, 28 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 207,600 sq km land: 202,900 sq km water: 4,700 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than twice the size of Kentucky; slightly smaller than Kansas **Land boundaries:** total: 3,599 km border countries (5): Latvia 161 km; Lithuania 640 km; Poland 375 km; Russia 1,312 km; Ukraine 1,111 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime **Terrain:** generally flat with much marshland **Elevation:** highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m mean elevation: 160 m **Natural resources:** timber, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay **Land use:** agricultural land: 39.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 27.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 11.7% (2023 est.) forest: 44% (2023 est.) other: 16.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 260 sq km (2022) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Dnyapro (Dnieper) (shared with Russia [s] and Ukraine [m]) - 2,287 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Dnieper (533,966 sq km) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations **Natural hazards:** large tracts of marshy land **Geography - note:** landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes ### People and Society **Population:** total: 9,460,972 (2025 est.) male: 4,414,771 female: 5,046,201 **Nationality:** noun: Belarusian(s) adjective: Belarusian **Ethnic groups:** Belarusian 83.7%, Russian 8.3%, Polish 3.1%, Ukrainian 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.9% (2009 est.) **Languages:** Russian (official) 71.4%, Belarusian (official) 26%, other 0.3% (includes small Polish- and Ukrainian-speaking minorities), unspecified 2.3% (2019 est.) major-language sample(s): Книга фактов о мире – незаменимый источник базовой информации. (Russian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Orthodox 48.3%, Catholic 7.1%, other 3.5%, non-believers 41.1% (2011 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16.1% (male 787,849/female 741,293) 15-64 years: 66.1% (male 3,073,507/female 3,204,088) 65 years and over: 17.8% (2024 est.) (male 572,483/female 1,122,231) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 52 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 24.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 27.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 42.5 years (2025 est.) male: 39.5 years female: 45 years **Population growth rate:** -0.44% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 8.16 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 13.21 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations **Urbanization:** urban population: 80.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.057 million MINSK (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 26.8 years (2019 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 1 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 1.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 74.7 years (2024 est.) male: 69.8 years female: 80 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.45 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.7 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.8% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.6% of GDP (2021) 12.3% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.72 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 9.7 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 24.5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 10.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 2.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 26.4% (2025 est.) male: 44.5% (2025 est.) female: 11.6% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 62.4% (2019 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.1% (2019) women married by age 18: 4.7% (2019) men married by age 18: 1.6% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 5% of GDP (2023 est.) 13.2% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 99.9% (2019 est.) male: 99.9% (2019 est.) female: 99.9% (2019 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2023 est.) male: 14 years (2023 est.) female: 15 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime **Land use:** agricultural land: 39.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 27.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 11.7% (2023 est.) forest: 44% (2023 est.) other: 16.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 80.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 46.709 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1.497 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 15.884 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 29.328 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 13.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.28 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 19% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 600 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 430 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 385 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 57.9 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Belarus conventional short form: Belarus local long form: Respublika Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Respublika Belarus' (Russian) local short form: Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Belarus' (Russian) former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the name is a compound of the Slavic words "bel" (white) and "Rus" (the Old East Slavic ethnic designation) to form the meaning White Rusian or White Ruthenian **Government type:** presidential republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship **Capital:** name: Minsk geographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the origin of the name is disputed; it may be derived from the Menka River **Administrative divisions:** 6 regions (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel' (Gomel'), Horad Minsk* (Minsk City), Hrodna (Grodno), Mahilyow (Mogilev), Minsk, Vitsyebsk (Vitebsk) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; Russian spelling provided for reference when different from Belarusian **Legal system:** civil law system note: nearly all major codes (civil, civil procedure, criminal, criminal procedure, family, and labor) were revised and came into force in 1999 and 2000 **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest drafted between late 1991 and early 1994, signed 15 March 1994 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic through petition to the National Assembly or by petition of least 150,000 eligible voters; approval required by at least two-thirds majority vote in both chambers or by simple majority of votes cast in a referendum note: one of several amendments passed in the February 2022 referendum -- the presidential 5-year, two-term limit -- will be imposed after the 2025 election **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Belarus dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (since 20 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Alyaksandr TURCHYN (since 10 March 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (no term limits); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly most recent election date: first election held on 23 June and 10 July 1994; the 1994 constitution set the next election for 1999, but Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA extended his term to 2001 via a referendum; subsequent election held in 2001; a 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and allowed LUKASHENKA to run and win a third term (19 March 2006), fourth term (19 December 2010), fifth term (11 October 2015), sixth term (9 August 2020), and seventh term (26 January 2025) election results: 2025: Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA reelected president; percent of vote - Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (independent) 86.8%, Sergey Syrankov (Communist Party) 3.2%, 3.6% voting against all 2020: Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA reelected president; percent of vote - Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (independent) 80.1%, Svyatlana TSIKHANOWSKAYA (independent) 10.1%, other 9.8%; note - widespread street protests erupted following announcement of the election results amid allegations of voter fraud 2015: Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA elected president; percent of vote - Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (independent) 84.1%, Tatsyana KARATKEVIC (BSDPH) 4.4%, Sergey GAYDUKEVICH (LDP) 3.3%, other 8.2%. expected date of next election: 2030 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Natsionalnoye Sobranie) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Palata Predstaviteley) number of seats: 110 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 2/25/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Belaya Rus party (51); Republican Party of Labour and Justice (8); Communist Party of Belarus (7); Non-partisans (40); Other (4) percentage of women in chamber: 33.9% expected date of next election: February 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Council of the Republic (Soviet Respubliki) number of seats: 65 (56 indirectly elected; 8 appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 4/4/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 30.5% expected date of next election: March 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chairman and deputy chairman and organized into several specialized panels, including economic and military; number of judges set by the president of the republic and the court chairman); Constitutional Court (consists of 12 judges, including a chairman and deputy chairman) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president with the consent of the Council of the Republic; judges initially appointed for 5 years and evaluated for life appointment; Constitutional Court judges - 6 appointed by the president and 6 elected by the Council of the Republic; the presiding judge directly elected by the president and approved by the Council of the Republic; judges can serve for 11 years with an age limit of 70 subordinate courts: oblast courts; Minsk City Court; town courts; Minsk city and oblast economic courts **Political parties:** Belaya Rus or BR Republican Party of Labour and Justice or RPTS Communist Party of Belarus or CBP Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus or LDPB **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant; recalled by Belarus in 2008); Chargé d'Affaires Pavel SHIDLOWSKI (since 9 August 2022) chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-1606 FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805 email address and website: usa@mfa.gov.by Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the United States of America (mfa.gov.by) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Michael KREIDLER (since July 2025) embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002 mailing address: 7010 Minsk Place, Washington DC 20521-7010 telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83 FAX: [375] (17) 334-78-53 email address and website: ConsularMinsk@state.gov https://by.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CEI, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC **Independence:** 25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 3 July (1944) note: 3 July 1944 was the date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union **Flag:** description: red horizontal band (top), with a green horizontal band below that is half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the left side has traditional Belarusian designs in red meaning: the red stands for past struggles to escape oppression, and the green for hope and the country's forests **National symbol(s):** no official symbol; the mounted knight known as Pahonia (the Chaser) is the traditional symbol **National color(s):** green, red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "My, Bielarusy" (We Belarusians) lyrics/music: Mikhas KLIMKOVICH and Uladzimir KARYZNA/Nester SAKALOUSKI history: music adopted 1955, lyrics adopted 2002; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Belarus kept the music of its Soviet-era anthem but adopted new lyrics; also known as "Dziarzauny himn Respubliki Bielarus" (State Anthem of the Republic of Belarus) **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Białowieża Forest (n); Mir Castle Complex (c); Architectural, Residential, and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** declining Russian energy subsidies will end in 2024; growing public debt; strong currency pressures have led to higher inflation; recent price controls on basic food and drugs; public sector wage increases and fragile private sector threaten household income gains and economic growth **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $265.22 billion (2024 est.) $254.995 billion (2023 est.) $244.89 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4% (2024 est.) 4.1% (2023 est.) -4.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $29,000 (2024 est.) $27,800 (2023 est.) $26,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $75.962 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 5.8% (2024 est.) 5% (2023 est.) 15.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 6.9% (2024 est.) industry: 30.7% (2024 est.) services: 49.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 56.8% (2024 est.) government consumption: 19% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.8% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 2% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 65.1% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -66.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, sugar beets, potatoes, wheat, triticale, barley, maize, rapeseed, rye, chicken (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles, refrigerators, washing machines and other household appliances **Industrial production growth rate:** 6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 4.817 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.4% (2024 est.) 3.5% (2023 est.) 3.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 10.1% (2024 est.) male: 11.7% (2024 est.) female: 8.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 3.9% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 24.4 (2020 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 29.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 7.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 4.5% (2020 est.) highest 10%: 20.7% (2020 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $22.876 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $21.912 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 33.2% of GDP (2019 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 12.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$1.925 billion (2024 est.) -$1.104 billion (2023 est.) $2.628 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $49.386 billion (2024 est.) $47.714 billion (2023 est.) $47.124 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 34%, Kazakhstan 10%, Uzbekistan 7%, Poland 6%, Brazil 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fertilizers, rapeseed oil, wood, poultry, beef (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $50.679 billion (2024 est.) $47.459 billion (2023 est.) $42.438 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 33%, Poland 16%, Germany 11%, Lithuania 10%, Turkey 9% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, broadcasting equipment, fabric, plastic products, video displays (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $8.912 billion (2024 est.) $8.118 billion (2023 est.) $7.923 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $18.01 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 3.246 (2024 est.) 3.007 (2023 est.) 2.626 (2022 est.) 2.539 (2021 est.) 2.44 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 12.653 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 39.883 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 4.553 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 4 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.149 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 70% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 26.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 2 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 2.22GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 28.6% (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 710,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 966,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1.635 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 30,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 125,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 198 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 68.494 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 15.094 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 15.433 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2.832 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 104.821 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 4.14 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 46 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 11.9 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 131 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 7 state-controlled national TV channels; Polish and Russian TV broadcasts are available in some areas; state-run Belarusian Radio operates 5 national networks and an external service; Russian and Polish radio broadcasts are available (2019) **Internet country code:** .by **Internet users:** percent of population: 92% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 3.2 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** EW **Airports:** 46 (2025) **Heliports:** 4 (2025) **Railways:** total: 5,528 km (2014) standard gauge: 25 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge broad gauge: 5,503 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 4 (2023) by type: other 4 ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Belarus Armed Forces: Army, Air and Air Defense Force, Special Operations Force, Special Troops, Territorial Defense Forces Ministry of Interior: State Border Troops, Militia, Internal Troops (2025) note: in early 2023, President LUKASHENKA ordered the formation of a new volunteer paramilitary territorial defense force to supplement the Army **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 50-60,000 active-duty military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is comprised mostly of Russian and Soviet-origin equipment; Belarus's defense industry manufactures some equipment (mostly modernized Soviet designs), including vehicles, guided weapons, and electronic warfare systems (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-27 years of age for compulsory military or alternative service; conscript service obligation is 12-18 months, depending on academic qualifications, and 24-36 months for alternative service; 17-year-olds are eligible to become cadets at military higher education institutes, where they are classified as military personnel (2025) note: conscripts can be assigned to the military, to the Ministry of Interior, or to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection (alternative service) **Military - note:** the military of Belarus is responsible for territorial defense; Russia is the country’s closest security partner, and the military conducts joint training exercises with Russian forces; in 2022, Belarus allowed the Russian military to stage on its territory for their invasion of Ukraine; in 2023, Belarus agreed to permit Russia to deploy nuclear weapons on its soil Belarus has been a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) since 1994 and has committed an airborne brigade to CSTO's rapid reaction force; the military trains regularly with other CSTO members (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 44,621 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 5,620 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Belarus does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Belarus remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/belarus/ --- ## Belgium **Slug:** belgium **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇧🇪 **Codes:** cek: be, iso2: BE, iso3: BEL, iso_num: 056, genc: BEL, stanag: BEL, internet: .be ### Introduction **Background:** Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. In recent years, longstanding tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemish of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. The capital city of Brussels is home to numerous international organizations, including the EU and NATO. ### Geography **Location:** Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands **Geographic coordinates:** 50 50 N, 4 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 30,528 sq km land: 30,278 sq km water: 250 sq km **Area - comparative:** about the size of Maryland **Land boundaries:** total: 1,297 km border countries (4): France 556 km; Germany 133 km; Luxembourg 130 km; Netherlands 478 km **Coastline:** 66.5 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit continental shelf: median line with neighbors **Climate:** temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy **Terrain:** flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast **Elevation:** highest point: Botrange 694 m lowest point: North Sea 0 m mean elevation: 181 m **Natural resources:** construction materials, silica sand, carbonates, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 44.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 28.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 15.3% (2023 est.) forest: 22% (2023 est.) other: 33.6% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 57 sq km (2013) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Seine (78,919 sq km), Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km) **Population distribution:** most of the population is concentrated in the northern two thirds of the country; the southeast is more thinly populated; considered to have one of the highest population densities in the world, with approximately 97% living in urban areas **Natural hazards:** flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes **Geography - note:** crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals are within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the EU and NATO ### People and Society **Population:** total: 11,960,170 (2025 est.) male: 5,907,498 female: 6,052,672 **Nationality:** noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian **Ethnic groups:** Belgian 75.2%, Italian 4.1%, Moroccan 3.7%, French 2.4%, Turkish 2%, Dutch 2%, other 10.6% (2012 est.) **Languages:** Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1% major-language sample(s): Het Wereld Feitenboek, een onmisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch) The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 2.3%, other Christian, 2.8%, Muslim 6.8%, other 1.7%, atheist 9.1%, nonbeliever/agnostic 20.2% (2018 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16.9% (male 1,038,578/female 990,215) 15-64 years: 62.8% (male 3,796,844/female 3,730,784) 65 years and over: 20.2% (2024 est.) (male 1,073,635/female 1,347,578) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 57.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 24.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 32.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 42.4 years (2025 est.) male: 40.8 years female: 43.1 years **Population growth rate:** 0.45% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 9.09 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.55 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 4.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is concentrated in the northern two thirds of the country; the southeast is more thinly populated; considered to have one of the highest population densities in the world, with approximately 97% living in urban areas **Urbanization:** urban population: 98.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.122 million BRUSSELS (capital), 1.057 million Antwerp (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 29.2 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 82.3 years (2024 est.) male: 79.7 years female: 85 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.46 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.71 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 11% of GDP (2021) 15.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 6.53 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 5.5 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 22.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 9.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 24.1% (2025 est.) male: 26.4% (2025 est.) female: 22% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 0.3% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 52.4% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0% (2020) women married by age 18: 0.1% (2020) **Education expenditure:** 6.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 12% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 19 years (2022 est.) male: 18 years (2022 est.) female: 20 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** urbanization; possible risks from industry and intensive farming; air and water pollution **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy **Land use:** agricultural land: 44.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 28.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 15.3% (2023 est.) forest: 22% (2023 est.) other: 33.6% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 98.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 112.083 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 8.166 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 76.635 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 27.282 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 12.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.766 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 31.7% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 740.19 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 4.14 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 41.97 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 18.3 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 2 (2024) global geoparks and regional networks: Famenne-Ardenne; Schelde Delta (includes Netherlands) (2024) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique (French)/Koninkrijk Belgie (Dutch)/Koenigreich Belgien (German) local short form: Belgique/Belgie/Belgien etymology: the name derives from the Belgae, an ancient Celtic tribal confederation that inhabited an area between the English Channel and the west bank of the Rhine in the first centuries B.C. **Government type:** federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Brussels geographic coordinates: 50 84 N, 4 35 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name is of Germanic origin, from broca (marsh) and sali (room or building) **Administrative divisions:** 3 regions (French: régions, singular - région; Dutch: gewesten, singular - gewest); Brussels-Capital Region, also known as Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (Dutch), Région de Bruxelles-Capitale (French long form), Bruxelles-Capitale (French short form); Flemish Region (Flanders), also known as Vlaams Gewest (Dutch long form), Vlaanderen (Dutch short form), Région Flamande (French long form), Flandre (French short form); Walloon Region (Wallonia), also known as Région Wallonne (French long form), Wallonie (French short form), Waals Gewest (Dutch long form), Wallonie (Dutch short form) note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; the 2012 sixth state reform transferred additional competencies from the federal state to the regions and linguistic communities **Legal system:** civil law system based on the French Civil Code; judicial review of legislative acts **Constitution:** history: drafted 25 November 1830, approved 7 February 1831, entered into force 26 July 1831, revised 14 July 1993 (creating a federal state) amendment process: "revisions" proposed as declarations by the federal government in accord with the king or by Parliament followed by dissolution of Parliament and new elections; adoption requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in both houses of the next elected Parliament **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Belgium dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal and compulsory **Executive branch:** chief of state: King PHILIPPE (since 21 July 2013) head of government: Prime Minister Bart DE WEVER (since 3 February 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the monarch usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister, which the legislature approves **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Federal Parliament (Parlement fédéral - Federaal Parlement - Föderales Parlament) legislative structure: bicameral note: the 1993 constitutional revision that further devolved Belgium into a federal state created three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this results in six governments, each with its own legislative assembly **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Chambre des Représentants) number of seats: 150 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 6/9/2024 parties elected and seats per party: New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) (24); Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) (20); Movement for Reform (MR) (20); Socialist Party in Wallonia (PS) (16); Workers' Party of Belgium (PTB*PVDA) (15); LES ENGAGÉS (14); Vooruit (13); Christian Democratic and Flemish (CD&V) (11); Other (17) percentage of women in chamber: 41.3% expected date of next election: June 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Sénat - Senaat - Senat) number of seats: 60 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 7/18/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 47.5% expected date of next election: July 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Constitutional Court or Grondwettelijk Hof (in Dutch) and Cour Constitutionelle (in French) (consists of 12 judges - 6 Dutch-speaking and 6 French-speaking); Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) and Cour de Cassation (in French) (court organized into 3 chambers: civil and commercial; criminal; social, fiscal, and armed forces; each chamber includes a Dutch division and a French division, each with a chairperson and 5-6 judges) judge selection and term of office: Constitutional Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by Parliament; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 70; Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by the High Council of Justice, a 44-member independent body of judicial and non-judicial members; judges appointed for life subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; regional courts; specialized courts for administrative, commercial, labor, immigration, and audit issues; magistrate's courts; justices of the peace **Political parties:** Flemish parties: Christian Democratic and Flemish or CD&V Vooruit or Forward (formerly Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A) Groen or Green (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) New Flemish Alliance or N-VA Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) Francophone Federalist Democrats or Defi Les Engages (formerly Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH) Movement for Reform or MR Socialist Party or PS Workers' Party or PVDA-PTB **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Frédéric BERNARD (since 25 February 2025) chancery: 1430 K Street NW, Washington DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 338-4960 email address and website: Washington@diplobel.fed.be https://unitedstates.diplomatie.belgium.be/en consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Bill WHITE (since 17 November 2025) embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: 7600 Brussels Place, Washington DC 20521-7600 telephone: [32] (2) 811-4000 FAX: [32] (2) 811-4500 email address and website: uscitizenBrussels@state.gov https://be.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne) **National holiday:** Belgian National Day (ascension to the throne of King LEOPOLD I), 21 July (1831) **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of black (left side), yellow, and red history: the vertical design was based on the flag of France; the colors are from the arms of the duchy of Brabant (yellow lion with red claws and tongue on a black field) **National symbol(s):** golden rampant lion **National color(s):** red, black, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "La Brabançonne" (The Song of Brabant) lyrics/music: Louis-Alexandre DECHET [French] and Victor CEULEMANS [Dutch]/Francois VAN CAMPENHOUT history: adopted 1830; according to legend Louis-Alexandre DECHET, an actor at the theater where the revolution against the Netherlands began, wrote the lyrics with a group of young people in a Brussels cafe **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 16 (15 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Belfries of Belgium (c); Historic Brugge (c); The Grand Place, Brussels (c); Major Town Houses of Victor Horta (c); Notre-Dame Cathedral, Tournai (c); Spa, Liege (c); Primeval Beech Forests - Sonian Wood (n); Stoclet Palace (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, core EU and eurozone economy; slow growth with weakened domestic consumption and export demand; high public debt and structural deficits linked to social spending; aging workforce with weak productivity growth and participation rates **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $749.229 billion (2024 est.) $741.672 billion (2023 est.) $732.865 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1% (2024 est.) 1.2% (2023 est.) 4.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $63,100 (2024 est.) $62,900 (2023 est.) $62,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $664.564 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.1% (2024 est.) 4% (2023 est.) 9.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.8% (2024 est.) industry: 17.6% (2024 est.) services: 72.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 50.4% (2023 est.) government consumption: 23.8% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.4% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 1% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 84.2% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -84.8% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugar beets, milk, potatoes, wheat, pork, lettuce, maize, chicken, barley, pears (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, base metals, textiles, glass, petroleum **Industrial production growth rate:** -0.6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 5.416 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.5% (2024 est.) 5.6% (2023 est.) 5.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 16.8% (2024 est.) male: 18.6% (2024 est.) female: 14.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 12.3% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 26.4 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 12.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.8% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 22.2% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 2.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $220.657 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $235.767 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 92.5% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 22.7% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$5.679 billion (2024 est.) -$4.503 billion (2023 est.) -$7.031 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $525.458 billion (2024 est.) $542.508 billion (2023 est.) $565.233 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** France 20%, Netherlands 15%, Germany 14%, Italy 6%, USA 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, natural gas, vaccines, cars, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $531.029 billion (2024 est.) $546.426 billion (2023 est.) $573.192 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Netherlands 20%, Germany 13%, France 11%, USA 7%, Ireland 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, natural gas, vaccines, packaged medicine, crude petroleum (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $41.449 billion (2024 est.) $40.813 billion (2023 est.) $41.274 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 28.248 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 74.537 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 18.279 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 18.626 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.147 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 24.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 40.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 9.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 20% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: -0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) note: Belgium has negative net hydroelectric power generation based on losses from use of pumped storage hydropower biomass and waste: 6.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 4 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 3.46GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 41.2% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 3 (2025) **Coal:** production: 1.269 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 4.372 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 184,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 4.046 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 4.1 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 596,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 12.938 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 14.382 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 8.461 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 23.007 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 190.416 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 2.49 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 12.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 104 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** a segmented market with the three major linguistic communities (Flemish-, French-, and German-speaking) each responsible for their own broadcast media; multiple TV channels exist for each community; over 90% of households are connected to cable and can access TV broadcasts from neighboring countries; each community has a public radio network coexisting with private broadcasters **Internet country code:** .be **Internet users:** percent of population: 95% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 5.12 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** OO **Airports:** 48 (2025) **Heliports:** 112 (2025) **Railways:** total: 3,602 km (2020) 3,160 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 198 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 17, container ship 2, general cargo 16, oil tanker 21, other 142 **Ports:** total ports: 7 (2024) large: 1 medium: 2 small: 2 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Antwerpen, Bruxelles, Ghent, Oostende, Zeebrugge ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Belgian Armed Forces (Defensie or La Défense): Land Component, Marine (Naval) Component, Air Component, Medical Component, Cyber Command (2025) note: the Belgian Federal Police is the national police force and responsible for internal security and nationwide law and order, including migration and border enforcement **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2025 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 23,000 active-duty military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the armed forces have a mix of weapons systems from European suppliers and the US; Belgium has an export-focused defense industry that focuses on components and subcontracting (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; maximum age varies by position; conscription abolished in 1995 (2025) note 1: in 2024, women comprised about 11% of the military's full-time personnel note 2: foreign nationals 18-34 years of age who speak Dutch or French and are citizens of EU countries, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland may apply to join the military **Military deployments:** has on average about 1,000 personnel deployed on foreign missions, including more than 300 ground forces deployed in Eastern Europe for the defense of NATO's eastern flank (2025) **Military - note:** the Belgian military's responsibilities include territorial defense, humanitarian/disaster relief, assistance to the police if required, international peacekeeping missions, and support to its NATO and EU security commitments, which Belgium considers vital components of its national security policy; outside of the country, the military operates almost always within an international organization or a coalition; Belgium was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) establishing NATO in 1949; it hosts the NATO headquarters in Brussels; Belgium also cooperates bilaterally with neighboring countries, such as Luxembourg and the Netherlands, in conducting joint patrols of their respective air spaces and in a composite combined special operations command with Denmark and the Netherlands (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy-Interfederal Space Agency of Belgium (BIRA-IASB; established 1964; IASB added 2017); Belgium Federal Science Policy Office (BELSPO) (2025) **Space program overview:** builds satellites, particularly research/science/technology and remote sensing platforms; researches, develops, and produces a wide variety of space technologies, including telecommunications, optics, robotics, scientific instruments, and space launch vehicle components; founding member of the ESA and participates in a variety of ESA and EU projects, such as Space Surveillance and Tracking, Copernicus Earth observation, and Galileo global navigation satellite system; hosts the European Space Security and Education Center (established 1968); participates in international astronomy efforts, particularly through the European Southern Observatory (ESO); has worked with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities outside Europe, including those of Argentina, China, India, Russia, South Africa, UAE, Vietnam, and the US (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1986 - joined first European Earth Observation program; founding member of European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites 1992 - first Belgian astronaut in space on the US Space Shuttle 2001 - first remote sensing satellite (PROBA-1) launched by India 2024 - signed US-led Artemis Accords outlining best practices for space exploration ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 236,689 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 849 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Belize **Slug:** belize **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇧🇿 **Codes:** cek: bh, iso2: BZ, iso3: BLZ, iso_num: 084, genc: BLZ, stanag: BLZ, internet: .bz ### Introduction **Background:** Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1862. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992, and the two countries are still involved in an ongoing border dispute. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include the country's heavy foreign debt burden, high crime rates, high unemployment combined with a majority youth population, growing involvement in the Mexican and South American drug trade, and one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in Central America. ### Geography **Location:** Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico **Geographic coordinates:** 17 15 N, 88 45 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 22,966 sq km land: 22,806 sq km water: 160 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Massachusetts **Land boundaries:** total: 542 km border countries (2): Guatemala 266 km; Mexico 276 km **Coastline:** 386 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south exclusive economic zone: 200 nm note: from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act (1992), the purpose of this limit is to provide a framework for negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala **Climate:** tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May) **Terrain:** flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south **Elevation:** highest point: Doyle's Delight 1,124 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 173 m **Natural resources:** arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 8% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.2% (2023 est.) forest: 58.3% (2023 est.) other: 33.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 35 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** approximately 25% to 30% of the population lives in the former capital, Belize City; over half of the overall population is rural; population density is slightly higher in the north and east **Natural hazards:** frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south) **Geography - note:** only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean ### People and Society **Population:** total: 421,960 (2025 est.) male: 208,844 female: 213,116 **Nationality:** noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean **Ethnic groups:** Mestizo 52.9%, Creole 25.9%, Maya 11.3%, Garifuna 6.1%, East Indian 3.9%, Mennonite 3.6%, White 1.2%, Asian 1%, other 1.2%, unknown 0.3% (2010 est.) note: percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one ethnic origin **Languages:** English 62.9% (official), Spanish 56.6%, Creole 44.6%, Maya 10.5%, German 3.2%, Garifuna 2.9%, other 1.8%, unknown 0.5% (2010 est.) major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English) La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census **Religions:** Roman Catholic 40.1%, Protestant 31.5% (includes Pentecostal 8.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.4%, Anglican 4.7%, Mennonite 3.7%, Baptist 3.6%, Methodist 2.9%, Nazarene 2.8%), Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, other 10.5% (includes Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu, Church of Jesus Christ, Muslim, Rastafarian, Salvation Army), unspecified 0.6%, none 15.5% (2010 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 27.7% (male 58,529/female 56,811) 15-64 years: 66.7% (male 135,903/female 141,503) 65 years and over: 5.5% (2024 est.) (male 11,463/female 11,580) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 49.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 40.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 8.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 11.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 27.2 years (2025 est.) male: 26.4 years female: 27.2 years **Population growth rate:** 1.47% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 17.44 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.87 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** approximately 25% to 30% of the population lives in the former capital, Belize City; over half of the overall population is rural; population density is slightly higher in the north and east **Urbanization:** urban population: 46.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 23,000 BELMOPAN (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 67 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 12.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 74.3 years (2024 est.) male: 72.6 years female: 76.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.02 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.99 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 2% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5% of GDP (2021) 11.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.09 physicians/1,000 population (2018) **Hospital bed density:** 1 beds/1,000 population (2018 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 95.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 97.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 4.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 2.7% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 24.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 5.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 8.3% (2025 est.) male: 14.8% (2025 est.) female: 1.8% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 4.6% (2015/16) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 6.3% (2016) women married by age 18: 33.5% (2016) men married by age 18: 22.2% (2016) **Education expenditure:** 4.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 18.9% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 87.9% (2022 est.) male: 87.9% (2022 est.) female: 87.9% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 12 years (2023 est.) male: 12 years (2023 est.) female: 12 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; inability to properly dispose of solid waste **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May) **Land use:** agricultural land: 8% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.2% (2023 est.) forest: 58.3% (2023 est.) other: 33.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 46.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 662,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 3 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 662,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 10.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 101,400 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 11.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 21.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 68.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 21.734 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras etymology: traditionally believed to be derived from the Spanish pronunciation of the last name of Scottish explorer Peter Wallace, who settled in the area in 1638; alternatively, may be named for the Belize River, whose name possibly derives from the Maya word "belix," meaning "muddy-watered" **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (National Assembly) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm **Capital:** name: Belmopan geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is formed from two words: "Belize," the name of the longest river in the country, and "Mopan," one of the rivers in the area that empties into the Belize River **Administrative divisions:** 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo **Legal system:** English common law **Constitution:** history: previous 1954, 1963 (pre-independence); latest signed and entered into force 21 September 1981 amendment process: proposed and adopted by two-thirds majority vote of the National Assembly House of Representatives except for amendments relating to rights and freedoms, changes to the Assembly, and to elections and judiciary matters, which require at least three-quarters majority vote of the House; both types of amendments require assent of the governor general **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General Froyla TZALAM (since 27 May 2021) head of government: Prime Minister John BRICEÑO (since 12 November 2020) cabinet: governor general appoints Cabinet from among members of the National Assembly, on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor-general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor-general; prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives number of seats: 32 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/12/2025 parties elected and seats per party: People's United Party (PUP) (26); United Democratic Party (UDP) (5) percentage of women in chamber: 12.5% expected date of next election: March 2030 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 13 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 5/9/2025 percentage of women in chamber: 35.7% expected date of next election: May 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Judicature (consists of the Court of Appeal with the court president and 3 justices, and the Supreme Court with the chief justice and 10 justices); the Caribbean Court of Justice is the final court of appeal judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal president and justices appointed by the governor-general upon advice of the prime minister after consultation with the National Assembly opposition leader; justices' tenures vary by terms of appointment; Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the governor-general upon the advice of the prime minister and the National Assembly opposition leader; other judges appointed by the governor-general upon the advice of the Judicial and Legal Services Section of the Public Services Commission and with the concurrence of the prime minister after consultation with the National Assembly opposition leader; judges can be appointed beyond age 65 but must retire by age 75 subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts; Family Court **Political parties:** Belize People’s Front or BPF Belize Progressive Party or BPP (formed in 2015 from a merger of the People's National Party, elements of the Vision Inspired by the People, and other smaller political groups) People's United Party or PUP United Democratic Party or UDP Vision Inspired by the People or VIP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Lynn Raymond YOUNG (since 7 July 2021) chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008-2826 telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636 FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888 email address and website: reception.usa@mfa.gov.bz https://www.belizeembassyusa.mfa.gov.bz/ consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Katharine BEAMER (since 23 August 2025) embassy: 4 Floral Park Road, Belmopan, Cayo mailing address: 3050 Belmopan Place, Washington DC 20521-3050 telephone: (501) 822-4011 FAX: (501) 822-4012 email address and website: ACSBelize@state.gov https://bz.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 21 September 1981 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Battle of St. George's Caye Day (National Day), 10 September (1798); Independence Day, 21 September (1981) **Flag:** description: royal blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges; the coat of arms is on a large white disk at the center and shows a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany tree, with the motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom; a green garland of 50 mahogany leaves rings the coat of arms meaning: the figures, the mahogany tree, and the garland refer to the logging industry that led the British to settle Belize; blue and red are the colors of the two main political parties note: Belize has the only national flag that depicts humans; the flags of two British overseas territories, Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands, also depict humans **National symbol(s):** Baird's tapir (a large forest-dwelling mammal), keel-billed toucan, black orchid **National color(s):** red, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "Land of the Free" lyrics/music: Samuel Alfred HAYNES/Selwyn Walford YOUNG history: adopted 1981 _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: royal anthem, as a Commonwealth country **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System ### Economy **Economic overview:** tourism- and agriculture-driven economy; strong post-pandemic rebound; innovative and ecological bond restructuring that significantly lowered public debt and expanded marine protections; central bank offering USD-denominated treasury notes; high mobility across borders **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $5.538 billion (2024 est.) $5.12 billion (2023 est.) $5.062 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 8.2% (2024 est.) 1.1% (2023 est.) 9.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $13,300 (2024 est.) $12,500 (2023 est.) $12,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $3.516 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.3% (2024 est.) 4.4% (2023 est.) 6.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 8.1% (2023 est.) industry: 14.3% (2023 est.) services: 62.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 62.9% (2023 est.) government consumption: 15.7% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.6% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -2.3% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 55.3% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -51.2% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, maize, bananas, sorghum, soybeans, chicken, rice, oranges, fruits, plantains (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil **Industrial production growth rate:** 4.8% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 190,000 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 7% (2024 est.) 8.3% (2023 est.) 8.8% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 16.3% (2024 est.) male: 10.6% (2024 est.) female: 25.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 39.9 (2018 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.2% (2018 est.) highest 10%: 30% (2018 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 4.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 4.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 5% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $554.405 million (2017 est.) expenditures: $506.316 million (2017 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 99% of GDP (2017 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 21.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$51.762 million (2024 est.) -$19.761 million (2023 est.) -$235.566 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.64 billion (2024 est.) $1.536 billion (2023 est.) $1.369 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 22%, UK 14%, Spain 9%, Guatemala 7%, Portugal 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** raw sugar, bananas, fish, shellfish, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $1.724 billion (2024 est.) $1.573 billion (2023 est.) $1.574 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 37%, China 17%, Guatemala 10%, Mexico 8%, Costa Rica 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, orthopedic appliances, ships, garments, tobacco (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $498.087 million (2024 est.) $473.729 million (2023 est.) $482.146 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $1.235 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2 (2024 est.) 2 (2023 est.) 2 (2022 est.) 2 (2021 est.) 2 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 98.6% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 98.4% electrification - rural areas: 97.1% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 220,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 595.389 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 283.8 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 140.519 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 12% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 52.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 32.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 32 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 800 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 6.7 million barrels (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 30.752 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 17,800 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 271,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 67 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** 8 privately owned TV stations; multi-channel cable TV provides access to foreign stations; about 25 radio stations broadcasting on roughly 50 different frequencies; state-run radio was privatized in 1998 (2019) **Internet country code:** .bz **Internet users:** percent of population: 72% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 39,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** V3 **Airports:** 27 (2025) **Heliports:** 5 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 774 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 49, general cargo 410, oil tanker 64, other 251 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 0 size unknown: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Belize City, Big Creek ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Air Wing; Belize Coast Guard (BCG) (2025) note: the Ministry of National Defense and Border Security is responsible for oversight of the BDF and the Coast Guard, while the Ministry of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries has responsibility for the Belize Police Department (BPD) and prisons **Military expenditures:** 1% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 1,500 BDF personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military has a small inventory consisting mostly of UK- and US-origin equipment (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-23 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient, but conscription has never been implemented; initial service obligation is 12 years (2025) **Military - note:** the Belize Defense Force (BDF) is responsible for external security but also provides some support to civilian authorities; it has limited powers of arrest within land and shoreline areas, while the Coast Guard has arrest powers and jurisdiction within coastal and maritime areas; the BDF traces its history back to the Prince Regent Royal Honduras Militia, a volunteer force established in 1817; the BDF was established in 1978 from the disbanded Police Special Force and the Belize Volunteer Guard to assist the resident British forces with the defense of Belize against Guatemala the British Army has maintained a presence in Belize since its independence; the presence consists of a small training support unit that provides jungle training to troops from the UK and international partners (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 2,287 (2024 est.) IDPs: 8 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025) --- ## Benin **Slug:** benin **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇧🇯 **Codes:** cek: bn, iso2: BJ, iso3: BEN, iso_num: 204, genc: BEN, stanag: BEN, internet: .bj ### Introduction **Background:** Present-day Benin is comprised of about 42 ethnic groups, including the Yoruba in the southeast, who migrated from what is now Nigeria in the 12th century; the Dendi in the north-central area, who came from Mali in the 16th century; the Bariba and the Fula in the northeast; the Ottamari in the Atakora mountains; the Fon in the area around Abomey in the south-central area; and the Mina, Xueda, and Aja, who came from Togo, on the coast. The Kingdom of Dahomey emerged on the Abomey plateau in the 17th century and was a regional power for much of the 18th and 19th centuries. The growth of Dahomey coincided with the growth of the Atlantic slave trade, and it became known as a major source of enslaved people. France began to control the coastal areas of Dahomey in the second half of the 19th century; the entire kingdom was conquered by 1894. French Dahomey achieved independence in 1960, and it changed its name to the Republic of Benin in 1975. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and a Marxist-Leninist government. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU returned to power after elections in 1996 and 2001. He stepped down in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent, who won a second term in 2011. Patrice TALON, a wealthy businessman, took office in 2016; the space for pluralism, dissent, and free expression has narrowed under his administration. TALON won a second term in 2021. ### Geography **Location:** Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo **Geographic coordinates:** 9 30 N, 2 15 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 112,622 sq km land: 110,622 sq km water: 2,000 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Pennsylvania **Land boundaries:** total: 2,123 km border countries (4): Burkina Faso 386 km; Niger 277 km; Nigeria 809 km; Togo 651 km **Coastline:** 121 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 200 nm; note: the US does not recognize this claim continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north **Terrain:** mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains **Elevation:** highest point: unnamed elevation 675 m; located 2.5 km southeast of the town of Kotopounga lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 273 m **Natural resources:** small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber **Land use:** agricultural land: 41.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 31.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.9% (2023 est.) forest: 28.5% (2023 est.) other: 29.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 530 sq km (2019) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km) **Population distribution:** the population is primarily located in the south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast; most of the north remains sparsely populated with higher concentrations of residents in the west, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March **Geography - note:** sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands ### People and Society **Population:** total: 15,186,090 (2025 est.) male: 7,500,771 female: 7,685,319 **Nationality:** noun: Beninese (singular and plural) adjective: Beninese **Ethnic groups:** Fon and related 38.4%, Adja and related 15.1%, Yoruba and related 12%, Bariba and related 9.6%, Fulani and related 8.6%, Ottamari and related 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa and related 4.3%, Dendi and related 2.9%, other 0.9%, foreigner 1.9% (2013 est.) **Languages:** 55 languages; French (official); Fon (a Gbe language), Yom (a Gur language) and Yoruba are the most important indigenous languages in the south; half a dozen regionally important languages in the north, including Bariba and Fulfulde **Religions:** Muslim 27.7%, Roman Catholic 25.5%, Protestant 13.5% (Celestial 6.7%, Methodist 3.4%, other Protestant 3.4%), Vodoun 11.6%, other Christian 9.5%, other traditional religions 2.6%, other 2.6%, none 5.8% (2013 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 45.3% (male 3,360,027/female 3,294,201) 15-64 years: 52.2% (male 3,727,040/female 3,951,786) 65 years and over: 2.5% (2024 est.) (male 166,191/female 197,807) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 91.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 86.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 4.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 21 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 17.2 years (2025 est.) male: 16.6 years female: 17.7 years **Population growth rate:** 3.26% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 39.82 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.45 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the population is primarily located in the south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast; most of the north remains sparsely populated with higher concentrations of residents in the west, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 50.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 285,000 PORTO-NOVO (capital) (2018); 1.253 million Abomey-Calavi, 722,000 COTONOU (seat of government) (2022) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 20.5 years (2017/18 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 518 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 51.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 57.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 47.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 63 years (2024 est.) male: 61.1 years female: 65 years **Total fertility rate:** 5.3 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 2.59 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 74.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 60.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 67.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 25.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 39.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 32.6% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 2.6% of GDP (2021) 2.6% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.22 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 0.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 58.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 20.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 39.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 41.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 79.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 60.5% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 9.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 4.8% (2025 est.) male: 8.3% (2025 est.) female: 1.5% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 19.6% (2021 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 65.7% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 5.9% (2022) women married by age 18: 27.5% (2022) men married by age 18: 4.6% (2022) **Education expenditure:** 3.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 18% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 51.4% (2022 est.) male: 62.6% (2022 est.) female: 41.5% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 10 years (2022 est.) male: 11 years (2022 est.) female: 9 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution; poaching; deforestation; desertification; droughts **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north **Land use:** agricultural land: 41.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 31.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.9% (2023 est.) forest: 28.5% (2023 est.) other: 29.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 50.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 5.948 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 379,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 5.263 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 306,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 32.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 63.4 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 106.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 34.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 43.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 685,900 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 56.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 145 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 30 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 59 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 26.39 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Benin conventional short form: Benin local long form: République du Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey, People's Republic of Benin etymology: the current name comes from a local ethnic group, the Bini, whose name may be related to the Arabic word bani, meaning "sons;" the former name, Dahomey, comes from a previous kingdom in the area called Dan Homé **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Porto-Novo (constitutional capital); Cotonou (seat of government) geographic coordinates: 6 29 N, 2 37 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name Porto-Novo is Portuguese for "new port"; Cotonou means "mouth of the river of death" in the native Fon language **Administrative divisions:** 12 departments; Alibori, Atacora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou **Legal system:** civil law system modeled largely on the French system and some customary law **Constitution:** history: previous 1946, 1958 (pre-independence); latest adopted by referendum 2 December 1990, promulgated 11 December 1990 amendment process: proposed concurrently by the president of the republic (after a decision in the Council of Ministers) and the National Assembly; consideration of drafts or proposals requires at least three-fourths majority vote of the Assembly membership; passage requires approval in a referendum unless approved by at least four-fifths majority vote of the Assembly membership; constitutional articles affecting territorial sovereignty, the republican form of government, and secularity of Benin cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Benin dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Patrice TALON (since 6 April 2016) head of government: President Patrice TALON (since 6 April 2016) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 11 April 2021 election results: 2021: Patrice TALON reelected president in the ; percent of vote - Patrice TALON (independent) 86.3%, Alassane SOUMANOU (FCBE) 11.4%, Corentin KOHOUE (The Democrats) 2.3% 2016: Patrice TALON elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Lionel ZINSOU (FCBE) 28.4%, Patrice TALON (independent) 24.8%, Sebastien AJAVON (independent) 23%, Abdoulaye Bio TCHANE (ABT) 8.8%, Pascal KOUPAKI (NC) 5.9%, other 9.1%; percent of vote in second round - Patrice TALON 65.4%, Lionel ZINSOU 34.6% expected date of next election: 12 April 2026 note: the president is both head of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 109 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 1/8/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Progressive Union for Renewal (53); Republican Block (BR) (28); Democrats (28) percentage of women in chamber: 26.6% expected date of next election: January 2026 note: seat total includes 24 seats reserved for women **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of the chief justice and 16 justices organized into an administrative division, judicial chamber, and chamber of accounts); Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle (consists of 7 members, including the court president); High Court of Justice (consists of the Constitutional Court members, 6 members appointed by the National Assembly, and the Supreme Court president) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president and judges appointed by the president of the republic on the advice of the National Assembly; judges appointed for single renewable 5-year terms; Constitutional Court members - 4 appointed by the National Assembly and 3 by the president of the republic; members appointed for single renewable 5-year terms; other members of the High Court of Justice elected by the National Assembly; member tenure NA subordinate courts: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court for the Repression of Economic and Terrorism Infractions (CRIET) or Cour de Répression des Infractions Economiques et du Terrorisme; district courts; village courts; Assize courts note: jurisdiction of the High Court of Justice is limited to cases of high treason by the national president or members of the government while in office **Political parties:** African Movement for Development and Progress or MADEP Benin Renaissance or RB Cowrie Force for an Emerging Benin or FCBE Democratic Renewal Party or PRD Progressive Union for Renewal Republican Bloc Sun Alliance or AS The Democrats Union Makes the Nation or UN (includes PRD, MADEP) note: approximately 20 additional minor parties **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Agniola AHOUANMENOU (since 24 July 2025) chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996 email address and website: ambassade.washington@gouv.bj https://beninembassy.us/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Brian SHUKAN (since 5 May 2022) embassy: 01BP 2012, Cotonou mailing address: 2120 Cotonou Place, Washington DC 20521-2120 telephone: [229] 21-36-75-00 FAX: [229] 21-30-03-84 email address and website: ACSCotonou@state.gov https://bj.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MNJTF, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 1 August 1960 (from France) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 1 August (1960) **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) to the right, with a vertical green band on the left side meaning: green stands for hope and revival, yellow for wealth, and red for courage history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement **National symbol(s):** leopard **National color(s):** green, yellow, red **National anthem(s):** title: "L'Aube Nouvelle" (The Dawn of a New Day) lyrics/music: Gilbert Jean DAGNON history: adopted 1960 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Royal Palaces of Abomey (c); W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (n); Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** robust economic growth; slightly declining but still widespread poverty; strong trade relations with Nigeria; cotton exporter; COVID-19 has led to capital outflows and border closures; WAEMU member with currency pegged to the euro; recent fiscal deficit and debt reductions **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $56.424 billion (2024 est.) $52.51 billion (2023 est.) $49.374 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 7.5% (2024 est.) 6.4% (2023 est.) 6.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $3,900 (2024 est.) $3,700 (2023 est.) $3,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $21.483 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.2% (2024 est.) 2.7% (2023 est.) 1.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 24.2% (2024 est.) industry: 17.4% (2024 est.) services: 48.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 58.9% (2024 est.) government consumption: 9% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 34.7% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.4% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 18.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -21.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** cassava, yams, maize, oil palm fruit, cotton, soybeans, rice, pineapples, tomatoes, chillies/peppers (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement **Industrial production growth rate:** 9.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 6.397 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 1.8% (2024 est.) 1.7% (2023 est.) 1.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 3.3% (2024 est.) male: 3.6% (2024 est.) female: 2.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 38.5% (2018 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 34.4 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.1% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 27.2% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $2.024 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $2.101 billion (2019 est.) **Current account balance:** -$1.609 billion (2023 est.) -$991.005 million (2022 est.) -$734.659 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $4.511 billion (2023 est.) $4.271 billion (2022 est.) $4.154 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UAE 42%, Bangladesh 20%, India 11%, China 5%, Togo 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, cotton, coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews, soybeans, wood (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $6.189 billion (2023 est.) $5.296 billion (2022 est.) $4.925 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 21%, India 15%, USA 6%, France 6%, Nigeria 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** rice, refined petroleum, palm oil, poultry, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Debt - external:** $6.309 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.655 (2023 est.) 622.912 (2022 est.) 554.608 (2021 est.) 574.295 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 56.5% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 71.1% electrification - rural areas: 45.5% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 505,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.459 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 2 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 844.888 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 385 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 96.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 3.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 164,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 164,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 40,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 8 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 157.25 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 157.25 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.133 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 6.472 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1,350 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 18.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-run Office de Radiodiffusion et de Télévision du Benin (ORTB) operates a TV station with a wide broadcast reach; several privately owned TV stations broadcast from Cotonou; satellite TV subscription service is available; state-owned radio, under ORTB control, includes a national station supplemented by a number of regional stations; substantial number of privately owned radio stations; transmissions of a few international broadcasters are available on FM in Cotonou (2019) **Internet country code:** .bj **Internet users:** percent of population: 32% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 24,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** TY **Airports:** 10 (2025) **Railways:** total: 438 km (2014) narrow gauge: 438 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 6 (2023) by type: other 6 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Cotonou ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Beninese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Beninoises, FAB; aka Benin Defense Forces): Army, Air Force, National Navy, National Guard (aka Republican Guard) Ministry of Interior and Public Security: Republican Police (Police Republicaine, DGPR) (2025) note: FAB is under the Ministry of Defense and is responsible for external security and supporting the DGPR in maintaining internal security, which has primary responsibility for enforcing law and maintaining order; the DGPR was formed in 2018 through a merger of police and gendarmes **Military expenditures:** 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 10-12,000 active duty Armed Forces (including National Guard) (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military is equipped with a mix of older, secondhand, and limited amounts of newer equipment from a variety of suppliers, including China, France, Germany, South Africa, the former Soviet Union, Spain, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-30 years of age for voluntary and selective compulsory military service for men and women; compulsory service is 18 months (2025) **Military - note:** the Beninese Armed Forces (FAB) are responsible for defense against external aggression and may be required to assist in maintaining public order and internal security under conditions defined by the country's president; it may also participate in economic development projects a key focus for the security forces of Benin is countering infiltrations into the country by terrorist groups tied to al-Qa'ida and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) operating just over the border from northern Benin in Burkina Faso and Niger; in 2022, the Benin Government said it was "at war" after suffering a series of attacks from these groups; later that same year, President TALON pledged to increase the size of the military, modernize military equipment, and establish forward operating bases; the military since 2022 has also deployed thousands of additional troops to the north of the country to better secure the border region; in addition, the FAB participates in the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa in the general area of the Lake Chad Basin and along Nigeria's northeastern border (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM); Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS); Boko Haram note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 23,225 (2024 est.) IDPs: 12,501 (2024 est.) --- ## Bermuda **Slug:** bermuda **Region:** North America **Flag:** 🇧🇲 **Codes:** cek: bd, iso2: BM, iso3: BMU, iso_num: 060, genc: BMU, stanag: BMU, internet: .bm ### Introduction **Background:** Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists heading for Virginia. Self-governing since 1620, Bermuda is the oldest and most populous of the British Overseas Territories. Vacationing on the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be important for the island's economy, although international business has overtaken it in recent years as Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A referendum on independence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995. ### Geography **Location:** North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of South Carolina (US) **Geographic coordinates:** 32 20 N, 64 45 W **Map references:** North America **Area:** total : 54 sq km land: 54 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about one-third the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 103 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter **Terrain:** low hills separated by fertile depressions **Elevation:** highest point: Town Hill 79 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism **Land use:** agricultural land: 5.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 14.4% (2023 est.) other: 80% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** NA **Population distribution:** relatively even population distribution throughout **Natural hazards:** hurricanes (June to November) **Geography - note:** the archipelago consists of over 170 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, as well as thousands of cays, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by the US Government from 1941 to 1995 ### People and Society **Population:** total: 73,007 (2025 est.) male: 35,503 female: 37,504 **Nationality:** noun: Bermudian(s) adjective: Bermudian **Ethnic groups:** African descent 52%, White 31%, mixed 9%, Asian 4%, other 4% (2010 est.) **Languages:** English (official), Portuguese **Religions:** Protestant 46.2% (includes Anglican 15.8%, African Methodist Episcopal 8.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 6.7%, Pentecostal 3.5%, Methodist 2.7%, Presbyterian 2.0%, Church of God 1.6%, Baptist 1.2%, Salvation Army 1.1%, Brethren 1.0%, other Protestant 2.0%), Roman Catholic 14.5%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, other Christian 9.1%, Muslim 1%, other 3.9%, none 17.8%, unspecified 6.2% (2010 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16.4% (male 6,133/female 5,817) 15-64 years: 60.9% (male 22,247/female 22,113) 65 years and over: 22.7% (2024 est.) (male 7,021/female 9,469) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 66.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 27.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 38.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 43.9 years (2025 est.) male: 41.5 years female: 46.3 years **Population growth rate:** 0.27% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.82 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** relatively even population distribution throughout **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 10,000 HAMILTON (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 1.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 82.5 years (2024 est.) male: 79.4 years female: 85.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.88 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.92 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 49.7% (2016 est.) **Education expenditure:** 1.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 7.8% national budget (2017 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 12 years (2023 est.) male: 11 years (2023 est.) female: 12 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution from vehicle emissions; scarce water resources; solid waste disposal; hazardous waste disposal; sewage disposal; overfishing; oil spills **Climate:** subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter **Land use:** agricultural land: 5.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 14.4% (2023 est.) other: 80% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 577,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 9 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 577,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 82,000 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 2% (2012 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands etymology: named after Juan de BERMUDEZ, an early 16th-century Spanish sea captain and the first European explorer of the archipelago **Government type:** Overseas Territory of the UK with limited self-government; parliamentary democracy **Dependency status:** overseas territory of the UK **Capital:** name: Hamilton geographic coordinates: 32 17 N, 64 47 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November etymology: named after Henry HAMILTON, who served as governor of Bermuda from 1788 to 1794 **Administrative divisions:** 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick **Legal system:** English common law **Constitution:** history: several previous (dating to 1684); latest entered into force 8 June 1968 (Bermuda Constitution Order 1968) amendment process: proposal procedure - NA; passage by an Order in Council in the UK **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the UK dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Andrew MURDOCH (since 23 January 2025) head of government: Premier David BURT (since 19 July 2017) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, approved by the governor election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as the premier **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Assembly number of seats: 36 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 10/1/2020 parties elected and seats per party: PLP (30); OBA (6) percentage of women in chamber: 20% expected date of next election: 2025 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 11 (appointed) term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 2022 percentage of women in chamber: 63.6% expected date of next election: 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and at least 2 justices); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, 4 puisne judges, and 1 associate justice); the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) is the court of final appeal judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal justice appointed by the governor; justice tenure by individual appointment; Supreme Court judges nominated by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission and appointed by the governor; judge tenure based on terms of appointment subordinate courts: commercial court (began in 2006); magistrates' courts **Political parties:** Free Democratic Movement or FDM One Bermuda Alliance or OBA Progressive Labor Party or PLP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Consul General Antoinette HURTADO (since 27 March 2025) embassy: US Consulate Bermuda, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire, DV 03, Bermuda mailing address: 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300 telephone: (441) 295-1342 FAX: (441) 295-1592 email address and website: HamiltonConsulate@state.gov https://bm.usconsulate.gov/ consulate(s) general: 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DV O3 **International organization participation:** Caricom (associate), ICC (NGOs), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC (NGOs), UPU, WCO **Independence:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **National holiday:** Bermuda Day, 24 May note: formerly known as Victoria Day, Empire Day, and Commonwealth Day **Flag:** description: a red field with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms centered on the right half of the flag; the coat of arms is a white shield with a red lion on a green field, holding a scroll showing the sinking of the ship "Sea Venture" history: the 1609 shipwreck of the "Sea Venture" led to the settling of Bermuda note: Bermuda is the only British overseas territory that uses a red field on its flag; all others use blue **National symbol(s):** red lion **National coat of arms:** Bermuda's coat of arms was formally granted by Royal Warrant on 4 October 1910 but has been in use since at least 1624; the red lion is a symbol of Great Britain; the Latin motto under the coat of arms, Quo Fata Ferunt, means "Whither the Fates Carry [Us];" the ship is the Sea Venture, an English ship that was wrecked on then-uninhabited Bermuda in 1609 **National anthem(s):** title: "Hail to Bermuda" lyrics/music: Bette JOHNS history: serves as a local anthem _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as a UK territory **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural); note - excerpted from the UK entry selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Town of St. George and Related Fortifications ### Economy **Economic overview:** small, tourism- and construction-based, territorial-island economy; American import and tourist destination; known offshore banking hub; increasing inflation; major re-exportation and re-importation area **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $6.808 billion (2024 est.) $6.667 billion (2023 est.) $6.355 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.1% (2024 est.) 4.9% (2023 est.) 6.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $105,300 (2024 est.) $103,100 (2023 est.) $98,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $8.98 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.8% (2022 est.) 1.4% (2021 est.) 0% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.2% (2023 est.) industry: 4.6% (2023 est.) services: 91.5% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 45.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 11% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 11.3% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 56.3% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -24.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products, honey **Industries:** international business, tourism, light manufacturing **Industrial production growth rate:** -3.6% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Remittances:** 23.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 22.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 22.7% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $999.2 million (2017 est.) expenditures: $1.176 billion (2017 est.) **Current account balance:** $1.32 billion (2023 est.) $1.135 billion (2022 est.) $962.258 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.599 billion (2023 est.) $1.425 billion (2022 est.) $1.136 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 40%, South Africa 38%, Netherlands 15%, USA 2%, Angola 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, ships, aircraft, liquor, railway cargo containers (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $2.3 billion (2023 est.) $2.235 billion (2022 est.) $1.925 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 38%, Cyprus 31%, UK 6%, China 6%, Canada 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum, railway cargo containers, packaged medicine, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** Bermudian dollars (BMD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1 (2024 est.) 1 (2023 est.) 1 (2022 est.) 1 (2021 est.) 1 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 172,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 590.38 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 43.172 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 99% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 4 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 4 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 122.737 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 28,200 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 62,500 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 97 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 3 TV stations; cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; roughly 13 radio stations operating **Internet country code:** .bm **Internet users:** percent of population: 98% (2017 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 23,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** VP-B **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 122 (2023) by type: container ship 15, oil tanker 8, other 99 **Ports:** total ports: 4 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 2 very small: 0 size unknown: 1 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Freeport, Hamilton, Ireland Island, St. George ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Royal Bermuda Regiment; Bermuda Police Service (2025) note: the Royal Bermuda Regiment (aka "The Regiment") includes the Royal Bermuda Regiment Coast Guard **Military and security service personnel strengths:** the Royal Bermuda Regiment has about 350 troops (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Regiment is equipped with small arms (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** men and women who are Commonwealth citizens and 18-45 years of age can volunteer for the Bermuda Regiment; service is for a minimum period of three years and two months from the date of enlistment; after completing their initial service, soldiers in the Regiment can choose to extend their service (2025) **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the UK; the Royal Bermuda Regiment’s responsibilities include maritime security of Bermuda’s inshore waters, search and rescue, ceremonial duties, humanitarian/disaster assistance, security of key installations, and assisting the Bermuda Police with maintaining public order; it includes explosive ordnance disposal, diver, maritime, security police, and support units (2026) --- ## Bhutan **Slug:** bhutan **Region:** South Asia **Flag:** 🇧🇹 **Codes:** cek: bt, iso2: BT, iso3: BTN, iso_num: 064, genc: BTN, stanag: BTN, internet: .bt ### Introduction **Background:** After Britain’s victory in the 1865 Duar War, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding land to British India. Ugyen WANGCHUCK -- who had served as the de facto ruler of an increasingly unified Bhutan and had improved relations with the British toward the end of the 19th century -- was named king in 1907. Three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs, and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. Bhutan negotiated a similar arrangement with independent India in 1949. The Indo-Bhutanese Treaty of Friendship returned to Bhutan a small piece of the territory annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. Under a succession of modernizing monarchs beginning in the 1950s, Bhutan joined the UN in 1971 and slowly continued its engagement beyond its borders. In 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the draft of Bhutan's first constitution -- which introduced major democratic reforms -- and held a national referendum for its approval. The King abdicated the throne in 2006 in favor of his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK. In 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty, eliminating the clause that stated that Bhutan would be "guided by" India in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate closely with New Delhi. In 2008, Bhutan held its first parliamentary election in accordance with the constitution. Bhutan experienced a peaceful turnover of power following a parliamentary election in 2013, which resulted in the defeat of the incumbent party. In 2018, the incumbent party again lost the parliamentary election. In 2024, of the more than 100,000 ethnic Nepali -- predominantly Lhotshampa -- refugees who fled or were forced out of Bhutan in the 1990s, about 6,500 remain displaced in Nepal. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Asia, between China and India **Geographic coordinates:** 27 30 N, 90 30 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 38,394 sq km land: 38,394 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Maryland; about one-half the size of Indiana **Land boundaries:** total: 1,136 km border countries (2): China 477 km; India 659 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas **Terrain:** mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna **Elevation:** highest point: Gangkar Puensum 7,570 m lowest point: Drangeme Chhu 97 m mean elevation: 2,220 m **Natural resources:** timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate **Land use:** agricultural land: 13.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 10.8% (2023 est.) forest: 70.6% (2023 est.) other: 15.6% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 320 sq km (2012) **Natural hazards:** violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's Bhutanese name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season **Geography - note:** landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes ### People and Society **Population:** total: 892,877 (2025 est.) male: 461,679 female: 431,198 **Nationality:** noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese **Ethnic groups:** Ngalop (also known as Bhote) 50%, ethnic Nepali 35% (predominantly Lhotshampas), indigenous or migrant tribes 15% **Languages:** Sharchopkha 28%, Dzongkha (official) 24%, Lhotshamkha 22%, other 26% (includes foreign languages) (2005 est.) **Religions:** Lamaistic Buddhist 75.3%, Indian- and Nepali-influenced Hinduism 22.1%, other 2.6% (2005 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 23.1% (male 104,771/female 99,981) 15-64 years: 70.2% (male 322,497/female 298,324) 65 years and over: 6.7% (2024 est.) (male 30,397/female 28,576) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 42.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 32.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 9.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 10.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 31.2 years (2025 est.) male: 31.1 years female: 30.3 years **Population growth rate:** 0.93% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 15.05 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.75 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 44.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 203,000 THIMPHU (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 47 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 23 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 24.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 73.7 years (2024 est.) male: 72.5 years female: 75 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.75 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.85 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.9% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.8% of GDP (2021) 6.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.55 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 2.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 91.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 85.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 87.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 8.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 14.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 12.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 6.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 18.5% (2025 est.) male: 26.1% (2025 est.) female: 9.8% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 8.7% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 62% (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 22.2% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 64.9% (2022 est.) male: 73.4% (2022 est.) female: 57% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2022 est.) male: 12 years (2022 est.) female: 14 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** soil erosion; limited access to potable water; wildlife conservation; industrial pollution; waste disposal **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea **Climate:** varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas **Land use:** agricultural land: 13.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 10.8% (2023 est.) forest: 70.6% (2023 est.) other: 15.6% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 44.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 733,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 241,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 492,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 26.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 111,300 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 1.7% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 17 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 318 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 78 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan local long form: Druk Gyalkhap local short form: Druk Yul etymology: name may derive from the Sanskrit words bhoṭa, the name for Tibet, and anta, meaning "end" -- a reference to Bhutan's location at the southernmost end of Tibet; the local Dzongkha name Druk Yul means "Land of the Dragon" **Government type:** constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Thimphu geographic coordinates: 27 28 N, 89 38 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the origins of the name are unclear; the traditional explanation, dating to the 14th century, is that thim means "dissolve" and phu means "rock," in reference to a local deity who dissolved before a traveler's eyes, becoming a part of the rock on which the present city stands **Administrative divisions:** 20 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Dagana, Gasa, Haa, Lhuentse, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatshel, Punakha, Samdrup Jongkhar, Samtse, Sarpang, Thimphu, Trashigang, Trashi Yangtse, Trongsa, Tsirang, Wangdue Phodrang, Zhemgang **Legal system:** civil law based on Buddhist religious law **Constitution:** history: previous governing documents were various royal decrees; first constitution drafted November 2001 to March 2005, ratified 18 July 2008 amendment process: proposed as a motion by simple majority vote in a joint session of Parliament; passage requires at least a three-fourths majority vote in a joint session of the next Parliament and assent by the king **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Bhutan dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Tshering TOBGAY (since 28 January 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers or Lhengye Zhungtshog members nominated by the monarch in consultation with the prime minister and approved by the National Assembly; members serve 5-year terms election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary but can be removed by a two-thirds vote of Parliament; leader of the majority party in Parliament is nominated as the prime minister, appointed by the monarch **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Chi Tshog) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly (Tshogdu) number of seats: 47 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 1/9/2024 parties elected and seats per party: People's Democratic Party (PDP) (30); Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP) (17) percentage of women in chamber: 4.3% expected date of next election: January 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: National Council (Gyelyong Tshogde) number of seats: 25 (20 directly elected; 5 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 0 years most recent election date: 4/20/2023 parties elected and seats per party: N/A; note - the National Council is not party-based percentage of women in chamber: 12% expected date of next election: April 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 associate justices) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the monarch on the advice of the National Judicial Commission, a 4-member body to include the Legislative Committee of the National Assembly, the attorney general, the Chief Justice of Bhutan and the senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court; other judges (drangpons) appointed by the monarch from among the High Court judges selected by the National Judicial Commission; chief justice serves a 5-year term or until reaching age 65 years, whichever is earlier; the 4 other judges serve 10-year terms or until age 65, whichever is earlier subordinate courts: High Court (first appellate court); District or Dzongkhag Courts; sub-district or Dungkhag Courts note: the Supreme Court has sole jurisdiction in constitutional matters **Political parties:** Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT Bhutan Tendrel Party or BTP Druk Thuendrel Tshogpa or DTT People's Democratic Party or PDP United Party of Bhutan (Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa) or DNT **Diplomatic representation in the US:** consulate(s) general: 343 East, 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 682-2371 FAX: [1] (212) 661-0551 email address and website: consulate.pmbny@mfa.gov.bt https://www.mfa.gov.bt/pmbny/ note: Bhutan and the United States do not have diplomatic relations, but the two countries established consular relations on 23 July 1986; the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Bhutan was established in New York with an officer from the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Bhutan to the United Nations holding dual accreditation as the Consul General with consular jurisdiction in the US; Phuntsho NORBU has served as the Consul General since October 2022 and is the Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN **Diplomatic representation from the US:** note: Although Bhutan and the United States have never established formal diplomatic relations, the two countries maintain informal relations via the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India, and Bhutan’s Mission to the United Nations in New York **International organization participation:** ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) **Independence:** 17 December 1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king); 8 August 1949 (Treaty of Friendship with India maintains Bhutanese independence) **National holiday:** National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907) **Flag:** description: divided diagonally from the lower-left corner to the upper-right corner; the upper triangle is yellow, and the lower triangle is dark orange; centered along the dividing line is a large, stylized black-and-white dragon facing to the right; the dragon is called the Druk (Thunder Dragon) and is the national emblem meaning: white stands for purity, and the jewels in the dragon's claws symbolize wealth; the background colors represent the spiritual and secular powers in Bhutan, with orange standing for Buddhism and yellow for the ruling dynasty **National symbol(s):** mythical thunder dragon (druk) **National color(s):** orange, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Druk tsendhen" (The Thunder Dragon Kingdom) lyrics/music: Gyaldun Dasho Thinley DORJI/Aku TONGMI history: adopted 1953 ### Economy **Economic overview:** hydropower investments spurring economic development; Gross National Happiness economy; sharp poverty declines; low inflation; strong monetary and fiscal policies; stable currency; fairly resilient response to COVID-19; key economic and strategic relations with India; climate vulnerabilities **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $11.517 billion (2023 est.) $10.981 billion (2022 est.) $10.437 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.9% (2023 est.) 5.2% (2022 est.) 4.4% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $14,600 (2023 est.) $14,100 (2022 est.) $13,500 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $3.019 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.8% (2024 est.) 4.2% (2023 est.) 5.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 15% (2023 est.) industry: 29.6% (2023 est.) services: 52.7% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 59.4% (2023 est.) government consumption: 20.3% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 44.5% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.7% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 28.3% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -53.2% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** rice, milk, potatoes, root vegetables, maize, oranges, areca nuts, chillies/peppers, pumpkins/squash, carrots/turnips (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism **Industrial production growth rate:** 0% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 406,500 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.9% (2024 est.) 3.2% (2023 est.) 6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 13.8% (2024 est.) male: 11.2% (2024 est.) female: 16.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 12.4% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 28.5 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.6% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 22.7% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 3.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.6% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $740.328 million (2020 est.) expenditures: $802.177 million (2020 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 111% of GDP (2020 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 12.3% (of GDP) (2020 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$669.766 million (2024 est.) -$963.122 million (2023 est.) -$805.723 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $944.391 million (2024 est.) $867.871 million (2023 est.) $791.342 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** India 92%, Italy 4%, Indonesia 1%, China 1%, Singapore 0% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** iron alloys, aircraft, dolomite, semi-finished iron, cement (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $1.513 billion (2024 est.) $1.77 billion (2023 est.) $1.581 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** India 82%, Singapore 8%, China 5%, Thailand 2%, Indonesia 1% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, gold, plastics, broadcasting equipment, iron reductions (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $941.018 million (2024 est.) $654.481 million (2023 est.) $825.755 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $2.827 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** ngultrum (BTN) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 83.669 (2024 est.) 82.599 (2023 est.) 78.604 (2022 est.) 73.918 (2021 est.) 74.1 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 2.344 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 11.914 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 6 billion kWh (2020 est.) imports: 834.7 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 86.681 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** hydroelectricity: 100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 4,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 105,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 54 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 122,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 64.082 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 0 (2024 est.) no service subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0 (2024 est.) no service **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 790,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned TV station established in 1999; cable TV service offers dozens of Indian and other international channels; first radio station, privately launched in 1973, is now state-owned; 5 private radio stations are currently broadcasting (2012) **Internet country code:** .bt **Internet users:** percent of population: 88% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 10,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** A5 **Airports:** 4 (2025) **Heliports:** 8 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Royal Bhutan Army (RBA; includes Royal Bodyguard of Bhutan, or RBG, and an air wing); National Militia Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs: Royal Bhutan Police (2025) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 7-8,000 active Royal Bhutan Army (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Royal Bhutan Army is lightly armed; it has a small amount of heavy equipment, such as armored cars and helicopters, originating from the former Soviet Union, India, and Thailand (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; militia training is compulsory for men aged 20-25 over a 3-year period (2025) **Military deployments:** 180 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025) **Military - note:** the Army is responsible for external threats but also has some internal security functions such as conducting counterinsurgency operations, guarding forests, and providing security for prominent persons; Bhutan's closest security partner is India; under the 2007 India-Bhutan Friendship Treaty, both countries agreed to cooperate closely on issues relating to their national interests (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** IDPs: 138 (2024 est.) --- ## Bolivia **Slug:** bolivia **Region:** South America **Flag:** 🇧🇴 **Codes:** cek: bl, iso2: BO, iso3: BOL, iso_num: 068, genc: BOL, stanag: BOL, internet: .bo ### Introduction **Background:** Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simón BOLÍVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825. Much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of coups and countercoups, with the last coup occurring in 1980. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. In 2005, Bolivians elected Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES as president -- by the widest margin of any leader since 1982 -- after he ran on a promise to change the country's traditional political class and empower the poor and indigenous majority. In 2009 and 2014, MORALES easily won reelection, and his party maintained control of the legislative branch. In 2016, MORALES narrowly lost a referendum to approve a constitutional amendment that would have allowed him to compete in the 2019 presidential election. A subsequent Supreme Court ruling stating that term limits violate human rights provided the justification for MORALES to run despite the referendum, but rising violence, pressure from the military, and widespread allegations of electoral fraud ultimately forced him to flee the country. An interim government, led by President Jeanine AÑEZ Chávez, held new elections in 2020, and Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora was elected president. ### Geography **Location:** Central South America, southwest of Brazil **Geographic coordinates:** 17 00 S, 65 00 W **Map references:** South America **Area:** total : 1,098,581 sq km land: 1,083,301 sq km water: 15,280 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than three times the size of Montana **Land boundaries:** total: 7,252 km border countries (5): Argentina 942 km; Brazil 3,403 km; Chile 942 km; Paraguay 753 km; Peru 1,212 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid **Terrain:** rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin **Elevation:** highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m mean elevation: 1,192 m **Natural resources:** lithium, tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 35.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 30.5% (2023 est.) forest: 50.6% (2023 est.) other: 13.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 2,972 sq km (2017) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lago Titicaca (shared with Peru) - 8,030 sq km salt water lake(s): Lago Poopo - 1,340 sq km **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Paraná (2,582,704 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Amazon Basin **Population distribution:** a high-altitude plain in the west between two cordillera of the Andes, known as the Altiplano, is the focal area for most of the population; a dense settlement pattern is also found in and around the city of Santa Cruz, located on the eastern side of the Andes **Natural hazards:** flooding in the northeast (March to April) volcanism: volcanic activity in Andes Mountains on the border with Chile; historically active volcanoes in this region are Irruputuncu (5,163 m), which last erupted in 1995, and the Olca-Paruma volcanic complex (5,762 m to 5,167 m) **Geography - note:** landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru ### People and Society **Population:** total: 12,436,103 (2025 est.) male: 6,257,914 female: 6,178,189 **Nationality:** noun: Bolivian(s) adjective: Bolivian **Ethnic groups:** Mestizo (mixed White and Indigenous ancestry) 68%, Indigenous 20%, White 5%, Cholo/Chola 2%, African descent 1%, other 1%, unspecified 3%; 44% other Indigenous group, predominantly Quechua or Aymara (2009 est.) note: results among surveys vary based on the wording of the ethnicity question and the available response choices; the 2001 national census did not provide "Mestizo" as a response choice, resulting in a much higher proportion of respondents identifying themselves as belonging to one of the available indigenous ethnicity choices; the use of "Mestizo" and "Cholo" varies among response choices in surveys, with surveys using the terms interchangeably, providing one or the other as a response choice, or providing the two as separate response choices **Languages:** Spanish (official) 68.1%, Quechua (official) 17.2%, Aymara (official) 10.5%, Guarani (official) 0.6%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.1%; note - Spanish and all Indigenous languages are official (2012 est.) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 65%, Protestant 19.6% (Evangelical (non-specific) 11.9%, Evangelical Baptist 2.1%, Evangelical Pentecostal 1.8%, Evangelical Methodist 0.7%, Adventist 2.8%, Protestant (non-specific) 0.3%), Believer (not belonging to the church) 0.9%, other 4.8%, atheist 1.7%, agnostic 0.6%, none 6.1%, unspecified 1.3% (2023 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 28.5% (male 1,792,803/female 1,718,081) 15-64 years: 64.5% (male 4,002,587/female 3,937,953) 65 years and over: 7% (2024 est.) (male 397,384/female 463,166) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 54 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 42.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 11 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 9.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 27 years (2025 est.) male: 26.2 years female: 27 years **Population growth rate:** 1.01% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 17.02 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** a high-altitude plain in the west between two cordillera of the Andes, known as the Altiplano, is the focal area for most of the population; a dense settlement pattern is also found in and around the city of Santa Cruz, located on the eastern side of the Andes **Urbanization:** urban population: 71.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.936 million LA PAZ (capital), 1.820 million Santa Cruz, 1.400 million Cochabamba (2022); 278,000 Sucre (constitutional capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 21.1 years (2008 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 146 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 22.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 24.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 72.5 years (2024 est.) male: 71 years female: 74 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.13 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.04 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 81% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 19% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.9% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8.2% of GDP (2021) 16.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.28 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Hospital bed density:** 1.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 51.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 85.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 48.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 14.2% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 20.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 2.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 11% (2025 est.) male: 18.9% (2025 est.) female: 3.2% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 3.4% (2016 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 50.2% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 3.4% (2016) women married by age 18: 19.7% (2016) men married by age 18: 5.2% (2016) **Education expenditure:** 8.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.8% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 95.6% (2023 est.) male: 97.8% (2023 est.) female: 93.5% (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation from agricultural clearing and international demand for timber; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification; loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used for drinking and irrigation **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid **Land use:** agricultural land: 35.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 30.5% (2023 est.) forest: 50.6% (2023 est.) other: 13.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 71.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 21.552 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 24,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 13.647 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 7.881 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 24.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 122.8 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 673.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 73.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 150.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.219 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 34.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 252.91 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 32 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.92 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 574 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Plurinational State of Bolivia conventional short form: Bolivia local long form: Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia local short form: Bolivia former: Upper Peru etymology: the country is named in honor of Simón BOLÍVAR, a 19th-century leader in the South American wars for independence **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: La Paz (administrative capital); Sucre (constitutional [legislative and judicial] capital) geographic coordinates: 16 30 S, 68 09 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: La Paz is a shortening of the original name of the city, Pueblo Nuevo de Nuestra Señora de La Paz (New Town of Our Lady of Peace); Sucre is named after Antonio José de SUCRE (1795-1830), the second president of Bolivia note: at approximately 3,630 m above sea level, La Paz's elevation makes it the highest capital city in the world **Administrative divisions:** 9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Beni, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija **Legal system:** civil law system with influences from Roman, Spanish, canon (religious), French, and ethnic groups' pre-colonial law **Constitution:** history: many previous; latest drafted 6 August 2006 to 9 December 2008, approved by referendum 25 January 2009, effective 7 February 2009 amendment process: proposed through public petition by at least 20% of voters or by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership of the Assembly and approval in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal and compulsory **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (since 8 November 2025) head of government: President Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (since 8 November 2025) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot one of 3 ways: candidate wins at least 50% of the vote, or at least 40% of the vote and 10% more than the next highest candidate; otherwise, a second round is held and the winner determined by simple majority vote; president and vice president are elected by majority vote to serve a 5-year term; no term limits most recent election date: 17 August 2025 election results: 2025: Rodrigo PAZ Pereira elected president in second round; percent vote in first round - Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (PDC) 32.1%, Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramírez (LIBRE) 26.7%, Samuel DORIA MEDINA Auza (UN) 19.7%, Andrónico RODRÌGUEZ Ledezma (AP) 8.5%, Manfred REYES Villa (APB Súmate) 6.8%, Eduardo DEL CASTILLO (MAS) 3.2%, other 3%; percent of vote in second round - Rodrigo PAZ Pereira 55%, Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramírez 45% 2020: Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora elected president; percent of vote - Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora (MAS) 55.1%; Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (CC) 28.8%; Luis Fernando CAMACHO Vaca (Creemos) 14%; other 2.1% 2019: Juan Evo MORALES Ayma reelected president; percent of vote - Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (MAS) 61%; Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana (UN) 24.5%; Jorge QUIROGA Ramirez (POC) 9.1%; other 5.4% expected date of next election: 2030 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Plurinational Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados) number of seats: 130 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 8/17/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Christian Democratic Party (PDC) (49); LIBRE (39); Unity (26); Popular Alliance (8); Other (8) percentage of women in chamber: 50.8% expected date of next election: August 2030 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Chamber of Senators (Cámara de Senadores) number of seats: 36 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 8/17/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Christian Democratic Party (PDC) (16); LIBRE (12); Unity (7); Other (1) percentage of women in chamber: 58.3% expected date of next election: August 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo de Justicia (consists of 12 judges organized into civil, penal, social, and administrative chambers); Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal (consists of 7 primary and 7 alternate magistrates); Plurinational Electoral Organ (consists of 7 members and 6 alternates); National Agro-Environment Court (consists of 5 primary and 5 alternate judges; Council of the Judiciary (consists of 3 primary and 3 alternate judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court, Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal, National Agro-Environmental Court, and Council of the Judiciary candidates pre-selected by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly and elected by direct popular vote; judges elected for 6-year terms; Plurinational Electoral Organ judges appointed - 6 by the Legislative Assembly and 1 by the president of the republic; members serve single 6-year terms subordinate courts: National Electoral Court; District Courts (in each of the 9 administrative departments); agro-environmental lower courts **Political parties:** Autonomy for Bolivia – Súmate or APB Súmate Christian Democratic Party or PDC Community Citizen Alliance or ACC Freedom and Democracy or LIBRE Front for Victory or FPV Movement Toward Socialism or MAS National Unity or UN Popular Alliance or AP Revolutionary Left Front or FRI Revolutionary Nationalist Movement or MNR Social Democrat Movement or MDS Third System Movement or MTS We Believe or Creemos note: We Believe or Creemos [Luis Fernando CAMACHO Vaca] is a coalition comprised of several opposition parties that participated in the 2020 election, which includes the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) and Solidarity Civic Unity (UCS) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Henry BALDELOMAR CHÁVEZ (since 11 October 2023) chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410 FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712 email address and website: embolivia.wdc@gmail.com https://www.boliviawdc.org/en-us/ consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Debra HEVIA (since September 2023) embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, Casilla 425, La Paz mailing address: 3220 La Paz Place, Washington DC 20512-3220 telephone: [591] (2) 216-8000 FAX: [591] (2) 216-8111 email address and website: ConsularLaPazACS@state.gov https://bo.usembassy.gov/ note: in September 2008, the Bolivian Government expelled the US Ambassador to Bolivia, Philip GOLDBERG, and both countries have yet to reinstate their ambassadors **International organization participation:** CAN, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 6 August 1825 (from Spain) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 6 August (1825) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green, with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band meaning: red stands for bravery and the blood of national heroes, yellow for the nation's mineral resources, and green for the land's fertility history: in 2009, a presidential decree made it mandatory for a wiphala -- a square, multi-colored flag representing the country's ethnic groups -- to be used alongside the national flag note: similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large, five-pointed black star centered in the yellow band **National symbol(s):** llama, Andean condor; two national flowers, the cantuta and the patuju **National color(s):** red, yellow, green **National anthem(s):** title: "Cancion Patriotica" (Patriotic Song) lyrics/music: Jose Ignacio de SANJINES/Leopoldo Benedetto VINCENTI history: adopted 1852 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 7 (6 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: City of Potosi (c); El Fuerte de Samaipata (c); Historic Sucre (c); Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos (c); Noel Kempff Mercado National Park (n); Tiahuanacu (c); Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** resource-rich economy benefits during commodity booms; has bestowed juridical rights to Mother Earth, impacting extraction industries; increasing Chinese lithium mining trade relations; hard hit by COVID-19; increased fiscal spending amid poverty increases; rampant banking and finance corruption **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $122.2 billion (2024 est.) $120.531 billion (2023 est.) $116.927 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.4% (2024 est.) 3.1% (2023 est.) 3.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $9,800 (2024 est.) $9,800 (2023 est.) $9,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $49.668 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 5.1% (2024 est.) 2.6% (2023 est.) 1.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 13.5% (2023 est.) industry: 24.2% (2023 est.) services: 51.1% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 68.5% (2023 est.) government consumption: 19.3% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 17.5% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.1% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 25.5% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -30.9% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, soybeans, maize, potatoes, sorghum, rice, milk, chicken, plantains, beef (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** mining, smelting, electricity, petroleum, food and beverages, handicrafts, clothing, jewelry **Industrial production growth rate:** 1.1% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 6.859 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.1% (2024 est.) 3.1% (2023 est.) 3.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 5.2% (2024 est.) male: 4.8% (2024 est.) female: 5.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 37.7% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 42.1 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 29.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.8% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 31.3% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 3.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.5% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $11.796 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $14.75 billion (2019 est.) **Public debt:** 49% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover general government debt and includes debt instruments issued by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities **Current account balance:** -$1.15 billion (2023 est.) $939.084 million (2022 est.) $1.581 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $11.905 billion (2023 est.) $14.465 billion (2022 est.) $11.594 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Brazil 15%, India 13%, China 11%, Argentina 11%, UAE 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, natural gas, precious metal ore, zinc ore, soybean meal (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $12.988 billion (2023 est.) $13.462 billion (2022 est.) $10.187 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 22%, Brazil 18%, Chile 13%, USA 7%, Peru 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, pesticides, trucks, plastics (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.977 billion (2024 est.) $1.8 billion (2023 est.) $3.752 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $11.174 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** bolivianos (BOB) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 6.91 (2024 est.) 6.91 (2023 est.) 6.91 (2022 est.) 6.91 (2021 est.) 6.91 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 99.9% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 95.6% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 4.375 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 10.863 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.079 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 65% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 24.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 3.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 9,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 7,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 58,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 100,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 240.9 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 12.302 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 4.025 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 7.816 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 302.99 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 29.34 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 369,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 12.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 98 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** large number of radio and TV stations broadcasting with private media outlets dominating; state-owned and private radio and TV stations generally operating freely, although both pro-government and anti-government groups have attacked media outlets in response to their reporting (2019) **Internet country code:** .bo **Internet users:** percent of population: 70% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.33 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** CP **Airports:** 201 (2025) **Heliports:** 3 (2025) **Railways:** total: 3,960 km (2019) narrow gauge: 3,960 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 50 (2023) by type: general cargo 30, oil tanker 2, other 18 ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Bolivian Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de Bolivia or FAB): Bolivian Army (Ejercito de Boliviano), Bolivian Navy (Armada Boliviana), Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana) Ministry of Government: National Police (Policía Nacional de Bolivia, PNB) (2025) note: the PNB is part of the reserves for the Armed Forces; the police and military share responsibility for border enforcement **Military expenditures:** 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 30-35,000 active-duty Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military is equipped with a mix of mostly older Brazilian, Chinese, European, and US armaments (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** voluntary service for men and women 18-22 years of age; selective 12-month compulsory service for men, 18-22 (24 months of search and rescue service can be substituted for military service) (2025) note: as of 2024, women comprised about 11% of the Bolivian military's personnel **Military - note:** the Bolivian Armed Forces (FAB) are responsible for territorial defense but also have some internal security duties, particularly counternarcotics and border security; the FAB shares responsibility for border enforcement with the National Police (PNB), and it may be called out to assist the PNB with maintaining public order in critical situations land-locked Bolivia has a naval force for patrolling some 5,000 miles of navigable rivers to combat narcotics trafficking and smuggling, provide disaster relief, and deliver supplies to remote rural areas, as well as for maintaining a presence on Lake Titicaca; the Navy also exists in part to cultivate a maritime tradition and as a reminder of Bolivia’s defeat at the hands of Chile in the War of the Pacific (1879-1883), and its desire to regain access to the Pacific Ocean; every year on 23 March, the Navy participates in parades and government ceremonies commemorating the Día Del Mar (Day of the Sea) holiday that remembers the loss (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Bolivian Space Agency (la Agencia Boliviana Espacial, ABE; established 2010 as a national public company under Ministry of Public Works, Services and Housing) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a small space program focused on acquiring and operating satellites; operates a telecommunications satellite and ground stations; has cooperated with China and India and member states of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2013 - first communications satellite (Túpac Katari, TKSAT-1) built and launched by China 2016 - began independently operating the TKSAT-1 satellite 2021 - signed protocols for establishment of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Tren de Aragua (TdA) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 1,163 (2024 est.) IDPs: 12,070 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Bolivia did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period and was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/bolivia/ **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Bosnia and Herzegovina **Slug:** bosnia-and-herzegovina **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇧🇦 **Codes:** cek: bk, iso2: BA, iso3: BIH, iso_num: 070, genc: BIH, stanag: BIH, internet: .ba ### Introduction **Background:** After four centuries of Ottoman rule over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria-Hungary took control in 1878 and held the region until 1918, when it was incorporated into the newly created Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. After World War II, Bosnia and Herzegovina joined the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). Bosnia and Herzegovina declared sovereignty in October 1991 and independence from the SFRY on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. Bosnian Serb militias, with the support of Serbia and Croatia, then tried to take control of territories they claimed as their own. From 1992 to 1995, ethnic cleansing campaigns killed thousands and displaced more than two million people. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement, and the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995. The Dayton Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a multiethnic and democratic government composed of two entities roughly equal in size: the predominantly Bosniak-Bosnian Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the predominantly Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Dayton Accords also established the Office of the High Representative to oversee the agreement's implementation. In 1996, the NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) took over responsibility for enforcing the peace. In 2004, European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR. As of 2022, EUFOR deploys around 1,600 troops in Bosnia in a peacekeeping capacity. Bosnia and Herzegovina became an official candidate for EU membership in 2022. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia **Geographic coordinates:** 44 00 N, 18 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 51,197 sq km land: 51,187 sq km water: 10 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than West Virginia **Land boundaries:** total: 1,543 km border countries (3): Croatia 956 km; Montenegro 242 km; Serbia 345 km **Coastline:** 20 km **Maritime claims:** NA **Climate:** hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast **Terrain:** mountains and valleys **Elevation:** highest point: Maglic 2,386 m lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 500 m **Natural resources:** coal, iron ore, antimony, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, timber, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 21.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 7.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 12.8% (2023 est.) forest: 42.2% (2023 est.) other: 36.1% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 30 sq km (2012) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** the northern and central areas of the country are the most densely populated **Natural hazards:** destructive earthquakes **Geography - note:** within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Montenegro ### People and Society **Population:** total: 3,653,499 (2025 est.) male: 1,778,548 female: 1,874,951 **Nationality:** noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s) adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian **Ethnic groups:** Bosniak 50.1%, Serb 30.8%, Croat 15.4%, other 2.7%, not declared/no answer 1% (2013 est.) note: Republika Srpska authorities dispute the methodology and refuse to recognize the results; Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam **Languages:** Bosnian (official) 52.9%, Serbian (official) 30.8%, Croatian (official) 14.6%, other 1.6%, no answer 0.2% (2013 est.) major-language sample(s): Knjiga svjetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Bosnian) Knjiga svetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Serbian) Knjiga svjetskih činjenica, nužan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Croatian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 50.7%, Orthodox 30.7%, Roman Catholic 15.2%, atheist 0.8%, agnostic 0.3%, other 1.2%, undeclared/no answer 1.1% (2013 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 13.1% (male 257,444/female 240,209) 15-64 years: 68.3% (male 1,305,271/female 1,290,920) 65 years and over: 18.6% (2024 est.) (male 289,449/female 415,378) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 44.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 16.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 27.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 45.7 years (2025 est.) male: 43.1 years female: 46.5 years **Population growth rate:** -0.67% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 6.88 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 12.29 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the northern and central areas of the country are the most densely populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 50.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 346,000 SARAJEVO (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 27.7 years (2019 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 78.5 years (2024 est.) male: 75.5 years female: 81.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.15 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.56 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 94.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 97.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 96.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 5.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 2.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 3.9% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9.6% of GDP (2021) 14.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.58 physicians/1,000 population (2019) **Hospital bed density:** 2.3 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 17.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 5.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 34% (2025 est.) male: 39.2% (2025 est.) female: 29% (2025 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.2% national budget (2021 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2023 est.) male: 14 years (2023 est.) female: 15 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution; deforestation and illegal logging; inadequate wastewater treatment and flood management facilities; urban waste disposal; uncleared land mines from the 1990s **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast **Land use:** agricultural land: 21.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 7.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 12.8% (2023 est.) forest: 42.2% (2023 est.) other: 36.1% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 50.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 24.513 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 19.292 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 4.785 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 436,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 26.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.249 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 23.8% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 320 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 475 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 37.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina local long form: none local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina abbreviation: BiH etymology: the larger northern territory is named for the Bosna River; the smaller southern section takes its name from the Old Serbian word herceg, meaning "duke," combined with the possessive -ov and the suffix -ina, meaning "country," to denote "dukedom" **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Sarajevo geographic coordinates: 43 52 N, 18 25 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name derives from the Turkish word saray, meaning "palace" or "mansion" **Administrative divisions:** 3 first-order administrative divisions - Brcko District (Brcko Distrikt) (ethnically mixed), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosne i Hercegovine) (predominantly Bosniak-Croat), Republika Srpska (predominantly Serb) **Legal system:** civil law system; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts **Constitution:** history: 14 December 1995 (constitution included as part of the Dayton Peace Accords) amendment process: decided by the Parliamentary Assembly, including a two-thirds majority vote of members present in the House of Representatives; the constitutional article on human rights and fundamental freedoms cannot be amended note: each of the political entities has its own constitution **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina dual citizenship recognized: yes, provided there is a bilateral agreement with the other state residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Chairperson of the Presidency Zeljko KOMSIC (chairperson since 16 July 2025; presidency member since 20 November 2018 - Croat seat); Denis BECIROVIC (presidency member since 16 November 2022 - Bosniak seat); Zeljka CVIJANOVIC (presidency member since 16 November 2022 - Serb seat) head of government: Chairperson of the Council of Ministers Borjana KRISTO (since 25 January 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairperson, approved by the state-level House of Representatives election/appointment process: 3-member presidency (1 Bosniak and 1 Croat elected from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 1 Serb elected from the Republika Srpska) directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term but then ineligible for 4 years); the presidency chairpersonship rotates every 8 months, with the new member of the presidency elected with the highest number of votes starting the new mandate as chair; the chairperson of the Council of Ministers appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the state-level House of Representatives most recent election date: 2 October 2022 election results: 2022: percent of vote - Denis BECIROVIC - (SDP BiH) 57.4% - Bosniak seat; Zeljko KOMSIC (DF) 55.8% - Croat seat; Zeljka CVIJANOVIC (SNSD) 51.7% - Serb seat 2018: percent of vote - Milorad DODIK (SNSD) 53.9% - Serb seat; Zeljko KOMSIC (DF) 52.6% - Croat seat; Sefik DZAFEROVIC (SDA) 36.6% - Bosniak seat expected date of next election: October 2026 note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Lidiia BRADARA (since 28 February 2023) **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliamentary Assembly (Skupstina) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Predstavnicki dom) number of seats: 42 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 2/16/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Party of Democratic Action (SDA) (9); Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) (6); Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina (SDP) (5); HDZ BiH, HSS, HSP BiH, HKDU, HSPAS, HDU, HSPHB, HRAST (4); Democratic Front (DF) - Civic Alliance (GS) (3); People and Justice (NAROD I PRAVDA) (3); (3); Republican Party of the Social Order (PROS) (3); Other (15) percentage of women in chamber: 19% expected date of next election: October 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: House of Peoples (Dom Naroda) number of seats: 15 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/2/2022 percentage of women in chamber: 6.7% expected date of next election: February 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members); Court of BiH (consists of 44 national judges and 7 international judges organized into 3 divisions - Administrative, Appellate, and Criminal, which includes a War Crimes Chamber) judge selection and term of office: BiH Constitutional Court judges - 4 selected by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina House of Representatives, 2 selected by the Republika Srpska's National Assembly, and 3 non-Bosnian judges selected by the president of the European Court of Human Rights; Court of BiH president and national judges appointed by the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council; Court of BiH president appointed for renewable 6-year term; other national judges appointed to serve until age 70; international judges recommended by the president of the Court of BiH and appointed by the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina; international judges appointed to serve until age 70 subordinate courts: the Federation has 10 cantonal courts plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska has a supreme court, 5 district courts, and a number of municipal courts **Political parties:** Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD Bosnian-Herzegovinian Initiative or BHI KF Civic Alliance or GS Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BiH Democratic Front or DF Democratic Union or DEMOS For Justice and Order Our Party or NS/HC Party for Democratic Action or SDA Party of Democratic Progress or PDP People and Justice Party or NiP People's European Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or NES Serb Democratic Party or SDS Social Democratic Party or SDP United Srpska or US **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Sven ALKALAJ (since 30 June 2023) chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502 email address and website: info@bhembassy.org http://www.bhembassy.org/index.html consulate(s) general: Chicago **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires John GINKEL (since September 2025) embassy: 1 Robert C. Frasure Street, 71000 Sarajevo mailing address: 7130 Sarajevo Place, Washington DC 20521-7130 telephone: [387] (33) 704-000 FAX: [387] (33) 659-722 email address and website: sarajevoACS@state.gov https://ba.usembassy.gov/ branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar **International organization participation:** BIS, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) note: Bosnia-Herzegovina is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership **Independence:** 1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia) note: referendum for independence completed on 1 March 1992; independence declared on 3 March 1992 **National holiday:** Independence Day, 1 March (1992) and Statehood Day, 25 November (1943) - both observed in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity; Victory Day, 9 May (1945) and Dayton Agreement Day, 21 November (1995) - both observed in the Republika Srpska entity note: there is no national-level holiday **Flag:** description: a wide blue vertical band on the right side, with a large yellow isosceles triangle in the middle of the flag, based at the top; the rest of the flag is blue, with seven five-pointed white stars and two half-stars along the triangle's hypotenuse meaning: the triangle approximates the country's shape, and its three points stand for the Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs; the stars represent Europe; the colors (white, blue, and yellow) are traditional and are also associated with neutrality and peace note: one of four national flags that reflect the shape of the country in the flag design; the others are Brazil, Eritrea, and Vanuatu **National symbol(s):** golden lily **National color(s):** blue, yellow, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Drzavna himna Bosne i Hercegovine" (The National Anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina) lyrics/music: none officially/Dusan SESTIC history: music adopted 1999; lyrics proposed in 2009 were accepted by a parliamentary commission but are still awaiting adoption, so the anthem remains officially wordless **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 5 (3 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Old Bridge Area of Mostar (c); Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge in Višegrad (c); Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards (c); Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe - Janj Forest (n); Vjetrenica Cave, Ravno (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** import-dominated economy; remains consumption-heavy; lack of private sector investments and diversification; jointly addressing structural economic challenges; Chinese energy infrastructure investments; high unemployment; tourism industry impacted by COVID-19 **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $64.641 billion (2024 est.) $63.077 billion (2023 est.) $61.843 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.5% (2024 est.) 2% (2023 est.) 4.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $20,400 (2024 est.) $19,800 (2023 est.) $19,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $28.343 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.7% (2024 est.) 6.1% (2023 est.) 14% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 4.3% (2024 est.) industry: 22% (2024 est.) services: 58% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 68.3% (2023 est.) government consumption: 19.1% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.1% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 3.2% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 43.9% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -55.7% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** maize, milk, vegetables, potatoes, plums, wheat, apples, barley, chicken, tomatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, ammunition, domestic appliances, oil refining **Industrial production growth rate:** -2.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 1.356 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 10.8% (2024 est.) 10.7% (2023 est.) 12.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 27.3% (2024 est.) male: 25.4% (2024 est.) female: 30.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 16.9% (2015 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Average household expenditures:** on food: 32.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 7.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Remittances:** 11% of GDP (2024 est.) 10.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.5% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $10.196 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $10.463 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 40.3% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 19.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$1.176 billion (2024 est.) -$638.769 million (2023 est.) -$1.078 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $12.141 billion (2024 est.) $12.126 billion (2023 est.) $11.838 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 15%, Croatia 14%, Serbia 12%, Austria 10%, Slovenia 9% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** footwear, electricity, garments, plastic products, insulated wire (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $16.202 billion (2024 est.) $15.37 billion (2023 est.) $15.166 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Italy 13%, Germany 11%, Serbia 11%, China 9%, Croatia 8% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, garments, plastic products, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $9.419 billion (2024 est.) $9.205 billion (2023 est.) $8.762 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $5.359 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** konvertibilna markas (BAM) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.808 (2024 est.) 1.809 (2023 est.) 1.859 (2022 est.) 1.654 (2021 est.) 1.717 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 4.682 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 12.867 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 7.104 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 3.6 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.339 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 64% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 2.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 31.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 12.311 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 12.304 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1.254 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1.327 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2.264 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 34,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 228.855 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 228.855 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 91.227 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 583,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 3.84 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 3 public TV broadcasters: Radio and TV of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federation TV (operating 2 networks), and Republika Srpska Radio-TV; a local commercial network of 5 TV stations; 3 private, near-national TV stations and dozens of small independent TV stations; 3 large public radio broadcasters and many private radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .ba **Internet users:** percent of population: 83% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 908,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** T9 **Airports:** 20 (2025) **Heliports:** 3 (2025) **Railways:** total: 965 km (2014) standard gauge: 965 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (565 km electrified) **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Neum ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH or Oruzanih Snaga Bosne i Hercegovine, OSBiH): Army, Air, Air Defense forces organized into an Operations Command and a Support Command Ministry of Security: Border Police (2025) **Military expenditures:** 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 10,000 active duty Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory of weapons and equipment is a combination of material originating from the former Soviet Union/former Yugoslavia and some newer acquisitions from suppliers such as Türkiye, the UK, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 -27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in January 2006 (2025) note: as of 2024, women made up about 9% of the military's full-time personnel **Military - note:** the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) are responsible for territorial defense, providing assistance to civil authorities during disasters or other emergencies, and participating in collective security and peace support operations; each of the AFBiH's three combat brigades are headquartered inside of their respective ethnicity territory, while its main headquarters is in Sarajevo; Bosnia and Herzegovina aspires to join NATO; Bosnia and Herzegovina joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) program in 2006 and was invited to join NATO’s Membership Action Plan in 2010; the AFBiH is undergoing a 10-year (2017-2027) defense modernization and reform program for preparing to join and integrate with NATO; it has contributed small numbers of troops to EU, NATO, and UN missions NATO maintains a military headquarters in Sarajevo with the mission of assisting Bosnia and Herzegovina with the PfP program and promoting closer integration with NATO, as well as providing logistics and other support to the EU Force Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR), which has operated in the country to oversee implementation of the Dayton/Paris Agreement since taking over from NATO's Stabilization Force (SFOR) in 2004 (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 685 (2024 est.) IDPs: 94,796 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 23 (2024 est.) --- ## Botswana **Slug:** botswana **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇧🇼 **Codes:** cek: bc, iso2: BW, iso3: BWA, iso_num: 072, genc: BWA, stanag: BWA, internet: .bw ### Introduction **Background:** In the early 1800s, multiple political entities in what is now Botswana were destabilized or destroyed by a series of conflicts and population movements in southern Africa. By the end of this period, the Tswana ethnic group, who also live across the border in South Africa, had become the most prominent group in the area. In 1852, Tswana forces halted the expansion of white Afrikaner settlers who were seeking to expand their territory northwards into what is now Botswana. In 1885, Great Britain claimed territory that roughly corresponds with modern day Botswana as a protectorate called Bechuanaland. Upon independence in 1966, the British protectorate of Bechuanaland adopted the new name of Botswana, which means "land of the Tswana." More than five decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created an enduring democracy and upper-middle-income economy. The ruling Botswana Democratic Party has won every national election since independence; President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe MASISI assumed the presidency in 2018 after the retirement of former President Ian KHAMA due to constitutional term limits. MASISI won his first election as president in 2019, and he is Botswana’s fifth president since independence. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Africa, north of South Africa **Geographic coordinates:** 22 00 S, 24 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 581,730 sq km land: 566,730 sq km water: 15,000 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Texas; almost four times the size of Illinois **Land boundaries:** total: 4,347.15 km border countries (4): Namibia 1,544 km; South Africa 1,969 km; Zambia 0.15 km; Zimbabwe 834 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** semiarid; warm winters and hot summers **Terrain:** predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest **Elevation:** highest point: Manyelanong Hill 1,495 m lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m mean elevation: 1,013 m **Natural resources:** diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver **Land use:** agricultural land: 45.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 45.2% (2023 est.) forest: 27.8% (2023 est.) other: 26.6% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 25 sq km (2014) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Limpopo (shared with South Africa [s], Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 1,800 km; Okavango river mouth (shared with Angola [s], and Namibia) - 1,600 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Orange (941,351 sq km) Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Lower Kalahari-Stampriet Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin **Population distribution:** the population is primarily concentrated in the east, with a focus in and around the capital of Gaborone and the eastern city of Francistown; population density remains low in other areas in the country, especially in the Kalahari Desert to the west. **Natural hazards:** periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility **Geography - note:** landlocked; sparsely populated with most settlement concentrated in the southern and eastern parts of the country; geography dominated by the Kalahari Desert, which covers about 70% of the country, although the Okavango Delta brings considerable biodiversity as one of the largest inland deltas in the World ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,521,534 (2025 est.) male: 1,234,898 female: 1,286,636 **Nationality:** noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) **Ethnic groups:** Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and people of European ancestry 7% **Languages:** Setswana 77.3%, Sekalanga 7.4%, Shekgalagadi 3.4%, English (official) 2.8%, Zezuru/Shona 2%, Sesarwa 1.7%, Sembukushu 1.6%, Ndebele 1%, other 2.8% (2011 est.) **Religions:** Christian 79.1%, Badimo 4.1%, other 1.4% (includes Baha'i, Hindu, Muslim, Rastafarian), none 15.2%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 28.7% (male 355,583/female 348,863) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 759,210/female 837,752) 65 years and over: 6.1% (2024 est.) (male 59,513/female 89,747) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 60.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 52.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 8.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 11.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 25.8 years (2025 est.) male: 26 years female: 28.3 years **Population growth rate:** 1.32% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 21.16 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.8 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the population is primarily concentrated in the east, with a focus in and around the capital of Gaborone and the eastern city of Francistown; population density remains low in other areas in the country, especially in the Kalahari Desert to the west. **Urbanization:** urban population: 72.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 269,000 GABORONE (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 155 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 27.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 25.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 66.4 years (2024 est.) male: 64.4 years female: 68.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.73 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.34 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 97.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 79.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 92.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 20.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 7.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.3% of GDP (2021) 14.6% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.38 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 2.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 94.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 63% of population (2022 est.) total: 86% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 5.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 37% of population (2022 est.) total: 14% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 18.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 5.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 1.64 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 17.1% (2025 est.) male: 29.2% (2025 est.) female: 5.5% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 41.5% (2017 est.) **Education expenditure:** 8.1% of GDP (2020 est.) 21.5% national budget (2020 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 12 years (2021 est.) male: 12 years (2021 est.) female: 13 years (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** overgrazing; desertification; limited freshwater resources; air pollution **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** semiarid; warm winters and hot summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 45.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 45.2% (2023 est.) forest: 27.8% (2023 est.) other: 26.6% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 72.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 5.897 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.818 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 3.079 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 12.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 26 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 144 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 841.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 1.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 210,900 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 21% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 129.327 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 24.295 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 59.661 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 12.24 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Botswana conventional short form: Botswana local long form: Republic of Botswana local short form: Botswana former: Bechuanaland etymology: the name Botswana means "Land of the Tswana," referring to the country's largest ethnic group **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Gaborone geographic coordinates: 24 38 S, 25 54 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after GABORONE (ca. 1825-1931), a chief of the Tlokwa tribe, whose name means "it is not unbecoming" **Administrative divisions:** 10 districts and 6 town councils*; Central, Chobe, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, North East, North West, Selebi-Phikwe*, South East, Southern, Sowa Town* **Legal system:** mixed legal system of civil law influenced by the Roman-Dutch model, including customary and common law **Constitution:** history: previous 1960 (pre-independence); latest adopted March 1965, effective 30 September 1966 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires approval in two successive Assembly votes with at least two-thirds majority in the final vote; proposals to amend constitutional provisions on fundamental rights and freedoms, the structure and branches of government, and public services also requires approval by majority vote in a referendum and assent by the president of the republic **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Botswana dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Duma BOKO (since 1 November 2024) head of government: President Duma BOKO (since 1 November 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); vice president appointed by the president most recent election date: 31 October 2024 election results: BOKO's UDC won 35 seats in the National Assembly, which then selected BOKO as president expected date of next election: October 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: National Assembly number of seats: 69 (61 directly elected; 6 indirectly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 10/30/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) (36); Botswana Congress Party (BCP) (15); Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) (5); Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) (4); Other (1) percentage of women in chamber: 9% expected date of next election: October 2029 note: the House of Chiefs (Ntlo ya Dikgosi), an advisory body to the National Assembly, consists of 35 members -- 8 hereditary chiefs from Botswana's principal tribes, 22 indirectly elected by the chiefs, and 5 appointed by the president; the House of Chiefs consults on issues including powers of chiefs, customary courts, customary law, tribal property, and constitutional amendments **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal, High Court (each consists of a chief justice and a number of other judges as prescribed by the Parliament) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and High Court chief justices appointed by the president and other judges appointed by the president upon the advice of the Judicial Service Commission; all judges appointed to serve until age 70 subordinate courts: Industrial Court (with circuits scheduled monthly in the capital city and in 3 districts); Magistrates Courts (1 in each district); Customary Court of Appeal; Paramount Chief's Court/Urban Customary Court; Senior Chief's Representative Court; Chief's Representative’s Court; Headman's Court **Political parties:** Alliance of Progressives or AP Botswana Congress Party or BCP Botswana Democratic Party or BDP Botswana National Front or BNF [Duma BOKO]Botswana Patriotic Front or BPF Botswana Peoples Party or BPP Botswana Republic Party or BRP Umbrella for Democratic Change or UDC (various times the coalition has included the BPP, BCP, BNF and other parties) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Mpho Churchill MOPHUTING (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990 FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164 email address and website: info@botswanaembassy.org http://www.botswanaembassy.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Howard A. VAN VRANKEN (since 24 May 2023) embassy: Embassy Drive, Government Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone mailing address: 2170 Gaborone Place, Washington DC 20521-2170 telephone: [267] 395-3982 FAX: [267] 318-0232 email address and website: ConsularGaborone@state.gov https://bw.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 30 September 1966 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966) **Flag:** description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe across the middle meaning: the blue symbolizes rainwater, and the black and white bands represent racial harmony **National symbol(s):** zebra **National color(s):** light blue, white, black **National coat of arms:** the two zebras, the country’s national symbol, support an elephant tusk that represents the country's fauna and a head of sorghum that signifies agriculture; the three wavy blue bands stand for the country’s reliance on water, the cog wheels for industry, and the bull’s head for the cattle industry; the coat of arms also features the national colors of light blue, white, and black; the motto reflects the scarcity of rain in the country: pula means “let there be rain” in Setswana, the national language **National anthem(s):** title: "Fatshe leno la rona" (Our Land) lyrics/music: Kgalemang Tumedisco MOTSETE history: adopted 1966 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Tsodilo Hills (c); Okavango Delta (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** good economic governance and financial management; diamond-driven growth model declining; rapid poverty reductions; high unemployment, particularly among youth; COVID-19 sharply contracted the economy and recovery is slow; public sector wages have posed fiscal challenges **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $45.553 billion (2024 est.) $46.957 billion (2023 est.) $45.498 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -3% (2024 est.) 3.2% (2023 est.) 5.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $18,100 (2024 est.) $18,900 (2023 est.) $18,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $19.401 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.8% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 11.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.7% (2024 est.) industry: 29.4% (2024 est.) services: 63.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 45.3% (2024 est.) government consumption: 32.1% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 28.5% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 7.7% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 26% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -40.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** root vegetables, beef, vegetables, sorghum, maize, game meat, milk, watermelons, goat milk, sunflower seeds (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver; beef processing; textiles **Industrial production growth rate:** -13.5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 1.173 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 23.2% (2024 est.) 23.4% (2023 est.) 23.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 43.9% (2024 est.) male: 39.8% (2024 est.) female: 48.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 16.1% (2015 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 54.9 (2015 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.4% (2015 est.) highest 10%: 42.9% (2015 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $5.474 billion (2024 est.) expenditures: $6.296 billion (2024 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 19.6% of GDP (2020 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 19.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$116.727 million (2023 est.) -$232.122 million (2022 est.) -$314.583 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $6.398 billion (2023 est.) $8.914 billion (2022 est.) $7.861 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UAE 27%, India 17%, Belgium 16%, South Africa 8%, USA 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** diamonds, copper ore, insulated wire, carbonates, cattle (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $7.228 billion (2023 est.) $8.826 billion (2022 est.) $9.25 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** South Africa 65%, Namibia 8%, Canada 5%, China 3%, India 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, diamonds, cars, flavored water, electricity (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $3.456 billion (2024 est.) $4.756 billion (2023 est.) $4.279 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $1.761 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** pulas (BWP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 13.563 (2024 est.) 13.596 (2023 est.) 12.369 (2022 est.) 11.087 (2021 est.) 11.456 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 75.9% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 95.5% electrification - rural areas: 25% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 758,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 3.879 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 2 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 1.923 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 625.694 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 99.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 2.242 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 1.351 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 891,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 300 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.66 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 22,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 32.443 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 83,200 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 4.13 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 164 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 2 TV stations, 1 state-owned and 1 privately owned; privately owned satellite TV subscription service is available; 2 state-owned national radio stations; 4 privately owned radio stations broadcast locally (2019) **Internet country code:** .bw **Internet users:** percent of population: 81% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 85,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** A2 **Airports:** 122 (2025) **Railways:** total: 888 km (2014) narrow gauge: 888 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Botswana Defense Force (BDF): Ground Forces Command, Air Arm Command, Defense Logistics Command (2025) note 1: both the BDF and the Botswana Police Service (BPS) report to the Ministry of Defense, Justice and Security; the BPS has primary responsibility for internal security note 2: the Ground Force Command includes a marine unit with boats and river craft for patrolling Botswana's internal waterways and supporting anti-poaching operations **Military expenditures:** 3% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 3% of GDP (2021 est.) 3% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 10,000 active Botswana Defense Force (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the BDF has a mix of mostly older weapons and equipment, largely of Western/European origin; in recent years, it has received limited amounts of newer armaments from several European countries and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-24 years of age (men and women) for general recruits and officer candidates; 18-40 for special entrant officers; no conscription (2025) **Military - note:** the key responsibilities of the Botswana Defense Force (BDF) are defending the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity on land and in the air, ensuring national security and stability, and aiding civil authorities in support of domestic missions such as disaster relief and anti-poaching; the BDF also participates in regional and international security operations Bechuanaland/Botswana did not have a permanent military during colonial times, with the British colonial administrators relying instead on small, lightly armed constabularies such as the Bechuanaland Mounted Police, the Bechuanaland Border Police, and by the early 1960s, the Police Mobile Unit (PMU); after independence in 1966, Botswana militarized the PMU and gave it responsibility for the country’s defense rather than create a conventional military force; however, turmoil in neighboring countries and numerous cross-border incursions by Rhodesian and South African security forces in the 1960s and 1970s demonstrated that the PMU was inadequate for defending the country and led to the establishment of the BDF in 1977 (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 823 (2024 est.) IDPs: 99 (2023 est.) --- ## Bouvet Island **Slug:** bouvet-island **Region:** Antarctica **Flag:** 🇧🇻 **Codes:** cek: bv, iso2: BV, iso3: BVT, iso_num: 074, genc: BVT, stanag: BVT, internet: .bv ### Introduction **Background:** This uninhabited volcanic island in Antarctica is almost entirely covered by glaciers, making it difficult to approach. Bouvet Island is recognized as the most remote island on Earth because it is furthest from any other point of land (1,639 km from Antarctica). The island was named after the French naval officer who discovered it in 1739, although no country laid claim to it until 1825, when the British flag was raised. A few expeditions visited the island in the late 19th century. In 1929, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island two years previously. In 1971, Norway designated Bouvet Island and the adjacent territorial waters as a nature reserve. Since 1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station and studied foraging strategies and distribution of fur seals and penguins on the island. In 2006, an earthquake weakened the station's foundation, causing it to be blown out to sea in a winter storm. Norway erected a new research station in 2014 that can hold six people for periods of two to four months. ### Geography **Location:** island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) **Geographic coordinates:** 54 26 S, 3 24 E **Map references:** Antarctic Region **Area:** total : 49 sq km land: 49 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about 0.3 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 29.6 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 4 nm **Climate:** antarctic **Terrain:** volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible **Elevation:** highest point: Olavtoppen (Olav Peak) 780 m lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** none **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) arable land: 0% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) **Natural hazards:** occasional volcanism, rock slides; harsh climate, surrounded by pack ice in winter **Geography - note:** almost entirely covered by glacial ice (93%); declared a nature reserve by Norway; the distance from Bouvet Island to Norway is 12,776 km, which is almost one-third the circumference of the earth ### People and Society **Population:** total: uninhabited note: a small, seasonal research station is located in the northwest corner of Bouvet Island ### Environment **Climate:** antarctic **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) arable land: 0% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bouvet Island etymology: named after the French naval officer Jean-Baptiste Charles BOUVET who discovered the island in 1739 note: pronounced boo-vay i-land **Dependency status:** territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice and Oslo Police **Legal system:** the laws of Norway apply **Flag:** the flag of Norway is used ### Communications **Internet country code:** .bv ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of Norway --- ## Brazil **Slug:** brazil **Region:** South America **Flag:** 🇧🇷 **Codes:** cek: br, iso2: BR, iso3: BRA, iso_num: 076, genc: BRA, stanag: BRA, internet: .br ### Introduction **Background:** After more than three centuries under Portuguese rule, Brazil gained its independence in 1822, maintaining a monarchical system of government until the abolition of slavery in 1888 and the subsequent proclamation of a republic by the military in 1889. Brazilian coffee exporters politically dominated the country until populist leader Getúlio VARGAS rose to power in 1930. VARGAS governed through various versions of democratic and authoritarian regimes from 1930 to 1945. Democratic rule returned in 1945 -- including a democratically elected VARGAS administration from 1951 to 1954 -- and lasted until 1964, when the military overthrew President João GOULART. The military regime censored journalists and repressed and tortured dissidents in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The dictatorship lasted until 1985, when the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers, and the Brazilian Congress passed its current constitution in 1988. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior. Having successfully weathered a period of global financial difficulty in the late 20th century, Brazil was soon seen as one of the world's strongest emerging markets and a contributor to global growth under President Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (2003-2010). The awarding of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympic Games -- the first ever to be held in South America -- to Brazil was symbolic of the country's rise. However, from about 2013 to 2016, Brazil was plagued by a sagging economy, high unemployment, and high inflation, only emerging from recession in 2017. Congress removed then-President Dilma ROUSSEFF (2011-2016) from office in 2016 for having committed impeachable acts against Brazil's budgetary laws, and her vice president, Michel TEMER, served the remainder of her second term. A money-laundering investigation, Operation Lava Jato, uncovered a vast corruption scheme and prosecutors charged several high-profile Brazilian politicians with crimes. Former President LULA was convicted of accepting bribes and served jail time (2018-19), although his conviction was overturned in 2021. LULA's revival became complete in 2022 when he narrowly defeated incumbent Jair BOLSONARO (2019-2022) in the presidential election. Positioning Brazil as an independent global leader on climate change and promoting sustainable development, LULA took on the 2024 G20 presidency, balancing the fight against deforestation with sustainable energy and other projects designed to alleviate poverty and promote economic growth, such as expanding fossil fuel exploration. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean **Geographic coordinates:** 10 00 S, 55 00 W **Map references:** South America **Area:** total : 8,515,770 sq km land: 8,358,140 sq km water: 157,630 sq km note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than the US **Land boundaries:** total: 16,145 km border countries (10): Argentina 1,263 km; Bolivia 3,403 km; Colombia 1,790 km; French Guiana 649 km; Guyana 1,308 km; Paraguay 1,371 km; Peru 2,659 km; Suriname 515 km; Uruguay 1,050 km; Venezuela 2,137 km **Coastline:** 7,491 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin **Climate:** mostly tropical, but temperate in south **Terrain:** mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt **Elevation:** highest point: Pico da Neblina 2,994 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 320 m **Natural resources:** alumina, bauxite, beryllium, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, niobium, phosphates, platinum, tantalum, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber **Land use:** agricultural land: 28.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 20.7% (2023 est.) forest: 58.9% (2023 est.) other: 12.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 91,833 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lagoa dos Patos - 10,140 sq km salt water lake(s): Lagoa Mirim (shared with Uruguay) - 2,970 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Amazon river mouth (shared with Peru [s]) - 6,400 km; Río de la Plata/Paraná river source (shared with Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay [m]) - 4,880 km; Tocantins - 3,650 km; São Francisco - 3,180 km; Paraguay river source (shared with Argentina and Paraguay [m]) - 2,549 km; Rio Negro river mouth (shared with Colombia [s] and Venezuela) - 2,250 km; Uruguay river source (shared with Argentina and Uruguay [m]) - 1,610 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km), Paraná (2,582,704 sq km), São Francisco (617,814 sq km), Tocantins (764,213 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Amazon Basin, Guarani Aquifer System, Maranhao Basin **Population distribution:** the vast majority of people live along or near the Atlantic coast in the east; the population core is in the southeast, anchored by the cities of São Paolo, Brasília, and Rio de Janeiro **Natural hazards:** recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south **Geography - note:** note 1: largest country in South America and in the Southern Hemisphere; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador; most of the Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetland, extends through the west central part of the country; shares Iguaçu Falls (Iguazú Falls), the world's largest waterfalls system, with Argentina note 2: Rocas Atoll, located off the northeast coast of Brazil, is the only atoll in the South Atlantic ### People and Society **Population:** total: 221,359,387 (2025 est.) male: 108,753,532 female: 112,605,855 **Nationality:** noun: Brazilian(s) adjective: Brazilian **Ethnic groups:** mixed 45.3%, White 43.5%, Black 10.2%, Indigenous 0.6%, Asian 0.4% (2022 est.) **Languages:** Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language); less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and many minor Amerindian languages major-language sample(s): O Livro de Fatos Mundiais, a fonte indispensável para informação básica. (Brazilian Portuguese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 56.8%, Evangelical 26.9%, none 9.3%, other 4%, Spirtism (Espírita) 1.8%, unspecified 1.4%, Umbanda and Candomblé 1.1%, Indigenous religions .06%, undeclared 0.2% (2022) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 19.6% (male 22,025,593/female 21,088,398) 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 75,889,089/female 77,118,722) 65 years and over: 10.9% (2024 est.) (male 10,251,809/female 13,677,901) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 44.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 28.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 16.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 6.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 35.4 years (2025 est.) male: 34 years female: 36.1 years **Population growth rate:** 0.58% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 13.04 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.07 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the vast majority of people live along or near the Atlantic coast in the east; the population core is in the southeast, anchored by the cities of São Paolo, Brasília, and Rio de Janeiro **Urbanization:** urban population: 87.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 22.620 million São Paulo, 13.728 million Rio de Janeiro, 6.248 million Belo Horizonte, 4.873 million BRASÍLIA (capital), 4.264 million Recife, 4.212 million Porto Alegre (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 67 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 14.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.3 years (2024 est.) male: 72.6 years female: 80.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.73 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.84 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 2% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9.9% of GDP (2021) 9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.36 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 2.5 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 94.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 65% of population (2022 est.) total: 91% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 5.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 35% of population (2022 est.) total: 9% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 22.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 6.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 11.2% (2025 est.) male: 14.4% (2025 est.) female: 8.3% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 3.5% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 56.9% (2019 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 12.9% national budget (2022 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 94.8% (2024 est.) male: 94.5% (2024 est.) female: 95.1% (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2022 est.) male: 15 years (2022 est.) female: 17 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation in Amazon Basin; illegal wildlife trade; illegal poaching; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and other large cities; land degradation and water pollution from mining; wetland degradation; oil spills **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping-London Protocol **Climate:** mostly tropical, but temperate in south **Land use:** agricultural land: 28.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 20.7% (2023 est.) forest: 58.9% (2023 est.) other: 12.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 87.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 437.769 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 53.664 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 331.079 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 53.026 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 10.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 1,759.1 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 13,761.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 3,361.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 382.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 79.07 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 2.8% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 16.397 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 10.2 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 41.336 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 8.647 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 6 global geoparks and regional networks: Araripe; Cacapava; Quarta Colonia; Serido; Southern Canyons Pathways; Uberaba (2024) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil conventional short form: Brazil local long form: República Federativa do Brasil local short form: Brasil etymology: the country name derives from the brazil tree that used to grow plentifully along the coast of Brazil and that was used to produce a deep red dye **Government type:** federal presidential republic **Capital:** name: Brasília geographic coordinates: 15 47 S, 47 55 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: Brazil has four time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islands etymology: the name is the Latinized form of the country name, bestowed on the new capital of Brazil in 1960; previous Brazilian capitals were Salvador (1549-1763) and Rio de Janeiro (1763 to 1960) **Administrative divisions:** 26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondônia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins **Legal system:** civil law note: a new civil-law code in 2002 replaced the 1916 code **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest ratified 5 October 1988 amendment process: proposed by at least one third of either house of the National Congress, by the president of the republic, or by simple majority vote by more than half of the state legislative assemblies; passage requires at least three-fifths majority vote by both houses in each of two readings; constitutional provisions affecting the federal form of government, separation of powers, suffrage, or individual rights and guarantees cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 4 years **Suffrage:** voluntary between 16 to 18 years of age, over 70, and if illiterate; compulsory between 18 to 70 years of age note: military conscripts by law cannot vote **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (since 1 January 2023) head of government: President Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (since 1 January 2023) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a single consecutive term and additional terms after at least one term has elapsed) most recent election date: 2 October 2022, with runoff on 30 October 2022 election results: 2022: Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (PT) 48.4%, Jair BOLSONARO (PSL) 43.2%, Simone Nassar TEBET (MDB) 4.2%, Ciro GOMES (PDT) 3%, other 1.2%; percent of vote in second round - Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva (PT) 50.9%, Jair BOLSONARO (PSL) 49.1% 2018: Jair BOLSONARO elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jair BOLSONARO (PSL) 46%, Fernando HADDAD (PT) 29.3%, Ciro GOMEZ (PDT) 12.5%, Geraldo ALCKMIN (PSDB) 4.8%, other 7.4%; percent of vote in second round - Jair BOLSONARO (PSL) 55.1%, Fernando HADDAD (PT) 44.9% expected date of next election: 4 October 2026 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Congress (Congresso nacional) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Cámara dos Deputados) number of seats: 513 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/2/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Liberal Party (PL) (99); Workers' Party (PT) (69); Brazil Union (União) (59); Progressive Party (PP) (47); Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) (42); Social Democratic Party (PSD) (42); Republicans (Republicanos) (40); Other (106) percentage of women in chamber: 18.1% expected date of next election: October 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Federal Senate (Senado Federal) number of seats: 81 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 8 years most recent election date: 10/2/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Liberal Party (PL) (8); Brazil Union (União) (5); Workers' Party (PT) (4); Progressive Party (PP) (3); Social Democratic Party (PSD) (2); Republicans (Republicanos) (2); Other (3) percentage of women in chamber: 19.8% expected date of next election: October 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Federal Court or Supremo Tribunal Federal (consists of 11 justices) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the president and approved by absolute majority by the Federal Senate; justices appointed to serve until mandatory retirement at age 75 subordinate courts: Tribunal of the Union, Federal Appeals Court, Superior Court of Justice, Superior Electoral Court, regional federal courts; state court system **Political parties:** Act (Agir) (formerly Christian Labor Party or PTC) Avante (formerly Labor Party of Brazil or PTdoB) Brazil Union (União Brasil); note - founded from a merger between the Democrats (DEM) and the Social Liberal Party (PSL) Brazilian Communist Party or PCB Brazilian Democratic Movement or MDB Brazilian Labor Party or PTB Brazilian Renewal Labor Party or PRTB Brazilian Labor Party or PTB Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB Christian Democracy or DC (formerly Christian Social Democratic Party) Cidadania (formerly Popular Socialist Party or PPS) Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB Democratic Labor Party or PDT Democratic Party or PSDC Democrats or DEM (formerly Liberal Front Party or PFL); note - dissolved in February 2022 Green Party or PV Liberal Party or PL [Valdemar Costa Neto] (formerly Party of the Republic or PR) National Mobilization Party or PMN New Party or NOVO Patriota (formerly National Ecologic Party or PEN) Podemos (formerly National Labor Party or PTN) Progressive Party (Progressistas) or PP Republican Social Order Party or PROS Republicans (Republicanos) (formerly Brazilian Republican Party or PRB) Social Christian Party or PSC Social Democratic Party or PSD Social Liberal Party or PSL Socialism and Freedom Party or PSOL Solidarity or SD Sustainability Network or REDE United Socialist Workers' Party or PSTU Workers' Cause Party or PCO Workers' Party or PT **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro VIOTTI (since 30 June 2023) chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700 FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827 email address and website: contact.washington@itamaraty.gov.br https://www.gov.br/mre/pt-br/embaixada-washington consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Hartford (CT), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Gabriel ESCOBAR (since 21 January 2025) embassy: SES - Avenida das Nações, Quadra 801, Lote 03, 70403-900 - Brasília, DF mailing address: 7500 Brasilia Place, Washington DC 20521-7500 telephone: [55] (61) 3312-7000 FAX: [55] (61) 3225-9136 email address and website: BrasilliaACS@state.gov https://br.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Recife, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo branch office(s): Belo Horizonte **International organization participation:** AfDB (nonregional member), BIS, BRICS, CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, CPLP, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-5, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OECD (enhanced engagement), OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 7 September 1822 (from Portugal) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 7 September (1822) **Flag:** description: green with a large yellow diamond in the center, showing a blue celestial globe with 27 five-pointed white stars; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress) meaning: green stands for the country's forests, and yellow for its mineral wealth, with the diamond representing the country's shape; the blue globe and stars depict the sky over Rio de Janeiro on the morning of 15 November 1889, the day the Republic of Brazil was declared; the number of stars has risen with the creation of new states, from 21 to 27 (one for each state and the Federal District) history: the flag was inspired by the former Empire of Brazil's flag (1822-1889) note: one of four national flags that reflect the shape of the country in the flag design; the others are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Eritrea, and Vanuatu **National symbol(s):** Southern Cross constellation **National color(s):** green, yellow, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "Hino Nacional Brasileiro" (Brazilian National Anthem) lyrics/music: Joaquim Osorio Duque ESTRADA/Francisco Manoel DA SILVA history: music adopted 1890, lyrics adopted 1922; the anthem's music, composed in 1822, was used unofficially for many years **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 24 (15 cultural, 9 natural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Brasilia (c); Historic Salvador de Bahia (c); Historic Ouro Preto (c); Historic Center of the Town of Olinda (c); Iguaçu National Park (n); Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis (c); Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes (c); Central Amazon Conservation Complex (n); Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves (n); Historic Center of Salvador de Bahia (c); Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas (c ); Brasilia (c ); Serra da Capivara National Park (c ); Historic Center of Sao Luis( c); Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves (n); Historic Center of the Town of Diamantina (c ); Pantanal Conservation Area (n); Brazilian Atlantic Islands: Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas Reserves (n); Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks (n); Historic Centre of the Town of Goiás (c); São Francisco Square in the Town of São Cristóvão (c ); Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea (c ); Pampulha Modern Ensemble (c ); Valongo Wharf Archaeological Site (c ); Paraty and Ilha Grande – Culture and Biodiversity (m); Sítio Roberto Burle Marx (c ); Lençóis Maranhenses National Park (n);Peruaçu River Canyon (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income, largest Latin American economy; Mercosur, BRICS, G20 member and OECD accession candidate; growth driven by strong domestic consumption; monetary tightening helping curb inflation rate; high inequality in income and access to health and education **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $4.165 trillion (2024 est.) $4.029 trillion (2023 est.) $3.902 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.4% (2024 est.) 3.2% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $19,600 (2024 est.) $19,100 (2023 est.) $18,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $2.179 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.4% (2024 est.) 4.6% (2023 est.) 9.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 5.6% (2024 est.) industry: 21.3% (2024 est.) services: 59.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 63.8% (2024 est.) government consumption: 18.8% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 17% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -0.1% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 18% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -17.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, soybeans, maize, milk, cassava, oranges, chicken, beef, rice, wheat (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 106.79 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 7.7% (2024 est.) 8% (2023 est.) 9.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 18% (2024 est.) male: 15.7% (2024 est.) female: 20.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 4.2% (2016 est.) note: approximately 4% of the population are below the "extreme" poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 51.6 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 16.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.3% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 40.8% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $556.303 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $706.816 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 83% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 14% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$61.194 billion (2024 est.) -$27.933 billion (2023 est.) -$42.157 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $388.333 billion (2024 est.) $389.192 billion (2023 est.) $380.492 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 30%, USA 10%, Argentina 5%, Netherlands 3%, Chile 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** soybeans, crude petroleum, iron ore, raw sugar, corn (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $377.05 billion (2024 est.) $340.195 billion (2023 est.) $369.861 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 23%, USA 16%, Germany 5%, Argentina 5%, Russia 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, fertilizers, crude petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, gas turbines (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $329.732 billion (2024 est.) $355.021 billion (2023 est.) $324.673 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $198.582 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** reals (BRL) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 5.389 (2024 est.) 4.994 (2023 est.) 5.164 (2022 est.) 5.394 (2021 est.) 5.155 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 97.3% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 240.251 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 608.451 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 7.186 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 22.294 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 106.916 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 8.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 13.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 60.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 8.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 2 (2025) Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 1 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 1.88GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 2.2% (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 15.556 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 32.223 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 5,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 18.257 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 6.596 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 4.221 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 3.163 million bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 12.715 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 22.702 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 29.065 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 101.203 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 6.356 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 363.985 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 48.889 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 22.5 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 216 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 102 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-run Radiobras operates a radio and a TV network; more than 1,000 radio stations and more than 100 TV channels operating, mostly privately owned; private media ownership highly concentrated (2022) **Internet country code:** .br **Internet users:** percent of population: 84% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 48.4 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** PP **Airports:** 5,297 (2025) **Heliports:** 1,871 (2025) **Railways:** total: 29,849.9 km (2014) standard gauge: 194 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 23,341.6 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge (24 km electrified) broad gauge: 5,822.3 km (2014) 1.600-m gauge (498.3 km electrified) dual gauge: 492 km (2014) 1.600-1.000-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 888 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 13, container ship 20, general cargo 38, oil tanker 27, other 790 **Ports:** total ports: 45 (2024) large: 4 medium: 7 small: 19 very small: 15 ports with oil terminals: 31 key ports: Belem, DTSE/Gegua Oil Terminal, Itajai, Port de Salvador, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Santos, Tubarao, Vitoria ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Brazilian Armed Forces (Forças Armadas Brasileiras): Brazilian Army (Exercito Brasileiro, EB), Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil; includes Naval Aviation (Aviacao Naval Brasileira) and Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais)), Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira) (2025) note: the three national police forces – the Federal Police, Federal Highway Police, and Federal Railway Police – have domestic security responsibilities and report to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (Ministry of Justice) **Military expenditures:** 1.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 360,000 active Armed Forces (220,000 Army; 70,000 Navy; 70,000 Air Force) (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Brazilian military's inventory consists of a mix of domestically produced and imported weapons, largely from Europe and the US; Brazil's defense industry designs and manufactures equipment for all three military services and for export; it also jointly produces equipment with other countries (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-45 years of age for compulsory military service for men (only 5-10% of those inducted are required to serve); compulsory service obligation is generally 12 months; 17-45 (18 for women) years of age for voluntary service (2025) note: in 2024, women were reported to comprise approximately 10% of the Brazilian military **Military - note:** the Brazilian Armed Forces (BAF) are the second largest military in the Western Hemisphere behind the US; they are responsible for external security and protecting the country's sovereignty but also have an internal security role; the BAF’s missions include patrolling and protecting the country’s long borders and coastline and extensive territorial waters and river network, assisting with internal security, providing domestic disaster response and humanitarian assistance, and participating in multinational peacekeeping missions; it also cooperates with neighboring countries such as Argentina and Paraguay to combat cross-border smuggling and trafficking Brazil has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation the origins of Brazil's military stretch back to the 1640s; Brazil provided a 25,000-man expeditionary force with air and ground units to fight with the Allies in the Mediterranean Theater during World War II; the Navy participated in the Battle of the Atlantic (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Brazilian Space Agency (Agência Espacial Brasileira, AEB; established in 1994 when Brazil’s space program was transferred from the military to civilian control); National Institute for Space Research (INPE, under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations); Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA, under the Aeronautics Command (COMAER) of the Ministry of Defense) (2025) **Space launch site(s):** Alcantara Launch Center (Maranhão state); Barreira do Inferno Launch Center (Rio Grande do Norte state) (2025) **Space program overview:** develops, builds, operates, and tracks satellites, including communications, remote sensing (RS), multi-mission, navigational, and scientific/testing/research; satellites are launched by foreign partners, but Brazil has a long-standing sounding (research) rocket and satellite launch vehicle (SLV) program and rocket launch facilities; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of Argentina, Canada, the ESA, individual ESA member states (particularly France and Germany), India, Japan, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Ukraine, and the US; has a state-controlled communications company that operates Brazil’s communications satellites and a growing commercial space sector (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1960s - established a national space program under the Air Force 1984 - began satellite launch vehicle (SLV) program (Veículo Lançador de Satélites or VLS-1) 1985 - first communications satellite jointly produced with Canada and launched on European SLV 1993 - first domestically built experimental communications satellite (Satélite de Coleta de Dados, SCD-1) launched by US 2004 - launched a sounding rocket into sub-orbital space, but the subsequent catastrophic failure of a VLS-1 during a test launch led to scaling back the program 2006 - first Brazilian astronaut to the International Space Station on a Russian rocket 2008 - began work on a 3-stage microsatellite launch vehicle (Veículo Lançador de Microssatélite or VLM-1) in partnership with Germany 2021 - first independently produced remote sensing (RS) satellite (Amazonia-1) launched by India; signed US-led Artemis Accords on space exploration cooperation and signed cooperation agreements with the space agencies of China, India, Russia, and South Africa for the joint development of an RS satellite constellation 2022 - successfully launched suborbital rocket more than 225 km (140 miles) in height ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Hizballah; Tren de Aragua (TdA) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 331,097 (2024 est.) IDPs: 19,043 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 27 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Brazil did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period and was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/brazil/ **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## British Indian Ocean Territory **Slug:** british-indian-ocean-territory **Region:** South Asia **Flag:** 🇮🇴 **Codes:** cek: io, iso2: IO, iso3: IOT, iso_num: 086, genc: IOT, stanag: IOT, internet: .io ### Introduction **Background:** Formerly administered as part of the British Crown Colony of Mauritius, the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) was established as an overseas territory of the UK in 1965. A number of the islands in the territory were later transferred to the Seychelles when it gained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted of the six main island groups that make up the Chagos Archipelago. Only Diego Garcia, the largest and most southerly of the islands, is inhabited. It contains a joint UK-US naval support facility and hosts one of four dedicated ground antennas that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system -- the others are on Kwajalein (Marshall Islands); at Cape Canaveral, Florida (US); and on Ascension Island (Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha). The US Air Force also operates a telescope array on Diego Garcia as part of the Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance System (GEODSS) for tracking orbital debris, which can be a hazard to spacecraft and astronauts. Between 1967 and 1973, the former agricultural workers who lived on the islands were relocated, primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles. Negotiations with the UK between 1971 and 1982 resulted in the establishment of a trust fund to compensate the displaced islanders, known as Chagossians. Beginning in 1998, the islanders pursued a series of lawsuits against the British Government, seeking further compensation and the right to return to the territory. British court rulings in 2006 and 2007 invalidated immigration policies that had excluded the islanders from the archipelago, but in 2008, the House of Lords -- the final court of appeal in the UK -- ruled in favor of the British Government by overturning the lower court rulings and finding no right of return for the Chagossians. In 2015, the Permanent Court of Arbitration unanimously held that the marine protected area that the UK declared around the Chagos Archipelago in 2010 violated the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. In 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled in an advisory opinion that Britain’s decolonization of Mauritius was not lawful because of continued Chagossian claims. A non-binding 2019 UN General Assembly vote demanded that Britain end its “colonial administration” of the Chagos Archipelago and that it be returned to Mauritius. On 22 May 2025, the United Kingdom and Mauritius signed an agreement that will lead to the transfer of sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius. Under the agreement, the United Kingdom will lease Diego Garcia from Mauritius for 99 years and maintain full operational control of the joint UK-US military base. ### Geography **Location:** archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about halfway between Africa and Indonesia **Geographic coordinates:** 6 00 S, 71 30 E note: Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E **Map references:** Political Map of the World **Area:** total : 60 sq km land: 60 sq km (44 Diego Garcia) water: 54,340 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands **Area - comparative:** land area is about one-third the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 698 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm Environment (Protection and Preservation) Zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds **Terrain:** flat and low coral atolls (most areas do not exceed 2 m, or 6.6 ft, in elevation); sits atop the submarine volcanic Chagos-Laccadive Ridge **Elevation:** highest point: ocean-side dunes on Diego Garcia 9 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** coconuts, fish, sugarcane **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) arable land: 0% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) **Natural hazards:** none; located outside routes of Indian Ocean cyclones **Geography - note:** note 1: archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, the largest and southernmost island, occupies a strategic location in the central Indian Ocean note 2: Diego Garcia is the only inhabited island of the BIOT ### People and Society **Population:** total: no permanent inhabitants note: Diego Garcia, the largest of the 58 islands, hosts a joint UK-US military facility ### Environment **Environmental issues:** wastewater discharge into the lagoon on Diego Garcia **Climate:** tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) arable land: 0% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT etymology: self-descriptive name specifying the territory's affiliation and location **Dependency status:** overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office in London **Capital:** name: administered from London; often regarded as being on Diego Garcia geographic coordinates: 7 18S, 12 24E time difference: UTC+6 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) **Legal system:** the laws of the UK apply **Constitution:** history: British Indian Ocean Territory (Constitution) Order 2004 **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022) head of government: Commissioner Nishi DHOLAKIA (since 16 December 2024); Administrator Bob FAIRWEATHER; both reside in the UK and are represented by Commander Andrew WILLIAMS, RN, the officer commanding British Forces on Diego Garcia (since January 2025) cabinet: NA election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK) **International organization participation:** UPU **Flag:** description: white with six wavy blue horizontal stripes; the UK flag is in the upper-left quadrant; the striped section has a palm tree and yellow crown (the territory's symbols) centered on the right half of the flag meaning: the wavy stripes represent the Indian Ocean; the six blue stripes may stand for the six main atolls of the archipelago **National anthem(s):** title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as a UK overseas territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** small island territory economy; economic activity mainly on Diego Garcia with national military installations; recently settled disputes with Mauritius have increased oil exports; established marine reserve has limited commercial fishing **Exports - partners:** Singapore 86%, Pakistan 8%, USA 1%, South Africa 1%, Czechia 1% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fish (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports - partners:** Greece 52%, Singapore 38%, USA 4%, Panama 2%, UAE 2% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, animal products, aluminum structures, insulated wire, prefabricated buildings (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** the US dollar is used ### Communications **Broadcast media:** Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) broadcasts over 3 frequencies for US and UK military personnel stationed on the islands **Internet country code:** .io **Communications - note:** Diego Garcia hosts one of four dedicated ground antennas that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system (the others are on Kwajalein (Marshall Islands), at Cape Canaveral, Florida (US), and on Ascension Island (Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha)) ### Transportation **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Diego Garcia ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the UK; on 22 May 2025, the UK and Mauritius signed an agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius; under the agreement, the UK will lease Diego Garcia from Mauritius for 99 years and maintain full operational control of the joint UK-US military base (2025) --- ## British Virgin Islands **Slug:** british-virgin-islands **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇻🇬 **Codes:** cek: vi, iso2: VG, iso3: VGB, iso_num: 092, genc: VGB, stanag: VGB, internet: .vg ### Introduction **Background:** First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and then annexed by the English in 1672. The islands were part of the British colony of the Leeward Islands (1872-1960); they were granted autonomy in 1967. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west, and the US dollar is the legal currency. In 2017, Hurricane Irma devastated the island of Tortola. An estimated 80% of residential and business structures were destroyed or damaged, communications disrupted, and local roads rendered impassable. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico **Geographic coordinates:** 18 30 N, 64 30 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 151 sq km land: 151 sq km water: 0 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke **Area - comparative:** about 0.9 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 80 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds **Terrain:** coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Sage 521 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** NEGL; pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism **Land use:** agricultural land: 46.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 6.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 33.3% (2023 est.) forest: 66.5% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** NA **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout the inhabited islands, with the largest islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke having the largest populations **Natural hazards:** hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) **Geography - note:** strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico ### People and Society **Population:** total: 40,830 (2025 est.) male: 19,373 female: 21,457 **Nationality:** noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander **Ethnic groups:** African/Black 76.3%, Latino 5.5%, White 5.4%, mixed 5.3%, Indian 2.1%, East Indian 1.6%, other 3%, unspecified 0.8% (2010 est.) **Languages:** English (official), Virgin Islands Creole **Religions:** Protestant 70.2% (Methodist 17.6%, Church of God 10.4%, Anglican 9.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 9.0%, Pentecostal 8.2%, Baptist 7.4%, New Testament Church of God 6.9%, other Protestant 1.2%), Roman Catholic 8.9%, Jehovah's Witness 2.5%, Hindu 1.9%, other 6.2%, none 7.9%, unspecified 2.4% (2010 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16.6% (male 3,298/female 3,351) 15-64 years: 71.3% (male 13,455/female 15,152) 65 years and over: 12.1% (2024 est.) (male 2,289/female 2,557) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 41.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 23.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 17.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 5.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 38.8 years (2025 est.) male: 38.1 years female: 38.9 years **Population growth rate:** 1.78% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.8 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 12.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout the inhabited islands, with the largest islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke having the largest populations **Urbanization:** urban population: 49.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.73% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 15,000 ROAD TOWN (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 13 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 80.1 years (2024 est.) male: 78.6 years female: 81.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.39 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.68 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 13.6% national budget (2025 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 11 years (2022 est.) male: 11 years (2022 est.) female: 11 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited natural freshwater resources; water pollution from sewage and mining/industry waste; coral reef preservation **Climate:** subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds **Land use:** agricultural land: 46.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 6.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 33.3% (2023 est.) forest: 66.5% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 49.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.73% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 188,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 188,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 21,100 tons (2024 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI etymology: the islets, cays, and rocks surrounding the major islands reminded explorer Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers (Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes), which over time was shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes) **Government type:** Overseas Territory of the UK with limited self-government; parliamentary democracy **Dependency status:** overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing **Capital:** name: Road Town geographic coordinates: 18 25 N, 64 37 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: name refers to the nautical term "roadstead" or "roads," a body of water less sheltered than a harbor but where ships can still lie at anchor **Legal system:** English common law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest effective 15 June 2007 (The Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007) amendment process: initiated by any elected member of the House of Assembly; passage requires simple majority vote by the elected members of the Assembly and assent by the governor on behalf of the monarch **Citizenship:** see United Kingdom **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Daniel PRUCE (since 29 January 2024) head of government: Premier Dr. Natalio WHEATLEY (since 5 May 2022) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the House of Assembly election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as premier note: on 5 May 2022, Premier Andrew FAHIE was removed from office by a no-confidence vote in the House of Assembly after his arrest on drug-trafficking and money-laundering charges; Premier Dr. Natalio WHEATLEY was sworn in as premier on 5 May 2022 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: House of Assembly legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 15 (directly elected and appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 4/24/2023 parties elected and seats per party: VIP (6); NDP (3); PVIM (3); PU (1) expected date of next election: 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts judge selection and term of office: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62 subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts **Political parties:** National Democratic Party or NDP Progressive Virgin Islands Movement or PVIM Progressives United or PU Virgin Islands Party or VIP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK) **International organization participation:** ACS (associate), Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU **Independence:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **National holiday:** Territory Day, 1 July (1956) **Flag:** description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered on the right half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman between two columns of six oil lamps, above a scroll with the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful) meaning: Christopher COLUMBUS named the islands in 1493 in honor of Saint Ursula and her virgin followers, and the figure holding a lamp represents the saint, with the other lamps symbolizing her followers **National symbol(s):** zenaida dove, white cedar flower **National color(s):** yellow, green, red, white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as a UK overseas territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** British Caribbean island territorial economy; strong tourism and services industries; vulnerable to hurricanes; navigating public debt insolvency since 2008 Crisis; considered a tax haven; high electrification costs; major rum exporter **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.634 billion (2024 est.) $1.579 billion (2023 est.) $1.537 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **Real GDP per capita:** $40,500 (2024 est.) $38,600 (2023 est.) $38,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.598 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 8.5% (2022 est.) 2.8% (2021 est.) 1.4% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **Agricultural products:** fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish **Industries:** tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore banking center **Budget:** revenues: $400 million (2017 est.) expenditures: $400 million (2017 est.) **Exports - partners:** Malta 33%, Guyana 22%, Greece 11%, Germany 7%, Indonesia 4% (2023) **Exports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum, aircraft, molasses, precious stones (2023) **Imports - partners:** USA 34%, Italy 10%, France 9%, China 8%, Luxembourg 5% (2023) **Imports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum, aircraft, railway cargo containers, jewelry (2023) **Exchange rates:** the US dollar is used ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 63,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 163.82 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 10.18 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 97.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 20 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 1,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 66.998 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 24,400 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 62 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 36,800 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 93 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 private TV station; multi-channel TV is available from cable and satellite subscription services; about a half-dozen private radio stations **Internet country code:** .vg **Internet users:** percent of population: 78% (2017 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 7,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** VP-L **Airports:** 3 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 29 (2023) by type: general cargo 3, other 26 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Road Harbor ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the UK ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 41 (2024 est.) --- ## Brunei **Slug:** brunei **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇧🇳 **Codes:** cek: bx, iso2: BN, iso3: BRN, iso_num: 096, genc: BRN, stanag: BRN, internet: .bn ### Introduction **Background:** The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and 17th centuries, when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy subsequently brought on a period of decline. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries, and in 2017, the country celebrated the 50th anniversary of Sultan Hassanal BOLKIAH’s accession to the throne. Brunei has one of the highest per-capita GDPs in the world, thanks to extensive petroleum and natural gas fields. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Asia, along the northern coast of the island of Borneo, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia **Geographic coordinates:** 4 30 N, 114 40 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 5,765 sq km land: 5,265 sq km water: 500 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Delaware **Land boundaries:** total: 266 km border countries (1): Malaysia 266 km **Coastline:** 161 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid, rainy **Terrain:** flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west **Elevation:** highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m lowest point: South China Sea 0 m mean elevation: 478 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, timber **Land use:** agricultural land: 2.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.) forest: 72.1% (2023 est.) other: 25.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 10 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** the vast majority of the population is found along the coast in the western part of Brunei, which is separated from the eastern portion by Malaysia; the largest population concentration is in the far north on the western side of the Brunei Bay, in and around the capital of Bandar Seri Begawan **Natural hazards:** typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare **Geography - note:** close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; the eastern part, the Temburong district, is an exclave and is almost an enclave within Malaysia ### People and Society **Population:** total: 498,766 (2025 est.) male: 242,030 female: 256,736 **Nationality:** noun: Bruneian(s) adjective: Bruneian **Ethnic groups:** Malay 67.4%, Chinese 9.6%, other 23% (2021 est.) **Languages:** Malay (Bahasa Melayu) (official), English, Chinese dialects major-language sample(s): Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Malay) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim (official) 82.1%, Christian 6.7%, Buddhist 6.3%, other 4.9% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 21.7% (male 54,924/female 51,710) 15-64 years: 70.8% (male 166,289/female 182,011) 65 years and over: 7.5% (2024 est.) (male 17,927/female 19,039) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 41.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 11.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 32.6 years (2025 est.) male: 31.4 years female: 33.1 years **Population growth rate:** 1.37% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 15.58 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 3.96 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 2.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the vast majority of the population is found along the coast in the western part of Brunei, which is separated from the eastern portion by Malaysia; the largest population concentration is in the far north on the western side of the Brunei Bay, in and around the capital of Bandar Seri Begawan **Urbanization:** urban population: 79.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.44% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 266,682 BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (capital) (2021) note: the boundaries of the capital city were expanded in 2007, greatly increasing the city area; the population of the capital increased tenfold **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 36 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 9.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 78.9 years (2024 est.) male: 76.5 years female: 81.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.73 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.85 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.4% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 2.2% of GDP (2021) 6.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.89 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Hospital bed density:** 3.9 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 99.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.5% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 14.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 17% (2025 est.) male: 31.2% (2025 est.) female: 1.9% (2025 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.4% of GDP (2016 est.) 11.4% national budget (2016 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2023 est.) male: 13 years (2023 est.) female: 14 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution, including seasonal haze from forest fires in Indonesia **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid, rainy **Land use:** agricultural land: 2.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.) forest: 72.1% (2023 est.) other: 25.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 79.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.44% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 10.823 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 998,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.175 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 7.65 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 7.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 50.5 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 0.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 9.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 0.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 216,300 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 20% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 151.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 5.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 8.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Brunei Darussalam conventional short form: Brunei local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam local short form: Brunei etymology: derivation of the name is unclear; the name may come from the Sanskrit word bhumi, meaning "land" or "region" **Government type:** absolute monarchy or sultanate **Capital:** name: Bandar Seri Begawan geographic coordinates: 4 53 N, 114 56 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named in 1970 after Sultan Omar Ali SAIFUDDIEN III (1914-1986), who adopted the title of "Seri Begawan" (approximately meaning "honored lord") when he abdicated in 1967; "bandar" means "city" or "port" in Malay; the capital had previously been called Bandar Brunei (Brunei City) **Administrative divisions:** 4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei dan Muara, Temburong, Tutong **Legal system:** mixed legal system based on English common law and Islamic law note: in 2019, sharia penal codes came into force and apply to Muslims and partly to non-Muslims in parallel with common law codes **Constitution:** history: drafted 1954 to 1959, signed 29 September 1959 amendment process: proposed by the monarch; passage requires submission to the Privy Council for Legislative Council review and finalization takes place by proclamation; the monarch can accept or reject changes to the original proposal provided by the Legislative Council note: some constitutional provisions suspended since 1962 under a state of emergency, others suspended since independence in 1984 **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICC **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Brunei dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 12 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age for village elections; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967) head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed and presided over by the monarch election/appointment process: none; the monarchy is hereditary note 1: the monarch is both chief of state and head of government, as well as Minister of Finance, Defense, and Foreign Affairs and Trade note 2: 4 additional advisory councils appointed by the monarch are the Religious Council, Privy Council for Constitutional Issues, Council of Succession, and Legislative Council **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Legislative Council (Majlis Mesyuarat Negara) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 45 (all appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 1/20/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 11.4% expected date of next election: January 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the Court of Appeal and the High Court, each with a chief justice and 2 judges); Sharia Court (consists the Court of Appeals and the High Court) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch to serve until age 65, and older if approved by the monarch; Sharia Court judges appointed by the monarch for life subordinate courts: Intermediate Court; Magistrates' Courts; Juvenile Court; small claims courts; lower sharia courts note: Brunei has a dual judicial system of secular and sharia (religious) courts; the Judicial Committee of Privy Council (in London) serves as the final appellate court for civil cases only **Political parties:** National Development Party or NDP note: the NDP is Brunei’s only registered party, but does not have representation in the Legislative Council, which is appointed **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires IZZATI Baharuddin (since 6 May 2025) chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838 FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560 email address and website: info@bruneiembassy.org http://www.bruneiembassy.org/index.html consulate(s): New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Caryn R. McCLELLAND (since December 2021) embassy: Simpang 336-52-16-9, Jalan Duta, Bandar Seri Begawan, BC4115 mailing address: 4020 Bandar Seri Begawan Place, Washington DC 20521-4020 telephone: (673) 238-7400 FAX: (673) 238-7533 email address and website: ConsularBrunei@state.gov https://bn.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, C, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 1 January 1984 (from the UK) **National holiday:** National Day, 23 February (1984) note: 1 January 1984 was the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of independence from British protection; the Sultan's birthday, 15 June **Flag:** description: yellow with a diagonal white band and second below it in black, both starting from the upper left; the national emblem in red is at the center; the state motto, "Always render service with God's guidance," appears in yellow Arabic script on the emblem's crescent; a ribbon below the crescent reads "Brunei, the Abode of Peace" meaning: yellow symbolizes the sultanate, and the white and black bands stand for the chief ministers; the emblem includes a royal umbrella (the monarchy), two wings with four feathers (justice, tranquility, prosperity, and peace), two upraised hands (the government's pledge to preserve and promote the people's welfare), and the crescent moon of Islam (the state religion) **National symbol(s):** royal parasol **National color(s):** yellow, white, black **National anthem(s):** title: "Allah Peliharakan Sultan" (God Bless His Majesty) lyrics/music: Pengiran Haji Mohamed YUSUF bin Pengiran Abdul Rahim/Awang Haji BESAR bin Sagap history: adopted 1951 ### Economy **Economic overview:** almost exclusively an oil and gas economy; high income country; expansive and robust welfare system; the majority of the population works for the government; promulgating a nationalized halal brand; considering establishment of a bond market and stock exchange **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $36.64 billion (2024 est.) $35.163 billion (2023 est.) $34.771 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.2% (2024 est.) 1.1% (2023 est.) -1.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $79,200 (2024 est.) $76,600 (2023 est.) $76,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $15.463 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** -0.4% (2024 est.) 0.4% (2023 est.) 3.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.2% (2024 est.) industry: 61.7% (2024 est.) services: 38.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 28.5% (2024 est.) government consumption: 23% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 28.2% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.2% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 74.3% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -58.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** chicken, eggs, fruits, vegetables, rice, bananas, beans, cucumbers/gherkins, pineapples, beef (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction, agriculture, aquaculture, transportation **Industrial production growth rate:** 5.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 233,500 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.2% (2024 est.) 5.2% (2023 est.) 5.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 18.5% (2024 est.) male: 16.5% (2024 est.) female: 21.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.058 billion (2020 est.) expenditures: $3.189 billion (2020 est.) **Public debt:** 2.8% of GDP (2017 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $2.23 billion (2024 est.) $1.944 billion (2023 est.) $3.256 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $11.483 billion (2024 est.) $11.573 billion (2023 est.) $14.405 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Australia 21%, Japan 17%, China 17%, Singapore 16%, Malaysia 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, natural gas, crude petroleum, hydrocarbons, fertilizers (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $9.11 billion (2024 est.) $9.077 billion (2023 est.) $10.099 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Malaysia 23%, UAE 10%, China 10%, UK 10%, Australia 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, gold, refined petroleum, coal, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $4.414 billion (2024 est.) $4.483 billion (2023 est.) $5.035 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Bruneian dollars (BND) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.336 (2024 est.) 1.343 (2023 est.) 1.379 (2022 est.) 1.344 (2021 est.) 1.38 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 904,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 5.081 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 502.188 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 99.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 841,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 841,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 95,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 1.1 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 10.093 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 3.911 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 5.733 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 260.515 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 403.365 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 128,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 547,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 118 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-controlled Radio Television Brunei (RTB) operates 5 channels; 3 Malaysian TV stations are available; foreign TV broadcasts are available via satellite systems; RTB operates 5 radio networks and broadcasts on multiple frequencies; British Forces Broadcast Service (BFBS) provides radio broadcasts on 2 FM stations; some radio broadcast stations from Malaysia are available via repeaters **Internet country code:** .bn **Internet users:** percent of population: 99% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 93,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** V8 **Airports:** 2 (2025) **Heliports:** 14 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 97 (2023) by type: general cargo 18, oil tanker 2, other 77 **Ports:** total ports: 5 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Lumut, Muara Harbor, Seria Oil Loading Terminal ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) or Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB): Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF), Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) (2025) note 1: the Gurkha Security Unit under the Ministry of Defense is a special guard force for the Sultan, the royal family, and the country’s oil installations note 2: the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) is under the Prime Minister's Office **Military expenditures:** 3% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.1% of GDP (2021 est.) 3.7% of GDP (2020 est.) 3.1% of GDP (2019 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 7,000 active Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's s inventory includes equipment and weapons systems from a variety of suppliers from Asia, Europe, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service (2025) note: the Gurkha Reserve Unit (GRU) employs hundreds of Gurkhas from Nepal, the majority of whom are veterans of the British Army and the Singapore Police Force who have joined the GRU as a second career **Military - note:** the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) are responsible for ensuring the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as countering outside aggression, terrorism, and insurgency; Brunei has a long-standing defense relationship with the UK and hosts a British Army garrison, which includes a Gurkha battalion and a jungle warfare school; Brunei also has close security ties with Singapore and hosts a Singaporean military training detachment; the RBAF was formed in 1961 with British support as the Brunei Malay Regiment; "Royal" was added as an honorary title in 1965 and its current name was given in 1984 (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** stateless persons: 20,863 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Brunei does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so, therefore Brunei was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/brunei/ --- ## Bulgaria **Slug:** bulgaria **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇧🇬 **Codes:** cek: bu, iso2: BG, iso3: BGR, iso_num: 100, genc: BGR, stanag: BGR, internet: .bg ### Introduction **Background:** The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century, the Ottoman Turks overran the country. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878, and all of Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004, the EU in 2007, and the Schengen Area for air and sea travel in 2024. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey **Geographic coordinates:** 43 00 N, 25 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 110,879 sq km land: 108,489 sq km water: 2,390 sq km **Area - comparative:** almost identical in size to Virginia; slightly larger than Tennessee **Land boundaries:** total: 1,806 km border countries (5): Greece 472 km; Macedonia 162 km; Romania 605 km; Serbia 344 km; Turkey 223 km **Coastline:** 354 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers **Terrain:** mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast **Elevation:** highest point: Musala 2,925 m lowest point: Black Sea 0 m mean elevation: 472 m **Natural resources:** bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 46.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 32.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 12.7% (2023 est.) forest: 36.2% (2023 est.) other: 17.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 929 sq km (2016) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Dunav (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger populations **Natural hazards:** earthquakes; landslides **Geography - note:** strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia ### People and Society **Population:** total: 6,737,997 (2025 est.) male: 3,281,215 female: 3,456,782 **Nationality:** noun: Bulgarian(s) adjective: Bulgarian **Ethnic groups:** Bulgarian 78.5%, Turkish 7.8%, Roma 4.1%, other 1.2%, unspecified 9.4% (2021 est.) note: Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 9–11% of Bulgaria's population **Languages:** Bulgarian (official) 77.3%, Turkish 7.9%, Romani 3.5%, other 1%, unspecified 10.4% (2021 est.) major-language sample(s): Светoвен Алманах, незаменимият източник за основна информация. (Bulgarian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Christian 64.7%, Muslim 9.8%, other 0.1%, none 4.7%, unspecified 20.7% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 13.8% (male 479,586/female 453,423) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 2,250,962/female 2,171,279) 65 years and over: 21% (2024 est.) (male 572,943/female 854,466) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 53.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 20.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 32.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 45.5 years (2025 est.) male: 43.3 years female: 47 years **Population growth rate:** -0.66% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 7.88 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 14.18 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger populations **Urbanization:** urban population: 76.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.288 million SOFIA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 26.4 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 8.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.1 years (2024 est.) male: 72.9 years female: 79.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.52 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.74 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 97.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 2.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.9% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8.6% of GDP (2021) 11.6% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.33 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 7.8 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 25% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 11.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 33.1% (2025 est.) male: 36.2% (2025 est.) female: 30.3% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 1.6% (2014) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 56.6% (2023 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 12% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 16 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from air pollution and acid rain; soil contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 46.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 32.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 12.7% (2023 est.) forest: 36.2% (2023 est.) other: 17.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 76.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 33.465 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 14.486 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 13.958 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 5.021 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 18.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.859 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 29.8% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 838 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 3.879 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 726.434 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 21.3 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria conventional short form: Bulgaria local long form: Republika Bulgaria local short form: Bulgaria former: Kingdom of Bulgaria, People's Republic of Bulgaria etymology: named after the Bulgar tribes who settled the lower Balkan region in the 7th century A.D.; the tribal name may come from the Turkic word bulga, or "mixed," referring to the blend of Turkic and Slavic ethnicities in the tribes **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Sofia geographic coordinates: 42 41 N, 23 19 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: named after the Church of Saint Sofia in the city, parts of which may date to the 4th century **Administrative divisions:** 28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Haskovo, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Sofia-Grad (Sofia City), Stara Zagora, Targovishte, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol **Legal system:** civil law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest drafted between late 1990 and early 1991, adopted 13 July 1991 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly or by the president of the republic; passage requires three-fourths majority vote of National Assembly members in three ballots; signed by the National Assembly chairperson; note - under special circumstances, a "Grand National Assembly" is elected with the authority to write a new constitution and amend certain articles of the constitution, including those affecting basic civil rights and national sovereignty; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in each of several readings **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Bulgaria dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Rumen RADEV (since 22 January 2017) head of government: Prime Minister Rosen ZHELYAZKOV (since 16 January 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, elected by the National Assembly election/appointment process: president and vice president elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister, elected by the National Assembly most recent election date: 14 and 21 November 2021 election results: 2021: Rumen RADEV reelected president in second round; percent of vote in the first round - Rumen RADEV (independent) 49.4%, Anastas GERDZHIKOV (independent) 22.8%, Mustafa KARADAYI (DPS) 11.6%, Kostadin KOSTADINOV (Revival) 3.9%, Lozan PANOV (independent) 3.7%, other 8.6%; percent of vote in the second round - Rumen RADEV 66.7%, Anastas GERDZHIKOV 31.8%, neither 1.5% 2016: Rumen RADEV elected president in second round; percent of vote - Rumen RADEV (independent, supported by Bulgarian Socialist Party) 59.4%, Tsetska TSACHEVA (GERB) 36.2%, neither 4.5% expected date of next election: fall 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Narodno sabranie) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 240 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/27/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria Party (GERB) - Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) (66); We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (36); Revival (Vuzrazhdane) (33); Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) - New Beginning (29); Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) - United Left (19); Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (APS) (19); There is Such a People (PP-ITN) (17); Other (21) percentage of women in chamber: 25% expected date of next election: October 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Cassation consists of a chairman and approximately 72 judges organized into penal, civil, and commercial colleges; Supreme Administrative Court is organized into 2 colleges with various panels of 5 judges each; Constitutional Court consists of 12 justices) and resides outside the judiciary judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court of Cassation and Supreme Administrative judges elected by the Supreme Judicial Council or SJC (consists of 25 members with extensive legal experience) and appointed by the president; judges can serve until mandatory retirement at age 65; Constitutional Court justices elected by the National Assembly and appointed by the president and the SJC; justices appointed for 9-year terms with renewal of 4 justices every 3 years subordinate courts: appeals courts; regional and district courts; administrative courts; courts martial **Political parties:** BSP for Bulgaria (electoral alliance of BSP, PKT, Ecoglasnost) Bulgarian Rise or BV Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria or GERB (alliance with SDS) Democratic Bulgaria or DB (electoral alliance of Yes! Bulgaria, DSB, and The Greens) Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB Ecoglasnost Green Movement or The Greens Movement for Rights and Freedoms or DPS Political Club Thrace or PKT Revival Stand Up.BG or IS.BG There is Such a People or ITN Union of Democratic Forces or SDS (alliance with GERB) Yes! Bulgaria We Continue the Change or PP We Continue the Change and Democratic Bulgaria or PP-DB (electoral alliance of PP, DB, Yes! Bulgaria) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Stefka YOVCHEVA (since 7 May 2025) chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387 5770 FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973 email address and website: office@bulgaria-embassy.org https://www.bulgaria-embassy.org/en/homepage/ consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires H. Martin McDOWELL (since May 2025) embassy: 16, Kozyak Street, Sofia 1408 mailing address: 5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740 telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100 FAX: [359] (2) 937-5209 email address and website: acs_sofia@state.gov https://bg.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire) **National holiday:** Liberation Day, 3 March (1878) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red meaning: white stands for peace, love, and freedom; green for the country's agricultural wealth; red for the independence struggle and military courage history: originally adopted in 1879 as a modified version of the Russian tricolor flag, using green instead of blue; the communist coat of arms was added to the flag in various forms between 1948 and 1990, when it was removed after the communist government collapsed **National symbol(s):** lion **National color(s):** white, green, red **National coat of arms:** Bulgaria’s coat of arms in the national colors of white, green, and red was adopted in 1997; the three lions are a national symbol for strength, courage, and leadership that was used during the country’s liberation movement in the 1870s and the kingdom period in the early 20th century; above the shield is the crown of Bulgaria (originally the crown of the medieval Bulgarian tsars) with a gold cross on top; a white scroll over the oak branches bears the Bulgarian national motto, “United we stand strong” **National anthem(s):** title: “Mila Rodino” (Dear Homeland) lyrics/music: Tsvetan RADOSLAVOV history: adopted 1964; composed in 1885 by a student en route to fight in the Serbo-Bulgarian War **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 10 (7 cultural, 3 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Boyana Church (c); Madara Rider (c); Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak (c); Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo (c); Rila Monastery (c); Ancient City of Nessebar (c); Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari (c); Srebarna Nature Reserve (n); Pirin National Park (n); Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income EU economy; currency pegged to the euro, with eurozone accession pending; declining energy prices helping lower inflation rate; EU structural funds contributing to investment recovery; skilled labor shortage driven by emigration and aging population **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $219.645 billion (2024 est.) $213.64 billion (2023 est.) $209.683 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.8% (2024 est.) 1.9% (2023 est.) 4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $34,100 (2024 est.) $33,100 (2023 est.) $32,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $112.212 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.4% (2024 est.) 9.4% (2023 est.) 15.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2.1% (2024 est.) industry: 22.5% (2024 est.) services: 62.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 57.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 19.7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 17.9% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 2.5% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 55.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -53.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, barley, milk, rapeseed, grapes, potatoes, triticale, tomatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, automotive parts, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel; outsourcing centers **Industrial production growth rate:** 1.9% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 3.124 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.2% (2024 est.) 4.4% (2023 est.) 4.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 12.1% (2024 est.) male: 12.4% (2024 est.) female: 11.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 20.6% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 38.2 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 20.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.1% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 30.1% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 2.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $35.615 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $37.546 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 30.1% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 20.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$2.014 billion (2024 est.) -$894.86 million (2023 est.) -$2.43 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $62.661 billion (2024 est.) $63.415 billion (2023 est.) $63.246 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 14%, Romania 11%, Italy 8%, Greece 6%, Turkey 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, garments, refined copper, wheat, natural gas (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $60.029 billion (2024 est.) $59.158 billion (2023 est.) $62.261 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 12%, Turkey 8%, Romania 8%, Russia 7%, Italy 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, copper ore, cars, packaged medicine, electricity (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $43.698 billion (2024 est.) $46.334 billion (2023 est.) $40.989 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $14.277 billion (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** leva (BGN) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.808 (2024 est.) 1.809 (2023 est.) 1.86 (2022 est.) 1.654 (2021 est.) 1.716 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 99.6% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 12.939 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 34.221 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 7.748 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 4.415 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.972 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 35.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 40.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 8.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 7.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 4.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 2 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 2.01GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 40.3% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 4 (2025) **Coal:** production: 20.97 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 20.557 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1.091 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 753,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2.174 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 101,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 15 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 10.444 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 2.607 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 2.75 million cubic meters (2020 est.) imports: 2.544 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 5.663 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 102.171 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 552,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 7.98 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 118 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 4 national terrestrial TV stations with 1 state-owned and 3 privately owned; a vast array of TV stations are available from cable and satellite TV providers; state-owned national radio broadcasts over 3 networks; large number of private radio stations, especially in urban areas **Internet country code:** .bg **Internet users:** percent of population: 80% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2.45 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** LZ **Airports:** 107 (2025) **Heliports:** 8 (2025) **Railways:** total: 4,029 km (2020) 2,871 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 78 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 2, general cargo 13, oil tanker 8, other 55 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 1 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Burgas, Varna ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Bulgarian Armed Forces (aka Bulgarian Army): Land Forces, Air Force, Navy Ministry of Interior: General Directorate National Police (GDNP), General Directorate Border Police (GDBP), Special Unit for Combating Terrorism (SOBT) (2025) note: the GDNP includes the Gendarmerie, a special police force with military status deployed to secure important facilities, buildings and infrastructure, respond to riots, and counter militant threats **Military expenditures:** 2.1% of GDP (2025 est.) 2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 28,000 active duty Armed Forces (2025) note: in 2021, Bulgaria released a 10-year defense plan which called for an active military strength of 43,000 **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory consists largely of Soviet-era armaments, although in recent years Bulgaria has procured some more modern Western weapons systems in an effort to modernize and achieve NATO interoperability (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary service for men and women (2025) note: in 2020, Bulgaria announced a program to allow every citizen up to the age of 40 to join the armed forces for 6 months of military service in the voluntary reserve **Military deployments:** 160 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2025) **Military - note:** the Bulgarian military is responsible for guaranteeing the country's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, providing support to international peace and security missions, and contributing to national security in peacetime, including such missions as responding to disasters or assisting with border security; the military trains regularly including in multinational exercises with regional partners and with NATO since Bulgaria joined the organization in 2004; it also participates in overseas peacekeeping and other security missions under the EU, NATO, and the UN; in 2022, Bulgaria established and began leading a NATO multinational battlegroup as part of an effort to boost NATO defenses in Eastern Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; in 2021, Bulgaria approved a 10-year defense development program, which included calls for equipment upgrades and procurements, boosts in manpower, organizational reforms, and greater focus on such areas as cyber defense, communications, logistics support, and research and development the Bulgarian military has participated in several significant conflicts since its establishment in 1878, including the Serbo-Bulgarian War (1885), the First Balkan War (1912-13), the Second Balkan War (1913), World War I (1915-1918), and World War II (1941-45); during the Cold War it was one of the Warsaw Pact’s largest militaries with over 150,000 personnel and more than 200 Soviet-made combat aircraft (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Space Research and Technology Institute - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (SRTI-BAS; formed in 1987 but originated from the Central Laboratory for Space Research and the Bulgarian Aerospace Agency, which was established in 1969) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a long history of space-related activities going back to the 1960s; develops, produces, and operates satellites; researches, develops, and produces other space technologies, including those related to astrophysics, remote sensing, data exploitation, optics, and electronics; has specialized in producing scientific instruments for space research; has more than 20 research institutes; Cooperating State of the ESA since 2015; works with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of the ESA, EU, individual ESA and EU member states, India, Japan, Russia, and the US (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1960s-1990s - participated in the Soviet Interkosmos program, which included the first Bulgarian in space (1979), first domestically produced scientific satellite launched on a Soviet rocket (1981), and participation in the Soviet VEGA project (1985) 2017 - first communications satellite (BulgariaSat-1) built and launched by US 2019 - first domestically built data/educational cube satellite (EnduroSat-1) launched by US 2023 - signed the US-led Artemis Accords outlining principles for cooperation in space exploration 2025 - domestically produced, multispectral remote sensing satellite (Balkan-1) launched by US as part of EU's Copernicus Earth observation program ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 114,728 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 862 (2024 est.) --- ## Burkina Faso **Slug:** burkina-faso **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇧🇫 **Codes:** cek: uv, iso2: BF, iso3: BFA, iso_num: 854, genc: BFA, stanag: BFA, internet: .bf ### Introduction **Background:** Many of Burkina Faso’s ethnic groups arrived in the region between the 12th and 15th centuries. The Gurma and Mossi peoples established several of the largest kingdoms in the area and used horse-mounted warriors in military campaigns. Of the various Mossi kingdoms, the most powerful were Ouagadougou and Yatenga. In the late 19th century, European states competed for control of the region. France eventually conquered the area and established it as a French protectorate. The country achieved independence from France in 1960 and changed its name to Burkina Faso in 1984. Repeated military coups were common in the country’s first few decades. In 1987 Blaise COMPAORE deposed the president, established a government, and ruled for 27 years. In 2014, COMPAORE resigned after protests against his repeated efforts to amend the constitution's two-term presidential limit. An interim administration led a year-long transition, organizing presidential and legislative elections. In 2015, Roch Marc Christian KABORE was elected president, and he was reelected in 2020. In 2022, the military conducted two takeovers: In January, army colonel Paul Henri DAMIBA overthrew KABORE in a coup d'etat, and then in September, army captain Ibrahim TRAORE deposed DAMIBA and declared himself transition president. The transition government planned to hold elections by July 2024, but they may be delayed due to security concerns. Terrorist groups -- including groups affiliated with Al-Qa’ida and the Islamic State -- began attacks in the country in 2016 and conducted attacks in the capital in 2016, 2017, and 2018. By early 2023, insecurity in Burkina Faso had displaced more than 2 million people and led to significant jumps in humanitarian needs and food insecurity. In addition to terrorism, the country faces a myriad of problems including high population growth, recurring drought, pervasive and perennial food insecurity, and limited natural resources. It is one of the world’s poorest countries. ### Geography **Location:** Western Africa, north of Ghana **Geographic coordinates:** 13 00 N, 2 00 W **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 274,200 sq km land: 273,800 sq km water: 400 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Colorado **Land boundaries:** total: 3,611 km border countries (6): Benin 386 km; Cote d'Ivoire 545 km; Ghana 602 km; Mali 1325 km; Niger 622 km; Togo 131 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** three climate zones including a hot tropical savanna with a short rainy season in the southern half, a tropical hot semi-arid steppe climate typical of the Sahel region in the northern half, and small area of hot desert in the very north of the country bordering the Sahara Desert **Terrain:** mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in the west and southeast; occupies an extensive plateau with savanna that is grassy in the north and gradually gives way to sparse forests in the south **Elevation:** highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m mean elevation: 297 m **Natural resources:** gold, manganese, zinc, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumice, salt **Land use:** agricultural land: 53.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 28.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 21.9% (2023 est.) forest: 12.7% (2023 est.) other: 33.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 550 sq km (2016) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Volta river source (shared with Ghana [m]) - 1,600 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km) **Population distribution:** most of the population is located in the center and south; nearly one third lives in cities, including the capital city of Ouagadougou (Ouaga), as shown in this population distribution map (2019) **Natural hazards:** recurring droughts **Geography - note:** landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers, the Black, Red, and White Voltas ### People and Society **Population:** total: 23,490,300 (2025 est.) male: 11,529,979 female: 11,960,321 **Nationality:** noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe **Ethnic groups:** Mossi 53.7%, Fulani (Peuhl) 6.8%, Gurunsi 5.9%, Bissa 5.4%, Gurma 5.2%, Bobo 3.4%, Senufo 2.2%, Bissa 1.5%, Lobi 1.5%, Tuareg/Bella 0.1%, other 12.8%, foreign 0.7% (2021 est.) **Languages:** Mossi 52.9%, Fula 7.8%, Gourmantche 6.8%, Dyula 5.7%, Bissa 3.3%, Gurunsi 3.2%, French (official) 2.2%, Bwamu 2%, Dagara 2%, San 1.7%, Marka 1.6%, Bobo 1.5%, Senufo 1.5%, Lobi 1.2%, other 6.6% (2019 est.) **Religions:** Muslim 63.8%, Roman Catholic 20.1%, Animiste 9%, Protestant 6.2%, other 0.2%, none 0.7% (2019 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 41.6% (male 4,868,488/female 4,727,316) 15-64 years: 55.1% (male 6,116,674/female 6,590,775) 65 years and over: 3.2% (2024 est.) (male 312,587/female 426,359) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 79 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 73.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 17.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 19 years (2025 est.) male: 17.9 years female: 19.5 years **Population growth rate:** 2.39% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 31.74 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.24 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is located in the center and south; nearly one third lives in cities, including the capital city of Ouagadougou (Ouaga), as shown in this population distribution map (2019) **Urbanization:** urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.204 million OUAGADOUGOU (capital), 1.129 million Bobo-Dioulasso (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 20.1 years (2021 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 242 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 48 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 51.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 42.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 64.2 years (2024 est.) male: 62.3 years female: 66.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 4.02 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.98 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 80.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 34.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 49.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 19.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 65.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 50.5% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.4% of GDP (2021) 8.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.15 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 0.2 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 91.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 42.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 58.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 8.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 57.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 41.9% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 5.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 7.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 5.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 12.4% (2025 est.) male: 20.4% (2025 est.) female: 4.6% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 16.9% (2021 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 74.3% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 8.9% (2015) women married by age 18: 51.3% (2015) men married by age 18: 1.6% (2015) **Education expenditure:** 5.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 20.3% national budget (2023 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 41.4% (2023 est.) male: 48.4% (2023 est.) female: 35.7% (2023 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 7 years (2023 est.) male: 7 years (2023 est.) female: 7 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** droughts; desertification; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation (2019) **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** three climate zones including a hot tropical savanna with a short rainy season in the southern half, a tropical hot semi-arid steppe climate typical of the Sahel region in the northern half, and small area of hot desert in the very north of the country bordering the Sahara Desert **Land use:** agricultural land: 53.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 28.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 21.9% (2023 est.) forest: 12.7% (2023 est.) other: 33.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 5.243 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 7 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 5.243 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 38.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.575 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 23% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 375.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 21.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 420.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 13.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Burkina Faso local long form: none local short form: Burkina Faso former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta etymology: name translates as "Land of the Worthy Men," from the Dyula words burkina, or "worthy," and faso, which means "land" or literally "father village," from fa, or "father," and so, or "village" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Ouagadougou geographic coordinates: 12 22 N, 1 31 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Ouagadougou is a Francophone spelling of the native name "Wogodogo," which may come from the personal name "Waga" or "Woga" and the Dyula word "dugu," meaning "village" **Administrative divisions:** 13 regions; Boucle du Mouhoun, Cascades, Centre, Centre-Est, Centre-Nord, Centre-Ouest, Centre-Sud, Est, Hauts-Bassins, Nord, Plateau-Central, Sahel, Sud-Ouest **Legal system:** civil law based on the French model and customary law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest approved by referendum 2 June 1991, adopted 11 June 1991, temporarily suspended late October to mid-November 2014; initial draft of a new constitution to usher in the new republic was completed in January 2017 and a final draft was submitted to the government in December 2017; a constitutional referendum originally scheduled for adoption in March 2019 was postponed; on 1 March 2022 a transition charter was adopted, allowing military authorities to rule for three years and barring the transitional president from being an electoral candidate after the transition amendment process: proposed by the president, by a majority of National Assembly membership, or by petition of at least 30,000 eligible voters submitted to the Assembly; passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote in the Assembly; failure to meet that threshold requires majority voter approval in a referendum; constitutional provisions on the form of government, the multiparty system, and national sovereignty cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Burkina Faso dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Transitional President Capt. Ibrahim TRAORE (since 30 September 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel OUEDRAOGO (since 9 December 2024) cabinet: prior to the 2022 coups and ad hoc suspension of laws and constitutional provisions, Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election/appointment process: prior to the 2022 coups and ad hoc suspension of laws and constitutional provisions, president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president with consent of the National Assembly most recent election date: 22 November 2020 election results: 2020: Roch Marc Christian KABORE reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Roch Marc Christian KABORE (MPP) 57.9%, Eddie KOMBOIGO (CDP) 15.5%, Zephirin DIABRE (UPC) 12.5%, other 14.1% expected date of next election: were to be held by July 2024, but were delayed note: on 30 September 2022, a military junta led by TRAORE took power and ousted Transition President Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo DAMIBA **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Parlement) legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: Transitional Legislative Assembly (Assemblée législative de la transition) number of seats: 71 electoral system: proportional representation most recent election date: 11/11/2022 percentage of women in chamber: 18.3% expected date of next election: June 2029 note: a series of coups in 2022 led to the ad hoc suspension of laws and constitutional provisions, including the unicameral National Assembly; a military junta in 2022 appointed the 71-member Transnational Legislative Assembly (ALT); a Transitional Charter, adopted in October 2022, provided for a transitional period that was extended in May 2024 until July 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (consists of NA judges); Council of State (consists of NA judges); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (consists of the council president and 9 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judge appointments mostly controlled by the president of Burkina Faso; judges have no term limits; Council of State judge appointment and tenure NA; Constitutional Council judges appointed by the president of Burkina Faso after a proposal from the minister of justice and the president of the National Assembly; judges appointed for 9-year terms with one-third of membership renewed every 3 years subordinate courts: Appeals Court; High Court; first instance tribunals; district courts; specialized courts relating to issues of labor, children, and juveniles; village (customary) courts **Political parties:** Act Together African Democratic Rally/Alliance for Democracy and Federation or ADF/RDA Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP Convergence for Progress and Solidarity-Generation 3 or CPS-G3 Movement for the Future Burkina Faso or MBF National Convention for Progress or CNP New Era for Democracy or NTD Pan-African Alliance for Refoundation or APR Party for Democracy and Socialism/Metba or PDS/Metba Party for Development and Change or PDC Patriotic Rally for Integrity or RPI Peoples Movement for Progress or MPP Progressives United for Renewal or PUR Union for Progress and Reform or UPC Union for Rebirth - Sankarist Party or UNIR-PS **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Kassoum COULIBALY (since 24 July 2025) chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882 email address and website: contact@burkina-usa.org https://burkina-usa.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Joann M. LOCKARD (since 28 June 2024) embassy: Secteur 15, Ouaga 2000, Avenue Sembene Ousmane, Rue 15.873, Ouagadougou mailing address: 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC 20521-2440 telephone: (226) 25-49-53-00 FAX: (226) 25-49-56-23 email address and website: AmembOuaga@state.gov https://bf.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU (suspended), CD, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 5 August 1960 (from France) **National holiday:** Republic Day, 11 December (1958) note: commemorates the day that Upper Volta became an autonomous republic in the French Community **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green, with a five-pointed yellow star in the center meaning: red stands for the country's struggle for independence, green for hope and abundance, and yellow for the country's mineral wealth history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement **National symbol(s):** white stallion **National color(s):** red, yellow, green **National anthem(s):** title: "Le Ditanye" (Anthem of Victory) lyrics/music: Thomas SANKARA history: adopted 1974; also known as "Une Seule Nuit"(One Single Night) ; written by the country's former president, an avid guitar player **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Ruins of Loropéni (c); Ancient Ferrous Metallurgy Sites of Burkina Faso (c); W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (n); Royal Court of Tiébélé (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** highly agrarian, low-income economy; limited natural resources; widespread poverty; terrorism disrupting potential economic activity; improving trade balance via increases in gold exports; economy inflating after prior deflation; growing public debt but still manageable **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $60.001 billion (2024 est.) $57.152 billion (2023 est.) $55.508 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5% (2024 est.) 3% (2023 est.) 1.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $2,500 (2024 est.) $2,500 (2023 est.) $2,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $23.25 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.2% (2024 est.) 0.7% (2023 est.) 14.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 18.6% (2024 est.) industry: 29.7% (2024 est.) services: 40.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 60.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 18.8% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 16.5% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 10.6% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 28.5% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -34.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** maize, sorghum, fruits, vegetables, millet, cowpeas, cotton, groundnuts, sugarcane, rice (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold **Industrial production growth rate:** -5.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 6.461 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.2% (2024 est.) 5.4% (2023 est.) 5.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 8.1% (2024 est.) male: 7.8% (2024 est.) female: 8.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 43.2% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 37.4 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 30.2% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 2.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.9% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $5.174 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $6.308 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 61.3% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 18.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$1.017 billion (2023 est.) -$1.404 billion (2022 est.) $77.255 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $5.912 billion (2023 est.) $5.814 billion (2022 est.) $6.234 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Switzerland 72%, UAE 10%, India 3%, Mali 3%, Cote d'Ivoire 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, cotton, oil seeds, coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews, cement (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $6.834 billion (2023 est.) $6.761 billion (2022 est.) $5.835 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Cote d'Ivoire 14%, China 13%, Ghana 9%, Russia 9%, France 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, plastic products, cement, electricity, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Debt - external:** $3.565 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 19.5% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 60.5% electrification - rural areas: 3.4% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 749,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 3.096 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 1.577 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 212.254 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 82.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 5.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 6.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 5.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** exports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 74 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 37,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 3.481 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 72,700 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 26.9 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 119 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** 14 digital TV channels, of which 2 are state-owned; over 140 national radio stations (commercial, religious, community), including a national and regional state-owned network; state-owned Radio Burkina and private Radio Omega are among the most widely available and broadcast in both French and local languages (2019) **Internet country code:** .bf **Internet users:** percent of population: 17% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 15,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** XT **Airports:** 49 (2025) **Railways:** total: 622 km (2014) narrow gauge: 622 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge note: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote d'Ivoire ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of Burkina Faso (FABF; aka National Armed Forces (FAN), aka Defense and Security Forces (Forces de Défense et de Sécurité or FDS)): Army of Burkina Faso, Air Force of Burkina Faso, National Gendarmerie, National Fire Brigade (Brigade Nationale de Sapeurs-Pompiers or BNSP); Homeland Defense Volunteers (Forcés de Volontaires de Défense pour la Patrie or VDP) Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralization and Security (Ministère de l'Administration Territoriale, de la Décentralisation et de la Sécurité): National Police of Burkina Faso (includes Border Police, Judicial Police, and Intervention Units, as well as State and Public Security forces) (2025) note 1: the National Gendarmerie is under the Ministry of Defense, but usually operates in support of the Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralization, and Security; the Gendarmerie's primary mission is counterterrorism note 2: the VDP is a lightly armed civilian defense/militia force established in 2019 to act as auxiliaries to the Army; the volunteers receive two weeks of training and typically assist with carrying out surveillance, information-gathering, and escort duties, as well as local defense; they are based in each of the country's municipalities **Military expenditures:** 4.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 4% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 20,000 Armed Forces; estimated 50,000 Homeland Defense Volunteers (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the FABF has a mix of older and some modern armaments from a variety of suppliers, including China, Egypt, France, Russia, South Africa, Türkiye, the UK, and the UAE (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** generally, 18-35 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; citizens 18-77 years of age are eligible to volunteer for the VDP (2025) note: the military regime implemented an emergency law in 2023 that allows the president extensive powers to combat terrorist groups operating in the country, including conscripting citizens into the security services; the VDP reportedly has been used by the military regime as a platform for the forced recruitment of dissidents and activists to silence critics **Military - note:** the Armed Forces of Burkina Faso (FABF) are responsible for external defense but also have an internal security role and can be called out to assist internal security forces in restoring public order, combating crime, securing the border, and conducting internal security operations; the FABF has a history of involvement in the country’s politics, having conducted eight coups since its formation in 1960-61, including the most recent in September 2022 the FABF's primary focus is combating militants of the al-Qa'ida and Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) terrorist groups, which have operated in Burkina Faso for more than a decade and control portions of the country; Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), a coalition of al-Qa'ida linked militant groups that act as al-Qa'ida in the Land of the Islamic Magreb's (AQIM) arm in the Sahel, is strongest in the north but active in nearly all of the country's 13 provinces, while ISIS in the Greater Sahara (aka ISIS-Sahel) operates in the eastern part of the country (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Ansarul Islam; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS); al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun); Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 41,408 (2024 est.) IDPs: 2,065,358 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Burkina Faso remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/burkina-faso/ --- ## Burma **Slug:** burma **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇲🇲 **Codes:** cek: bm, iso2: MM, iso3: MMR, iso_num: 104, genc: MMR, stanag: MMR, internet: .mm, comment: ISO uses the name Myanmar ### Introduction **Background:** Burma is home to ethnic Burmans and scores of other ethnic and religious minority groups that have resisted external efforts to consolidate control of the country throughout its history. Britain conquered Burma over a period extending from the 1820s to the 1880s and administered it as a province of India until 1937, when Burma became a self-governing colony. Burma gained full independence in 1948. In 1962, General NE WIN seized power and ruled the country until 1988 when a new military regime took control. In 1990, the military regime permitted an election but then rejected the results after the main opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) and its leader AUNG SAN SUU KYI (ASSK) won in a landslide. The military regime placed ASSK under house arrest until 2010. In 2007, rising fuel prices in Burma led pro-democracy activists and Buddhist monks to launch a "Saffron Revolution" consisting of large protests against the regime, which violently suppressed the movement. The regime prevented new elections until it had drafted a constitution designed to preserve the military's political control; it passed the new constitution in its 2008 referendum. The regime conducted an election in 2010, but the NLD boycotted the vote, and the military’s political proxy, the Union Solidarity and Development Party, easily won; international observers denounced the election as flawed. Burma nonetheless began a halting process of political and economic reforms. ASSK's return to government in 2012 eventually led to the NLD's sweeping victory in the 2015 election. With ASSK as the de facto head of state, Burma’s first credibly elected civilian government drew international criticism for blocking investigations into Burma’s military operations -- which the US Department of State determined constituted genocide -- against its ethnic Rohingya population. When the 2020 elections resulted in further NLD gains, the military denounced the vote as fraudulent. In 2021, the military's senior leader General MIN AUNG HLAING launched a coup that returned Burma to authoritarian rule, with military crackdowns that undid reforms and resulted in the detention of ASSK and thousands of pro-democracy actors. Pro-democracy organizations have formed in the wake of the coup, including the National Unity Government (NUG). Members of the NUG include representatives from the NLD, ethnic minority groups, and civil society. In 2021, the NUG announced the formation of armed militias called the People's Defense Forces (PDF) and an insurgency against the military junta. As of 2024, PDF units across the country continued to fight the regime with varying levels of support from and cooperation with the NUG and other anti-regime organizations, including armed ethnic groups that have been fighting the central government for decades. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand **Geographic coordinates:** 22 00 N, 98 00 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 676,578 sq km land: 653,508 sq km water: 23,070 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 6,522 km border countries (5): Bangladesh 271 km; China 2,129 km; India 1,468 km; Laos 238 km; Thailand 2,416 km **Coastline:** 1,930 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April) **Terrain:** central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands **Elevation:** highest point: Gamlang Razi 5,870 m lowest point: Andaman Sea/Bay of Bengal 0 m mean elevation: 702 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 19.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 16.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.7% (2023 est.) forest: 42.4% (2023 est.) other: 37.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 17,140 sq km (2020) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Mekong (shared with China [s], Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam [m]) - 4,350 km; Salween river mouth (shared with China [s] and Thailand) - 3,060 km; Irrawaddy river mouth (shared with China [s]) - 2,809 km; Chindwin - 1,158 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Irrawaddy (413,710 sq km), Salween (271,914 sq km) Pacific Ocean drainage: Mekong (805,604 sq km) **Population distribution:** population concentrated along coastal areas and in general proximity to the shores of the Irrawaddy River; the extreme north is relatively underpopulated **Natural hazards:** destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts **Geography - note:** strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes; the north-south flowing Irrawaddy River is the country's largest and most important commercial waterway ### People and Society **Population:** total: 57,931,718 (2025 est.) male: 28,591,467 female: 29,340,251 **Nationality:** noun: Burmese (singular and plural) adjective: Burmese **Ethnic groups:** Burman (Bamar) 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5% note: the largest ethnic group — the Burman (or Bamar) — dominate politics, and the military ranks are largely drawn from this ethnic group; the Burman mainly populate the central parts of the country, while various ethnic minorities have traditionally lived in the peripheral regions that surround the plains in a horseshoe shape; the government recognizes 135 indigenous ethnic groups **Languages:** Burmese (official) major-language sample(s): ကမ္ဘာ့အချက်အလက်စာအုပ်- အခြေခံအချက်အလက်တွေအတွက် မရှိမဖြစ်တဲ့ အရင်းအမြစ် (Burmese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: minority ethnic groups use their own languages **Religions:** Buddhist 87.9%, Christian 6.2%, Muslim 4.3%, Animist 0.8%, Hindu 0.5%, other 0.2%, none 0.1% (2014 est.) note: religion estimate is based on the 2014 national census, including an estimate for the non-enumerated population of Rakhine State, which is assumed to mainly affiliate with the Islamic faith; as of December 2019, Muslims probably make up less than 3% of Burma's total population due to the large outmigration of the Rohingya population since 2017 **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 24.4% (male 7,197,177/female 6,843,879) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 19,420,361/female 19,998,625) 65 years and over: 7.1% (2024 est.) (male 1,770,293/female 2,296,804) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 45.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 35 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 10.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 9.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 31.1 years (2025 est.) male: 29.9 years female: 31.6 years **Population growth rate:** 0.69% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 15.44 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.17 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population concentrated along coastal areas and in general proximity to the shores of the Irrawaddy River; the extreme north is relatively underpopulated **Urbanization:** urban population: 32.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 5.610 million RANGOON (Yangon) (capital), 1.532 million Mandalay (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 24.7 years (2015/16 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 185 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 30.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 35.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 28.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 70.3 years (2024 est.) male: 68.5 years female: 72.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.95 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.95 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 93.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 77.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 82.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 6.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 22.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 17.6% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.6% of GDP (2021) 2.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.76 physicians/1,000 population (2019) **Hospital bed density:** 1.1 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 94.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 82% of population (2022 est.) total: 85.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 5.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 18% of population (2022 est.) total: 14.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 5.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 2.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.55 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 42.2% (2025 est.) male: 68.1% (2025 est.) female: 17.1% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 19.5% (2018 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 58% (2019 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 1.9% (2016) women married by age 18: 16% (2016) men married by age 18: 5% (2016) **Education expenditure:** 2% of GDP (2019 est.) 9.7% national budget (2019 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 93.5% (2020 est.) male: 94.7% (2020 est.) female: 92.7% (2020 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 12 years (2018 est.) male: 11 years (2018 est.) female: 12 years (2018 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment; rapid depletion of the country's natural resources **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April) **Land use:** agricultural land: 19.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 16.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.7% (2023 est.) forest: 42.4% (2023 est.) other: 37.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 32.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 27.005 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1.24 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 17.39 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 8.376 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 27.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.677 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 12.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 3.323 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 498.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 29.57 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 1.168 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Union of Burma conventional short form: Burma local long form: Pyidaungzu Thammada Myanma Naingngandaw (translated as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar) local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma, Union of Myanmar etymology: both "Burma" and "Myanmar" derive from the name of the majority Burman (Bamar) ethnic group, with the term myanma, or "the strong," being the group's name for itself note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma and the deposed parliamentary government have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; the US Government has not officially adopted the name **Government type:** military regime **Capital:** name: Rangoon (aka Yangon, continues to be recognized as the primary Burmese capital by the US Government); Nay Pyi Taw is the administrative capital geographic coordinates: 16 48 N, 96 10 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Rangoon/Yangon derives from the Burmese words yan and koun, commonly translated as "end of strife"; Nay Pyi Taw translates as "abode of kings" **Administrative divisions:** 7 regions (taing-myar, singular - taing), 7 states (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne), 1 union territory regions: Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy), Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Yangon (Rangoon) states: Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Mon, Rakhine, Shan union territory: Nay Pyi Taw **Legal system:** mixed legal system of English common law (as introduced in codifications designed for colonial India) and customary law **Constitution:** history: previous 1947, 1974 (suspended until 2008); latest drafted 9 April 2008, approved by referendum 29 May 2008 amendment process: proposals require at least 20% approval by the Assembly of the Union membership; passage of amendments to sections of the constitution on basic principles, government structure, branches of government, state emergencies, and amendment procedures requires 75% approval by the Assembly and approval in a referendum by absolute majority of registered voters; passage of amendments to other sections requires only 75% Assembly approval; military granted 25% of parliamentary seats by default **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Burma dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: none note: an applicant for naturalization must be the child or spouse of a citizen **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Acting President Sr. Gen. MIN AUNG HLAING (since 31 July 2025) head of government: Prime Minister NYO SAW (since 31 July 2025) cabinet: Cabinet appointments shared by the president and the commander-in-chief election/appointment process: prior to the military takeover in 2021, president was indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the full Assembly of the Union from among 3 vice-presidential candidates nominated by the Presidential Electoral College (consists of members of the lower and upper houses and military members); the other 2 candidates became vice presidents (president elected for a 5-year term) most recent election date: 8 November 2020 election results: 2020: the National League for Democracy (NLD) won 396 seats across both houses -- well above the 322 required for a parliamentary majority -- but on 1 February 2021, the military claimed the results of the election were illegitimate and deposed State Counsellor AUNG SAN SUU KYI and President WIN MYINT of the NLD, causing military-affiliated Vice President MYINT SWE (USDP) to become acting president; MYINT SWE subsequently handed power to coup leader MIN AUNG HLAING; WIN MYINT and other key leaders of the ruling NLD party were placed under arrest after the military takeover 2018: WIN MYINT elected president in an indirect by-election held on 28 March 2018 after the resignation of HTIN KYAW; Assembly of the Union vote for president - WIN MYINT (NLD) 403, MYINT SWE (USDP) 211, HENRY VAN THIO (NLD) 18, 4 votes canceled (636 votes cast) expected date of next election: on 31 July 2025, the military government announced that it was preparing for elections to be held in December 2025 state counsellor: State Counselor AUNG SAN SUU KYI (since 6 April 2016); note - under arrest since 1 February 2021 note 1: on 31 July 2025, the military ended the state of emergency that had been in place since taking over the government in February 2021, although martial law continues to exist in parts of the country; at the same time, the military dissolved the State Administrative Council (SAC), which had been the official name of the military government in Burma, and replaced it with the National Security and Peace Commission (NSPC), chaired by Sr. Gen. MIN AUNG HLAING, who also retains his position as chief of the armed forces note 2: prior to the military takeover, the state counsellor served the equivalent term of the president and was similar to a prime minister **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Assembly of the Union (Pyidaungsu Hluttaw) legislative structure: bicameral most recent election date: 28 December 2025 expected date of next election: on 31 July 2025, the military government announced that it was preparing for elections to be held in late December 2025 note: on 1 February 2021, the Burmese military claimed the results of the 2020 general election were illegitimate and launched a coup led by Sr. General MIN AUNG HLAING; the military subsequently dissolved the Assembly of the Union and replaced it with the military-led State Administration Council **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Union (consists of the chief justice and 7-11 judges) judge selection and term of office: chief justice and judges nominated by the president, with approval of the Lower House, and appointed by the president; judges normally serve until mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: High Courts of the Region; High Courts of the State; Court of the Self-Administered Division; Court of the Self-Administered Zone; district and township courts; special courts (for juvenile, municipal, and traffic offenses); courts martial **Political parties:** according to the military regime, more than 50 parties registered and were approved for the December 2025 election, but only 9 contested nationwide; the remainder ran in regional or state constituencies the 9 parties included: Democratic Party of National Politics (DNP) Myanmar Farmers Development Party (MFDP) National Democratic Force Party (NDF) National Unity Party (NUP) People’s Party People’s Pioneer Party (PPP) Shan and Ethnic Democratic Party (SEDP) Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) Women’s Party (Mon) note: more than 90 political parties participated in the 2020 elections; political parties continued to function after the 2021 coup, although some political leaders have been arrested by the military regime; in 2023, the regime announced a new law with several rules and restrictions on political parties and their ability to participate in elections; dozens of parties refused to comply with the new rules; the regime's election commission has subsequently banned more than 80 political parties, including the National League for Democracy **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Soe Thet NAUNG (since 24 June 2025) chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-3344 FAX: [1] (202) 332-4351 email address and website: washington-embassy@mofa.gov.mm https://www.mewashingtondc.org/ consulate(s) general: Los Angeles **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Susan STEVENSON (since 10 July 2023) embassy: 110 University Avenue, Kamayut Township, Rangoon mailing address: 4250 Rangoon Place, Washington DC 20521-4250 telephone: [95] (1) 753-6509 FAX: [95] (1) 751-1069 email address and website: ACSRangoon@state.gov https://mm.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 4 January 1948 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal stripes of yellow (top), green, and red; centered on the green band is a five-pointed white star that overlaps onto the yellow and red stripes history: the design revives the triband colors that Burma used from 1943 to 1945, during the Japanese occupation **National symbol(s):** chinthe (mythical lion) **National color(s):** yellow, green, red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Kaba Ma Kyei" (Till the End of the World) lyrics/music: SAYA TIN history: adopted 1948 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Pyu Ancient Cities; Bagan ### Economy **Economic overview:** prior to COVID-19 and the February 2021 military coup, massive declines in poverty, rapid economic growth, and improving social welfare; underdevelopment, climate change, and unequal investment threaten progress and sustainability planning; since coup, foreign assistance has ceased from most funding sources **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $287.559 billion (2024 est.) $290.381 billion (2023 est.) $287.624 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -1% (2024 est.) 1% (2023 est.) 4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $5,300 (2024 est.) $5,400 (2023 est.) $5,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $74.08 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 8.8% (2019 est.) 6.9% (2018 est.) 4.6% (2017 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 20.8% (2024 est.) industry: 37.8% (2024 est.) services: 41.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** rice, sugarcane, vegetables, beans, maize, groundnuts, plantains, fruits, coconuts, onions (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** agricultural processing; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; cement, construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; oil and natural gas; garments; jade and gems **Industrial production growth rate:** -0.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 22.742 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.1% (2024 est.) 3.1% (2023 est.) 3.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 10% (2024 est.) male: 10.5% (2024 est.) female: 9.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 24.8% (2017 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 30.7 (2017 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 53.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.8% (2017 est.) highest 10%: 25.5% (2017 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $10.945 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $10.22 billion (2019 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 6% (of GDP) (2019 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $67.72 million (2019 est.) -$2.561 billion (2018 est.) -$4.917 billion (2017 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $20.4 billion (2021 est.) $17.523 billion (2019 est.) $15.728 billion (2018 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 32%, Thailand 16%, Japan 7%, Germany 6%, India 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** garments, natural gas, dried legumes, rare-earth metal compounds, precious stones (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $23.1 billion (2021 est.) $17.356 billion (2019 est.) $18.664 billion (2018 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 40%, Thailand 18%, Singapore 15%, Indonesia 4%, Malaysia 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, synthetic fabric, fertilizers, crude petroleum, fabric (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $9.338 billion (2023 est.) $8.182 billion (2022 est.) $9.103 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $8.748 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** kyats (MMK) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2,100 (2023 est.) 1,932.543 (2022 est.) 1,615.367 (2021 est.) 1,381.619 (2020 est.) 1,518.255 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 73.7% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 93.9% electrification - rural areas: 62.8% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 7.419 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 23.625 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 200 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.855 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 61.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 36.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 1.031 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 907,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 221,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 67,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 252 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 7,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 122,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 139 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 13.549 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 4.241 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 9.29 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 219.822 million cubic meters (2021 est.) proven reserves: 637.129 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 8.384 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 559,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 62.3 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 114 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** government controls all domestic broadcast media; 2 state-controlled TV stations, with 1 controlled by the armed forces; 2 pay-TV stations are joint state-private ventures; 1 state-controlled radio station; 9 FM stations are joint state-private ventures; several international broadcasts are available in some areas; the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Asia (RFA), BBC Burmese service, the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), and Radio Australia use shortwave to broadcast; VOA, RFA, and DVB produce daily TV news programs that are transmitted by satellite; in 2017, the government granted licenses to 5 private broadcasters for digital free-to-air TV channels to be operated in partnership with government-owned Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV); after the 2021 military coup, the regime revoked the media licenses of most independent outlets, including the free-to-air licenses for DVB and Mizzima (2022) **Internet country code:** .mm **Internet users:** percent of population: 59% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.51 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** XY **Airports:** 74 (2025) **Heliports:** 6 (2025) **Railways:** total: 5,031 km (2008) narrow gauge: 5,031 km (2008) 1.000-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 101 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1, general cargo 44, oil tanker 5, other 51 **Ports:** total ports: 7 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 5 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Bassein, Mergui, Moulmein Harbor, Rangoon, Sittwe ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Burmese Defense Service (aka Armed Forces of Burma, Myanmar Army, Royal Armed Forces, the Tatmadaw, or the Sit-Tat): Army (Tatmadaw Kyi), Navy (Tatmadaw Yay), Air Force (Tatmadaw Lay); People’s Militia Ministry of Home Affairs: Burma (People's) Police Force, Border Guard Forces/Police (2025) note 1: under the 2008 constitution, the Tatmadaw was given control over the appointments of senior officials to lead the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Border Affairs, and the Ministry of Home Affairs; in 2022, a new law gave the commander-in-chief of the Tatmadaw the authority to appoint or remove the head of the police force note 2: the military is supported by pro-government militias; some are integrated within the Tatmadaw’s command structure as Border Guard Forces, which are organized as battalions with a mix of militia forces, ethnic armed groups, and government soldiers that are armed, supplied, and paid by the Tatmadaw; other pro-military government militias are not integrated within the Tatmadaw command structure but receive direction and some support from the military and are recognized as government militias; a third type of pro-government militias are small community-based units that are armed, coordinated, and trained by local Tatmadaw forces and activated as needed **Military expenditures:** 3.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 3% of GDP (2020 est.) 4.1% of GDP (2019 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information varies; estimated 150,000 active military personnel (2025) note: the Tatmadaw has reportedly suffered heavy personnel losses in the ongoing fighting against anti-regime forces **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Burmese military's inventory is comprised of mostly Chinese, Russian, or Soviet-era armaments; Burma's defense industry is involved in shipbuilding and the production of ground force equipment based largely on Chinese and Russian designs (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-35 years of age (men) and 18-27 years of age (women) for voluntary and conscripted military service; 24-month service obligation; conscripted professional men (ages 18-45) and women (ages 18-35), including doctors, engineers, and mechanics, serve up to 36 months; service terms may be extended to 60 months in an officially declared emergency (2025) note: in February 2024, the military government announced that the People’s Military Service Law requiring mandatory military service would go into effect; the Service Law was first introduced in 2010 but had not previously been enforced; the military government also said that it intended to call up about 60,000 men and women annually for mandatory service; during the ongoing insurgency, the military has recruited men 18-60 to serve in local militias **Military - note:** since the country’s founding, the Tatmadaw has been deeply involved in domestic politics and the national economy; it ran the country for five decades following a military coup in 1962; prior to the most recent coup in 2021, the military already controlled three key security ministries (Defense, Border, and Home Affairs), one of two vice presidential appointments, 25% of the parliamentary seats, and had a proxy political party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP); it owns and operates two business conglomerates that have over 100 subsidiaries involved in a range of business activities, including banking, construction, mining, real estate, and tourism; the military also manages a film industry, publishing houses, and television stations the Tatmadaw's primary operational focus is internal security, and it is conducting counterinsurgency operations against anti-regime forces that launched an armed rebellion following the 2021 coup and an array of ethnic armed groups (EAGs); as of 2025, the Tatmadaw was engaged in combat operations across much of the country EAGs have been fighting for self-rule against the Burmese Government since 1948; they range in strength from a few hundred fighters up to an estimated 30,000; some are organized along military lines with brigades and divisions and armed with heavy weaponry, including artillery; they control large tracts of the country’s territory, primarily in the border regions; key groups include the United Wa State Army, Karen National Union, Kachin Independence Army, Arakan Army, Ta’ang National Liberation Army, and the Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army the opposition National Unity Government claims its armed wing, the People's Defense Force (PDF), has more than 60,000 fighters loosely organized into battalions; in addition, several EAGs have cooperated with the NUG and supported local PDF groups (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** IDPs: 3,646,658 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 619,429 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Burma does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Burma remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/burma/ **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Burundi **Slug:** burundi **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇧🇮 **Codes:** cek: by, iso2: BI, iso3: BDI, iso_num: 108, genc: BDI, stanag: BDI, internet: .bi ### Introduction **Background:** Established in the 1600s, the Burundi Kingdom has had borders similar to those of modern Burundi since the 1800s. Burundi’s two major ethnic groups, the majority Hutu and minority Tutsi, share a common language and culture and largely lived in peaceful cohabitation under Tutsi monarchs in pre-colonial Burundi. Regional, class, and clan distinctions contributed to social status in the Burundi Kingdom, yielding a complex class structure. German colonial rule in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and Belgian rule after World War I preserved Burundi’s monarchy. Seeking to simplify administration, Belgian colonial officials reduced the number of chiefdoms and eliminated most Hutu chiefs from positions of power. In 1961, the Burundian Tutsi king’s oldest son, Louis RWAGASORE, was murdered by a competing political faction shortly before he was set to become prime minister, triggering increased political competition that contributed to later instability. Burundi gained its independence from Belgium in 1962 as the Kingdom of Burundi. Revolution in neighboring Rwanda stoked ethnic polarization as the Tutsi increasingly feared violence and loss of political power. A failed Hutu-led coup in 1965 triggered a purge of Hutu officials and set the stage for Tutsi officers to overthrow the monarchy in 1966 and establish a Tutsi-dominated republic. A Hutu rebellion in 1972 resulted in the deaths of several thousand Tutsi civilians and sparked brutal Tutsi-led military reprisals against Hutu civilians which ultimately killed 100,000-200,000 people. International pressure led to a new constitution in 1992 and democratic elections in 1993. Tutsi military officers feared Hutu domination and assassinated Burundi's first democratically elected president, Hutu Melchior NDADAYE, in 1993 after only 100 days in office, sparking a civil war. In 1994, his successor, Cyprien NTARYAMIRA, died when the Rwandan president’s plane he was traveling on was shot down, which triggered the Rwandan genocide and further entrenched ethnic conflict in Burundi. The internationally brokered Arusha Agreement, signed in 2000, and subsequent cease-fire agreements with armed movements ended the 1993-2005 civil war. Burundi’s second democratic elections were held in 2005, resulting in the election of Pierre NKURUNZIZA as president. He was reelected in 2010 and again in 2015 after a controversial court decision allowed him to circumvent a term limit. President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE -- from NKURUNZIZA’s ruling party -- was elected in 2020. ### Geography **Location:** Central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, west of Tanzania **Geographic coordinates:** 3 30 S, 30 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 27,830 sq km land: 25,680 sq km water: 2,150 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Maryland **Land boundaries:** total: 1,140 km border countries (3): Democratic Republic of the Congo 236 km; Rwanda 315 km; Tanzania 589 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees Celsius but is generally moderate; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm with two wet seasons (February to May and September to November) and two dry seasons (June to August and December to January) **Terrain:** hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains **Elevation:** highest point: unnamed elevation on Mukike Range 2,685 m lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m mean elevation: 1,504 m **Natural resources:** nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone **Land use:** agricultural land: 83.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 51.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 13.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 18.8% (2023 est.) forest: 10.9% (2023 est.) other: 5.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 230 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Tanganyika (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia) - 32,000 sq km **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km) **Population distribution:** one of Africa's most densely populated countries; concentrations tend to be in the north and along the northern shore of Lake Tanganyika in the west; most people live on farms near areas of fertile volcanic soil, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** flooding; landslides; drought **Geography - note:** landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote headstream of the White Nile ### People and Society **Population:** total: 13,520,867 (2025 est.) male: 6,552,430 female: 6,968,437 **Nationality:** noun: Burundian(s) adjective: Burundian **Ethnic groups:** Hutu, Tutsi, Twa, South Asian **Languages:** Kirundi (official), French (official), English (official, least spoken), Swahili (2008 est.) major-language sample(s): Igitabo Mpuzamakungu c'ibimenyetso bifatika, isoko ntabanduka ku nkuru z'urufatiro. (Kirundi) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: data represent languages read and written by people 10 years of age or older; spoken Kirundi is nearly universal **Religions:** Christian 93.9% (Roman Catholic 58.6%, Protestant 35.3% [includes Adventist 2.7% and other Protestant religions 32.6%]), Muslim 3.4%, other 1.3%, none 1.3% (2016-17 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 42.3% (male 2,895,275/female 2,848,286) 15-64 years: 54.4% (male 3,662,688/female 3,727,022) 65 years and over: 3.4% (2024 est.) (male 197,493/female 259,338) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 89.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 83.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 16 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 17.6 years (2025 est.) male: 18 years female: 18.7 years **Population growth rate:** 2.96% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 35.91 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.51 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** one of Africa's most densely populated countries; concentrations tend to be in the north and along the northern shore of Lake Tanganyika in the west; most people live on farms near areas of fertile volcanic soil, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 14.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 5.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.207 million BUJUMBURA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 21.5 years (2016/17 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 392 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 35.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 39.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 31.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 68.1 years (2024 est.) male: 66 years female: 70.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 4.94 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 2.43 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 90.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 57.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 62.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 9.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 42.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 37.6% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9.1% of GDP (2021) 4.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 87.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 53.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 58.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 12.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 46.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 41.4% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 5.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 4.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 2.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 9.1% (2025 est.) male: 14% (2025 est.) female: 4.3% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 28.3% (2024 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 58.2% (2017 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 2.8% (2017) women married by age 18: 19% (2017) men married by age 18: 1.4% (2017) **Education expenditure:** 4.9% of GDP (2021 est.) 14.4% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 71.4% (2020 est.) male: 78.2% (2020 est.) female: 66.2% (2020 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 10 years (2018 est.) male: 10 years (2018 est.) female: 10 years (2018 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** soil erosion from overgrazing and agricultural expansion; deforestation; wildlife habitat loss **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees Celsius but is generally moderate; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm with two wet seasons (February to May and September to November) and two dry seasons (June to August and December to January) **Land use:** agricultural land: 83.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 51.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 13.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 18.8% (2023 est.) forest: 10.9% (2023 est.) other: 5.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 14.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 5.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 838,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 32,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 806,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 26.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.872 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 7.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 43.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 15 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 222 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 12.536 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Burundi conventional short form: Burundi local long form: République du Burundi (French)/ Republika y'u Burundi (Kirundi) local short form: Burundi former: Urundi, German East Africa, Ruanda-Urundi, Kingdom of Burundi etymology: name dates from 1966 and is derived from the name of the local Bantu people, the Rundi or Barundi; ba- is the prefix for the people, and bu- is the prefix for the country; the former name, Urundi, is the Swahili version **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Gitega (political capital), Bujumbura (commercial capital) geographic coordinates: 3 25 S, 29 55 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the origin of the name Bujumbura is unclear, but "bu-" is a Bantu prefix meaning "place" note: in January 2019, the Burundian parliament voted to make Gitega the political capital of the country while Bujumbura would remain its economic capital; as of 2023, the government's move to Gitega remains incomplete **Administrative divisions:** 5 provinces: Buhumuza, Bujumbura, Burunga, Butanyerera, Gitega **Legal system:** mixed legal system of Belgian civil law and customary law **Constitution:** history: several previous, ratified by referendum 28 February 2005 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic after consultation with the government or by absolute majority support of the membership in both houses of Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Senate membership and at least four-fifths majority vote by the National Assembly; the president can opt to submit amendment bills to a referendum; constitutional articles including those on national unity, the secularity of Burundi, its democratic form of government, and its sovereignty cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; withdrew from ICCt in October 2017 **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Burundi dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 June 2020) head of government: Prime Minister Nestor NTAHONTUYE (since 5 August 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); vice presidents nominated by the president, endorsed by Parliament most recent election date: 20 May 2020 election results: 2020: Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE elected president; percent of vote - Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (CNDD-FDD) 71.5%, Agathon RWASA (CNL) 25.2%, Gaston SINDIMWO (UPRONA) 1.7%, other 1.6% 2015: Pierre NKURUNZIZA reelected president; percent of vote - Pierre NKURUNZIZA (CNDD-FDD) 69.4%, Agathon RWASA (Hope of Burundians - Amizerio y'ABARUNDI) 19%, other 11.6% expected date of next election: May 2027 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Parlement) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly (Inama Nshingamateka) number of seats: 111 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 6/5/2025 parties elected and seats per party: National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) (108); Other (3) percentage of women in chamber: 39.6% expected date of next election: June 2030 note: 60% of seats in the National Assembly are allocated to Hutus and 40% to Tutsis; 3 seats are reserved for Twas; 30% of total seats are reserved for women **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Inama Nkenguzamateka) number of seats: 13 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 7/23/2025 parties elected and seats per party: National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) (10) percentage of women in chamber: 46.2% expected date of next election: July 2030 note: 3 seats in the Senate are reserved for Twas, and 30% of all votes are reserved for women **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 9 judges and organized into judicial, administrative, and cassation chambers); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Judicial Service Commission, a 15-member body of judicial and legal profession officials), appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate and serve 6-year nonrenewable terms subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; County Courts; Courts of Residence; Martial Court; Commercial Court **Political parties:** Council for Democracy and the Sustainable Development of Burundi or CODEBU Front for Democracy in Burundi-Sahwanya or FRODEBU-Sahwanya National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD National Congress for Liberty or CNL National Liberation Forces or FNL Union for National Progress (Union pour le Progress Nationale) or UPRONA **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Bosco BAREGE (since 27 February 2024) chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574 FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578 email address and website: burundiembusadc@gmail.com Burundi Embassy Washington D.C. (burundiembassy-usa.com) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa PETERSON (since 27 June 2024) embassy: No 50 Avenue Des Etats-Unis, 110-01-02, Bujumbura mailing address: 2100 Bujumbura Place, Washington DC 20521-2100 telephone: [257] 22-207-000 FAX: [257] 22-222-926 email address and website: BujumburaC@state.gov https://bi.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, CEMAC, CEPGL, CICA, COMESA, EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICGLR, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 1 July (1962) **Flag:** description: divided by a white diagonal cross into red triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (on each side) with a white disk at the center bearing three six-pointed red stars outlined in green and arranged in a triangular design meaning: green stands for hope and optimism, white for purity and peace, and red for the blood shed in the struggle for independence; the three stars represent the major ethnic groups (Hutu, Twa, Tutsi), as well as unity, work, and progress **National symbol(s):** lion **National color(s):** red, white, green **National anthem(s):** title: "Burundi Bwacu" (Our Beloved Burundi) lyrics/music: Jean-Baptiste NTAHOKAJA/Marc BARENGAYABO history: adopted 1962 ### Economy **Economic overview:** highly agrarian, low-income Sub-Saharan economy; declining foreign assistance; increasing fiscal insolvencies; dense and still growing population; COVID-19 weakened economic recovery and flipped two years of deflation **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $11.739 billion (2024 est.) $11.343 billion (2023 est.) $11.048 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.5% (2024 est.) 2.7% (2023 est.) 1.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $800 (2024 est.) $800 (2023 est.) $800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $2.162 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 20.2% (2024 est.) 26.9% (2023 est.) 18.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 25.3% (2023 est.) industry: 9.6% (2023 est.) services: 49% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 75.9% (2023 est.) government consumption: 30.7% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 13.1% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 5.3% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -24.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** cassava, bananas, sweet potatoes, beans, maize, vegetables, potatoes, rice, sugarcane, fruits (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** light consumer goods (sugar, shoes, soap, beer); cement, assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing (fruits) **Industrial production growth rate:** -0.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 6.107 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 1% (2024 est.) 1% (2023 est.) 1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 1.6% (2024 est.) male: 2.1% (2024 est.) female: 1.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 51% (2020 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 37.5 (2020 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.9% (2020 est.) highest 10%: 29.9% (2020 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 7.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 6.1% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $713.694 million (2021 est.) expenditures: $737.898 million (2021 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 15.6% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$625.597 million (2023 est.) -$621.969 million (2022 est.) -$393.88 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $378.229 million (2023 est.) $333.637 million (2022 est.) $302.752 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UAE 59%, Uganda 8%, China 5%, Germany 5%, USA 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, coffee, tea, tin ores, iron bars (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $1.433 billion (2023 est.) $1.42 billion (2022 est.) $1.166 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Tanzania 26%, China 15%, Uganda 10%, Kenya 10%, India 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** fertilizers, cement, packaged medicine, plastic products, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $90.35 million (2023 est.) $158.53 million (2022 est.) $266.164 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $805.174 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2,574.052 (2023 est.) 2,034.307 (2022 est.) 1,975.951 (2021 est.) 1,915.046 (2020 est.) 1,845.623 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 10.3% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 64% electrification - rural areas: 1.7% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 131,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 444.018 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 100 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 39.994 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 31.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 66.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 1,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 10,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 946,000 Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 14,400 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 8.65 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 63 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-controlled Radio Television Nationale de Burundi (RTNB) operates a TV station and a national radio network; 3 private TV stations and about 10 privately owned radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available in Bujumbura (2019) **Internet country code:** .bi **Internet users:** percent of population: 11% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 3,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 9U **Airports:** 6 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Burundi National Defense Force (BNDF; Force de Defense Nationale du Burundi, FDNB): Land Force (Army), Naval Force, Air Force, Specialized Units Ministry of Interior, Community Development, and Public Security: Burundi National Police (Police Nationale du Burundi, PNB) (2024) note: the Naval Force is responsible for monitoring Burundi’s 175-km shoreline on Lake Tanganyika; the Specialized Units include a special security brigade for the protection of institutions (aka BSPI), commandos, special forces, and military police **Military expenditures:** 3.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 3% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 2% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 30,000 active Defense Force troops (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military has a mix of mostly older armaments typically of French, Russian, and Soviet origin, and a smaller selection of more modern equipment from such countries as China, Egypt, South Africa, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (2025) **Military deployments:** 770 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); up to 10,000 Democratic Republic of the Congo (2025) **Military - note:** the National Defense Force (FDNB) is responsible for defending Burundi’s territorial integrity and protecting its sovereignty; it has an internal security role, including maintaining and restoring public order if required; the FDNB also participates in providing humanitarian/disaster assistance, protecting the country's environment, and countering terrorism, narcotics trafficking, piracy, and illegal arms trade; the FDNB conducts some training with foreign partners such as Russia and participates in regional peacekeeping missions, most recently in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Somalia; in recent years the FDNB has conducted operations against anti-government rebel groups based in the neighboring DRC that have carried out sporadic attacks in Burundi, such as the National Forces of Liberation (FNL), the Resistance for the Rule of Law-Tabara (aka RED Tabara), and Popular Forces of Burundi (FPB or FOREBU); Burundi has accused Rwanda of supporting the RED-Tabara the Arusha Accords that ended the 1993-2005 civil war created a unified military by balancing the predominantly Tutsi ex-Burundi Armed Forces (ex-FAB) and the largely Hutu dominated armed movements and requiring the military to have a 50/50 ethnic mix of Tutsis and Hutus (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 91,164 (2024 est.) IDPs: 92,174 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 791 (2024 est.) --- ## Cabo Verde **Slug:** cabo-verde **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇨🇻 **Codes:** cek: cv, iso2: CV, iso3: CPV, iso_num: 132, genc: CPV, stanag: CPV, internet: .cv ### Introduction **Background:** The Portuguese discovered and colonized the uninhabited islands of Cabo Verde in the 15th century; Cabo Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. The fusing of European and various African cultural traditions is reflected in Cabo Verde’s Crioulo language, music, and pano textiles. After gaining independence in 1975, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cabo Verde continues to sustain one of Africa's most stable democratic governments and relatively stable economies, maintaining a currency pegged first to the Portuguese escudo and then to the euro since 1998. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cabo Verde's expatriate population -- concentrated in Boston, Massachusetts and Western Europe -- is greater than its domestic one. Most Cabo Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents. Cabo Verde’s population descends from its first permanent inhabitants in the late 15th-century -- a preponderance of West African slaves, a small share of Portuguese colonists, and even fewer Italians and Spaniards. Among the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is varied. The islands in the east are very dry and are home to the country's growing tourism industry. The more western islands receive more precipitation and support larger populations, but agriculture and livestock grazing have damaged their soil fertility and vegetation. For centuries, the country’s overall population size has fluctuated significantly, as recurring periods of famine and epidemics have caused high death tolls and emigration. ### Geography **Location:** Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal **Geographic coordinates:** 16 00 N, 24 00 W **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 4,033 sq km land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Rhode Island **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 965 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm note: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines **Climate:** temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic **Terrain:** steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic **Elevation:** highest point: Mt. Fogo (a volcano on Fogo Island) 2,829 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum **Land use:** agricultural land: 19.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 12.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.2% (2023 est.) forest: 12.4% (2023 est.) other: 68% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 35 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** among the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is variable; islands in the east are very dry and are only sparsely settled; the more southerly islands receive more precipitation and support larger populations; approximately half of the population lives on Sao Tiago Island, which is the location of the capital of Praia; Mindelo, on the northern island of Sao Vicente, also has a large urban population, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active volcanism: Fogo (2,829 m), which last erupted in 1995, is Cabo Verde's only active volcano **Geography - note:** strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; one of four North Atlantic archipelagos that make up Macaronesia; the others are Azores (Portugal), Canary Islands (Spain), and Madeira (Portugal) ### People and Society **Population:** total: 618,014 (2025 est.) male: 300,577 female: 317,437 **Nationality:** noun: Cabo Verdean(s) adjective: Cabo Verdean **Ethnic groups:** Creole (Mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1% **Languages:** Portuguese (official), Crioulo (a Portuguese-based creole language with two main dialects) **Religions:** Roman Catholic 72.5%, Protestant 4% (includes Adventist 1.9%, Nazarene 1.8%, Assembly of God 0.2%, God is Love 0.1%), Christian Rationalism 1.7%, Muslim 1.3%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, Church of Jesus Christ 1%, other Christian 1.3%, other 1.2%, none 15.6%, no response 0.4% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 26.4% (male 80,973/female 80,129) 15-64 years: 67.2% (male 201,084/female 209,676) 65 years and over: 6.4% (2024 est.) (male 15,049/female 24,103) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 48.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 38.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 10.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 9.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 29.3 years (2025 est.) male: 27.9 years female: 29.6 years **Population growth rate:** 1.12% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 17.51 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.73 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** among the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is variable; islands in the east are very dry and are only sparsely settled; the more southerly islands receive more precipitation and support larger populations; approximately half of the population lives on Sao Tiago Island, which is the location of the capital of Praia; Mindelo, on the northern island of Sao Vicente, also has a large urban population, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 68% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.83% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 168,000 PRAIA (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 40 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 21.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 26.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 74.3 years (2024 est.) male: 72 years female: 76.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.08 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.02 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 93.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 82.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 89.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 6.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 17.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 10.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.9% of GDP (2021) 16.1% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.73 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 2 beds/1,000 population (2018 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 95.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 77.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 89.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 22.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 10.2% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 11.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 4.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 9.8% (2025 est.) male: 15.3% (2025 est.) female: 4.5% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.2% (2018 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 45% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 1.8% (2018) women married by age 18: 8.4% (2018) men married by age 18: 1.5% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 4.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 13.4% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 88.5% (2024 est.) male: 92.9% (2024 est.) female: 84.1% (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2018 est.) male: 13 years (2018 est.) female: 14 years (2018 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation due to demand for firewood; water shortages; droughts; desertification; soil erosion; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic **Land use:** agricultural land: 19.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 12.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.2% (2023 est.) forest: 12.4% (2023 est.) other: 68% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 68% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.83% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 714,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 714,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 27.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 132,600 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 17.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 155.895 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 5.614 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 103.217 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 300 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Cabo Verde conventional short form: Cabo Verde local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde local short form: Cabo Verde etymology: the name derives from the Cape Verde (Green Cape) peninsula on the Senegalese coast, the westernmost point of Africa and the nearest mainland to the islands **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Praia geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the earlier Portuguese name was Villa de Praia ("Village of the Beach"); it was shortened to Praia in 1974 **Administrative divisions:** 22 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Porto Novo, Praia, Ribeira Brava, Ribeira Grande, Ribeira Grande de Santiago, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina do Fogo, Santa Cruz, São Domingos, São Filipe, São Lourenco dos Orgaos, São Miguel, São Salvador do Mundo, São Vicente, Tarrafal, Tarrafal de São Nicolau **Legal system:** civil law system of Portugal **Constitution:** history: previous 1981; latest effective 25 September 1992 amendment process: proposals require support of at least four fifths of the active National Assembly membership; amendment drafts require sponsorship of at least one third of the active Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership; constitutional sections, including those on national independence, form of government, political pluralism, suffrage, and human rights and liberties, cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cabo Verde dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 9 November 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Jose Ulisses CORREIA e SILVA (since 22 April 2016) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president most recent election date: 17 October 2021 election results: 2020: Jose Maria Pereira NEVES elected president; percent of vote - Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (PAICV) 51.7%, Carlos VEIGA (MPD) 42.4%, Casimiro DE PINA (independent) 1.8%, Fernando Rocha DELGADO (independent) 1.4%, Helio SANCHES (independent) 1.14%, Gilson ALVES (independent) 0.8%, Joaquim MONTEIRO (independent) 3.4% 2016: Jorge Carlos FONSECA reelected president; percent of vote - Jorge Carlos FONSECA (MPD) 74.1%, Albertino GRACA (independent) 22.5%, other 3.4% expected date of next election: October 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 72 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 4/18/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Movement for Democracy (MpD) (38); African Party for the Independence of Cabo Verde (PAICV) (30); Union for an Independent Democratic Cape Verde (UCID) (4) percentage of women in chamber: 44.4% expected date of next election: April 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the chief justice and at least 7 judges and organized into civil, criminal, and administrative sections) judge selection and term of office: judge appointments - 1 by the president of the republic, 1 elected by the National Assembly, and 3 by the Superior Judicial Council (SJC), a 16-member independent body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general, 8 private citizens, 2 judges, 2 prosecutors, the senior legal inspector of the Attorney General's office, and a representative of the Ministry of Justice; chief justice appointed by the president of the republic from among peers of the Supreme Court of Justice and in consultation with the SJC; judges appointed for life subordinate courts: appeals courts, first instance (municipal) courts; audit, military, and fiscal and customs courts **Political parties:** African Party for Independence of Cabo Verde or PAICV Democratic and Independent Cabo Verdean Union or UCID Democratic Christian Party or PDC Democratic Renewal Party or PRD Movement for Democracy or MPD Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS Social Democratic Party or PSD **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Luis do Livramento MONTEIRO ALVES DE BRITO (since 23 December 2020) chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820 FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207 email address and website: embassy.wdc@mnec.gov.cv https://www.embcv-usa.gov.cv/ consulate(s) general: Boston **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Jennifer ADAMS (since 10 September 2024) embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo 6, Praia mailing address: 2460 Praia Place, Washington DC 20521-2460 telephone: [238] 260-8900 FAX: [238] 261-1355 email address and website: PraiaConsular@state.gov https://cv.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 5 July 1975 (from Portugal) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 5 July (1975) **Flag:** description: five unequal horizontal bands; the top band of blue is half the height of the flag; under it are three narrow bands of white, red, and white, and a bottom stripe of blue; a circle of 10 five-pointed yellow stars is centered on the red stripe and sits toward the left side of the flag meaning: blue stands for the sea and sky; the stripes symbolize the country's formation through peace (white) and effort (red); the stars represent the 10 major islands **National symbol(s):** ten five-pointed yellow stars **National color(s):** blue, white, red, yellow **National coat of arms:** adopted in 1992, the coat of arms features the national symbol of ten stars that represent the country’s islands; the stylized torch and triangle at the center of the circle symbolize freedom and national unity, and the three blue lines represent the ocean and sky; the name of the country is written in Portuguese, the official language; the plumbob at the top of the circle -- used in construction to make accurate vertical lines -- represents justice, righteousness, and truth; the chain links symbolize a commitment to the people and their well-being **National anthem(s):** title: "Cantico da Liberdade" (Song of Freedom) lyrics/music: Amilcar Spencer LOPES/Adalberto Higino Tavares SILVA history: adopted 1996 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Cidade Velha; Historic Center of Ribeira Grande ### Economy **Economic overview:** stable, middle-income, developing island economy; strong GDP growth led by tourism sector recovery; sustained poverty reduction through PEDS II development plan; high reliance on foreign remittances and aid to finance external debt **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $5.2 billion (2024 est.) $4.848 billion (2023 est.) $4.6 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 7.3% (2024 est.) 5.4% (2023 est.) 15.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $9,900 (2024 est.) $9,300 (2023 est.) $8,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $2.768 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1% (2024 est.) 3.7% (2023 est.) 7.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 4.7% (2024 est.) industry: 10.5% (2024 est.) services: 69.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 74.7% (2024 est.) government consumption: 20.7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 16% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 41.9% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -53.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, tomatoes, coconuts, pulses, goat milk, milk, vegetables, bananas, cabbages, onions (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair **Industrial production growth rate:** 4.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 224,500 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 11.9% (2024 est.) 12% (2023 est.) 12.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 28.2% (2024 est.) male: 24.6% (2024 est.) female: 33.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 35.2% (2015 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 42.4 (2015 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.2% (2015 est.) highest 10%: 32.3% (2015 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 12.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 12.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 14% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $453.182 million (2020 est.) expenditures: $623.816 million (2020 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 18.4% (of GDP) (2020 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $101.072 million (2024 est.) -$64.439 million (2023 est.) -$78.271 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.158 billion (2024 est.) $972.636 million (2023 est.) $851.907 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Spain 46%, Portugal 9%, Togo 7%, Italy 7%, India 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fish, refined petroleum, railway cargo containers, shellfish, garments (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $1.473 billion (2024 est.) $1.428 billion (2023 est.) $1.31 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Portugal 29%, Saudi Arabia 11%, Netherlands 9%, Spain 8%, China 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, aircraft, cars, fish, railway cargo containers (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $783.106 million (2024 est.) $837.881 million (2023 est.) $729.566 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $1.385 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Cabo Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 101.922 (2024 est.) 101.805 (2023 est.) 104.863 (2022 est.) 93.218 (2021 est.) 96.796 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 97.1% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 95.3% electrification - rural areas: 96.9% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 200,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 400 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 106 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 71.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 14.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 14.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 19.999 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 61,300 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 587,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 112 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-run TV and radio network, plus a growing number of private broadcasters; Portuguese public TV and radio services for Africa are available; transmissions of a few international broadcasters are available (2019) **Internet country code:** .cv **Internet users:** percent of population: 74% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 38,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** D4 **Airports:** 10 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 44 (2023) by type: general cargo 14, oil tanker 2, other 28 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Porto da Praia, Porto Grande ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Cabo Verdean Armed Forces (FACV): National Guard (GN), Cabo Verde Coast Guard (Guardia Costeira de Cabo Verde, GCCV) (2025) note: the National Police are under the Ministry of Internal Affairs **Military expenditures:** 0.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** the FACV has approximately 1,000-1,500 active personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the FACV has a limited amount of mostly dated or secondhand equipment, largely from China, some European countries, and the former Soviet Union (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 17 years of age for voluntary service (with parental consent); 18-35 years of age for selective compulsory service (14-month service obligation) (2025) **Military - note:** the FACV is responsible for external defense; it also has an internal security role in collaboration with the police if required; its duties include monitoring and patrolling the country's air and maritime spaces, participating in training exercises, conducting search and rescue, countering narcotics and other forms of illicit trafficking, and supporting the police and civil society (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** stateless persons: 115 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Cabo Verde did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period and was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/cabo-verde/ --- ## Cambodia **Slug:** cambodia **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇰🇭 **Codes:** cek: cb, iso2: KH, iso3: KHM, iso_num: 116, genc: KHM, stanag: KHM, internet: .kh ### Introduction **Background:** Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863, and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In 1975, after a seven-year struggle, communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off 13 years of internecine warfare in which a coalition of Khmer Rouge, Cambodian nationalists, and royalist insurgents, with assistance from China, fought the Vietnamese-backed People’s Republic of Kampuchea (PRK). The 1991 Paris Agreements ended the country’s civil war and mandated democratic elections, which took place in 1993 and ushered in a period of multi-party democracy with a constitutional monarchy. King Norodom SIHANOUK was reinstated as head of state, and the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and the royalist FUNCINPEC party formed a coalition government. Nevertheless, the power-sharing arrangement proved fractious and fragile, and in 1997, a coup led by CPP leader and former PRK prime minister HUN SEN dissolved the coalition and sidelined FUNCINPEC. Despite further attempts at coalition governance, the CPP has since remained in power through elections criticized for lacking fairness, political and judicial corruption, media control, and influence over labor unions, all of which have been enforced with violence and intimidation. HUN SEN remained as prime minister until 2023, when he transferred power to his son, HUN MANET. HUN SEN has subsequently maintained considerable influence as the leader of the CPP and the Senate. The CPP has also placed limits on civil society, press freedom, and freedom of expression. Despite some economic growth and considerable investment from China over the past decade, Cambodia remains one of East Asia's poorest countries. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in 1999. A UN-backed special tribunal established in Cambodia in 1997 tried some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders for crimes against humanity and genocide. The tribunal concluded in 2022 with three convictions. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos **Geographic coordinates:** 13 00 N, 105 00 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 181,035 sq km land: 176,515 sq km water: 4,520 sq km **Area - comparative:** 1.5 times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oklahoma **Land boundaries:** total: 2,530 km border countries (3): Laos 555 km; Thailand 817 km; Vietnam 1158 km **Coastline:** 443 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation **Terrain:** mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north **Elevation:** highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m mean elevation: 126 m **Natural resources:** oil and gas, timber, gemstones, iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 34.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 23.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 8.5% (2023 est.) forest: 39.4% (2023 est.) other: 25.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 3,540 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Tonle Sap - 2,700-16,000 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Mekong (shared with China [s], Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam [m]) - 4,350 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Pacific Ocean drainage: Mekong (805,604 sq km) **Population distribution:** population concentrated in the southeast, particularly in and around the capital of Phnom Penh; further distribution is linked closely to the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers **Natural hazards:** monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts **Geography - note:** a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap (Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake) ### People and Society **Population:** total: 17,230,333 (2025 est.) male: 8,362,224 female: 8,868,109 **Nationality:** noun: Cambodian(s) adjective: Cambodian **Ethnic groups:** Khmer 95.4%, Cham 2.4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 0.7% (2019-20 est.) **Languages:** Khmer (official) 95.8%, minority languages 2.9%, Chinese 0.6%, Vietnamese 0.5%, other 0.2% (2019 est.) major-language sample(s): សៀវភៅហេតុការណនៅលើពិភពលោក។ ទីតាំងពត៏មានមូលដានគ្រឹះយាងសំខាន់។. (Khmer) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Buddhist (official) 97.1%, Muslim 2%, Christian 0.3%, other 0.5% (2019 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 28.9% (male 2,497,056/female 2,436,618) 15-64 years: 65.8% (male 5,456,941/female 5,765,206) 65 years and over: 5.3% (2024 est.) (male 323,591/female 584,257) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 51.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 42.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 8.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 11.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 28.3 years (2025 est.) male: 26.9 years female: 28.9 years **Population growth rate:** 0.95% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 17.74 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.62 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population concentrated in the southeast, particularly in and around the capital of Phnom Penh; further distribution is linked closely to the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers **Urbanization:** urban population: 25.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.281 million PHNOM PENH (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.55 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 23.3 years (2021-22 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 137 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 27.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 31.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 24.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 71.4 years (2024 est.) male: 69.6 years female: 73.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.14 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.05 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 93.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 72.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 78% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 6.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 27.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 22% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.5% of GDP (2021) 7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2019) **Hospital bed density:** 0.7 beds/1,000 population (2018 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 79.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 84.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 20.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 15.3% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 3.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 4.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 14.5% (2025 est.) male: 24.9% (2025 est.) female: 4.7% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 16.3% (2021 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 67.2% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 1.9% (2022) women married by age 18: 17.9% (2022) men married by age 18: 3.3% (2022) **Education expenditure:** 2.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 11.6% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 71.9% (2021 est.) male: 81.5% (2021 est.) female: 63.6% (2021 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 11 years (2023 est.) male: 11 years (2023 est.) female: 11 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** habitat and biodiversity loss from illegal logging and strip mining; destruction of mangrove swamps; soil erosion; limited access to potable water in rural areas; illegal fishing and overfishing; deforestation leading to sediment build-up in coastal ecosystems **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea **Climate:** tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation **Land use:** agricultural land: 34.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 23.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 8.5% (2023 est.) forest: 39.4% (2023 est.) other: 25.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 25.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 18.779 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 8.026 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 10.753 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 18.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.089 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 12.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 98 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 33 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 2.053 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 476.1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia conventional short form: Cambodia local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea (phonetic transliteration) local short form: Kampuchea former: Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea, People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia etymology: the name is derived from Kambu, a legendary ancestor of the Cambodian people **Government type:** parliamentary constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Phnom Penh geographic coordinates: 11 33 N, 104 55 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "mountain of plenty," from the Cambodian words phnom (mountain or hill) and penh (full) **Administrative divisions:** 24 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 1 municipality (krong, singular and plural) provinces: Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Kampong Thom, Kampot, Kandal, Kep, Koh Kong, Kratie, Mondolkiri, Oddar Meanchey, Pailin, Preah Sihanouk, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Pursat, Ratanakiri, Siem Reap, Stung Treng, Svay Rieng, Takeo, Tbong Khmum municipalities: Phnom Penh (Phnum Penh) **Legal system:** civil law system (influenced by the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia), customary law, Communist legal theory, and common law **Constitution:** history: previous 1947; latest promulgated 21 September 1993 amendment process: proposed by the monarch, by the prime minister, or by the president of the National Assembly if supported by one fourth of the Assembly membership; passage requires two-thirds majority of the Assembly membership; constitutional articles on the multiparty democratic form of government and the monarchy cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cambodia dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October 2004) head of government: Prime Minister HUN MANET (since 22 August 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch election/appointment process: monarch chosen by the 9-member Royal Council of the Throne from among all eligible males of royal descent; after legislative elections, a member of the majority party or majority coalition is named prime minister by the Chairman of the National Assembly and appointed by the monarch note: MANET succeeded his father, HUN SEN, who had been prime minister since 1985 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly (Radhsphea Ney Preah Recheanachakr Kampuchea) number of seats: 125 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 7/23/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Cambodian People's Party (CPP) (120); United National Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful and Co-operative Cambodia (FUNCINPEC) (5) percentage of women in chamber: 13.6% expected date of next election: July 2028 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 62 (60 indirectly elected; 2 appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 2/25/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 19.4% expected date of next election: February 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Council (organized into 5- and 9-judge panels and includes a court chief and deputy chief); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Council judge candidates recommended by the Supreme Council of Magistracy, a 17-member body chaired by the monarch and includes other high-level judicial officers; judges of both courts appointed by the monarch; Supreme Court judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council judges appointed for 9-year terms with one third of the court renewed every 3 years subordinate courts: Appellate Court; provincial and municipal courts; Military Court **Political parties:** Cambodian People's Party (CPP) United National Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful and Co-operative Cambodia (FUNCINPEC) note: the Cambodian Government has disqualified the main opposition Candlelight Party **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Koy KUONG (since 11 June 2025) chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742 FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381 email address and website: camemb.usa@mfaic.gov.kh https://www.embassyofcambodiadc.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Bridgette L. WALKER (since August 2024) embassy: #1, Street 96, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh mailing address: 4540 Phnom Penh Place, Washington DC 20521-4540 telephone: [855] (23) 728-000 FAX: [855] (23) 728-700 email address and website: ACSPhnomPenh@state.gov https://kh.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, ARF, ASEAN, CICA, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 9 November 1953 (from France) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 9 November (1953) **Flag:** description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double-width), and blue; a three-towered, stylized white temple outlined in black is in the center of the red band, representing Angkor Wat meaning: red and blue are traditional Cambodian colors note: only national flag to prominently incorporate an identifiable building into its design; Afghanistan, San Marino, Portugal, and Spain show small generic buildings as part of their coats of arms on the flag **National symbol(s):** Angkor Wat temple, kouprey (wild ox) **National color(s):** red, blue **National coat of arms:** Cambodia’s coat of arms is also the Royal Arms of Cambodia; the lions symbolize strength, courage, and the divine protection of the monarchs; the lion on the left is a gajasingha (a lion with an elephant’s trunk), and the lion on the right is a rajasingha (royal lion); both hold five-tiered umbrellas representing the king and queen, and they stand on a blue ribbon that says “Preah Chao Krung Kampuche”' (King of the Kingdom of Cambodia); between the lions is a crown with the Unalome, the Buddhist and Hindu symbol for the spiritual path to enlightenment, under it and a ray of light on top **National anthem(s):** title: "Nokoreach" (Royal Kingdom) lyrics/music: CHUON NAT/F. PERRUCHOT and J. JEKYLL history: adopted 1941, restored 1993; the anthem, based on a Cambodian folk tune, was restored after the defeat of the Communist regime **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 5 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Angkor; Temple of Preah Vihear; Sambor Prei Kuk; Koh Ker: Archaeological Site of Ancient Lingapora or Chok Gargyar; Cambodian Memorial Sites: From centres of repression to places of peace and reflection (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** one of the fastest growing economies; tourism and clothing exports; substantial manufacturing and construction sectors; COVID-19 declines and the suspension of EU market preferential access; massive reductions in poverty, but rural areas remain disproportionately poor **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $123.676 billion (2024 est.) $116.658 billion (2023 est.) $111.095 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 6% (2024 est.) 5% (2023 est.) 5.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $7,000 (2024 est.) $6,700 (2023 est.) $6,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $46.353 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.1% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) 2.9% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 16.6% (2024 est.) industry: 41.8% (2024 est.) services: 35.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 59.8% (2024 est.) government consumption: 5.8% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 31.6% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.6% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 71.4% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -72.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** cassava, rice, maize, sugarcane, vegetables, oil palm fruit, rubber, bananas, jute, pork (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, garments, construction, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles **Industrial production growth rate:** 9.5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 9.904 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 0.3% (2024 est.) 0.3% (2023 est.) 0.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 0.8% (2024 est.) male: 0.7% (2024 est.) female: 0.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Average household expenditures:** on food: 40.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Remittances:** 6.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 6.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 6.5% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $7.076 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $8.285 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 50.3% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 12.2% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $222.108 million (2024 est.) $552.346 million (2023 est.) -$7.582 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $31.712 billion (2024 est.) $27.753 billion (2023 est.) $25.497 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 36%, Germany 6%, China 6%, Japan 6%, Thailand 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** garments, semiconductors, trunks and cases, footwear, gold (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $34.329 billion (2024 est.) $29.421 billion (2023 est.) $34.759 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 39%, Thailand 20%, Vietnam 12%, Singapore 6%, Indonesia 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, fabric, gold, plastic products, synthetic fabric (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $22.506 billion (2024 est.) $19.984 billion (2023 est.) $17.801 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $8.019 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** riels (KHR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 4,072.397 (2024 est.) 4,110.653 (2023 est.) 4,102.038 (2022 est.) 4,098.723 (2021 est.) 4,092.783 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 92.3% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 99% electrification - rural areas: 88% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 3.673 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 16.998 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 5.096 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.882 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 55.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 5.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 38.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 27,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 4.39 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 4.36 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 77,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 15.664 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 29,100 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 20.5 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 116 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** mix of state-owned, joint public-private, and privately owned broadcast media; 27 TV stations, with most operating on multiple channels, including 1 state-operated station with multiple locations and 11 stations either jointly operated or privately owned, some with several locations; multi-channel cable and satellite systems; 84 radio stations, including 1 state-owned broadcaster with multiple stations and a mix of public and private broadcasters; one international broadcaster is available, as well as one TV station that is jointly run by China and the Ministry of Interior; several TV and radio operators broadcast online only (often via Facebook) (2019) **Internet country code:** .kh **Internet users:** percent of population: 61% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 510,000 (2022 est.) Slowly increase as focus is on mobile internet subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** XU **Airports:** 12 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 642 km (2014) narrow gauge: 642 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge note: under restoration **Merchant marine:** total: 195 (2023) by type: container ship 2, general cargo 123, oil tanker 18, other 52 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Kampong Saom, Phsar Ream ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF): Royal Cambodian Army, Royal Khmer Navy, Royal Cambodian Air Force, Royal Gendarmerie (Military Police); National Committee for Maritime Security (2025) note 1: the National Committee for Maritime Security performs coast guard functions and has representation from military and civilian agencies note 2: the Cambodian National Police are under the Ministry of Interior **Military expenditures:** 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information varies; estimated 200,000 Armed Forces, including Gendarmerie (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the RCAF is armed largely with older Chinese and Russian/Soviet origin armaments; in recent years it has received limited amounts of more modern equipment from several suppliers, particularly China (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 is the legal minimum age for military service for men and women (2025) note: in 2006, Cambodia's parliament approved a law requiring all Cambodians aged 18 to 30 to serve in the military for 18 months, although the law has never been enforced (service was to be voluntary for women); in 2025, the Cambodian Government announced that the 2006 conscription law would be enforced beginning in 2026 and have a 24-month service requirement **Military deployments:** 340 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 180 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025) **Military - note:** the primary responsibilities of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) are border, coastal, and internal security; its most important security partners include China and Vietnam; a key area of concern is its disputed border with Thailand; RCAF and Thai military forces clashed at multiple locations along the border in July and December 2025; the fighting included ground attacks, cross-border artillery shelling, and air attacks by fighter aircraft and drones the RCAF was re-established in 1993 under the first coalition government from the merger of the Cambodian Government’s military forces (Cambodian People’s Armed Forces) and the two non-communist resistance forces (Sihanoukist National Army, aka National Army for Khmer Independence, and the Khmer People's National Liberation Armed Forces); thousands of communist Khmer Rouge fighters began surrendering by 1994 under a government amnesty program and the last of the Khmer Rouge forces (National Army of Democratic Kampuchea) were demobilized or absorbed into the RCAF in 1999 (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 28 (2024 est.) IDPs: 2,526 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 75,000 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Cambodia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Cambodia remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/cambodia/ --- ## Cameroon **Slug:** cameroon **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇨🇲 **Codes:** cek: cm, iso2: CM, iso3: CMR, iso_num: 120, genc: CMR, stanag: CMR, internet: .cm ### Introduction **Background:** Powerful chiefdoms ruled much of the area of present-day Cameroon before it became a German colony known as Kamerun in 1884. After World War I, the territory was divided between France and the UK as League of Nations mandates. French Cameroon became independent in 1960 as the Republic of Cameroon. The following year, the southern portion of neighboring British Cameroon voted to merge with the new country to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. In 1972, a new constitution replaced the federation with a unitary state, the United Republic of Cameroon. The country has generally enjoyed stability, which has enabled the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Nonetheless, unrest and violence in the country's two western, English-speaking regions have persisted since 2016. Movement toward democratic reform is slow, and political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA. ### Geography **Location:** Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria **Geographic coordinates:** 6 00 N, 12 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 475,440 sq km land: 472,710 sq km water: 2,730 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than California; about four times the size of Pennsylvania **Land boundaries:** total: 5,018 km border countries (6): Central African Republic 901 km; Chad 1,116 km; Republic of the Congo 494 km; Equatorial Guinea 183 km; Gabon 349 km; Nigeria 1975 km **Coastline:** 402 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm **Climate:** varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north **Terrain:** diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north **Elevation:** highest point: Fako on Mont Cameroun 4,045 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 667 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 20.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 13.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.2% (2023 est.) forest: 41% (2023 est.) other: 38.1% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 290 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Niger, Nigeria, and Chad) - 10,360-25,900 sq km note - area varies by season and year to year **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), Niger (2,261,741 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Lake Chad Basin **Population distribution:** population concentrated in the west and north, with the interior of the country sparsely populated, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes volcanism: Mt. Cameroon (4,095 m), which last erupted in 2000, is the most frequently active volcano in West Africa; lakes in the Oku volcanic field sometimes release fatal levels of gas, which killed about 1,700 people in 1986 **Geography - note:** sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa because of its central location on the continent and its position at the west-south juncture of the Gulf of Guinea; areas of thermal springs and indications of current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano ### People and Society **Population:** total: 31,518,954 (2025 est.) male: 15,683,611 female: 15,835,343 **Nationality:** noun: Cameroonian(s) adjective: Cameroonian **Ethnic groups:** Bamileke-Bamu 22.2%, Biu-Mandara 16.4%, Arab-Choa/Hausa/Kanuri 13.5%, Beti/Bassa, Mbam 13.1%, Grassfields 9.9%, Adamawa-Ubangi, 9.8%, Cotier/Ngoe/Oroko 4.6%, Southwestern Bantu 4.3%, Kako/Meka 2.3%, foreign/other ethnic group 3.8% (2022 est.) **Languages:** 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official) major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English) The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) **Religions:** Roman Catholic 33.1%, Muslim 30.6%, Protestant 27.1% other Christian 6.1%, animist 1.3%, other 0.7%, none 1.2% (2022 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 41.5% (male 6,477,438/female 6,364,987) 15-64 years: 55.3% (male 8,488,522/female 8,638,519) 65 years and over: 3.2% (2024 est.) (male 463,628/female 533,011) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 77.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 71.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 17.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 19.4 years (2025 est.) male: 18.6 years female: 19.2 years **Population growth rate:** 2.37% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 30.79 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.73 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population concentrated in the west and north, with the interior of the country sparsely populated, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 59.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 4.509 million YAOUNDE (capital), 4.063 million Douala (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 20.1 years (2018 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 258 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 44.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 50.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 41.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 64.2 years (2024 est.) male: 62.3 years female: 66.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.87 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.91 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 81.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 52.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 69.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 18.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 47.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 30.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.8% of GDP (2021) 3.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.14 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 2.6 beds/1,000 population (2016 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 83.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 27.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 60.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 16.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 72.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 39.8% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 11.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 4.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 1.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 5% (2025 est.) male: 9.2% (2025 est.) female: 0.9% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 11% (2018 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 58.1% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 10.7% (2018) women married by age 18: 29.8% (2018) men married by age 18: 2.9% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 2.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 13.8% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 72.6% (2018 est.) male: 79.7% (2018 est.) female: 66.2% (2018 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 11 years (2023 est.) male: 12 years (2023 est.) female: 10 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; poaching; overfishing; overhunting **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north **Land use:** agricultural land: 20.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 13.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.2% (2023 est.) forest: 41% (2023 est.) other: 38.1% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 59.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 6.707 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 200 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 5.658 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 1.049 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 62 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 293.3 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 278.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 166.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 24 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.271 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 4.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 246.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 104.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 737 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 283.15 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon conventional short form: Cameroon local long form: République du Cameroun (French)/Republic of Cameroon (English) local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon former: Kamerun, French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon etymology: in the 16th century, Portuguese explorers named an estuary near the mouth of the Wouri River the Rio dos Camaroes (River of Prawns) after the abundant shrimp in the water; the name Camaroes evolved into "Cameroon" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Yaounde geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Germans founded the city in 1888, but the name comes from the native Ewondo people; the meaning of the name is unclear **Administrative divisions:** 10 regions (régions, singular - région); Adamaoua, Centre, East (Est), Far North (Extrême-Nord), Littoral, North (Nord), North-West (Nord-Ouest), West (Ouest), South (Sud), South-West (Sud-Ouest) **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law, French civil law, and customary law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest effective 18 January 1996 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; amendment drafts require approval of at least one third of the membership in either house of Parliament; passage requires absolute majority vote of the Parliament membership; passage of drafts requested by the president for a second reading in Parliament requires two-thirds majority vote of its membership; the president can opt to submit drafts to a referendum, in which case passage requires a simple majority; constitutional articles on Cameroon’s unity and territorial integrity and its democratic principles cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cameroon dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 20 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982) head of government: Prime Minister Joseph NGUTE (since 4 January 2019) cabinet: Cabinet proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 7-year term (no term limits); prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 12 October 2025 election results: 2025- Paul BIYA reelected president; percent of vote - Paul BIYA (CPDM) 53.7%, Issa Tchiroma BAKARY (CNSF) 35.2%, Cabral LIBII (PCRN) 3.4%, Bello Boubou MAIGARI (UNDP)2.4%, other 5.3% 2018: Paul BIYA reelected president; percent of vote - Paul BIYA (CPDM) 71.3%, Maurice KAMTO (MRC) 14.2%, Cabral LIBII (Univers) 6.3%, other 8.2% (2018) expected date of next election: October 2032 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parlement - Parliament legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale - National Assembly) number of seats: 180 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/12/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (RDPC/CPDM) (152); Other (28) percentage of women in chamber: 33.9% expected date of next election: February 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Sénat - Senate) number of seats: 100 (70 indirectly elected; 30 appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 2/9/2020 to 3/22/2020 percentage of women in chamber: 33% expected date of next election: March 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Cameroon (consists of 9 titular and 6 surrogate judges and organized into judicial, administrative, and audit chambers); Constitutional Council (consists of 11 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president with the advice of the Higher Judicial Council of Cameroon, a body chaired by the president and includes the minister of justice, selected magistrates, and representatives of the National Assembly; judge term NA; Constitutional Council members appointed by the president for renewable 6-year terms subordinate courts: Parliamentary Court of Justice (jurisdiction limited to cases involving the president and prime minister); appellate and first instance courts; circuit and magistrates' courts **Political parties:** Alliance for Democracy and Development Cameroon People's Democratic Movement or CPDM Cameroon People's Party or CPP Cameroon Renaissance Movement or MRC Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation or PCRN Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon or FSNC Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP Progressive Movement or MP Social Democratic Front or SDF Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC Union of Socialist Movements **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Henri ETOUNDI ESSOMBA (since 27 June 2016) chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790 FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826 email address and website: mail@cameroonembassyusa Cameroon Embassy in Washington DC, USA (cameroonembassyusa.org) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher J. LAMORA (since 21 March 2022) embassy: Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaoundé mailing address: 2520 Yaounde Place, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 22251-4000 FAX: [237] 22251-4000, Ext. 4531 email address and website: YaoundeACS@state.gov https://cm.usembassy.gov/ branch office(s): Douala **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC, MIGA, MNJTF, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship) **National holiday:** State Unification Day (National Day), 20 May (1972) **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of green (left side), red, and yellow, with a small five-pointed yellow star centered in the red band meaning: red stands for unity; yellow for the sun, happiness, and the northern savannahs; green for hope and the southern forests; the star is called the "star of unity;" the vertical tricolor design is similar to the French flag history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement **National symbol(s):** lion **National color(s):** green, red, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "O Cameroun, Berceau de Nos Ancêtres" (O Cameroon, Cradle of Our Forefathers) lyrics/music: Rene Djam AFAME, Samuel Minkio BAMBA, Moise Nyatte NKO'O [French], Benard Nsokika FONLON [English]/Rene Djam AFAME history: adopted 1957; lyrics were changed slightly to the current version in 1978 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (two natural and one cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Dja Faunal Reserve (n); Sangha Trinational Forest (n); Diy-Gid-Biy Cultural Landscape of the Mandara Mountains (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** largest CEMAC economy with many natural resources; recent political instability and terrorism reducing economic output; systemic corruption; poor property rights enforcement; increasing poverty in northern regions **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $143.264 billion (2024 est.) $138.191 billion (2023 est.) $133.843 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.7% (2024 est.) 3.2% (2023 est.) 3.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $4,900 (2024 est.) $4,900 (2023 est.) $4,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $51.327 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.5% (2024 est.) 7.4% (2023 est.) 6.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 17.4% (2024 est.) industry: 25.6% (2024 est.) services: 49.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 74.5% (2024 est.) government consumption: 10.5% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.4% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 14.7% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -21.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** cassava, plantains, oil palm fruit, maize, taro, tomatoes, sorghum, sugarcane, bananas, vegetables (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair **Industrial production growth rate:** 1.9% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 11.119 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.6% (2024 est.) 3.7% (2023 est.) 3.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 6.2% (2024 est.) male: 5.9% (2024 est.) female: 6.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 42.2 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 45.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.1% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 31.1% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 1% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $6.385 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $7.624 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 11.3% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$2.019 billion (2023 est.) -$1.505 billion (2022 est.) -$1.794 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $8.353 billion (2023 est.) $8.641 billion (2022 est.) $7.447 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Netherlands 21%, France 14%, UAE 13%, India 9%, China 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, natural gas, gold, cocoa beans, wood (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $10.294 billion (2023 est.) $9.759 billion (2022 est.) $9.025 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 43%, France 6%, India 6%, Belgium 4%, UAE 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** garments, refined petroleum, plastic products, wheat, rice (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $4.882 billion (2023 est.) $5.133 billion (2022 est.) $4.3 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $11.112 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 71% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 94% electrification - rural areas: 25% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 1.798 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 6.161 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 60 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.238 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 36.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 63.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 300 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 64,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 41,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 200 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 2.356 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 534.691 million cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 1.821 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 135.071 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 4.271 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 67,500 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 31.5 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 108 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** government maintains tight control over broadcast media; state-owned Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV), with both TV and radio broadcasts, was the only officially recognized and fully licensed broadcaster until 2007, when the government issued licenses to 2 private TV broadcasters and 1 private radio broadcaster; about 70 privately owned, unlicensed radio stations operate under “administrative tolerance,” meaning the stations could be subject to closure at any time (2023) **Internet country code:** .cm **Internet users:** percent of population: 42% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 603,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** TJ **Airports:** 37 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 987 km (2014) narrow gauge: 987 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge note: railway connections generally efficient but limited; rail lines connect major cities of Douala, Yaounde, Ngaoundere, and Garoua; passenger and freight service provided by CAMRAIL **Merchant marine:** total: 198 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 2, general cargo 91, oil tanker 42, other 63 **Ports:** total ports: 7 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 5 size unknown: 1 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Douala, Ebome Marine Terminal, Kole Oil Terminal, Kome Kribi 1 Marine Terminal, Kribi Deep Sea Port, Limboh Terminal, Moudi Marine Terminal ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army, Cameroon Navy (includes naval infantry or fusiliers marin), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Firefighting Corps General Delegation for National Security (Délégation Générale à la Sûreté Nationale or DGSN): Cameroon Police (2025) note 1: the Army includes the Rapid Intervention Brigade (Brigade d’Intervention Rapide or BIR), which maintains its own command and control structure and reports directly to the Chief of Defense staff and the Presidency; the BIR includes airborne/airmobile, amphibious, armored reconnaissance, artillery, and counterterrorism forces, as well as support elements, such as intelligence note 2: the Cameroon Police and the National Gendarmerie are responsible for internal security; the Gendarmerie conducts administrative, criminal, and military investigative functions; other missions include customs, air and maritime surveillance, and road traffic control; in times of conflict, it participates in internal defense **Military expenditures:** 1% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 40-50,000 active FAC, including the Gendarmerie (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the FAC inventory is comprised of armaments from a variety of countries, including China, Israel, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Africa, the US, and some Western European countries, particularly France (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-23 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (18-28 for medical services); no conscription; service obligation 4 years (2025) **Military deployments:** 750 (plus about 400 police) Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025) note: Cameroon has committed approximately 2,000-2,500 troops to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram and other terrorist groups operating in the general area of the Lake Chad Basin and along Nigeria's northeast border; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own country territories, although cross‐border operations occur occasionally **Military - note:** the Cameroon Armed Forces (FAC) are responsible for defending the country's territorial integrity, providing humanitarian assistance, supporting regional peacekeeping operations, and contributing to internal security; key areas of focus are the threat from the terrorist groups Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa along its frontiers with Nigeria and Chad (Far North region) and, since 2016, an insurgency from armed Anglophone separatist groups in the North-West and South-West regions; in addition, the FAC often deploys ground units to the border region with the Central African Republic to counter intrusions from armed militias and bandits; the Navy’s missions include protecting Cameroon’s oil installations, combating crime and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, and patrolling the country’s lakes and rivers; the FAC's small Air Force supports both the ground and naval forces (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Boko Haram; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – West Africa note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 443,740 (2024 est.) IDPs: 1,058,405 (2024 est.) --- ## Canada **Slug:** canada **Region:** North America **Flag:** 🇨🇦 **Codes:** cek: ca, iso2: CA, iso3: CAN, iso_num: 124, genc: CAN, stanag: CAN, internet: .ca ### Introduction **Background:** A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867, while retaining ties to the British crown. Canada gained legislative independence from Britain in 1931 and formalized its constitutional independence from the UK when it passed the Canada Act in 1982. Economically and technologically, the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across the world's longest international border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care, education, social services, and economic competitiveness, as well as responding to the particular concerns of predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment. ### Geography **Location:** Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US **Geographic coordinates:** 60 00 N, 95 00 W **Map references:** North America **Area:** total : 9,984,670 sq km land: 9,093,507 sq km water: 891,163 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than the US **Land boundaries:** total: 8,892 km border countries (2): US 8,891 km (includes 2,475 km with Alaska); Denmark (Greenland) 1.3 km **Coastline:** 202,080 km note: the Canadian Arctic Archipelago -- consisting of 36,563 islands, several of them among the world's largest -- gives Canada the longest coastline in the world **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north **Terrain:** mostly plains with mountains in west, lowlands in southeast **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m lowest point: Atlantic/Pacific/Arctic Oceans 0 m mean elevation: 487 m **Natural resources:** bauxite, iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, uranium, rare earth elements, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 6.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.1% (2023 est.) forest: 42% (2023 est.) other: 51.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 9,045 sq km (2015) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Huron* - 35,972 sq km; Great Bear Lake - 31,328 sq km; Superior* - 28,754 sq km; Great Slave Lake - 28,568 sq km; Lake Winnipeg - 24,387 sq km; Erie* - 12,776 sq km; Ontario* - 9,790 sq km; Lake Athabasca - 7,935 sq km; Reindeer Lake - 6,650 sq km; Nettilling Lake - 5,542 sq km note - Great Lakes* area shown as Canadian waters **Major rivers (by length in km):** Mackenzie - 4,241 km; Yukon river source (shared with the US [m]) - 3,185 km; Saint Lawrence river mouth (shared with US) - 3,058 km; Nelson - 2,570 km; Columbia river source (shared with the US [m]) - 1,953 km; Churchill - 1,600 km; Fraser - 1,368 km; Ottawa - 1,271 km; Athabasca - 1,231 km; North Saskatchewan - 1,220 km; Liard - 1,115 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Arctic Ocean drainage: Mackenzie (1,706,388 sq km) Atlantic Ocean drainage: Mississippi* (Gulf of America) (3,202,185 sq km, Canada only 32,000 sq km), Nelson (Hudson Bay) (1,093,141 sq km), Saint Lawrence* (1,049,636 sq km, Canada only 839,200 sq km) Pacific Ocean drainage: Yukon* (847,620 sq km, Canada only 823,800 sq km), Columbia* (657,501 sq km, Canada only 103,000 sq km) note: watersheds shared with the US shown with * **Major aquifers:** Northern Great Plains Aquifer **Population distribution:** vast majority of the population lives in a discontinuous band within approximately 300 km (186 mi) of the southern border with the United States; the most populated province is Ontario, followed by Quebec and British Columbia **Natural hazards:** continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains volcanism: the vast majority of volcanoes in Western Canada's Coast Mountains remain dormant **Geography - note:** note 1: second-largest country in the world (after Russia) and largest in the Americas; strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km (100 mi) of the US border note 2: Canada has more fresh water than any other country, and almost 9% of Canadian territory is water; Canada has at least 2 million and possibly over 3 million lakes, more than all other countries combined ### People and Society **Population:** total: 39,187,155 (2025 est.) male: 19,515,416 female: 19,671,739 **Nationality:** noun: Canadian(s) adjective: Canadian **Ethnic groups:** Canadian 15.6%, English 14.7%, Scottish 12.1%, French 11%, Irish 12.1%, German 8.1%, Chinese 4.7%, Italian 4.3%, First Nations 1.7%, Indian 3.7%, Ukrainian 3.5%, Metis 1.5% (2021 est.) note: percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one ethnic origin **Languages:** English (official) 87.1%, French (official) 29.1%, Chinese languages 4.2%, Spanish 3.2%, Punjabi 2.6%, Arabic 2.4%, Tagalog 2.3%, Italian 1.5% (2022 est.) major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English) The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) **Religions:** Christian 53.3%, Muslim 4.9%, Hindu 2.3%, Sikh 2.1%, Buddhist 1%, Jewish 0.9%, Traditional (North American Indigenous) 0.2%, other religions and traditional spirituality 0.6%, none 34.6% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 15.5% (male 3,098,478/female 2,929,148) 15-64 years: 63.4% (male 12,382,422/female 12,227,512) 65 years and over: 21% (2024 est.) (male 3,753,829/female 4,403,424) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 57.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 23.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 33.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 42.8 years (2025 est.) male: 41.4 years female: 43.8 years **Population growth rate:** 0.73% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 9.12 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.75 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 5.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** vast majority of the population lives in a discontinuous band within approximately 300 km (186 mi) of the southern border with the United States; the most populated province is Ontario, followed by Quebec and British Columbia **Urbanization:** urban population: 81.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.95% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 6.372 million Toronto, 4.308 million Montreal, 2.657 million Vancouver, 1.640 million Calgary, 1.544 million Edmonton, 1.437 million OTTAWA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 29.4 years (2019 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 12 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 84.2 years (2024 est.) male: 81.9 years female: 86.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.43 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.7 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.8% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 11.2% of GDP (2022) 19.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.82 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 2.6 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 98.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.4% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 29.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 8 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 10.1% (2025 est.) male: 12.3% (2025 est.) female: 8% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 51.6% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 10.7% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2022 est.) male: 15 years (2022 est.) female: 17 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution and acid rain from vehicle emissions, coal-burning, and metal smelting severely affecting lakes and forests; seawater pollution from agriculture, industry, mining, and forestry **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north **Land use:** agricultural land: 6.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.1% (2023 est.) forest: 42% (2023 est.) other: 51.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 81.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.95% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 585.853 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 32.486 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 294.196 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 259.171 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 6.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 2,787.3 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,049.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 816.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 39.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 25.103 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 23.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 4.869 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 27.357 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 3.859 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 2.902 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 5 global geoparks and regional networks: Perce; Stonehammer; Tumbler Ridge; Cliffs of Fundy; Discovery (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Canada etymology: the name is probably derived from the Huron or Iroquois word kanata, meaning village or camp **Government type:** federal parliamentary democracy (Parliament of Canada) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm; federal and state authorities and responsibilities regulated in constitution **Capital:** name: Ottawa geographic coordinates: 45 25 N, 75 42 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November time zone note: Canada has six time zones etymology: the city lies on the south bank of the Ottawa River, from which it derives its name; the river name comes from the Algonquin word adawe, meaning "to trade" **Administrative divisions:** 10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Québec, Saskatchewan, Yukon* **Legal system:** common law system except in Quebec, where civil law based on the French civil code prevails **Constitution:** history: consists of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions dating from 1763; the written part of the constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982 amendment process: proposed by either house of Parliament or by the provincial legislative assemblies; there are 5 methods for passage though most require approval by both houses of Parliament, approval of at least two thirds of the provincial legislative assemblies and assent and formalization as a proclamation by the governor general in council; the most restrictive method is reserved for amendments affecting fundamental sections of the constitution, such as the office of the monarch or the governor general, and the constitutional amendment procedures, which require unanimous approval by both houses and by all the provincial assemblies, and assent of the governor general in council **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: minimum of 3 of last 5 years resident in Canada **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Mary SIMON (since 26 July 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Mark CARNEY (since 14 March 2025) cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from among members of his/her own party sitting in Parliament election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a 5-year term; after legislative elections, the governor general usually designates the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the House of Commons as prime minister note: the governor general position is largely ceremonial **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament of Canada - Parlement du Canada legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Commons number of seats: 343 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 4/28/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Liberal Party (169); Conservative Party (144); Bloc Québécois (BQ) (22); Other (30) percentage of women in chamber: 30.3% expected date of next election: October 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 105 (all appointed) percentage of women in chamber: 54.8% **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Canada (consists of the chief justice and 8 judges) judge selection and term of office: chief justice and judges appointed by the prime minister in council; all judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 75 subordinate courts: federal level: Federal Court of Appeal; Federal Court; Tax Court; federal administrative tribunals; Courts Martial; provincial/territorial level: provincial superior, appeals, first instance, and specialized courts note: in 1999, the Nunavut Court -- a circuit court with the power of a provincial superior court, as well as a territorial court -- was established to serve isolated settlements **Political parties:** Bloc Québécois Conservative Party of Canada or CPC Green Party of Canada Liberal Party of Canada New Democratic Party **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Kirsten HILLMAN (since 17 July 2020) chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001 telephone: [1] (844) 880-6519 FAX: [1] (202) 682-7738 email address and website: ccs.scc@international.gc.ca https://www.international.gc.ca/country-pays/us-eu/washington.aspx?lang=eng consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco, Seattle trade office(s): Houston, Palo Alto (CA), San Diego; note - there are trade offices in the Consulates General **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Pete HOEKSTRA (since 29 April 2025) embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8 mailing address: 5480 Ottawa Place, Washington DC 20521-5480 telephone: [1] (613) 688-5335 FAX: [1] (613) 241-7845 email address and website: OttawaNIV@state.gov https://ca.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, Vancouver consulate(s): Winnipeg **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, USMCA, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK per Statute of Westminster) **National holiday:** Canada Day, 1 July (1867) **Flag:** description: two vertical bands of red on each side, with a white square between them; a large 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered in the white square meaning: the maple leaf is a national symbol **National symbol(s):** maple leaf, beaver **National color(s):** red, white **National coat of arms:** The current design of the Royal Coat of Arms of Canada was adopted in 1921 and references the four nations that helped found Canada. England is represented with royal lions, a union flag, and a rose, and Scotland with a royal lion, a unicorn, and a thistle. Ireland’s symbols include a harp and a shamrock, and France’s symbols are a royal fleur-de-lis and a royal flag. The maple leaves are the Canadian national symbol. A red circle displays the motto Desiderantes Meliorem Patriam (Desiring a Better Country), and a blue ribbon displays A Mari usque ad Mare (From Sea to Sea). **National anthem(s):** title: "O Canada" lyrics/music: Adolphe-Basile ROUTHIER [French], Robert Stanley WEIR [English]/Calixa LAVALLEE history: adopted 1980; originally written in 1880, it served as an unofficial anthem for many years; the original version had four verses, but the anthem today officially consists of one verse in French and one in English _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: royal anthem, as a Commonwealth country **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 22 (10 cultural, 11 natural, 1 mixed) (2021) selected World Heritage Site locales: L'Anse aux Meadows (c); Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks (n); Dinosaur Provincial Park (n); Historic District of Old Quebec (c); Old Town Lunenburg (c); Wood Buffalo National Park (n); Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump (c); Gros Morne National Park (n); Pimachiowin Aki (m) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income economy and second-largest US trading partner; key timber, oil, and gas industries; trade uncertainties and weak business investments contributing to economic slowdown; high and growing public debt; inflation moderating but remains above target range **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $2.341 trillion (2024 est.) $2.305 trillion (2023 est.) $2.271 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.5% (2024 est.) 1.5% (2023 est.) 4.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $56,700 (2024 est.) $57,500 (2023 est.) $58,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $2.241 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.4% (2024 est.) 3.9% (2023 est.) 6.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.6% (2021 est.) industry: 25.3% (2021 est.) services: 66.4% (2021 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 54.4% (2023 est.) government consumption: 20.9% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.9% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 1% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 33.3% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -33.3% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, rapeseed, maize, milk, barley, soybeans, potatoes, peas, oats, pork (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, fish products, petroleum, natural gas **Industrial production growth rate:** 0% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 22.868 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 6.5% (2024 est.) 5.5% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 13% (2024 est.) male: 13.8% (2024 est.) female: 12.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 29.9 (2020 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 9.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.5% (2020 est.) highest 10%: 23.4% (2020 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2024 est.) 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $428.312 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $417.421 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 61.3% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 13.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$10.349 billion (2024 est.) -$13.764 billion (2023 est.) -$6.318 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $727.831 billion (2024 est.) $724.754 billion (2023 est.) $743.782 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 71%, China 5%, UK 3%, Japan 2%, Mexico 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, cars, gold, natural gas, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $733.778 billion (2024 est.) $723.399 billion (2023 est.) $731.058 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 51%, China 11%, Mexico 6%, Germany 3%, Japan 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, trucks, vehicle parts/accessories, refined petroleum, crude petroleum (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $119.778 billion (2024 est.) $117.551 billion (2023 est.) $106.952 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Canadian dollars (CAD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.369 (2024 est.) 1.35 (2023 est.) 1.302 (2022 est.) 1.254 (2021 est.) 1.341 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 161.988 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 555.683 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 49.444 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 21.77 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 31.784 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 18.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 13.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 58.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 17 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 12.71GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 13.7% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 8 (2025) **Coal:** production: 50.687 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 20.092 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 35.447 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 7.03 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 6.582 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 5.688 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 2.377 million bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 170.3 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 194.105 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 131.887 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 82.537 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 29.058 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2.067 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 311.599 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 11 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 37.4 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 94 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 2 public TV broadcasting networks, 1 in English and 1 in French, each with a large number of network affiliates; several private commercial networks, also with multiple network affiliates; a total of about 150 TV stations, accessible via multi-channel satellite and cable systems; mix of public and commercial radio, with over 1,000 licensed stations; public broadcaster Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) provides 4 radio networks, Radio Canada International, and radio services to ethnic populations in the north (2016) **Internet country code:** .ca **Internet users:** percent of population: 94% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 17 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** C **Airports:** 1,459 (2025) **Heliports:** 506 (2025) **Railways:** total: 49,422 km (2021) note: 129 km electrified (2021) standard gauge: 49,422 km (2021) 1.435-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 716 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 22, container ship 1, general cargo 78, oil tanker 15, other 600 **Ports:** total ports: 284 (2024) large: 4 medium: 14 small: 58 very small: 149 size unknown: 59 ports with oil terminals: 59 key ports: Argentia, Canaport (St. John), Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, New Westminster, Pond Inlet, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Sept Iles, St. John, Sydney, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Trois Rivieres, Vancouver, Victoria Harbor, Windsor ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Canadian Forces: Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force (2025) note 1: the CAF is comprised of both a Regular Force and a Reserve Force; the Reserve Force is comprised of the Primary Reserve, Canadian Rangers, Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service, and the Supplementary Reserve; the Canadian Rangers are part of the Army Reserve Force and provide a limited presence in Canada's northern, coastal, and isolated areas for sovereignty, public safety, and surveillance roles note 2: the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP or "Mounties") are under the Department of Public Safety; the Coast Guard is under the Department of Fisheries and Oceans **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2025 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 75,000 active-duty military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the CAF's inventory is a mix of domestically produced and imported weapons systems from Australia, Europe, Israel, the UK, and the US; in recent years, the leading supplier has been the US; Canada's defense industry develops, maintains, and produces a range of equipment, including aircraft, combat vehicles, naval vessels, and associated components; it also collaborates with the defense industries of allied countries such as the UK (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 17 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service (with parental consent); 16 years of age for Reserve and Military College applicants; Canadian citizenship or permanent residence status required; service obligation 3-9 years depending on the position (2025) note 1: Canada opened up all military occupations to women in 2001; women in 2024 comprised about 16% of the CAF note 2: the CAF offers waivers to foreign nationals applying for military service only in exceptional cases — to individuals on international military exchanges, for example, or to candidates who have specialized skills in high demand **Military deployments:** approximately 2,000 Latvia (NATO); the CAF also has air and naval assets supporting NATO missions (2025) note: in 2024, Canada announced plans to have a full 2,000-person brigade deployed to Latvia by 2026 **Military - note:** the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are responsible for external security; the CAF’s core missions include detecting, deterring, and defending against threats to or attacks on Canada; the military also provides assistance to civil authorities and law enforcement as needed for such missions as counterterrorism, search and rescue, and responding to natural disasters or other major emergencies; it regularly participates in bilateral and multinational training exercises with a variety of partners, including NATO (Canada is one of the original members) and the US; the CAF also contributes to international peacekeeping, stability, humanitarian, combat, and capacity building operations, principally through NATO, but also with the UN and other security partners Canada is part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD; established 1958); NORAD is a Canada/US bi-national military command responsible for monitoring and defending North American airspace; traditionally, a CAF officer has served as the deputy commander of NORAD; Canada’s defense relationship with the US extends back to the Ogdensburg Declaration of 1940, when the two countries formally agreed on military cooperation, including the establishment of the Permanent Joint Board on Defense (PJBD), which continues to be the highest-level bilateral defense forum between Canada and the US British troops withdrew from Canada in 1871 as part of the US-UK Treaty of Washington; following the withdrawal, the first Canadian militia, known as the Royal Canadian Regiment, was organized in 1883 to protect Canadian territory and defend British interests abroad, which it did in the South African War (1899-1902), Canada’s first overseas conflict; militia units formed the backbone of the more than 425,000 Canadian soldiers that went to Europe during World War I in what was called the Canadian Expeditionary Force; the Royal Canadian Navy was created in 1910, while the Canadian Air Force was established in 1920 and became the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1924; the Canadian Army was officially founded in 1942; a unified Canadian Armed Forces was created in 1968 (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Canadian Space Agency (CSA; established 1989) (2025) **Space launch site(s):** developing commercial space port sites in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland (2025) note: the Churchill Rocket Research Range in Manitoba was used for rocket testing from 1956-1985 **Space program overview:** has a national space strategy and a long history of developing space-related technologies; designs, builds, operates, and tracks communications, remote sensing (RS), multi-mission, and scientific/testing satellites; has an astronaut program; involved in the development and production of advanced communications systems, lunar rovers, planetary probes, robotics, sensors, and space telescopes; participates in international space programs, including the International Space Station, the Hubble Space Telescope, the Square Kilometer Array radio telescope, and the James Webb Space Telescope; Cooperating State of the ESA since 1979 and participates in a variety of ESA programs, such as the Copernicus Earth observation project; works with numerous foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of Argentina, Brazil, individual ESA and EU member states, Japan, India, and particularly the US; has an active commercial space sector (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1959-1962 - launched first domestically built sounding rocket (Black Brant 1); first domestically designed and built satellite (Alouette) launched by US 1972-1973 - first domestic communications satellites (Anik A-1 and Anik A-2) launched by US, making Canada first country to employ satellites for domestic communications 1970s - began participating in US Space Shuttle (first Canadian in space on Shuttle in 1984) and US Mars probe/exploration programs 1995 - first Canadian-built, radar-capable remote sensing satellite (Radarsat-1) launched by US 2019 - began participating in US/NASA Lunar Gateway orbital station program; launched constellation of remote sensing satellites (RADARSAT Constellation Mission) 2020 - signed the US-led Artemis Accords for space exploration (active participant in planned Moon missions under the Artemis program) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Hizballah; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 561,551 (2024 est.) IDPs: 1,981 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 8,166 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Cayman Islands **Slug:** cayman-islands **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇰🇾 **Codes:** cek: cj, iso2: KY, iso3: CYM, iso_num: 136, genc: CYM, stanag: CYM, internet: .ky ### Introduction **Background:** The British colonized the Cayman Islands during the 18th and 19th centuries, and Jamaica -- also a British colony at the time -- administered the islands after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within the Federation of the West Indies. When the Federation dissolved in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency. The territory has transformed itself into a significant offshore financial center. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, three-island group (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica **Geographic coordinates:** 19 30 N, 80 30 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 264 sq km land: 264 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** 1.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 160 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) **Terrain:** low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs **Elevation:** highest point: 1 km SW of The Bluff on Cayman Brac 50 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism **Land use:** agricultural land: 11.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 8.3% (2023 est.) forest: 53% (2023 est.) other: 35.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** NA **Population distribution:** majority of the population resides on Grand Cayman **Natural hazards:** hurricanes (July to November) **Geography - note:** important location between Cuba and Central America ### People and Society **Population:** total: 67,816 (2025 est.) male: 32,930 female: 34,886 **Nationality:** noun: Caymanian(s) adjective: Caymanian **Ethnic groups:** Cayman Islander 35.4%, Jamaican 24.8%, Filipino 5.5%, British 5.3%, American 5.2%, Honduran 4.2%, Canadian 3.3%, Indian 2.1%, Cuban 1.6%, Nicaraguan 1%, other 11.1%, unspecified 0.5% (2021 est.) note: data represent population by country of birth **Languages:** English (official) 88.8%, Spanish 3.9%, Filipino 3.8%, other 2.8%, unspecified 0.7% (2021 est.) note: data represent main language spoken at home **Religions:** Protestant 60.8% (includes Church of God 19.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.7%, non-denominational 8.3%, Baptist 6.9%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Presbyterian/United Church 5.7%, Anglican 2.8%, Wesleyan Holiness 1.5%, Methodist 0.5%), Roman Catholic 13.6%, Hindu 1.7%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 4.8%, none 16.7%, unspecified 1.4% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 17.4% (male 5,845/female 5,767) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 21,480/female 22,456) 65 years and over: 16.7% (2024 est.) (male 5,054/female 6,051) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 53 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 26.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 26.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.8 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 41.3 years (2025 est.) male: 40.3 years female: 42 years **Population growth rate:** 1.71% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 11.41 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 11.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** majority of the population resides on Grand Cayman **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.13% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 35,000 GEORGE TOWN (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 7.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 82.5 years (2024 est.) male: 79.8 years female: 85.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.81 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.9 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 95.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 95.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 4.5% of population (2022 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 93.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 93.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 6.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 6.5% of population (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 15% national budget (2019 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** no natural freshwater resources; trash washing up or being deposited on beaches; no recycling or waste-treatment facilities; deforestation **Climate:** tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) **Land use:** agricultural land: 11.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 8.3% (2023 est.) forest: 53% (2023 est.) other: 35.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.13% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 737,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 737,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 60,000 tons (2024 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cayman Islands etymology: Spanish explorers named the islands in the early 16th century, using the Carib word for marine crocodiles, caiman **Government type:** parliamentary democracy; self-governing overseas territory of the UK **Dependency status:** overseas territory of the UK **Capital:** name: George Town (on Grand Cayman) geographic coordinates: 19 18 N, 81 23 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: originally named Hogstyes, the town was renamed in honor of English King GEORGE III (1738-1820) around 1800 **Administrative divisions:** 6 districts; Bodden Town, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, East End, George Town, North Side, West Bay **Legal system:** English common law and local statutes **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest approved 10 June 2009, entered into force 6 November 2009 (The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009) **Citizenship:** see United Kingdom **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Jane OWEN (since 21 April 2023) head of government: Premier André Martin EBANKS (since 6 May 2025) cabinet: Cabinet selected from the Parliament and appointed by the governor on the advice of the premier election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as premier **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 21 (directly elected and appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 4/14/2021 parties elected and seats per party: independent (12); PPM (7) percentage of women in chamber: 23.8% expected date of next election: 2025 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and at least 2 judges); Grand Court (consists of the court president and at least 2 judges) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and Grand Court judges appointed by the governor on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an 8-member independent body consisting of governor appointees, Court of Appeal president, and attorneys; Court of Appeal judges' tenure based on their individual instruments of appointment; Grand Court judges normally appointed until retirement at age 65 but can be extended until age 70 subordinate courts: Summary Court note: appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) **Political parties:** Cayman Islands Peoples Party or CIPP People's Progressive Movement or PPM **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK); consular services provided through the US Embassy in Jamaica **International organization participation:** Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU **Independence:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **National holiday:** Constitution Day, the first Monday in July (1959) **Flag:** description: a blue field with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the right half of the flag; the coat of arms has a pineapple, a turtle, a shield with a golden lion and three green stars, and a scroll below the shield with the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS meaning: the pineapple represents ties to Jamaica; the turtle represents the Caymans' seafaring tradition; the lion symbolizes Great Britain; the green stars represent the three islands; the white and blue wavy lines on the coat of arms represent the sea **National symbol(s):** green sea turtle **National coat of arms:** the Queen of England approved the Cayman Islands' coat of arms -- which was designed with input from the public -- in 1958; the shield features the lion of England and three green stars that symbolize the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman; the green turtle stands for the islands’ seafaring history, the rope under it for the thatch-rope industry, and the pineapple for historical ties with Jamaica; the motto comes from Psalms 24, acknowledging the Caymans’ Christian heritage **National anthem(s):** title: "Beloved Isle Cayman" lyrics/music: Leila E. ROSS history: adopted 1960; served as an unofficial anthem since 1930 _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as an overseas UK territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** dominant offshore banking territory; services sector accounts for over 85% of economic activity; recently adopted a fiscal responsibility framework to combat tax evasion and money laundering; large tourism sector; does not have any welfare system; high standard of living **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $5.705 billion (2023 est.) $5.467 billion (2022 est.) $5.199 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.4% (2023 est.) 5.2% (2022 est.) 4.9% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $78,100 (2023 est.) $76,400 (2022 est.) $74,200 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $7.139 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2% (2017 est.) -0.6% (2016 est.) -2.3% (2015 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.5% (2022 est.) industry: 8.2% (2022 est.) services: 85.4% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming **Industries:** tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Remittances:** 0.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $874.5 million (2017 est.) expenditures: $766.6 million (2017 est.) **Current account balance:** -$712.684 million (2023 est.) -$749.482 million (2022 est.) -$794.205 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $4.6 billion (2023 est.) $4.215 billion (2022 est.) $3.542 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UK 40%, Cyprus 21%, Germany 9%, Grenada 8%, Italy 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** aircraft, ships, refined petroleum, natural gas, broadcasting equipment (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $3.444 billion (2023 est.) $3.287 billion (2022 est.) $2.808 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 30%, USA 29%, Italy 20%, Turkey 5%, China 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum, cars, furniture, jewelry (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $234 million (2023 est.) $225.4 million (2022 est.) $228.3 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Caymanian dollars (KYD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.833 (2024 est.) 0.833 (2023 est.) 0.833 (2022 est.) 0.833 (2021 est.) 0.833 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 176,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 698.767 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.117 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 96.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 3.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 143.149 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 35,800 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 99,700 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 139 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** 4 TV stations; cable and satellite subscription services offer international programming; government-owned Radio Cayman operates 2 networks broadcasting on 5 stations; 10 privately owned radio stations operate alongside Radio Cayman **Internet country code:** .ky **Internet users:** percent of population: 81% (2017 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 40,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 56 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** VP-C **Airports:** 3 (2025) **Heliports:** 5 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 130 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 29, container ship 3, general cargo 1, oil tanker 20, other 77 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Cayman Brac, Georgetown ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Service **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the UK ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 65 (2024 est.) --- ## Central African Republic **Slug:** central-african-republic **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇨🇫 **Codes:** cek: ct, iso2: CF, iso3: CAF, iso_num: 140, genc: CAF, stanag: CAF, internet: .cf ### Introduction **Background:** The Central African Republic (CAR) is a perennially weak state that sits at the crossroads of ethnic and linguistic groups in the center of the African continent. Among the last areas of Sub-Saharan Africa to be drawn into the world economy, its introduction into trade networks around the early 1700s fostered significant competition among its population. The local population sought to benefit from the lucrative Atlantic, trans-Saharan, and Indian Ocean trade in enslaved people and ivory. Slave raids aided by the local populations fostered animosity between ethnic groups that remains today. The territory was established as a French colony named Ubangui-Shari in 1903, and France modeled its administration of the colony after the Belgian Congo, subcontracting control of the territory to private companies that collected rubber and ivory. Although France banned the domestic slave trade in CAR in the 1910s, the private companies continued to exploit the population through forced labor. The colony of Ubangi-Shari gained independence from France as the Central African Republic in 1960, but the death of independence leader Barthelemy BOGANDA six months prior led to an immediate struggle for power. CAR’s political history has since been marred by a series of coups, the first of which brought Jean-Bedel BOKASSA to power in 1966. Widespread corruption and intolerance for any political opposition characterized his regime. In an effort to prolong his mandate, BOKASSA named himself emperor in 1976 and changed the country’s name to the Central African Empire. His regime’s economic mismanagement culminated in widespread student protests in 1979 that were violently suppressed by security forces. BOKASSA fell out of favor with the international community and was overthrown in a French-backed coup in 1979. After BOKASSA’s departure, the country’s name once again became the Central African Republic. CAR’s fifth coup in 2013 unseated President Francois BOZIZE after the Seleka, a mainly Muslim rebel coalition, seized the capital and forced BOZIZE to flee the country. The Seleka's widespread abuses spurred the formation of mainly Christian self-defense groups that called themselves the anti-Balaka, which have also committed human rights abuses against Muslim populations in retaliation. Since the rise of these groups, conflict in CAR has become increasingly ethnoreligious, although focused on identity rather than religious ideology. Elections in 2016 installed independent candidate Faustin-Archange TOUADERA as president; he was reelected in 2020. A peace agreement signed in 2019 between the government and the main armed factions has had little effect, and armed groups remain in control of large swaths of the country's territory. TOUADERA's United Hearts Movement has governed the country since 2016, and a new constitution approved by referendum on 30 July 2023 effectively ended term limits, creating the potential for TOUADERA to extend his rule. ### Geography **Location:** Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo **Geographic coordinates:** 7 00 N, 21 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 622,984 sq km land: 622,984 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Texas; about four times the size of Georgia **Land boundaries:** total: 5,920 km border countries (5): Cameroon 901 km; Chad 1556 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,747 km, Republic of the Congo 487 km; South Sudan 1055 km; Sudan 174 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers **Terrain:** vast, flat to rolling plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest **Elevation:** highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,410 m lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m mean elevation: 635 m **Natural resources:** diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 9.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.8% (2023 est.) forest: 72.5% (2023 est.) other: 18.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 10 sq km (2012) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Oubangui (Ubangi) river [s] (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo and Republic of Congo [m]) - 2,270 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Congo Basin, Lake Chad Basin **Population distribution:** majority of residents live in the western and central areas of the country, especially in and around the capital of Bangui, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common **Geography - note:** landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa ### People and Society **Population:** total: 5,750,570 (2025 est.) male: 2,864,870 female: 2,885,700 **Nationality:** noun: Central African(s) adjective: Central African **Ethnic groups:** Baya 28.8%, Banda 22.9%, Mandjia 9.9%, Sara 7.9%, M'Baka-Bantu 7.9%, Arab-Fulani (Peuhl) 6%, Mbum 6%, Ngbanki 5.5%, Zande-Nzakara 3%, other Central African Republic ethnic groups 2%, non-Central African Republic ethnic groups .1% (2003 est.) **Languages:** French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages **Religions:** Roman Catholic 34.6%, Protestant 15.7%, other Christian 22.9%, Muslim 13.8%, ethnic religionist 12%, Baha'i 0.2%, agnostic/atheist 0.7% (2020 est.) note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 38.5% (male 1,113,795/female 1,063,971) 15-64 years: 58% (male 1,613,770/female 1,662,522) 65 years and over: 3.5% (2024 est.) (male 86,932/female 109,967) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 71.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 65.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 16.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 20.6 years (2025 est.) male: 19.7 years female: 21.2 years **Population growth rate:** 1.74% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 31.49 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 11.04 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -3.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** majority of residents live in the western and central areas of the country, especially in and around the capital of Bangui, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 43.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 958,000 BANGUI (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 692 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 79.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 86.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 74.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 56.4 years (2024 est.) male: 55.1 years female: 57.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.89 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.92 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 48.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 27.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 36.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 51.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 72.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 63.7% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9.1% of GDP (2021) 9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.07 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 53.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 12.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 30.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 46.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 87.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 69.8% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 7.5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.55 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 18.4% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 65.4% (2019 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 25.8% (2019) women married by age 18: 61% (2019) men married by age 18: 17.1% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 10% national budget (2023 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 42.4% (2019 est.) male: 59.8% (2019 est.) female: 27.1% (2019 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution; tap water not potable; poaching; wildlife mismanagement; desertification; deforestation; soil erosion **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea **Climate:** tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 9.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.8% (2023 est.) forest: 72.5% (2023 est.) other: 18.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 43.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 313,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 313,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 25.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.106 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 9.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 60.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 12 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 400,000 cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 141 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Central African Republic conventional short form: none local long form: République centrafricaine local short form: none former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire abbreviation: CAR etymology: self-descriptive name specifying the country's location on the continent; "Africa" is derived from the Roman designation of the area corresponding to present-day Tunisia, "Africa terra," which meant "Land of the Afri" (the tribe resident in that area), but which eventually came to mean the entire continent **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Bangui geographic coordinates: 4 22 N, 18 35 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: established as a French military post in 1889; the name means "rapids" in the local Bobangui language, because of the city's location above the first great rapid on the Ubangi River **Administrative divisions:** 14 prefectures (préfectures, singular - préfecture), 2 economic prefectures* (préfectures économiques, singular - préfecture économique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga **Legal system:** civil law system based on the French model **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest constitution passed by a national referendum on 30 July 2023 and validated by the Constitutional Court on 30 August 2023 amendment process: proposals require support of the government, two thirds of the National Council of Transition, and assent by the "Mediator of the Central African" crisis; passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote by the National Council membership; non-amendable constitutional provisions include those on the secular and republican form of government, fundamental rights and freedoms, amendment procedures, or changes to the authorities of various high-level executive, parliamentary, and judicial officials **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: least one parent must be a citizen of the Central African Republic dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 35 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Faustin-Archange TOUADÉRA (since 30 March 2016) head of government: Prime Minister Félix MOLOUA (since 7 February 2022) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: current president was directly elected for 5-year term; constitutional referendum in July 2023 removed term limits and instituted 7-year terms most recent election date: 28 December 2025 election results: 2025: Faustin-Archange TOUADÉRA reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Faustin-Archange TOUADÉRA (independent) 76.2%, Anicet Georges DOLOGUELE (URCA) 14.7%, other 9.1% expected date of next election: December 2032 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 140 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 12/27/2020 to 7/25/2021 parties elected and seats per party: United Hearts Movement (MCU) (63); National Movement of Independents (MOUNI) (9); Union for Central African Renewal (URCA) (7); Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People (MLPC) (7); Other (34); Independents (20) percentage of women in chamber: 11.4% expected date of next election: 28 December 2025 note 1: on 27 December 2020, the day of first round elections, voting in many electoral areas was disrupted by armed groups; on 13 February 2021, President TOUADERA announced that new first round elections would be held on 27 February 2021 for those areas controlled by armed groups and the second round on 6 March 2021; ultimately, two additional rounds were held on 23 May and 25 July 2021 in areas that continued to suffer from election security problems note 2: in accordance with article 98 of the constitution published in August 2023, the parliamentary term has increased from five to seven years and will be first applied to the legislature due to be elected in late 2025 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (number of judges unknown); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, at least 3 of whom are women) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president; Constitutional Court judge appointments - 2 by the president, 1 by the speaker of the National Assembly, 2 elected by their peers, 2 are advocates elected by their peers, and 2 are law professors elected by their peers; judges serve 7-year non-renewable terms subordinate courts: high courts; magistrates' courts **Political parties:** Action Party for Development or PAD African Party for Radical Transformation and Integration of States or PATRIE Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP Be Africa ti e Kwe (also known as Central Africa for Us All or BTK) Central African Democratic Rally or RDC Central African Party for Integrated Development or PCDI Democratic Movement for the Renewal and Evolution of Central Africa or MDREC Kodro Ti Mo Kozo Si Movement or MKMKS Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC National Convergence (also known as Kwa Na Kwa or KNK) National Movement of Independents or MOUNI National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP National Union of Republican Democrats or UNADER New Impetus for Central Africa or CANE Party for Democracy and Solidarity - Kélémba or KPDS Party for Democratic Governance or PGD Path of Hope or CDE Renaissance for Sustainable Development or RDD Socialist Party or PS Transformation Through Action Initiative or ITA Union for Central African Renewal or URCA Union for Renaissance and Development or URD United Hearts Movement or MCU **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Martial NDOUBOU (since 17 September 2018) chancery: 2704 Ontario Road NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800 FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893 email address and website: centrafricwashington@yahoo.com https://www.usrcaembassy.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Melanie Anne ZIMMERMAN (since July 2025) embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: 2060 Bangui Place, Washington DC 20521-2060 telephone: [236] 2161-0200 FAX: [236] 2161-4494 email address and website: https://cf.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country) (suspended), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 13 August 1960 (from France) **National holiday:** Republic Day, 1 December (1958) **Flag:** description: four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in the center; a five-pointed yellow star sits in the top left corner of the flag, on the blue band meaning: combines the pan-African and French flag colors; red stands for blood spilled in the struggle for independence, blue for the sky and freedom, white for peace and dignity, green for hope and faith, and yellow for tolerance; the star represents aspiring to a vibrant future **National symbol(s):** elephant **National color(s):** blue, white, green, yellow, red **National anthem(s):** title: "La Renaissance" (The Renaissance) lyrics/music: Barthelemy BOGANDA/Herbert PEPPER history: adopted 1960; BOGANDA wrote the anthem's lyrics and was the first prime minister of the autonomous French territory **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Manovo-Gounda St. Floris National Park; Sangha Trinational Forest ### Economy **Economic overview:** enormous natural resources; extreme poverty; weak public institutions and infrastructure; political and gender-based violence have led to displacement of roughly 25% of population; Bangui-Douala corridor blockade reduced activity and tax collection; strong agricultural performance offset COVID-19 downturn **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $5.926 billion (2024 est.) $5.836 billion (2023 est.) $5.795 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.5% (2024 est.) 0.7% (2023 est.) 0.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $1,100 (2024 est.) $1,100 (2023 est.) $1,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $2.752 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3% (2023 est.) 5.6% (2022 est.) 4.3% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 32.5% (2024 est.) industry: 17.8% (2024 est.) services: 40.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 94.7% (2024 est.) government consumption: 9.7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 15.4% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 15.5% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -32.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** cassava, groundnuts, yams, coffee, maize, sesame seeds, taro, sugarcane, beef, milk (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, sugar refining **Industrial production growth rate:** 9.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 2 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.9% (2024 est.) 5.9% (2023 est.) 6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 9.5% (2024 est.) male: 8.5% (2024 est.) female: 10.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 68.8% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 43 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.1% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 33.1% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $360.48 million (2021 est.) expenditures: $462.104 million (2021 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 8.2% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Exports:** $425.306 million (2024 est.) $369.034 million (2023 est.) $293.074 million (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UAE 54%, China 14%, France 6%, Turkey 5%, Belgium 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, wood, diamonds, vehicle parts/accessories, cotton (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $890.572 million (2024 est.) $742.108 million (2023 est.) $784.669 million (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 16%, Cameroon 14%, France 8%, Belgium 6%, Cote d'Ivoire 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, packaged medicine, vaccines, tanks and armored vehicles (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $479.593 million (2023 est.) $374.405 million (2022 est.) $483.872 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $724.179 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 15.7% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 34.7% electrification - rural areas: 1.6% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 63,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 132.105 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 10 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 99.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 3 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 954,000 Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 2,090 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 1.98 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** government-owned network, Radiodiffusion Télévision Centrafricaine, provides limited TV broadcasting; state-owned radio network is supplemented by a small number of privately owned broadcast stations, as well as a few community radio stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available (2017) **Internet country code:** .cf **Internet users:** percent of population: 8% (2019 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1,000 (2022 est.) Data available for 2019 only. subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** TL **Airports:** 43 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Central African Armed Forces (Forces Armees Centrafricaines, FACA): Army (includes an air squadron, Escadrille Centrafricaine) Ministry of Interior: National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale), National Police (2025) note: the Special Republican Protection Group (Groupement Spécial Chargé de la Protection Républicaine or GSPR) provides protection to the head of state; it is part of the Army but reports to the president **Military expenditures:** 2.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 10-15,000 active FACA (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** most of the military's heavy weapons and equipment were lost during the 2012–2014 civil war; prior to the war, most of its inventory was of French, Russian, or Soviet origin; in recent years, it has received some donated equipment from China and Russia, including armored vehicles, drones, helicopters, jet trainer aircraft, and some light weapons (2025) note: the CAR was under a UNSC arms embargo from 2013-July 2024 **Military service age and obligation:** 18-22 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription although the constitution provides for the possibility of conscription in the event of an imminent threat to the country (2025) **Military - note:** the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) are focused on internal security; since the 2013 coup, multiple armed groups have been active in the country, carrying out attacks, controlling territory, and undermining security; the coup resulted in the institutional collapse of the FACA; its forces were overwhelmed and forced to flee to neighboring countries; it has been estimated that only 10% of the FACA returned afterwards; over the past decade, the FACA has sought to rebuild with considerable foreign assistance, including from France, the EU, Russia, Rwanda, Uganda, and the UN; Russian private military contractors and Rwandan military forces have assisted the FACA in its operations against rebel groups the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) has operated in the country since 2014; its mission includes providing security, protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian assistance, disarming and demobilizing armed groups, and supporting the country’s transitional government (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 53,378 (2024 est.) IDPs: 469,342 (2024 est.) --- ## Chad **Slug:** chad **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇹🇩 **Codes:** cek: cd, iso2: TD, iso3: TCD, iso_num: 148, genc: TCD, stanag: TCD, internet: .td ### Introduction **Background:** Chad emerged from a collection of powerful states that controlled the Sahelian belt starting around the 9th century. These states focused on controlling trans-Saharan trade routes and profited mostly from the slave trade. The Kanem-Bornu Empire, centered around the Lake Chad Basin, existed between the 9th and 19th centuries, and at its peak, the empire controlled territory stretching from southern Chad to southern Libya and included portions of modern-day Algeria, Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria, and Sudan. The Sudanese warlord Rabih AZ-ZUBAYR used an army comprised largely of slaves to conquer the Kanem-Bornu Empire in the late 19th century. In southeastern Chad, the Bagirmi and Ouaddai (Wadai) kingdoms emerged in the 15th and 16th centuries and lasted until the arrival of the French in the 19th and 20th centuries. France began moving into the region in the late 1880s and defeated the Bagirmi kingdom in 1897, Rabih AZ-ZUBAYR in 1900, and the Ouddai kingdom in 1909. In the arid regions of northern Chad and southern Libya, an Islamic order called the Sanusiyya (Sanusi) relied heavily on the trans-Saharan slave trade and had upwards of 3 million followers by the 1880s. The French defeated the Sanusiyya in 1910 after years of intermittent war. By 1910, France had incorporated the northern arid region, the Lake Chad Basin, and southeastern Chad into French Equatorial Africa. Chad achieved its independence in 1960 and then saw three decades of instability, oppressive rule, civil war, and a Libyan invasion. With the help of the French military and several African countries, Chadian leaders expelled Libyan forces during the 1987 "Toyota War," so named for the use of Toyota pickup trucks as fighting vehicles. In 1990, Chadian general Idriss DEBY led a rebellion against President Hissene HABRE. Under DEBY, Chad approved a constitution and held elections in 1996. Shortly after DEBY was killed during a rebel incursion in 2021, a group of military officials -- led by DEBY’s son, Mahamat Idriss DEBY -- took control of the government. The military officials dismissed the National Assembly, suspended the Constitution, and formed a Transitional Military Council (TMC), while pledging to hold democratic elections by October 2022. A national dialogue in August-October 2022 culminated in decisions to extend the transition for up to two years, dissolve the TMC, and appoint Mahamat DEBY as Transitional President; the transitional authorities held a constitutional referendum in December 2023 and claimed 86 percent of votes were in favor of the new constitution. The transitional authorities have announced plans to hold elections by October 2024. Chad has faced widespread poverty, an economy severely weakened by volatile international oil prices, terrorist-led insurgencies in the Lake Chad Basin, and several waves of rebellions in northern and eastern Chad. In 2015, the government imposed a state of emergency in the Lake Chad Basin following multiple attacks by the terrorist group Boko Haram, now known as ISIS-West Africa. The same year, Boko Haram conducted bombings in N'Djamena. In 2019, the Chadian government also declared a state of emergency in the Sila and Ouaddai regions bordering Sudan and in the Tibesti region bordering Niger, where rival ethnic groups are still fighting. The army has suffered heavy losses to Islamic terror groups in the Lake Chad Basin. ### Geography **Location:** Central Africa, south of Libya **Geographic coordinates:** 15 00 N, 19 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 1.284 million sq km land: 1,259,200 sq km water: 24,800 sq km **Area - comparative:** almost nine times the size of New York state; slightly more than three times the size of California **Land boundaries:** total: 6,406 km border countries (6): Cameroon 1,116 km; Central African Republic 1,556 km; Libya 1,050 km; Niger 1,196 km; Nigeria 85 km; Sudan 1,403 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** tropical in south, desert in north **Terrain:** broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south **Elevation:** highest point: Emi Koussi 3,445 m lowest point: Djourab 160 m mean elevation: 543 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt **Land use:** agricultural land: 40% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 35.7% (2023 est.) forest: 3.1% (2023 est.) other: 57% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 300 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Niger, Nigeria, and Cameroon) - 10,360-25,900 sq km note - area varies by season and year to year **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Lake Chad Basin, Nubian Aquifer System **Population distribution:** the population is unevenly distributed due to contrasts in climate and physical geography; the highest density is found in the southwest, particularly around Lake Chad and points south; the dry Saharan zone to the north is the least densely populated, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues **Geography - note:** note 1: Chad is the largest of Africa's 16 landlocked countries note 2: a wide variety of animals lived in modern-day Chad during the African Humid Period, including elephants, giraffes, hippos, and antelope; the last remnant of this "Green Sahara" exists in the Lakes of Ounianga in northern Chad, a series of 18 interconnected freshwater, saline, and hypersaline lakes note 3: Lake Chad, the most significant water body in the Sahel, is a remnant of a former inland sea, paleolake Mega-Chad; at its greatest extent, sometime before 5000 B.C., Lake Mega-Chad was the largest of four Saharan paleolakes that existed during the African Humid Period; it covered an area of about 400,000 sq km (150,000 sq mi), roughly the size of today's Caspian Sea ### People and Society **Population:** total: 19,674,004 (2025 est.) male: 9,756,129 female: 9,917,875 **Nationality:** noun: Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian **Ethnic groups:** Sara (Ngambaye/Sara/Madjingaye/Mbaye) 30.5%, Kanembu/Bornu/Buduma 9.8%, Arab 9.7%, Wadai/Maba/Masalit/Mimi 7%, Gorane 5.8%, Masa/Musseye/Musgum 4.9%, Bulala/Medogo/Kuka 3.7%, Marba/Lele/Mesme 3.5%, Mundang 2.7%, Bidiyo/Migaama/Kenga/Dangleat 2.5%, Dadjo/Kibet/Muro 2.4%, Tupuri/Kera 2%, Gabri/Kabalaye/Nanchere/Somrai 2%, Fulani/Fulbe/Bodore 1.8%, Karo/Zime/Peve 1.3%, Baguirmi/Barma 1.2%, Zaghawa/Bideyat/Kobe 1.1%, Tama/Assongori/Mararit 1.1%, Mesmedje/Massalat/Kadjakse 0.8%, other 4.6%, unspecified 1.7% (2014-15 est.) **Languages:** French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 languages and dialects major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 52.1%, Protestant 23.9%, Roman Catholic 20%, animist 0.3%, other Christian 0.2%, none 2.8%, unspecified 0.7% (2014-15 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 45.8% (male 4,428,132/female 4,323,398) 15-64 years: 51.7% (male 4,831,744/female 5,031,383) 65 years and over: 2.5% (2024 est.) (male 204,823/female 274,115) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 92.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 87.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 4.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 20.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 16.9 years (2025 est.) male: 16.3 years female: 17.2 years **Population growth rate:** 2.98% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 38.62 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.75 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the population is unevenly distributed due to contrasts in climate and physical geography; the highest density is found in the southwest, particularly around Lake Chad and points south; the dry Saharan zone to the north is the least densely populated, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 24.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.1% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.592 million N'DJAMENA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 18.1 years (2014/15 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 748 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 61.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 68.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 56.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 60 years (2024 est.) male: 58.1 years female: 62 years **Total fertility rate:** 5.13 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 2.51 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 77.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 43.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 52% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 22.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 56.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 48% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.2% of GDP (2021) 7.3% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 0.4 beds/1,000 population (2017 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 56.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 6.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 18.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 43.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 93.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 81.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 6.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.55 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 6.5% (2025 est.) male: 11.8% (2025 est.) female: 1.3% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 18.2% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 72.6% (2019 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 24.2% (2019) women married by age 18: 60.6% (2019) men married by age 18: 8.1% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 3.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 16.5% national budget (2023 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 30.6% (2019 est.) male: 44.5% (2019 est.) female: 18.6% (2019 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 7 years (2015 est.) male: 9 years (2015 est.) female: 6 years (2015 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** inadequate supplies of potable water; soil and water pollution from improper waste disposal in rural areas and poor farming practices; desertification **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping-London Convention **Climate:** tropical in south, desert in north **Land use:** agricultural land: 40% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 35.7% (2023 est.) forest: 3.1% (2023 est.) other: 57% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 24.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.1% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 2.054 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.054 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 41.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 101.8 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,282.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 60.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 12 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.359 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 11.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 103.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 103.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 672.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 45.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Chad conventional short form: Chad local long form: République du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad local short form: Tchad/Tshad etymology: named for Lake Chad, which lies along the country's western border; taken from a local word meaning "large body of water" or "lake" note: the only country whose name is composed of a single syllable with a single vowel **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: N'Djamena geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 15 02 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: said to derive its name from a local word meaning "place of rest" **Administrative divisions:** 23 provinces; Barh-El-Gazel, Batha, Borkou, Chari-Baguirmi, Ennedi-Est, Ennedi-Ouest, Guera, Hadjer-Lamis, Kanem, Lac, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Kebbi-Est, Mayo-Kebbi-Ouest, Moyen-Chari, N'Djamena, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile, Tibesti, Wadi-Fira **Legal system:** mixed system of civil and customary law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted by National Transitional Council 27 June 2023, approved by referendum 17 December, verified by Chad Supreme Court 28 December, promulgated 1 January 2024 amendment process: previous process: proposed as a revision by the president of the republic after a Council of Ministers (cabinet) decision or by the National Assembly; approval for consideration of a revision requires at least three-fifths majority vote by the Assembly; passage requires approval by referendum or at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Chad dual citizenship recognized: Chadian law does not address dual citizenship residency requirement for naturalization: 15 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Mahamat Idriss DÉBY (since 6 May 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Allamaye HALINA (since 23 May 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (no term limits) most recent election date: 6 May 2024 election results: 2024: Mahamat Idriss DÉBY elected president; percent of vote - Mahamat Idriss DÉBY (MPS) 61%, Succes MASRA (Transformers) 18.5%, Albert PADACKE 16.9%, other 3.6% expected date of next election: TBD **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly (National Assembly) number of seats: 188 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 12/29/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS) (124); Rally of Chadian Nationalists/Awakening (RNDT/ Le Réveil) (12); Others (27); Other (25) percentage of women in chamber: 33.5% expected date of next election: December 2029 note: the initial term of the National Assembly was previously established as five years; however the term length will be changed to six years in accordance with constitutional amendments adopted by a joint session of parliament and promulgated by the President of the Republic in October 2025; the date from which the new term is to apply will be decided at a later stage; if the new term of six years is applied to the National Assembly elected in 2024, the next elections will be held in 2030 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Senate) number of seats: 69 (46 indirectly elected; 23 appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 2/25/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS) (66); Other (3) percentage of women in chamber: 36.2% expected date of next election: February 2031 note: 46 of the Senate's 69 seats are determined by election, and the remaining 23 seats are appointed by the President **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, 3 chamber presidents, and 12 judges or councilors and divided into 3 chambers); Supreme Council of the Judiciary (consists of the Judiciary president, vice president and 13 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice selected by the president; councilors - 8 designated by the president and 7 by the speaker of the National Assembly; chief justice and councilors appointed for life; Supreme Council of the Judiciary - with the exception of the Judiciary president and vice president, members are elected for single renewable 4-year terms subordinate courts: High Court of Justice; Courts of Appeal; tribunals; justices of the peace **Political parties:** Chadian Convention for Peace and Development or CTPD Federation Action for the Republic or FAR National Rally for Development and Progress or Viva-RNDP National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR Party for Unity and Reconstruction or PUR Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP Rally of Chadian Nationalists/Awakening or RNDT/Le Reveil Social Democratic Party for a Change-over of Power or PDSA Union for Democracy and the Republic or UDR Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD Transformers note 1: 19 additional parties each contributed one member note 2: on 5 October 2021, Interim President Mahamat Idriss DEBY appointed 93 members to the interim National Transitional Council (NTC); 30% of the NTC members were retained from parties previously represented in the National Assembly **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires ANWAR SADAT Fatahalbab (since 30 July 2025) chancery: 2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 652-1312 FAX: [1] (202) 578-0431 email address and website: info@chadembassy.us https://chadembassy.us/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires William FLENS (since July 2025) embassy: Rond-Point Chagoua, B.P. 413, N’Djamena mailing address: 2410 N'Djamena Place, Washington DC 20521-2410 telephone: [235] 6885-1065 FAX: [235] 2253-9102 email address and website: NdjamenaACS@state.gov https://td.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC, MIGA, MNJTF, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 11 August 1960 (from France) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 11 August (1960) **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of blue (left side), gold, and red meaning: combines the blue and red French (former colonial) colors with the red and yellow Pan-African colors; blue stands for the sky, hope, and the south of the country; gold for the sun and the desert in the north; red for progress, unity, and sacrifice note: almost identical to the flag of Romania, but with a darker shade of blue; also similar to the flags of Andorra and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; design based on France's flag **National symbol(s):** goat (north), lion (south) **National color(s):** blue, yellow, red **National anthem(s):** title: "La Tchadienne" (The Chadian) lyrics/music: Louis GIDROL and his students/Paul VILLARD history: adopted 1960 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 natural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Lakes of Ounianga (n); Ennedi Massif: Natural and Cultural Landscape (m) ### Economy **Economic overview:** oil-dependent economy challenged by market fluctuations, regional instability, refugee influx, and climate vulnerability; high levels of extreme poverty and food insecurity; recent growth driven by oil and agricultural recovery; debt-restructuring agreement under G20 Common Framework **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $52.895 billion (2024 est.) $51.03 billion (2023 est.) $49.012 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.7% (2024 est.) 4.1% (2023 est.) 12.9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $2,600 (2024 est.) $2,600 (2023 est.) $2,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $20.626 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 8.9% (2024 est.) 10.8% (2023 est.) 5.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 32.2% (2024 est.) industry: 29.7% (2024 est.) services: 31.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 61.3% (2024 est.) government consumption: 8.7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 14.4% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 3.4% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 28.1% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -17.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sorghum, groundnuts, millet, beef, cereals, yams, sugarcane, maize, cassava, milk (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** oil, cotton textiles, brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials **Industrial production growth rate:** 5.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 6.6 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 1.1% (2024 est.) 1.1% (2023 est.) 1.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 1.5% (2024 est.) male: 2.1% (2024 est.) female: 0.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 44.8% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 37.4 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.8% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 29.5% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $2.129 billion (2020 est.) expenditures: $2.15 billion (2020 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Exports:** $5.799 billion (2024 est.) $5.7 billion (2023 est.) $5.658 billion (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UAE 26%, China 19%, Germany 17%, Netherlands 13%, France 10% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, gold, oil seeds, gum resins, cotton (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $3.557 billion (2024 est.) $3.271 billion (2023 est.) $2.898 billion (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 28%, UAE 23%, Turkey 10%, France 9%, India 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** jewelry, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicine, cars, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.05 billion (2023 est.) $1.013 billion (2022 est.) $211.591 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $2.286 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 11.7% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 46.3% electrification - rural areas: 1.3% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 167,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 282.103 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 109.04 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 94.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 2.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 20 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 124,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 1.5 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 1.502 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: (2024 est.) The telephone system is down. No data is available for the year 2024. subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) The telephone system is down. No data is available for the year 2024. **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 14.8 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 73 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 state-owned TV station; 2 privately-owned TV stations; state-owned radio network, Radiodiffusion Nationale Tchadienne (RNT), operates national and regional stations; over 10 private radio stations; some stations rebroadcast programs from international broadcasters (2017) **Internet country code:** .td **Internet users:** percent of population: 13% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 0 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** TT **Airports:** 44 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale du Tchad, ANT): Ground Forces (l'Armee de Terre, AdT), Chadian Air Force (l'Armee de l'Air Tchadienne, AAT), Chadian National Gendarmerie; General Direction of the Security Services of State Institutions (Direction Generale des Services de Securite des Institutions de l'Etat, GDSSIE) Ministry of Public Security and Immigration: National Nomadic Guard of Chad (GNNT) (2025) note 1: the GDSSIE is the presidential guard force and is considered to be Chad's elite military unit; it is reportedly a division-sized force with infantry, armor, and special forces/anti-terrorism regiments (known as the Special Anti-Terrorist Group or SATG, aka Division of Special Anti-Terrorist Groups or DGSAT); it reports directly to the president note 2: the Chadian National Police are under the Ministry of Public Security and Immigration; border security duties are shared by the ANT, Customs (Ministry of Public Security and Immigration), the National Gendarmerie, and the GNNT **Military expenditures:** 3% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.9% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 35-40,000 active Chadian National Army personnel (2025) note: in 2021, Chad pledged to increase the size of the military to 60,000 **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the ANT has a mix of older, secondhand, and some more modern armaments from a variety of suppliers, including Brazil, China, France, Russia/former Soviet Union, Türkiye, Ukraine, and the UAE (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 for voluntary service; men subject to 18-36 months of compulsory service at age 20; women are subject to 12 months of compulsory military or civic service at age 21 (2025) **Military deployments:** note: Chad has committed approximately 1,000-1,500 troops to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram and other terrorist groups operating in the general area of the Lake Chad Basin and along Nigeria's northeast border; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own territories, although cross‐border operations are conducted periodically **Military - note:** internal security is the primary focus of the Chadian National Army, and it is actively engaged in counterinsurgency operations against multiple terrorist and rebel groups; the terrorist groups Boko Haram and Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in West Africa operate in the Lake Chad Basin area; meanwhile, a number of anti-government militias operate in northern Chad, some from bases in southern Libya, including the FACT (Front pour le Changement et la Concorde au Tchad), the Military Command Council for the Salvation of the Republic (le Conseil de Commandement Militaire pour le salut de la République or CCSMR), the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development (le Union des Forces pour la Démocratie et le Développement or UFDD), and the Union of Resistance Forces (le Union des Forces de la Résistance UFR); former Chadian President Idriss DEBY was killed in April 2021 during fighting between the FACT and government forces (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Boko Haram; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - West Africa (ISIS-WA) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 1,286,645 (2024 est.) IDPs: 1,542,532 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Chad does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Chad was downgraded to Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/chad/ --- ## Chile **Slug:** chile **Region:** South America **Flag:** 🇨🇱 **Codes:** cek: ci, iso2: CL, iso3: CHL, iso_num: 152, genc: CHL, stanag: CHL, internet: .cl ### Introduction **Background:** Indigenous groups inhabited central and southern Chile for several thousand years, living in mixed pastoralist and settled communities. The Inca then ruled the north of the country for nearly a century prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century. In 1541, the Spanish established the Captaincy General of Chile, which lasted until Chile declared its independence in 1810. The subsequent struggle with the Spanish became tied to other South American independence conflicts, with a decisive victory not being achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia to win its current northernmost regions. By the 1880s, the Chilean central government cemented its control over the central and southern regions inhabited by Mapuche Indigenous peoples. Between 1891 and 1973, a series of elected governments succeeded each other until the Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 in a military coup led by General Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a democratically elected president was inaugurated in 1990. Economic reforms that were maintained consistently since the 1980s contributed to steady growth, reduced poverty rates by over half, and helped secure the country's commitment to democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation. ### Geography **Location:** Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru **Geographic coordinates:** 30 00 S, 71 00 W **Map references:** South America **Area:** total : 756,102 sq km land: 743,812 sq km water: 12,290 sq km note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana **Land boundaries:** total: 7,801 km border countries (3): Argentina 6,691 km; Bolivia 942 km; Peru 168 km **Coastline:** 6,435 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200/350 nm **Climate:** temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south **Terrain:** low coastal mountains, fertile central valley, rugged Andes in east **Elevation:** highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,893 m (highest volcano in the world) lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 1,871 m **Natural resources:** copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 14.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 11.8% (2023 est.) forest: 24.5% (2023 est.) other: 61.1% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 9,094 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lago General Carrera (shared with Argentina) - 2,240 sq km; Lago O'Higgins (shared with Argentina) - 1,010 sq km; Lago Llanquihue - 800 sq km; Lago Fagnano (shared with Argentina) - 590 sq km **Population distribution:** 90% of the population is located in the middle third of the country around the capital of Santiago; the far north, including the Atacama Desert, and the extreme south are relatively underpopulated **Natural hazards:** severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis volcanism: significant volcanic activity due to more than three-dozen active volcanoes along the Andes Mountains; Lascar (5,592 m), which last erupted in 2007, is the most active volcano in the northern Chilean Andes; Llaima (3,125 m) in central Chile, which last erupted in 2009, is another of the country's most active; Chaiten's 2008 eruption forced major evacuations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Cerro Hudson, Calbuco, Copahue, Guallatiri, Llullaillaco, Nevados de Chillan, Puyehue, San Pedro, and Villarrica; see note 2 under "Geography - note" **Geography - note:** note 1: Chile is the longest country north-to-south in the world, extending across 39 degrees of latitude note 2: Chile is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes note 3: the Atacama Desert in the north of Chile is the driest desert in the world; Ojos del Salado (6,893 m) in the Atacama Desert is the highest active volcano in the world, Chile's tallest mountain, and the second-highest in the Western Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere; the volcano's small crater lake is the world's highest lake at 6,390 m ### People and Society **Population:** total: 19,091,343 (2025 est.) male: 9,379,883 female: 9,711,460 **Nationality:** noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean **Ethnic groups:** White and non-Indigenous 88.9%, Mapuche 9.1%, Aymara 0.7%, other Indigenous groups 1% (includes Rapa Nui, Likan Antai, Quechua, Colla, Diaguita, Kawesqar, Yagan or Yamana), unspecified 0.3% (2012 est.) **Languages:** Spanish 99.5% (official), English 10.2%, Indigenous 1% (includes Mapudungun, Aymara, Quechua, Rapa Nui), other 2.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2012 est.) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census **Religions:** Catholic 57%, none 25.7%, Evangelical or Protestant 16.2%, other Christians and traditions related to Christ 1.3%; less than 1%: Buddhist, Catholic Orthodox, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Islam, Judaism, other religions, no religion (2024) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 19.2% (male 1,822,908/female 1,751,528) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 6,274,620/female 6,278,467) 65 years and over: 13.6% (2024 est.) (male 1,072,208/female 1,464,921) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 45 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 24.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 20.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.8 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 38.9 years (2025 est.) male: 35.8 years female: 38.2 years **Population growth rate:** 0.46% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 8.81 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.79 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 2.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** 90% of the population is located in the middle third of the country around the capital of Santiago; the far north, including the Atacama Desert, and the extreme south are relatively underpopulated **Urbanization:** urban population: 88% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.78% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 6.903 million SANTIAGO (capital), 1.009 million Valparaiso, 912,000 Concepcion (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 10 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 80.3 years (2024 est.) male: 77.3 years female: 83.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.25 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.61 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9% of GDP (2022) 19% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.33 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 28% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 7.8 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.76 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.61 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 26.2% (2025 est.) male: 28.4% (2025 est.) female: 24.1% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 48.5% (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 18.4% national budget (2022 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 96.4% (2017 est.) male: 96.5% (2017 est.) female: 96.3% (2017 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 17 years (2023 est.) male: 17 years (2023 est.) female: 17 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; noise pollution; improper garbage disposal; soil degradation; widespread deforestation; pollution and ecosystem degradation from mining; wildlife conservation **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south **Land use:** agricultural land: 14.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 11.8% (2023 est.) forest: 24.5% (2023 est.) other: 61.1% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 88% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.78% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 83.058 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 14.773 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 55.504 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 12.781 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 18.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 6.517 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 1.29 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.66 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 29.42 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 923.06 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Kutralkura (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Chile conventional short form: Chile local long form: República de Chile local short form: Chile etymology: derivation of the name is unclear; it may come from a local word meaning either "land's end" or "cold," or a local word that was confused with the Mexican Spanish word chili, meaning a chili pepper, in reference to the area's shape **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Santiago; note - Valparaiso is the seat of the national legislature geographic coordinates: 33 27 S, 70 40 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in August; ends second Sunday in May; note - Punta Arenas observes DST throughout the year time zone note: Chile has three time zones: the continental portion at UTC-3; the southern Aysén and Magallanes regions, which do not use daylight savings time and remain at UTC-3 year-round; and Easter Island at UTC-5 etymology: Santiago is named after Saint James, the patron saint of Spain (Santo Iago in Spanish); Valparaiso derives from the Spanish words valle (valley) and paraíso (paradise) **Administrative divisions:** 16 regions (regiones, singular - region); Antofagasta, Araucanía, Arica y Parinacota, Atacama, Aysén, Biobío, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Los Ríos, Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica), Maule, Ñuble, Región Metropolitana (Santiago), Tarapacá, Valparaíso note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica **Legal system:** civil law system influenced by several Western European civil legal systems; Constitutional Tribunal reviews legislative acts **Constitution:** history: many previous; latest adopted 11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; in September 2022 and again in December 2023, referendums presented for a new constitution were both defeated, and the September 1980 constitution remains in force amendment process: proposed by members of either house of the National Congress or by the president of the republic; passage requires at least four-sevenths majority vote of the membership in both houses and approval by the president; passage of amendments to constitutional articles, such as the republican form of government, basic rights and freedoms, the Constitutional Tribunal, electoral justice, the Council of National Security, or the constitutional amendment process, requires at least four-sevenths majority vote by both houses of Congress and approval by the president; the president can opt to hold a referendum when Congress and the president disagree on an amendment **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Gabriel BORIC (since 11 March 2022) head of government: President Gabriel BORIC (since 11 March 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a single 4-year term most recent election date: 16 November 2025, with a runoff held on 14 December 2025 election results: 2025: José Antonio KAST elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jeannette Alejandra JARA Román (PCCh) 26.8%, José Antonio KAST (PLR) 23.9%, Franco Aldo PARISI Fernández (PDG) 19.7%, Johannes KAISER (PNL) 13.9%, Evelyn Rose MATTHEI Fornet (PL) 12.5%; other 3.2%; percent of vote in second round - José Antonio KAST 58.2%, Jeannette Alejandra JARA Román 41.8%; note - KAST will take office 11 March 2026 2021: Gabriel BORIC elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - José Antonio KAST (FSC) 27.9%; Gabriel BORIC (AD) 25.8%; Franco PARISI (PDG) 12.8%; Sebastian SICHEL (ChP+) 12.8%; Yasna PROVOSTE (New Social Pact) 11.6%; other 9.1%; percent of vote in second round - Gabriel BORIC 55.9%; Jose Antonio KAST 44.1% 2017: Sebastian PINERA Echenique elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Sebastian PINERA Echenique (independent) 36.6%; Alejandro GUILLIER (independent) 22.7%; Beatriz SANCHEZ (independent) 20.3%; Jose Antonio KAST (independent) 7.9%; Carolina GOIC (PDC) 5.9%; Marco ENRIQUEZ-OMINAMI (PRO) 5.7%; other 0.9%; percent of vote in second round - Sebastian PINERA Echenique 54.6%, Alejandro GUILLIER 45.4% expected date of next election: 18 November 2029 (a runoff, if needed, will take place in December 2029) note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Congress (Congreso Nacional) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados) number of seats: 155 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/21/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Chile Podemos (Empowering Chile", CP +) (53); New Social Pact (NPS) (37); Approving Dignity (AD) (37); Christian Social Front (FSC) (15); Other (13) percentage of women in chamber: 33.5% expected date of next election: November 2025 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Senado) number of seats: 50 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 8 years most recent election date: 11/21/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Chile Podemos (Empowering Chile", CP +) (12); New Social Pact (NPS) (8); Approving Dignity (AD) (4); Independents (2); Other (1) percentage of women in chamber: 32% expected date of next election: November 2025 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (consists of a court president and 20 members); Constitutional Court (consists of 10 members and is independent of the rest of the judiciary); Elections Qualifying Court (consists of 5 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president and judges (ministers) appointed by the president of the republic and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the court itself; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 70; Constitutional Court members appointed - 3 by the Supreme Court, 3 by the president of the republic, 2 by the Chamber of Deputies, and 2 by the Senate; members serve 9-year terms with partial membership replacement every 3 years (the court reviews constitutionality of legislation); Elections Qualifying Court members appointed by lottery - 1 by the former president or vice president of the Senate and 1 by the former president or vice president of the Chamber of Deputies, 2 by the Supreme Court, and 1 by the Appellate Court of Valparaiso; members appointed for 4-year terms subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; oral criminal tribunals; military tribunals; local police courts; specialized tribunals and courts in matters such as family, labor, customs, taxes, and electoral affairs **Political parties:** Approve Dignity (Apruebo Dignidad) coalition or AD (included PC, FA, and FREVS); note - dissolved 2023 Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) or FA (includes RD, CS, and Comunes) Chile We Can Do More (Chile Podemos Más) or ChP+ (coalition includes EVOPOLI, PRI, RN, UDI) Christian Democratic Party or PDC Common Sense Party or SC Commons (Comunes) Communist Party of Chile or PCCh Democratic Revolution or RD Democrats or PD Equality Party or PI Green Ecological Party or PEV (dissolved 7 February 2022) Green Popular Alliance or AVP Humanist Action Party or PAH Humanist Party or PH Independent Democratic Union or UDI Liberal Party (Partido Liberal de Chile) or PL National Libertarian Party or PNL National Renewal or RN New Social Pact or NPS (includes PDC, PL, PPD, PRSD, PS) Party for Democracy or PPD Party of the People or PDG Political Evolution or EVOPOLI Popular Party or PP Progressive Homeland Party or PRO Radical Party or PR Republican Party or PLR Social Christian Party or PSC Social Convergence or CS Social Green Regionalist Federation or FREVS Socialist Party or PS Yellow Movement for Chile or AMAR **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Juan Gabriel VALDES Soublette (since 7 June 2022) chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746 FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579 email address and website: echile.eeuu@minrel.gob.cl https://chile.gob.cl/estados-unidos/en/ consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Brandon JUDD (since November 2025) embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago mailing address: 3460 Santiago Place, Washington DC 20521-3460 telephone: [56] (2) 2330-3000 FAX: [56] (2) 2330-3710 email address and website: SantiagoUSA@state.gov https://cl.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OECD (enhanced engagement), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 18 September 1810 (from Spain) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 18 September (1810) **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; a blue square sits in the top left corner of the flag, the same height as the white band; the square has a five-pointed white star in the center meaning: the star represents a guide to progress and honor; blue stands for the sky, white for the Andes Mountains, and red for the blood spilled to achieve independence note: design influenced by the US flag **National symbol(s):** huemul (mountain deer), Andean condor **National color(s):** red, white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "Himno Nacional de Chile" (National Anthem of Chile) lyrics/music: Eusebio LILLO Robles and Bernardo DE VERA y Pintado/Ramon CARNICER y Battle history: music adopted 1828, original lyrics adopted 1818, adapted lyrics adopted 1847; under Augusto PINOCHET's military rule, a verse glorifying the army was added; some citizens refused to sing this verse as a protest, and it was removed when democracy was restored in 1990 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 7 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Rapa Nui National Park; Churches of Chiloe; Historic Valparaiso; Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works; Sewell Mining Town; Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System; Chinchorro archeological sites ### Economy **Economic overview:** export-driven economy; leading copper producer; though hit by COVID-19, fairly quick rebound from increased liquidity and rapid vaccine rollouts; decreasing poverty but still lingering inequality; public debt rising but still manageable; recent political violence has had negative economic consequences **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $596.556 billion (2024 est.) $581.187 billion (2023 est.) $578.173 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.6% (2024 est.) 0.5% (2023 est.) 2.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $30,200 (2024 est.) $29,600 (2023 est.) $29,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $330.267 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.3% (2024 est.) 7.6% (2023 est.) 11.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 3.9% (2024 est.) industry: 30.1% (2024 est.) services: 56.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 58.1% (2024 est.) government consumption: 15.1% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.5% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -0.3% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 33.7% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -30.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** grapes, milk, apples, wheat, tomatoes, potatoes, chicken, maize, sugar beets, pork (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** copper, lithium, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 10.088 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 9.1% (2024 est.) 9.1% (2023 est.) 8.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 22.3% (2024 est.) male: 20.3% (2024 est.) female: 24.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 6.5% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 43 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 19.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.3% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 34.5% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2024 est.) 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $77.003 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $85.024 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 17.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$4.853 billion (2024 est.) -$10.497 billion (2023 est.) -$26.656 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $111.123 billion (2024 est.) $103.256 billion (2023 est.) $107.039 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 39%, USA 16%, Japan 7%, S. Korea 6%, Brazil 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** copper ore, refined copper, fish, carbonates, pitted fruits (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $99.239 billion (2024 est.) $100.082 billion (2023 est.) $118.928 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 23%, USA 20%, Brazil 10%, Argentina 7%, Germany 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, garments, trucks (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $44.403 billion (2024 est.) $46.377 billion (2023 est.) $39.102 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Chilean pesos (CLP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 943.572 (2024 est.) 840.067 (2023 est.) 873.314 (2022 est.) 758.955 (2021 est.) 792.727 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 39.238 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 83.295 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 4.384 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 35.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 20.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 10.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 26.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 5.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 474,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 8.087 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 63,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 7.589 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.181 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 404,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 150 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 1.362 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 6.5 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 39.009 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 5.196 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 97.976 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 71.42 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.74 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 26.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 133 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** national and local terrestrial TV channels, coupled with extensive cable TV networks; the state-owned Television Nacional de Chile (TVN) network is self-financed through commercial advertising and is not under direct government control; large number of privately owned TV stations; about 250 radio stations **Internet country code:** .cl **Internet users:** percent of population: 95% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 4.52 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** CC **Airports:** 379 (2025) **Heliports:** 115 (2025) **Railways:** total: 7,281.5 km (2014) narrow gauge: 3,853.5 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge broad gauge: 3,428 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge (1,691 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 249 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 3, container ship 5, general cargo 66, oil tanker 14, other 161 **Ports:** total ports: 39 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 10 very small: 27 ports with oil terminals: 25 key ports: Antofagasta, Bahia de Valdivia, Bahia de Valparaiso, Coronel, Iquique, Mejillones, Puerto Montt, Puerto San Antonio, Rada de Arica, Rada Punta Arenas, Talcahuano, Tocopilla ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of Chile (Fuerzas Armadas de Chile): Chilean Army (Ejército de Chile), Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile, includes Marine Corps and Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine Directorate or Directemar), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile, FACh) (2025) note 1: the Directemar is the country's coast guard note 2: the National Police Force (Carabineros de Chile) is responsible to both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security **Military expenditures:** 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 2% of GDP (2021 est.) 2% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 70,000 active Armed Forces (40,000 Army; 20,000 Navy; 10,000 Air Force); approximately 50,000 Carabineros (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Chilean military's inventory is comprised of a mix of mostly older foreign supplied armaments and some domestically produced weapons systems; significant foreign suppliers have included Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, and the US; Chile's defense industry is active in the production of military aircraft, ships, and vehicles (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-24 for voluntary military service for men and women (17 for men with parental permission); selective compulsory service for men 18-24 (there are usually enough volunteers to make compulsory service unnecessary); service obligation is a maximum of 24 months (2025) note: as of 2024, women comprised approximately 21% of the armed forces **Military - note:** the Chilean military's responsibilities are territorial defense, ensuring the country’s sovereignty, assisting with disaster and humanitarian relief, and providing some internal security duties such as border security or maintaining public order if required; a key focus in recent years has been assisting with securing the border area with Bolivia and Peru; it trains regularly and participates in bilateral and multinational training exercises, as well as international peacekeeping operations Chile and Argentina have a joint peacekeeping force known as the Combined Southern Cross Peacekeeping Force (FPC), designed to be made available to the UN; the FPC is made up of air, ground, and naval components, as well as a combined logistics support unit the Chilean Army was founded in 1810, but traces its origins back to the Army of the Kingdom of Chile, which was established by the Spanish Crown in the early 1600s; Chile's military aviation was inaugurated in 1913 with the creation of a military aviation school; the Navy traces its origins to 1817; it was first led by a British officer and the first ships were largely crewed by American, British, and Irish sailors; by the 1880s, the Chilean Navy was one of the most powerful in the Americas, and included the world’s first protected cruiser (a ship with an armored deck to protect vital machine spaces) (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Tren de Aragua (TdA) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 15,788 (2024 est.) IDPs: 8,323 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 1,688 (2024 est.) --- ## China **Slug:** china **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇨🇳 **Codes:** cek: ch, iso2: CN, iso3: CHN, iso_num: 156, genc: CHN, stanag: CHN, internet: .cn, comment: see also Taiwan ### Introduction **Background:** China's historical civilization dates to at least the 13th century B.C., first under the Shang (to 1046 B.C.) and then the Zhou (1046-221 B.C.) dynasties. The imperial era of China began in 221 B.C. under the Qin Dynasty and lasted until the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1912. During this period, China alternated between periods of unity and disunity under a succession of imperial dynasties. In the 19th century, the Qing Dynasty suffered heavily from overextension by territorial conquest, insolvency, civil war, imperialism, military defeats, and foreign expropriation of ports and infrastructure. It collapsed following the Revolution of 1911, and China became a republic under SUN Yat-sen of the Kuomintang (KMT or Nationalist) Party. However, the republic was beset by division, warlordism, and continued foreign intervention. In the late 1920s, a civil war erupted between the ruling KMT-controlled government, led by CHIANG Kai-shek, and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Japan occupied much of northeastern China in the early 1930s, and then launched a full-scale invasion of the country in 1937. The resulting eight years of warfare devastated the country and cost up to 20 million Chinese lives by the time of Japan’s defeat in 1945. The Nationalist-Communist civil war continued with renewed intensity after the end of World War II and culminated with a CCP victory in 1949, under the leadership of MAO Zedong. MAO and the CCP established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring the PRC's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and launched agricultural, economic, political, and social policies -- such as the Great Leap Forward (1958-1962) and the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) -- that cost the lives of millions of people. MAO died in 1976. Beginning in 1978, leaders DENG Xiaoping, JIANG Zemin, and HU Jintao focused on market-oriented economic development and opening up the country to foreign trade, while maintaining the rule of the CCP. Since the change, China has been among the world’s fastest growing economies, with real gross domestic product averaging over 9% growth annually through 2021, lifting an estimated 800 million people out of poverty and dramatically improving overall living standards. By 2011, the PRC’s economy was the second largest in the world. Current leader XI Jinping has continued these policies but has also maintained tight political controls. Over the past decade, China has increased its global outreach, including military deployments, participation in international organizations, and a global connectivity plan in 2013 called the "Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI). Many nations have signed on to BRI agreements to attract PRC investment, but others have expressed concerns about such issues as the opaque nature of the projects, financing, and potentially unsustainable debt obligations. XI Jinping assumed the positions of General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and Chairman of the Central Military Commission in 2012 and President in 2013. In 2018, the PRC’s National People’s Congress passed an amendment abolishing presidential term limits, which allowed XI to gain a third five-year term in 2023. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam **Geographic coordinates:** 35 00 N, 105 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 9,596,960 sq km land: 9,326,410 sq km water: 270,550 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than the US **Land boundaries:** total: 22,457 km border countries (14): Afghanistan 91 km; Bhutan 477 km; Burma 2,129 km; India 2,659 km; Kazakhstan 1,765 km; North Korea 1,352 km; Kyrgyzstan 1,063 km; Laos 475 km; Mongolia 4,630 km; Nepal 1,389 km; Pakistan 438 km; Russia (northeast) 4,133 km and Russia (northwest) 46 km; Tajikistan 477 km; Vietnam 1,297 km **Coastline:** 14,500 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north **Terrain:** mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Everest (highest peak in Asia and highest point on earth above sea level) 8,849 m lowest point: Turpan Pendi (Turfan Depression) -154 m mean elevation: 1,840 m **Natural resources:** coal, iron ore, helium, petroleum, natural gas, arsenic, bismuth, cobalt, cadmium, ferrosilicon, gallium, germanium, hafnium, indium, lithium, mercury, tantalum, tellurium, tin, titanium, tungsten, antimony, manganese, magnesium, molybdenum, selenium, strontium, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, rare earth elements, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest), arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 55.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 41.7% (2023 est.) forest: 23.8% (2023 est.) other: 20.6% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 690,070 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Dongting Hu - 3,100 sq km; Poyang Hu - 3,350 sq km; Hongze Hu - 2,700 sq km; Tai Hu - 2,210 sq km; Hulun Nur - 1,590 salt water lake(s): Quinghai Hu - 4,460 sq km; Nam Co - 2,500 sq km; Siling Co - 1,860 sq km; Tangra Yumco - 1,400 sq km; Bosten Hu 1,380 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Yangtze - 6,300 km; Huang He - 5,464 km; Amur river source (shared with Mongolia and Russia [m]) - 4,444 km; Lancang Jiang (Mekong) river source (shared with Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam [m]) - 4,350 km; Yarlung Zangbo Jiang (Brahmaputra) river source (shared with India and Bangladesh [m]) - 3,969 km; Yin-tu Ho (Indus) river source (shared with India and Pakistan [m]) - 3,610 km; Nu Jiang (Salween) river source (shared with Thailand and Burma [m]) - 3,060 km; Irrawaddy river source (shared with Burma [m]) - 2,809 km; Zhu Jiang (Pearl) (shared with Vietnam [s]) - 2,200 km; Yuan Jiang (Red river) source (shared with Vietnam [m]) - 1,149 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Arctic Ocean drainage: Ob (2,972,493 sq km) Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Indus (1,081,718 sq km), Irrawaddy (413,710 sq km), Salween (271,914 sq km) Pacific Ocean drainage: Amur (1,929,955 sq km), Huang He (944,970 sq km), Mekong (805,604 sq km), Yangtze (1,722,193 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km), Lake Balkash (510,015 sq km) **Major aquifers:** North China Aquifer System (Huang Huai Hai Plain), Song-Liao Plain, Tarim Basin **Population distribution:** overwhelming majority of the population is found in the eastern half of the country; the west, with its vast mountainous and desert areas, remains sparsely populated; though ranked first in the world in total population, overall density is less than that of many Asian and European countries; high population density is found along the Yangtze and Yellow River valleys, the Xi Jiang River delta, the Sichuan Basin (around Chengdu), in and around Beijing, and the industrial area around Shenyang **Natural hazards:** frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence volcanism: China contains some historically active volcanoes including Changbaishan (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu, or P'aektu-san), Hainan Dao, and Kunlun although most have been relatively inactive in recent centuries **Geography - note:** note 1: world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and the US) and largest country situated entirely in Asia; Mount Everest, on the border with Nepal, is the world's tallest peak above sea level note 2: the largest cave chamber in the world is the Miao Room, in the Gebihe cave system at China's Ziyun Getu He Chuandong National Park, which encloses about 10.78 million cu m (380.7 million cu ft); the world's largest sinkhole is the Xiaoxhai Tiankeng sinkhole in Chongqing Municipality, which is 660 m deep, with a volume of 130 million cu m ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,407,181,209 (2025 est.) male: 716,908,592 female: 690,272,617 **Nationality:** noun: Chinese (singular and plural) adjective: Chinese **Ethnic groups:** Han Chinese 91.1%, ethnic minorities 8.9% (includes Zhang, Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai, and other nationalities) (2021 est.) note: the PRC officially recognizes 56 ethnic groups **Languages:** Standard Chinese or Mandarin (official; Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages; note - Zhuang is official in Guangxi Zhuang, Yue is official in Guangdong, Mongolian is official in Nei Mongol, Uyghur is official in Xinjiang Uygur, Kyrgyz is official in Xinjiang Uyghur, and Tibetan is official in Xizang (Tibet) major-language sample(s): 世界概況 – 不可缺少的基本消息來源 (Standard Chinese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** folk religion 21.9%, Buddhist 18.2%, Christian 5.1%, Muslim 1.8%, Hindu < 0.1%, Jewish < 0.1%, other 0.7% (includes Daoist (Taoist)), unaffiliated 52.1% (2021 est.) note: officially atheist **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16.3% (male 122,644,111/female 107,926,176) 15-64 years: 69.3% (male 505,412,555/female 476,599,793) 65 years and over: 14.4% (2024 est.) (male 94,144,838/female 109,315,797) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 43.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 22.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 21 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.8 (2025 est.) note: data do not include Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan **Median age:** total: 40.8 years (2025 est.) male: 39 years female: 41.5 years **Population growth rate:** -0.08% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 7.28 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.97 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** overwhelming majority of the population is found in the eastern half of the country; the west, with its vast mountainous and desert areas, remains sparsely populated; though ranked first in the world in total population, overall density is less than that of many Asian and European countries; high population density is found along the Yangtze and Yellow River valleys, the Xi Jiang River delta, the Sichuan Basin (around Chengdu), in and around Beijing, and the industrial area around Shenyang **Urbanization:** urban population: 64.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.78% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data do not include Hong Kong and Macau **Major urban areas - population:** 29.211 million Shanghai, 21.766 million BEIJING (capital), 17.341 million Chongqing, 14.284 million Guangzhou, 14.239 million Tianjin, 13.073 million Shenzhen (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 16 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 78.7 years (2024 est.) male: 76 years female: 81.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.2 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.57 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 96.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 97.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 3.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 2.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.4% of GDP (2021) 8.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.11 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 5 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 95.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 98% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 4.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 2% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 6.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 4.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 24.5% (2025 est.) male: 46.6% (2025 est.) female: 1.9% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.4% (2013) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 69.5% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.1% (2020) women married by age 18: 2.8% (2020) men married by age 18: 0.7% (2020) **Education expenditure:** 4% of GDP (2023 est.) 11.9% national budget (2023 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 96.7% (2020 est.) male: 98.4% (2020 est.) female: 95.1% (2020 est.) **People - note:** in October 2015, the Chinese Government announced that it would change its rules to allow all couples to have two children, loosening a 1979 mandate that restricted many couples to one child; the new policy was implemented on 1 January 2016 to address China’s rapidly aging population and future economic needs ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution and acid rain from reliance on coal; carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels; water shortages, particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; coastal destruction due to land reclamation, industrial development, and aquaculture; deforestation and habitat destruction; poor land management leading to soil erosion, landslides, floods, droughts, dust storms, and desertification; trade in endangered species **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north **Land use:** agricultural land: 55.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 41.7% (2023 est.) forest: 23.8% (2023 est.) other: 20.6% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 64.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.78% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data do not include Hong Kong and Macau **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 12.196 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 9.575 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.847 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 774.076 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 41.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 27,832.7 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 18,177.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 9,402.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 1,186.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 395.081 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 24.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 117.01 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 103.04 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 361.24 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 2.84 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 49 (2025) global geoparks and regional networks: Alxa; Arxan; Dali-Cangshan; Danxiashan; Dunhuang; Enshi Grand Canyon-Tenglongdong; Fangshan; Funiushan; Guangwushan-Noushuihe; Hexigten; Hong Kong; Huanggang Dabieshan; Huangshan; Jingpohu; Jiuhuashan; Kanbula; Keketuohai; Leiqiong; Leye Fengshan; Linxia; Longhushan; Longyan; Lushan; Mount Changbaishan; Mount Kunlun; Ningde; Qinling Zhongnanshan; Sanqingshan; Shennongjia; Shilin; Songshan; Taining; Taishan; Tianzhushan; Wangwushan-Daimeishan; Wudalianchi; Wugongshan; Xiangxi; Xingwen; Yingyi; Yandangshan; Yanqing; Yimengshan; Yuntaishan; Yunyang: Zhangjlajle; Zhangye; Zhijingdong Cave; Zigong (2025) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: People's Republic of China conventional short form: China local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo local short form: Zhongguo abbreviation: PRC etymology: English name could be derived from the Qin (Chin, Ts'in) rulers in the 3rd century B.C., or from the province of Shaanxi (Shensi) with its capital of Xi'an (Sian); the Chinese name Zhongguo translates as "Central Nation" or "Middle Country" **Government type:** communist party-led state **Capital:** name: Beijing geographic coordinates: 39 55 N, 116 23 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: China is the largest country (in terms of area) with just one time zone; before 1949 it was divided into five etymology: the name comes from the Chinese words bei (north) and jing (capital) **Administrative divisions:** 23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions (zizhiqu, singular and plural), 4 municipalities (shi, singular and plural), and two special administrative regions (tebie xingzhengqu, singular and plural) provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang; (see note on Taiwan) autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia), Ningxia, Xinjiang Uyghur, Xizang (Tibet) municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin special administrative regions: Hong Kong, Macau note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau **Legal system:** civil law influenced by Soviet and continental European civil law systems; legislature retains power to interpret statutes note: in 2020, the National People's Congress adopted the PRC Civil Code, which codifies personal relations and property relations **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest promulgated 4 December 1982 amendment process: proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress or supported by more than one fifth of the National People’s Congress membership; passage requires more than two-thirds majority vote of the Congress membership **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: least one parent must be a citizen of China dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: while naturalization is theoretically possible, in practical terms it is extremely difficult; residency is required but not specified **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013) head of government: Premier LI Qiang (since 11 March 2023) cabinet: State Council appointed by National People's Congress election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected by National People's Congress; premier nominated by president, confirmed by National People's Congress most recent election date: 10 March 2023 election results: 2023: XI Jinping reelected president; National People's Congress vote - 2,952 (unanimously); HAN Zheng elected vice president with 2,952 votes; LI Qiang elected premier with 2,936 votes 2018: XI Jinping reelected president; National People's Congress vote - 2,970 (unanimously); WANG Qishan elected vice president with 2,969 votes expected date of next election: March 2028 note: ultimate authority rests with the Communist Party Central Committee’s 25-member Political Bureau (Politburo) and its seven-member Standing Committee; XI Jinping holds the three most powerful positions as party general secretary, state president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National People's Congress (Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 3000 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/5/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 26.5% expected date of next election: March 2028 note: in practice, only members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), its 8 allied independent parties, and CCP-approved independent candidates are elected **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme People's Court (consists of over 340 judges, including the chief justice and 13 grand justices organized into a civil committee and tribunals for civil, economic, administrative, complaint and appeal, and communication and transportation cases) judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the People's National Congress (NPC); limited to 2 consecutive 5-year-terms; other justices and judges nominated by the chief justice and appointed by the Standing Committee of the NPC; term of other justices and judges determined by the NPC subordinate courts: Higher People's Courts; Intermediate People's Courts; District and County People's Courts; Autonomous Region People's Courts; International Commercial Courts; Special People's Courts for military, maritime, transportation, and forestry issues **Political parties:** Chinese Communist Party or CCP note: China has 8 nominally independent small parties controlled by the CCP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador XIE Feng (since 30 June 2023) chancery: 3505 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 495-2266 FAX: [1] (202) 495-2138 email address and website: chinaemppress_us@mfa.gov.cn http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/ consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador David PERDUE (since 25 July 2025) embassy: 55 Anjialou Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100600 mailing address: 7300 Beijing Place, Washington DC 20521-7300 telephone: [86] (10) 8531-3000 FAX: [86] (10) 8531-4200 email address and website: BeijingACS@state.gov https://china.usembassy-china.org.cn/ consulate(s) general: Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, Wuhan; note - the Chinese Government ordered closure of the US consulate in Chengdu in late July 2020 **International organization participation:** ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BRICS, CDB, CICA, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-24 (observer), G-5, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SCO, SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UN Security Council (permanent), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 1 October 1949 (People's Republic of China established); notable earlier dates: 221 B.C. (unification under the Qin Dynasty); 1 January 1912 (Qing Dynasty replaced by the Republic of China) **National holiday:** National Day (anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949) **Flag:** description: red with a large five-pointed yellow star and four smaller ones in the upper-left corner; the small stars are arranged in a vertical arc around the large one meaning: red represents revolution; the stars symbolize the four social classes -- the working class, the peasantry, the urban petty bourgeoisie, and the national bourgeoisie (capitalists) -- united under the Communist Party of China **National symbol(s):** dragon, giant panda **National color(s):** red, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" (The March of the Volunteers) lyrics/music: TIAN Han/NIE Er history: adopted 1982; the anthem, which was banned during the Cultural Revolution, is more commonly known as "Zhongguo Guoge" (Chinese National Song) **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 60 (41 cultural, 15 natural, 4 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (c); Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (c); The Great Wall (c); Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing (c); Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area (n); Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa (c); Ancient Ancient City of Ping Yao (c); Historic Center of Macau (c); Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in “The Centre of Heaven and Earth” (c); The Grand Canal (c); Mount Huangshan (m); Mogao Caves (c); Mount Taishan (m); Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian(c); Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area (n);Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area (n); Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains (c); Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde (c); Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu (c); Lushan National Park (c); Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area (m); Classical Gardens of Suzhou (c); Old Town of Lijiang (c); Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing (c); Dazu Rock Carvings (c); Mount Wuyi (m); Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui – Xidi and Hongcun (c); Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (c); Longmen Grottoes (c); Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System (c); Yungang Grottoes (c); Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas (n); Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom (c); Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries - Wolong, Mt. Siguniang, and Jiajin Mountains (c); Yin Xu (c); Kaiping Diaolou and Villages (c); South China Karst (n); Fujian Tulou (c); Mount Sanqingshan National Park (n); Mount Wutai (c); China Danxia (n); West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou (c); Chengjiang Fossil Site (n); Site of Xanadu (c); Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces(c); Xinjiang Tianshan (n); Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor (c); Tusi Sites (c); Hubei Shennongjia (n); Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape (c); Kulangsu, a Historic International Settlement (c); Qinghai Hoh Xil (n); Fanjingshan (n); Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City (c); Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (n); Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China (c); Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of the Jingmai Mountain in Pu’er (c); Badain Jaran Desert - Towers of Sand and Lakes (n); Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital (c); Xixia Imperial Tombs (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** world’s second-largest economy by nominal GDP; global leader in exports and manufacturing; historically strong growth slowing; challenges of aging workforce, weak productivity, rising youth unemployment, struggling property sector, and public debt; state-sponsored economic controls and infrastructure investments **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $33.598 trillion (2024 est.) $32.005 trillion (2023 est.) $30.361 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5% (2024 est.) 5.4% (2023 est.) 3.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $23,800 (2024 est.) $22,700 (2023 est.) $21,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $18.744 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 0.2% (2024 est.) 0.2% (2023 est.) 2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 6.8% (2024 est.) industry: 36.5% (2024 est.) services: 56.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 39.6% (2023 est.) government consumption: 17.2% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 40.5% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.6% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 19.1% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -17% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** maize, rice, vegetables, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, cucumbers/gherkins, tomatoes, watermelons, pork (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** world leader in gross value of industrial output; mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other metals, coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel; petroleum; cement; chemicals; fertilizer; consumer products (including footwear, toys, and electronics); food processing; transportation equipment, including automobiles, railcars and locomotives, ships, aircraft; telecommunications equipment, commercial space launch vehicles, satellites **Industrial production growth rate:** 5.3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 773.88 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.6% (2024 est.) 4.7% (2023 est.) 5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 15.2% (2024 est.) male: 16.5% (2024 est.) female: 13.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 0% (2020 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 35.7 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 21.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.2% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 28.2% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $2.684 trillion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated expenditures: $4.893 trillion (2019 est.) **Public debt:** 47% of GDP (2017 est.) note: official data; data cover both central and local government debt, including debt officially recognized by China's National Audit Office report in 2011; data exclude policy bank bonds, Ministry of Railway debt, and China Asset Management Company debt **Taxes and other revenues:** 7.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $423.919 billion (2024 est.) $263.382 billion (2023 est.) $443.374 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $3.793 trillion (2024 est.) $3.508 trillion (2023 est.) $3.719 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 13%, Hong Kong 8%, Japan 5%, Germany 5%, S. Korea 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** broadcasting equipment, computers, integrated circuits, garments, machine parts (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $3.254 trillion (2024 est.) $3.122 trillion (2023 est.) $3.142 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** S. Korea 7%, USA 7%, Japan 6%, Australia 6%, Russia 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, integrated circuits, iron ore, gold, natural gas (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $3.456 trillion (2024 est.) $3.45 trillion (2023 est.) $3.307 trillion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $488.114 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Renminbi yuan (RMB) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 7.197 (2024 est.) 7.084 (2023 est.) 6.737 (2022 est.) 6.449 (2021 est.) 6.901 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 2.949 billion kW (2023 est.) consumption: 8.894 trillion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 20.577 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 7.195 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 325.352 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 64.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 4.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 6.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 9.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 13.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 57 (2025) Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 28 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 55.32GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 4.9% (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 4.805 billion metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 5.191 billion metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 13.239 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 401.517 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 157.041 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 4.984 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 16.189 million bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 26.023 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 239.402 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 395.341 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 6.025 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 161.808 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 6.654 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 113.805 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 167 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 1.87 billion (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 132 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** all broadcast media are owned by, or affiliated with, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or a government agency; no privately owned TV or radio stations; state-run Chinese Central TV, provincial, and municipal stations offer more than 2,000 channels; the Central Propaganda Department and local (provincial, municipal) officials direct news reporting and approve all programming; foreign-made TV programs must be approved/censored prior to broadcast; widespread use of online platforms (Bilibili, Tencent Video, iQiyi, etc) to access domestic and international films and TV shows; Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) regulates video platforms (2022) **Internet country code:** .cn **Internet users:** percent of population: 78% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 636 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 45 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** B **Airports:** 552 (2025) **Heliports:** 120 (2025) **Railways:** total: 150,000 km (2021) 1.435-m gauge (100,000 km electrified); 104,0000 traditional, 40,000 high-speed **Merchant marine:** total: 8,314 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1,831, container ship 419, general cargo 1,392, oil tanker 1,196, other 3,476 **Ports:** total ports: 66 (2024) large: 5 medium: 9 small: 25 very small: 27 ports with oil terminals: 48 key ports: Chaozhou, Dalian, Fang-Cheng, Guangzhou, Hankow, Lon Shui Terminal, Qingdao Gang, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shekou, Tianjin Xin Gang, Weihai, Wenzhou, Xiamen ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** People's Liberation Army (PLA): Ground Forces or People's Liberation Army Army (PLAA), Navy (PLAN, includes Marine Corps (PLANMC)), Air Force (PLAAF), Rocket Force (PLARF), Aerospace Force (ASF), Cyberspace Force (CSF), Information Support Force (ISF), Joint Logistics Support Force (JLSF); People's Armed Police (PAP, includes Coast Guard, Border Defense Force, Internal Security Forces); PLA Reserve Force (2025) note 1: the PAP is a paramilitary police component of China’s armed forces that is under the dual authority of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the Central Military Commission; the China Coast Guard (CCG) is subordinate to the PAP note 2: the PLA (established 1927) is the military arm of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which oversees the PLA through its Central Military Commission (CMC); the CMC is China’s top military decision making body **Military expenditures:** 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 2 million active-duty PLA (950,000-1 million Ground; 250,000 Navy, including about 50,000 Marines; 350-400,000 Air Force; 120,000 Rocket Forces; 150-175,000 other forces) (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the PLA is mostly equipped with domestically produced armaments with smaller amounts of imported weaponry, largely from Russia; China has one of the world's largest defense-industrial sectors and is capable of producing advanced weapons systems across all military domains (2025) note: the PLA is in the midst of a decades-long modernization effort to achieve a "world-class" military by the 2040s **Military service age and obligation:** 18-26 years of age depending on education level for men and women for both volunteer and selective compulsory military service; 24-month service obligation (2025) note: the PLA’s conscription system functions as a levy; the PLA establishes the number of enlistees needed, which produces quotas for the provinces; each province provides a set number of soldiers or sailors; if the number of volunteers fails to meet quotas, the local governments may compel individuals to enter military service **Military deployments:** 475 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 1,050 South Sudan (UNMISS); 280 Sudan/South Sudan (UNISFA); has also established a base in Djibouti with approximately 400 marines, plus naval and support personnel (2025) **Military - note:** the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the world’s largest military; the PLA's primary responsibility is external security but it also has some domestic security duties; China’s stated defense policy includes safeguarding sovereignty, security, and development interests while emphasizing a greater global role for the PLA; the PLA conducts air, counterspace, cyber, electronic warfare, joint, land, maritime, missile, nuclear, and space operations; it trains regularly, including multinational and multiservice exercises, deploys overseas, and participates in international peacekeeping missions the PRC's internal security forces consist primarily of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), the Ministry of State Security (MSS), the People’s Armed Police (PAP), and the militia; the PLA support the internal security forces as necessary: --the MPS controls the civilian national police, which serves as the first-line force for public order; its primary mission is domestic law enforcement and maintaining order, including anti-rioting and anti-terrorism --the MSS is the PRC’s main civilian intelligence and counterintelligence service --the PAP is a paramilitary component (or adjunct) of the PLA; its primary missions include internal security, maintaining public order, maritime security, and assisting the PLA in times of war; the China Coast Guard (CCG) administratively falls under the PAP and has a variety of missions, such as maritime sovereignty enforcement, surveillance, resource protection, anti-smuggling, and general law enforcement; it is the largest maritime law enforcement fleet in the world --the militia is an armed reserve of civilians which serves as an auxiliary and reserve force for the PLA upon mobilization, although it is distinct from the PLA’s reserve forces; militia units are organized around towns, villages, urban sub-districts, and enterprises, and vary widely in composition and mission; they have dual civilian-military command structures; a key component of the militia are the local maritime forces, commonly referred to as the People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM); the PAFMM consists of mariners (and their vessels) who receive training, equipment, and other forms of support from the Navy and CCG (although the PAFMM remains separate from both) to perform tasks such as maritime patrolling, surveillance and reconnaissance, emergency/disaster response, transportation, search and rescue, and auxiliary tasks in support of naval operations in wartime; the PAFMM’s tasks are often conducted in conjunction or coordination with the Navy and the CCG; it has been used to assert Beijing's maritime claims in the Sea of Japan and South China Sea (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** China National Space Administration (CNSA; established in 1993); Administration for Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND; subordinate to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology); People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Aerospace Force (2025) note: in 2024, the PLA created the Aerospace Force from the former Strategic Support Force, which had included the Space Systems Department and the China Manned Space Engineering Office or CMSEO) **Space launch site(s):** Jiuquan Launch Center (Inner Mongolia); Xichang Launch Center (Sichuan); Wenchang Launch Center (Hainan; Wenchang includes a commercial launch pad, the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site, which became operational in December 2024); Taiyuan Launch Center (Shanxi); Eastern Spaceport (Shandong; a coastal spaceport designed to facilitate maritime launches) (2025) **Space program overview:** considered one of the world’s leading space powers, with a comprehensive and ambitious space program; can manufacture and operate the full spectrum of space launch vehicles (SLVs) and spacecraft, including human-crewed, lunar/inter-planetary/asteroid probes, satellites (communications, remote sensing, navigational, scientific, etc.), space stations, and reusable space transportation; has an astronaut/taikonaut program; researches and develops a range of space-related capabilities, including advanced telecommunications, optics, spacecraft components, and satellite payloads; participates in international space programs and co-leads (with Australia and Japan) the Global Earth Observation System of Systems; has signed agreements with more than 45 national space agencies, including those of Brazil, Canada, France, and Russia, as well several international organizations; has also cooperated with ESA; two state-owned aerospace enterprises dominate space industry, but a substantial commercial space sector includes launch services (2025) note: the US NASA is barred by a 2011 law from cooperating with the Chinese bilaterally in space unless approved by the US Congress; the US objected to China’s participation in the International Space Station program **Key space-program milestones:** 1960s - began launching rockets and initiated satellite and satellite launch vehicle (SLV) programs 1970 - launched first communications satellite (Dongfanghong I) 2003 - first manned space flight; launched first satellite for global navigational system (Beidou) 2011 - placed temporary space station (Tiangong-1) into Earth orbit 2013 - first unmanned lunar landing mission (Chang'e-3); placed a second temporary space station (Tiangong-2) in Earth orbit 2017 - employed a communications satellite (Micius) to perform the world’s first quantum-encrypted virtual teleconference between Beijing and Vienna 2019 - landed a rover vehicle (Chang’e-4) on the far side of the Moon 2021 - landed a probe and operated a rover vehicle on Mars; signed agreement with Russia to set up an international manned lunar research station; announced intent to send a manned mission to Mars by 2033 2022 - completed construction of a permanent manned space station (Tiangong) in Earth orbit 2024 - successful landing and return of robotic spacecraft/probe (Chang'e-6) from the far side the Moon; first launch of "Thousand Sails" commercial communications satellite constellation project 2025 - launched asteroid sample return mission probe (Tianwen-2); launched world's first quantum communications microsatellite (Jinan-1) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 814 (2024 est.) IDPs: 198,400 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — China does not fully meet the minimum standards for elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, China remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/china/ **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Christmas Island **Slug:** christmas-island **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇨🇽 **Codes:** cek: kt, iso2: CX, iso3: CXR, iso_num: 162, genc: CXR, stanag: CXR, internet: .cx ### Introduction **Background:** Although Europeans sighted Christmas Island in 1615, it was named for the day of its rediscovery in 1643. Steep cliffs and dense jungle hampered attempts to explore the island over the next two centuries. The discovery of phosphate on the island in 1887 led to the UK annexing it the following year. In 1898, 200 Chinese indentured servants were brought in to work the mines, along with Malays, Sikhs, and a small number of Europeans. The UK administered Christmas Island from Singapore. Japan invaded the island in 1942, but islanders sabotaged Japanese mining operations, making the mines relatively unproductive. After World War II, Australia and New Zealand bought the company mining the phosphate, and in 1958, the UK transferred sovereignty from Singapore to Australia in exchange for $20 million to compensate for the loss of future phosphate income. In 1980, Australia set up the Christmas Island National Park and expanded its boundaries throughout the 1980s until it covered more than 60% of the island’s territory. The phosphate mine was closed in 1987 because of environmental concerns, and Australia has rejected several efforts to reopen it. In the 1980s, boats of asylum seekers started landing on Christmas Island, and the migrants claimed refugee status because they were on Australian territory. In 2001, Australia declared Christmas Island to be outside the Australian migration zone and built an immigration detention center on the island. Completed in 2008, the controversial detention center was closed in 2018 but then reopened in 2019. In 2020, the center served as a coronavirus quarantine facility for Australian citizens evacuated from China. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia **Geographic coordinates:** 10 30 S, 105 40 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 135 sq km land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about three-quarters the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 138.9 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds **Terrain:** steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau **Elevation:** highest point: Murray Hill 361 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** phosphate, beaches **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) **Irrigated land:** NA **Population distribution:** majority of the population lives on the northern tip of the island **Natural hazards:** the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard **Geography - note:** located along major sea lanes of the Indian Ocean ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,692 (2021 est.) male: 1,007 female: 685 **Nationality:** noun: Christmas Islander(s) adjective: Christmas Island **Ethnic groups:** Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10% (2001) note: no indigenous population **Languages:** English (official) 27.6%, Mandarin 17.2%, Malay 17.1%, Cantonese 3.9%, Min Nan 1.6%, Tagalog 1%, other 4.5%, unspecified 27.1% (2016 est.) note: data represent language spoken at home **Religions:** Muslim 19.4%, Buddhist 18.3%, Roman Catholic 8.8%, Protestant 6.5% (includes Anglican 3.6%, Uniting Church 1.2%, other 1.7%), other Christian 3.3%, other 0.6%, none 15.3%, unspecified 27.7% (2016 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16.6% 15-64 years: 70.4% 65 years and over: 13% (2021) **Median age:** total: 38 years (2021 est.) **Population growth rate:** 1.11% (2014 est.) **Population distribution:** majority of the population lives on the northern tip of the island ### Environment **Environmental issues:** loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining **Climate:** tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island conventional short form: Christmas Island etymology: named by English Captain William MYNORS for the day of its rediscovery, Christmas Day (25 December 1643); Europeans had sighted the island as early as 1615 **Government type:** non-self-governing overseas territory of Australia **Dependency status:** non-self-governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities & Regional Development **Capital:** name: The Settlement (Flying Fish Cove) geographic coordinates: 10 25 S, 105 43 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Flying Fish Cove was named after a British explorer's ship in 1886 **Legal system:** system is under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law **Constitution:** history: 1 October 1958 (Christmas Island Act 1958) **Citizenship:** see Australia **Suffrage:** 18 years of age **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia General Sam MOSTYN (since 1 July 2024) head of government: Administrator Farzian ZAINAL (since 11 May 2023) cabinet: NA election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Australian prime minister; administrator appointed by the governor-general of Australia for a 2-year term and represents the monarch and Australia **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Christmas Island Shire Council legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 9 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/2023 parties elected and seats per party: independent (9) percentage of women in chamber: 13% expected date of next election: October 2025 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): under the terms of the Territorial Law Reform Act 1992, Western Australia provides court services as needed for the island, including the Supreme Court and subordinate courts (District Court, Magistrate Court, Family Court, Children's Court, and Coroners' Court) **Political parties:** none **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (territory of Australia) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (territory of Australia) **International organization participation:** none **Independence:** none (territory of Australia) **National holiday:** Australia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788) **Flag:** description: territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper left to lower right; the upper triangle is green with a yellow silhouette of the golden bosun bird; the lower triangle is blue and shows the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia; a centered yellow disk displays a green outline of the island note: the flag of Australia is used for official purposes **National symbol(s):** golden bosun bird **National anthem(s):** title: "Advance Australia Fair" lyrics/music: Peter Dodds McCORMICK history: national anthem, as an Australian territory _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: royal anthem, as an Australian territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income Australian territorial economy; development through government services and phosphate mining; operates Australia’s Immigration Detention Centre; increasing tourism and government investments; sustained environmental protections **Industries:** tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) **Exports - partners:** Indonesia 30%, USA 26%, Malaysia 12%, Ireland 8%, UK 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fertilizers, paintings, amine compounds (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports - partners:** USA 58%, Australia 40%, Malaysia 1%, Fiji 0%, Singapore 0% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** aircraft, refined petroleum, cars, air conditioners, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.515 (2024 est.) 1.505 (2023 est.) 1.442 (2022 est.) 1.331 (2021 est.) 1.453 (2020 est.) ### Communications **Broadcast media:** 1 community radio station; satellite broadcasts of several Australian radio and TV stations (2017) **Internet country code:** .cx **Internet users:** percent of population: 78.6% (2016 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 18 km (2017) standard gauge: 18 km (2017) 1.435-m (not in operation) note: the 18-km Christmas Island Phosphate Company Railway between Flying Fish Cove and South Point was decommissioned in 1987; some tracks and scrap remain in place **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Flying Fish Cove ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of Australia --- ## Clipperton Island **Slug:** clipperton-island **Region:** North America **Codes:** cek: ip, genc: CPT, stanag: FYP, internet: -, comment: ISO includes with France ### Introduction **Background:** This isolated atoll was named for John CLIPPERTON, an English pirate who was rumored to have made it his hideout early in the 18th century. Annexed by France in 1855 and claimed by the US, it was seized by Mexico in 1897. Arbitration eventually awarded the island to France in 1931, which took possession in 1935. ### Geography **Location:** Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km southwest of Mexico **Geographic coordinates:** 10 17 N, 109 13 W **Map references:** Political Map of the World **Area:** total : 6 sq km land: 6 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about 12 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 11.1 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees Celsius, wet season (May to October) **Terrain:** coral atoll **Elevation:** highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) **Natural hazards:** subject to tropical storms and hurricanes from May to October **Geography - note:** the atoll reef is approximately 12 km (7.5 mi) in circumference ### People and Society **Population:** total: uninhabited ### Environment **Environmental issues:** no natural resources, guano deposits depleted; stagnant fresh-water lagoon **Climate:** tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees Celsius, wet season (May to October) **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Clipperton Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Clipperton former: sometimes referred to as Ile de la Passion or Atoll Clipperton etymology: named after an 18th-century English pirate who is alleged to have used the island as a base starting in 1705 **Dependency status:** possession of France; administered directly by the Minister of Overseas France **Legal system:** the laws of France apply **Flag:** the flag of France is used ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of France --- ## Cocos (Keeling) Islands **Slug:** cocos-keeling-islands **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇨🇨 **Codes:** cek: ck, iso2: CC, iso3: CCK, iso_num: 166, genc: CCK, stanag: AUS, internet: .cc ### Introduction **Background:** British sea captain William KEELING discovered the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in 1609, and they were named for their coconut trees in 1622. Some maps began referring to them as the Keeling Islands in 1703. In 1825, Scottish trader John CLUNIES-ROSS was trying to get to Christmas Island but was blown off course and landed on Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The next year, a British trader hired CLUNIES-ROSS's brother to bring slaves and a harem of Malay women to create the first permanent settlement on the island. By the 1830s, the Clunies-Ross family had firmly established themselves as the leaders of the islands, and they ruled Cocos (Keeling) Islands in a feudal style until 1978. The UK annexed the islands in 1857 and administered them from Ceylon after 1878 and from Singapore after 1886. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands hosted a cable relaying station and was attacked by the Germans in World War I. The Japanese similarly attacked the islands in World War II. The UK transferred the islands to Australia in 1955, when they were officially named the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and in 1978, Australia bought all the land held by the Clunies-Ross family, ending their control of the islands. In a referendum in 1984, most islanders voted to integrate with Australia, and Western Australian laws have applied on the islands since 1992. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka **Geographic coordinates:** 12 30 S, 96 50 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 14 sq km land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island **Area - comparative:** about 24 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 26 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year **Terrain:** flat, low-lying coral atolls **Elevation:** highest point: South Point on South Island 9 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) **Irrigated land:** NA **Population distribution:** only Home Island and West Island are populated **Natural hazards:** cyclone season is October to April **Geography - note:** there are 27 coral islands in the group; apart from North Keeling Island, which lies 30 km north of the main group, the islands form a horseshoe-shaped atoll around a lagoon ### People and Society **Population:** total: 593 (2021 est.) male: 301 female: 292 **Nationality:** noun: Cocos Islander(s) adjective: Cocos Islander **Ethnic groups:** Europeans, Cocos Malays **Languages:** Malay (Cocos dialect) 68.8%, English 22.3%, unspecified 8.9%; note - data represent language spoken at home (2016 est.) major-language sample(s): Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Malay) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 75%, Anglican 3.5%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, none 12.9%, unspecified 6.3% (2016 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 21.2% 15-64 years: 61.5% 65 years and over: 17.3% (2021) **Median age:** total: 40 years (2021 est.) **Death rate:** 8.89 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Population distribution:** only Home Island and West Island are populated ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited freshwater resources; illegal fishing **Climate:** tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands etymology: the name refers to the abundant coconut trees on the islands and to English Captain William KEELING, the first European to sight the islands in 1609 **Government type:** non-self-governing overseas territory of Australia **Dependency status:** non-self-governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities & Regional Development **Capital:** name: West Island geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 50 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) **Legal system:** common law based on the Australian model **Constitution:** history: 23 November 1955 (Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955) **Citizenship:** see Australia **Suffrage:** 18 years of age **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia General Sam MOSTYN (since 1 July 2024) head of government: Administrator Farzian ZAINAL (since 11 May 2023) cabinet: NA election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Australian prime minister; administrator appointed by the governor-general for a 2-year term and represents the monarch and Australia **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 7 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/21/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 16.7% expected date of next election: October 2025 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): under the terms of the Territorial Law Reform Act 1992, Western Australia provides court services as needed for the island including the Supreme Court and subordinate courts (District Court, Magistrate Court, Family Court, Children's Court, and Coroners' Court) **Political parties:** none **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (territory of Australia) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (territory of Australia) **International organization participation:** none **Independence:** none (territory of Australia) **National holiday:** Australia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788) **Flag:** the flag of Australia is used **National anthem(s):** title: "Advance Australia Fair" lyrics/music: Peter Dodds McCORMICK history: national anthem, as an Australian territory _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: royal anthem, as an Australian territory ### Economy **Agricultural products:** vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts **Industries:** copra products, tourism **Exports - partners:** USA 31%, Singapore 29%, UK 12%, Australia 3%, Brazil 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** ships (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports - partners:** Australia 87%, USA 3%, Philippines 2%, Sweden 2%, Brazil 1% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** iron structures, special purpose motor vehicles, cars, ships, aluminum structures (2023) **Exchange rates:** Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.515 (2024 est.) 1.505 (2023 est.) 1.442 (2022 est.) 1.331 (2021 est.) 1.453 (2020 est.) ### Communications **Broadcast media:** 1 local radio station staffed by community volunteers; satellite broadcasts of several Australian radio and TV stations available (2017) **Internet country code:** .cc **Internet users:** percent of population: 13.4% (2021 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 1 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of Australia --- ## Colombia **Slug:** colombia **Region:** South America **Flag:** 🇨🇴 **Codes:** cek: co, iso2: CO, iso3: COL, iso_num: 170, genc: COL, stanag: COL, internet: .co ### Introduction **Background:** Colombia was one of three countries that emerged after the dissolution of Gran Colombia in 1830 -- the others are Ecuador and Venezuela. A decades-long conflict among government forces, paramilitaries, and antigovernment insurgent groups heavily funded by the drug trade -- principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) -- escalated during the 1990s. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization in the 2000s, new criminal groups arose that included some former paramilitaries. After four years of formal peace negotiations, the Colombian Government signed a final accord with the FARC in 2016 that called for its members to demobilize, disarm, and reincorporate into society and politics. The accord also committed the Colombian Government to create three new institutions to form a 'comprehensive system for truth, justice, reparation, and non-repetition,' including a truth commission, a special unit to coordinate the search for those who disappeared during the conflict, and a 'Special Jurisdiction for Peace' to administer justice for conflict-related crimes. Despite decades of internal conflict and drug-trade-related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong and independent democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections and the protection of civil liberties. ### Geography **Location:** Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama **Geographic coordinates:** 4 00 N, 72 00 W **Map references:** South America **Area:** total : 1,138,910 sq km land: 1,038,700 sq km water: 100,210 sq km note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank **Area - comparative:** slightly less than twice the size of Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 6,672 km border countries (5): Brazil 1,790 km; Ecuador 708 km; Panama 339 km; Peru 1,494 km; Venezuela 2,341 km **Coastline:** 3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km) **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands **Terrain:** flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains (Llanos) **Elevation:** highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,730 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 593 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 36.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 32% (2023 est.) forest: 53.8% (2023 est.) other: 9.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 6,506 sq km (2013) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Rio Negro river source (shared with Venezuela and Brazil [m]) - 2,250 km; Orinoco (shared with Venezuela [s]) - 2,101 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Amazon Basin **Population distribution:** the majority of people live in the north and west, where agricultural opportunities and natural resources are found; the vast grasslands of the llanos to the south and east, which make up approximately 60% of the country, are sparsely populated **Natural hazards:** highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts volcanism: Galeras (4,276 m) is one of Colombia's most active volcanoes; it has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Nevado del Ruiz (5,321 m), 129 km (80 mi) west of Bogota, erupted in 1985, producing lahars (mudflows) that killed 23,000 people; the volcano last erupted in 1991; after 500 years of dormancy, Nevado del Huila reawakened in 2007 and has experienced frequent eruptions since then; other historically active volcanoes include Cumbal, Dona Juana, Nevado del Tolima, and Purace **Geography - note:** only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea ### People and Society **Population:** total: 49,842,298 (2025 est.) male: 24,320,959 female: 25,521,339 **Nationality:** noun: Colombian(s) adjective: Colombian **Ethnic groups:** Mestizo and White 87.6%, Afro-Colombian (includes Mulatto, Raizal, and Palenquero) 6.8%, Indigenous 4.3%, unspecified 1.4% (2018 est.) **Languages:** Spanish (official) 98.9%, indigenous 1%, Portuguese 0.1%; 65 indigenous languages exist (2023 est.) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 63.6%, Protestant 17.2% (Evangelical 16.7%, Adventist 0.3%, other Protestant 0.2%), Jehovah's Witness 0.6%, Church of Jesus Christ 0.1%, other 0.3%, believer, 0.2%. agnostic 1%, atheist 1%, none 14.2%, unspecified 1.8% (2023 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 22.3% (male 5,643,995/female 5,394,147) 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 16,127,377/female 16,859,161) 65 years and over: 11.2% (2024 est.) (male 2,434,999/female 3,128,678) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 50.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 33.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 17.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 5.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 33.1 years (2025 est.) male: 31.5 years female: 34 years **Population growth rate:** 0.54% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 14.73 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.96 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the majority of people live in the north and west, where agricultural opportunities and natural resources are found; the vast grasslands of the llanos to the south and east, which make up approximately 60% of the country, are sparsely populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 82.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 11.508 million BOGOTA (capital), 4.102 million Medellin, 2.864 million Cali, 2.349 million Barranquilla, 1.381 million Bucaramanga, 1.088 million Cartagena (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 21.7 years (2015 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 59 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 11.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 13.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 74.9 years (2024 est.) male: 71.3 years female: 78.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.94 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.94 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 86.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 97.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 13.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 2.5% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9% of GDP (2021) 15.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.54 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 1.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 98.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 88.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 97% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 11.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 3% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 22.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 4.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 7.6% (2025 est.) male: 11.2% (2025 est.) female: 4.1% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 3.7% (2016 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 50.9% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 4.9% (2015) women married by age 18: 23.4% (2015) men married by age 18: 6.7% (2015) **Education expenditure:** 5.3% of GDP (2020 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 95.3% (2024 est.) male: 95% (2024 est.) female: 95.7% (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2022 est.) male: 14 years (2022 est.) female: 15 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation from timber exploitation in the Amazon and the Chocó region; soil erosion; soil and water pollution from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea **Climate:** tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands **Land use:** agricultural land: 36.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 32% (2023 est.) forest: 53.8% (2023 est.) other: 9.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 82.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 85.878 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 15.463 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 49.727 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 20.688 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 13.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 814.5 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,791.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 600.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 18.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 12.15 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 28.5% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 3.405 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 1.033 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 20.46 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 2.36 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Colombia conventional short form: Colombia local long form: República de Colombia local short form: Colombia etymology: named after explorer Christopher COLUMBUS **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Bogotá geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: originally named Santa Fe de Bacatá in 1538, after the Chibcha people's nearby settlement of Bacatá; the name was later corrupted to Bogotá **Administrative divisions:** 32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlántico, Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyacá, Caldas, Caquetá, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainía, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindío, Risaralda, Archipiélago de San Andres, Providencia y Santa Catalina (colloquially San Andres y Providencia), Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada **Legal system:** civil law system influenced by the Spanish and French civil codes **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest promulgated 4 July 1991 amendment process: proposed by the government, by Congress, by a constituent assembly, or by public petition; passage requires a majority vote by Congress in each of two consecutive sessions; passage of amendments to constitutional articles on citizen rights, guarantees, and duties also require approval in a referendum by over one half of voters and participation of over one fourth of citizens registered to vote **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: least one parent must be a citizen or permanent resident of Colombia dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (since 7 August 2022) head of government: President Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (since 7 August 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a single 4-year term most recent election date: 29 May 2022, with a runoff held on 19 June 2022 election results: 2022: Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (PHxC) 40.3%, Rodolfo HERNÁNDEZ Suárez (LIGA) 28.2%, Federico GUTIÉRREZ Zuluaga (Team for Colombia / CREEMOS) 23.9%, other 7.6%; percent of vote in second round - Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego 50.4%, Rodolfo HERNÁNDEZ Suarez 47.3%, blank 2.3% 2018: Iván DUQUE Márquez elected president in second round; percent of vote - Iván DUQUE Márquez (CD) 54%, Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (Humane Colombia) 41.8%, other/blank/invalid 4.2% expected date of next election: 31 May 2026 note 1: the president is both chief of state and head of government note 2: reforms in 2015 eliminated presidential reelection **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Congress (Congreso) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Cámara de Representantes) number of seats: 187 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 3/13/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Liberal Party (PL) (32); Historic Pact (27); Conservative Party (CP) (25); Democratic Centre (CD) (16); Radical Change (CR) (16); Union Party for the People “Partido de la U” (15); Green Alliance - Hope Centre coalition (11); Other (14) percentage of women in chamber: 29.4% expected date of next election: March 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Senado de la República) number of seats: 108 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 3/13/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Historic Pact (20); Conservative Party (CP) (15); Liberal Party (PL) (14); Green Alliance - Hope Centre coalition (13); Democratic Centre (CD) (13); Radical Change (CR) (11); Union Party for the People “Partido de la U” (10); Other (4) percentage of women in chamber: 31.4% expected date of next election: March 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of the Civil-Agrarian and Labor Chambers each with 7 judges, and the Penal Chamber with 9 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 magistrates); Council of State (consists of 27 judges); Superior Judiciary Council (consists of 13 magistrates) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the Supreme Court members from candidates submitted by the Superior Judiciary Council; judges elected for individual 8-year terms; Constitutional Court magistrates - nominated by the president, by the Supreme Court, and elected by the Senate; judges elected for individual 8-year terms; Council of State members appointed by the State Council plenary from lists nominated by the Superior Judiciary Council subordinate courts: Superior Tribunals (appellate courts for each of the judicial districts); regional courts; civil municipal courts; Superior Military Tribunal; first instance administrative courts **Political parties:** Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA Citizens Option (Opcion Ciudadana) or OC (formerly known as the National Integration Party or PIN) The Commons (formerly People's Alternative Revolutionary Force or FARC) Conservative Party or PC Democratic Center Party or CD Fair and Free Colombia (Colombia Justa Libres) Green Alliance Historic Pact for Colombia or PHxC (coalition composed of several left-leaning political parties and social movements) Humane Colombia Independent Movement of Absolute Renovation or MIRA League of Anti-Corruption Rulers or LIGA Liberal Party or PL People's Alternative Revolutionary Force or FARC Radical Change or CR Team for Colombia - also known as the Experience Coalition or Coalition of the Regions (coalition composed of center-right and right-wing parties) Union Party for the People or U Party We Believe Colombia or CREEMOS note: Colombia has numerous smaller political parties and movements **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel GARCÍA-PEÑA JARAMILLO (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 1724 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338 FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643 email address and website: eestadosunidos@cancilleria.gov.co https://www.colombiaemb.org/ consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Newark (NJ), Orlando, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires John McNAMARA (since 1 February 2025) embassy: Carrera 45, No. 24B-27, Bogota mailing address: 3030 Bogota Place, Washington DC 20521-3030 telephone: [57] (601) 275-2000 FAX: [57] (601) 275-4600 email address and website: ACSBogota@state.gov https://co.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACS, BCIE, BIS, CABEI, CAN, Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CELAC, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, PROSUR, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 20 July 1810 (from Spain) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 20 July (1810) **Flag:** description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red meaning: various interpretations of the colors exist; one has yellow for the gold in Colombia's land, blue for the sea, and red for the blood spilled in attaining freedom; another describes them as representing sovereignty and justice (yellow), loyalty and vigilance (blue), and valor and generosity (red); another has the colors standing for liberty, equality, and fraternity note: similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is wider and has the Ecuadorian coat of arms in the center **National symbol(s):** Andean condor **National color(s):** yellow, blue, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Himno Nacional de la Republica de Colombia" (National Anthem of the Republic of Colombia) lyrics/music: Rafael NUNEZ/Oreste SINDICI history: adopted 1920; the anthem comes from an inspirational poem written by President Rafael NUNEZ; the anthem always starts with the chorus **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 9 (6 cultural, 2 natural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Chiribiquete National Park (m); Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia (c); Historic Center of Santa Cruz de Mompox (c); Los Katíos National Park (n); Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary (n); Tierradentro National Archeological Park (c); San Agustín Archaeological Park (c); Colonial Cartagena (c); Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** prior to COVID-19, one of the most consistent growth economies; declining poverty; large stimulus package has mitigated economic fallout, but delayed key infrastructure investments; successful inflation management; sound flexible exchange rate regime; domestic economy suffers from lack of trade integration and infrastructure **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $978.592 billion (2024 est.) $961.82 billion (2023 est.) $955.016 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.7% (2024 est.) 0.7% (2023 est.) 7.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $18,500 (2024 est.) $18,400 (2023 est.) $18,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $418.542 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 6.6% (2024 est.) 11.7% (2023 est.) 10.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 9.3% (2024 est.) industry: 23.1% (2024 est.) services: 58.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 73.1% (2024 est.) government consumption: 14.7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 16.5% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.6% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 16% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -20.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, oil palm fruit, milk, rice, plantains, potatoes, bananas, maize, chicken, avocados (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds **Industrial production growth rate:** -1.3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 26.822 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 9.7% (2024 est.) 9.6% (2023 est.) 10.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 19.8% (2024 est.) male: 16.5% (2024 est.) female: 24.3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 33% (2023 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 53.9 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 20.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.1% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 42.7% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 2.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.7% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $116.49 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $123.966 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 71.3% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 17.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$7.412 billion (2024 est.) -$8.285 billion (2023 est.) -$20.879 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $68.866 billion (2024 est.) $68.674 billion (2023 est.) $73.514 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 27%, Panama 9%, India 5%, China 5%, Netherlands 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, coal, gold, coffee, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $78.633 billion (2024 est.) $76.449 billion (2023 est.) $89.608 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 26%, China 22%, Brazil 6%, Mexico 5%, Germany 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, aircraft, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $61.898 billion (2024 est.) $59.041 billion (2023 est.) $56.704 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $108.027 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Colombian pesos (COP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 4,074.434 (2024 est.) 4,325.955 (2023 est.) 4,256.194 (2022 est.) 3,744.244 (2021 est.) 3,693.276 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 21.053 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 82.309 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 1.293 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 407.788 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 7.232 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 34% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 62.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 2.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 52.376 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 9.72 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 46.425 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 4.554 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 800,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 374,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 2.036 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 10.927 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 11.885 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 958.724 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 87.782 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 29.305 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 6.32 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 92.1 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 174 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** combination of state-owned and privately owned broadcast media provide service; more than 500 radio stations and many national, regional, and local TV stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .co **Internet users:** percent of population: 77% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 8.91 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** HJ, HK **Airports:** 661 (2025) **Heliports:** 57 (2025) **Railways:** total: 2,141 km (2019) standard gauge: 150 km (2019) 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,991 km (2019) 0.914-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 153 (2023) by type: general cargo 28, oil tanker 13, other 112 **Ports:** total ports: 14 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 8 very small: 3 size unknown: 1 ports with oil terminals: 10 key ports: Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Covenas, El Bosque, Mamonal, Pozos Colorados, Puerto Bolivar, Puerto Prodeco, Santa Marta ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Military Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Militares de Colombia): National Army (Ejercito Nacional), Colombian Aerospace Force (Fuerza Aeroespacial Colombiana, FAC), Colombian Navy (Armada de Colombia; includes Coast Guard); National Police of Colombia (Policia Nacional de Colombia, PNC) (2025) note: the PNC is a civilian force under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense **Military expenditures:** 3.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 3% of GDP (2023 est.) 3% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 3.4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 260,000 active Military Forces; approximately 150,000 National Police (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and imported armaments from a variety of suppliers, including Brazil, Canada, Germany, Israel, South Korea, and the US; Colombia's defense industry is active in producing air, land, and naval platforms (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-24 years of age for compulsory (men) and voluntary (men and women) military (and police) service; conscript service obligation is 18 months or 12 months for those with a college degree; conscripted soldiers reportedly include regular soldiers (conscripts without a high school degree), drafted high school graduates (bachilleres), and rural (campesino) soldiers who serve in their home regions (2025) note: women comprised a little more than 3% of the active military in 2024 **Military deployments:** 275 Egypt (MFO) (2025) **Military - note:** the Colombian military is responsible for defending and maintaining the country’s independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity but also has a considerable internal security role, which includes protecting the civilian population, as well as private and state-owned assets, and ensuring a secure environment; the military’s primary focus is conducting operations against domestic illegal armed groups, including drug traffickers, several factions of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) terrorist group, and the insurgent/terrorist group National Liberation Army (ELN) border security is also a focus, particularly with Venezuela where economic and political instability has brought refugees and attracted narcotics trafficking and other cross-border crime; both the ELN and FARC dissidents operate openly in the border region; ELN and FARC insurgents have also used neighboring Ecuador to rest, resupply, and shelter Colombia has close security ties with the US, including joint training, military assistance, and designation in 2022 as a Major Non-NATO Ally, which provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense, trade, and security cooperation; it also has close security ties with regional neighbors, such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Peru; Colombian military and security forces have training programs with their counterparts from a variety of countries, mostly those from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Colombian Space Commission (Comision Colombiana Del Espacio, CCE; established 2006) (2025) note 1: the Colombian military has an Air and Space Operations Command note 2: the Colombian Space Agency (Agencia Espacial Del Colombia, AEC) is a private, non-profit agency established in 2017 **Space program overview:** has a small program focused on acquiring satellites, particularly remote sensing (RS) satellites; operates satellites and produces nanosatellites; researches other space technologies, including astronautics, satellite navigation, and telecommunications; works with a variety of foreign space agencies or commercial space industries, including those of Denmark, India, Russia, Sweden, the US, and some members of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2007 - first domestically produced technology-demonstration/remote-sensing (RS) nanosatellite (Libertad I) launched by Russia 2014 - second experimental RS nanosatellite (UAPSAT) launched by US 2018 - first RS satellite (FACSAT-1) for military use purchased from Denmark and launched by India 2022 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space exploration 2023 - second RS satellite (FACSAT-2 or Chibiriquete) launched by US ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): National Liberation Army (ELN); Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People's Army (FARC-EP); Segunda Marquetalia (SM); Tren de Aragua (TdA) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 30,611 (2024 est.) IDPs: 7,264,767 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 5 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Comoros **Slug:** comoros **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇰🇲 **Codes:** cek: cn, iso2: KM, iso3: COM, iso_num: 174, genc: COM, stanag: COM, internet: .km ### Introduction **Background:** For centuries prior to colonization in the 19th century, the Comoros archipelago in the Indian Ocean served as a key node in maritime trade networks that connected the Middle East, India, and eastern African regions. Composed of the islands of Anjouan, Mayotte, Moheli, and Grande Comore, Comoros spent most of the 20th century as a colonial outpost until it declared independence from France on 6 July 1975. Residents of Mayotte, however, voted to remain in France, and the French Government has since classified it as a French Overseas Department. Since independence, Comoros has weathered approximately 20 successful and attempted coups, mostly between 1975 and 2000, resulting in prolonged political instability and stunted economic development. In 2002, President AZALI Assoumani became the first elected president following the completion of the Fomboni Accords, in which the islands of Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Moheli agreed to rotate the presidency among the islands every five years. This power-sharing agreement also included provisions allowing each island to maintain its local government. In 2007, Mohamed BACAR effected Anjouan's de-facto secession from the Union of the Comoros, refusing to step down when Comoros' other islands held legitimate elections. The African Union (AU) initially attempted to resolve the political crisis with sanctions and a naval blockade of Anjouan, but in 2008, the AU and Comoran soldiers seized the island. The island's inhabitants generally welcomed the move. In 2011, Ikililou DHOININE won the presidency in peaceful elections widely deemed to be free and fair. In closely contested elections in 2016, AZALI won a second term, when the rotating presidency returned to Grande Comore. In 2018, a referendum -- which the opposition parties boycotted -- approved a new constitution that extended presidential term limits and abolished the requirement for the presidency to rotate between the three main islands. AZALI formed a new government later that year, and he subsequently ran and was reelected in 2019. AZALI was reelected again in January 2024 in an election that the opposition disputed but the Supreme Court validated. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique **Geographic coordinates:** 12 10 S, 44 15 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 2,235 sq km land: 2,235 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 340 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) **Terrain:** volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills **Elevation:** highest point: Karthala 2,360 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 71.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 34.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 28.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 8.1% (2023 est.) forest: 17.8% (2023 est.) other: 10.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1.3 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** the capital city of Maroni, on the western side of the island of Grande Comore, is the country's largest city; however, Anjouan is the most densely populated of the three islands that comprise Comoros, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); volcanic activity on Grand Comore volcanism: Karthala (2,361 m) on Grand Comore Island last erupted in 2007; a 2005 eruption forced thousands of people to be evacuated and produced a large ash cloud **Geography - note:** important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel; the only Arab League country that lies entirely in the Southern Hemisphere ### People and Society **Population:** total: 911,707 (2025 est.) male: 441,215 female: 470,492 **Nationality:** noun: Comoran(s) adjective: Comoran **Ethnic groups:** Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava **Languages:** Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (official; similar to Swahili), Comorian **Religions:** Muslim 98.1% (overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, small Shia Muslim and Ahmadiyya Muslim populations), ethnic religionist 1.1%, Christian 0.6%, other 0.3% (2020 est.) note: Sunni Islam is the state religion **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 32.6% (male 146,480/female 146,626) 15-64 years: 62.8% (male 271,139/female 294,231) 65 years and over: 4.6% (2024 est.) (male 18,139/female 23,526) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 57.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 49.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 7.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 13.5 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 23.1 years (2025 est.) male: 22.1 years female: 23.3 years **Population growth rate:** 1.26% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 21.12 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.38 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the capital city of Maroni, on the western side of the island of Grande Comore, is the country's largest city; however, Anjouan is the most densely populated of the three islands that comprise Comoros, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 30.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 62,000 MORONI (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 23 years (2012 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 179 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 53.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 64.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 44.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 67.8 years (2024 est.) male: 65.5 years female: 70.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.52 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.24 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 97.4% of population rural: 88.5% of population total: 91% of population unimproved: urban: 2.6% of population rural: 11.5% of population total: 8.9% of population (2017 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.3% of GDP (2021) 4.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.42 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 7.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 14.7% (2025 est.) male: 24.8% (2025 est.) female: 4.7% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 9.1% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 63.1% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 4.9% (2022) women married by age 18: 20.7% (2022) men married by age 18: 6.9% (2022) **Education expenditure:** 2.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 11.5% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 75.8% (2021 est.) male: 79.9% (2021 est.) female: 72.2% (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; soil degradation and erosion from forest loss and crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; silting of coral reefs **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) **Land use:** agricultural land: 71.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 34.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 28.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 8.1% (2023 est.) forest: 17.8% (2023 est.) other: 10.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 30.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 436,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 436,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 14.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 91,000 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 4.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 500,000 cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 4.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 1.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Union of the Comoros conventional short form: Comoros local long form: Udzima wa Komori (Comorian)/Union des Comores (French)/Al Ittihad al Qumuri (Arabic) local short form: Komori (Comorian)/Les Comores (French)/Juzur al Qamar (Arabic) former: Comorian State, Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros etymology: name derives from the Arabic al qamar, meaning "the moon" **Government type:** federal presidential republic **Capital:** name: Moroni geographic coordinates: 11 42 S, 43 14 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "at the place of fire," referring to the capital's location below the active volcano Mt. Karthala **Administrative divisions:** 3 islands; Anjouan (Ndzuwani), Grande Comore (N'gazidja), Moheli (Mwali) **Legal system:** mixed legal system of Islamic religious law, the French civil code of 1975, and customary law **Constitution:** history: previous 1996, 2001; newest adopted 30 July 2018 amendment process: proposed by the president of the union or supported by at least one third of the Assembly of the Union membership; adoption requires approval by at least three-quarters majority of the total Assembly membership or approval in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Comoros dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2016) head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2016) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term most recent election date: 14 January 2024 election results: 2024: AZALI Assoumani reelected president in first round - AZALI Assoumani (CRC) 63%, SALIM ISSA Abdallah (PJ) 20.3%, DAOUDOU Abdallah Mohamed (Orange Party) 5.9%, Bourhane HAMIDOU (independent) 5.1% expected date of next election: 2029 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Assembly of the Union (Assemblée de l'Union) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 33 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 1/12/2025 to 2/16/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros (CRC) (31); Other (2) percentage of women in chamber: 18.2% expected date of next election: January 2030 note: opposition parties, which claimed there was "gross fraud" during the most recent election, boycotted the elections in 2020 and 2025 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges - selection and term of office NA subordinate courts: Court of Appeals (in Moroni); Tribunal de première instance; island village (community) courts; religious courts **Political parties:** Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC Juwa Party (Parti Juwa) or PJ Orange Party (2020) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Issimail CHANFI (since 23 December 2020); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN chancery: Permanent Mission to the UN, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 495, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637 FAX: [1] (212) 750-1657 email address and website: comoros@un.int https://www.un.int/comoros/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the US Ambassador to Madagascar is accredited to Comoros **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AMF, AOSIS, AU, CAEU (candidates), COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) **Independence:** 6 July 1975 (from France) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 6 July (1975) **Flag:** description: four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue, with a green isosceles triangle based on the left; a vertical white crescent moon is centered in the triangle, with four five-pointed white stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent meaning: the horizontal bands and the stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -- Mwali, N'gazidja, Ndzuwani, and Mahore (Mayotte is a department of France, but claimed by Comoros) note: the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam **National symbol(s):** four five-pointed stars and crescent moon **National color(s):** green, white **National coat of arms:** the coat of arms is in the national colors of green and white; was adopted in 1978; the crescent and stars represent Islam, with the four stars also symbolizing the archipelago’s four main islands: Grande Comore, Mohéli, Anjouan, and Mayotte (the last of which is a French department claimed by Comoros); above and below the sun’s rays is the name of the nation written in French and Arabic; two olive branches, representing peace, are connected by a banner with the national motto in French, which translates as "Unity, Solidarity, Development" **National anthem(s):** title: "Udzima wa ya Masiwa" (The Union of the Great Islands) lyrics/music: Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE/Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE and Kamildine ABDALLAH history: adopted 1978 ### Economy **Economic overview:** small trade-based island economy; declining remittances; new structural and fiscal reforms; adverse cyclone and COVID-19 impacts; manageable debts; fragile liquidity environment; large foreign direct investment; state-owned enterprises suffering **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $3.092 billion (2024 est.) $2.99 billion (2023 est.) $2.901 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.4% (2024 est.) 3.1% (2023 est.) 2.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $3,600 (2024 est.) $3,500 (2023 est.) $3,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.546 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1% (2017 est.) 1.8% (2016 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 36.6% (2024 est.) industry: 9.6% (2024 est.) services: 50.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 103.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 9.2% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 11.7% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 9.9% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -34.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** bananas, coconuts, cassava, yams, maize, taro, milk, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, pulses (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** fishing, tourism, perfume distillation **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.8% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 276,400 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.9% (2024 est.) 3.8% (2023 est.) 3.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 8.9% (2024 est.) male: 8.3% (2024 est.) female: 9.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 44.8% (2020 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Remittances:** 21.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 22% of GDP (2022 est.) 22.2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $212.551 million (2023 est.) expenditures: $230.338 million (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Current account balance:** -$24.621 million (2023 est.) -$5.248 million (2022 est.) -$4.076 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $148.455 million (2023 est.) $166.032 million (2022 est.) $128.331 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Indonesia 25%, India 23%, Turkey 16%, UAE 11%, USA 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** cloves, ships, essential oils, vanilla, scrap iron (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $504.036 million (2023 est.) $480.268 million (2022 est.) $415.965 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 24%, UAE 21%, Tanzania 12%, France 7%, India 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, poultry, rice, flavored water, additive manufacturing machines (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $323.946 million (2024 est.) $324.561 million (2023 est.) $283.746 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $267.652 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 454.524 (2024 est.) 454.991 (2023 est.) 467.184 (2022 est.) 415.956 (2021 est.) 430.721 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 89.9% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 82.9% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 32,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 113.052 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 22.1 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 2,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 7.139 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 8,200 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 934,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** national state-owned TV station and a TV station run by Anjouan regional government; national state-owned radio; regional governments on the islands of Grande Comore and Anjouan each operate a radio station; a few independent and small community radio stations operate on the islands of Grande Comore and Moheli, and these two islands have access to Mayotte Radio and French TV **Internet country code:** .km **Internet users:** percent of population: 36% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 3,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** D6 **Airports:** 3 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 273 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 17, container ship 7, general cargo 125, oil tanker 36, other 88 **Ports:** total ports: 4 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 4 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Dzaoudzi, Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudu ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** National Army for Development (l'Armee Nationale de Developpement, AND): Comoran Defense Force (Force Comorienne de Defense or FCD; includes Comoran National Gendarmerie); Ministry of Interior: Coast Guard, Federal Police, National Directorate of Territorial Safety (customs and immigration) (2025) note 1: when the Gendarmerie serves as the judicial police, it reports to the Minister of Justice; the Gendarmerie also has an intervention platoon that may act under the authority of the Interior Minister note 2: the FCD is also known as the Comoran Security Force **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 600 Defense Force; estimated 500 Federal Police (2023) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the AND is lightly armed and equipped with small arms, a few light aircraft, and utility vehicles (2024) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2023) **Military - note:** the focus for the security forces is search and rescue operations and maintaining internal security; a defense treaty with France provides naval resources for the protection of territorial waters, training of Comoran military personnel, and air surveillance; France maintains a small maritime base and a Foreign Legion contingent on neighboring Mayotte (2024) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 18 (2024 est.) IDPs: 38 (2024 est.) --- ## Congo, Democratic Republic of the **Slug:** congo-democratic-republic-of-the **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇨🇩 **Codes:** cek: cg, iso2: CD, iso3: COD, iso_num: 180, genc: COD, stanag: COD, internet: .cd, comment: formerly Zaire ### Introduction **Background:** Bantu, Sudanic, and other migrants from West and Northeastern Africa arrived in the Congo River Basin between 2000 B.C. and A.D. 500. The territory that is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo has more than 200 ethnic groups that trace their histories to many communal organizations and kingdoms. The Kingdom of Kongo, for example, ruled the area around the mouth of the Congo River from the 14th to 19th centuries. Meanwhile, the Kingdoms of Luba and Lunda, located to the south and east, were also notable political groupings in the territory and ruled from the 16th and 17th centuries to the 19th century. European prospectors in the Congo Basin invaded and splintered these kingdoms in the late 1800’s, sponsored by King LEOPOLD II of Belgium, and the kingdoms were eventually forced to grant Leopold the rights to the Congo territory as his private property. During this period, known as the Congo Free State, the king's private colonial military forced the local population to produce rubber. From 1885 to 1908, millions of Congolese people died as a result of disease and inhumane treatment. International condemnation finally forced LEOPOLD to cede the land to the state of Belgium, creating the Belgian Congo. The Republic of the Congo gained its independence from Belgium in 1960, but its early years were marred by instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name to MOBUTU Sese Seko and the country's name to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years, using sham elections and brute force. In 1994, a massive inflow of refugees from conflict in neighboring Rwanda and Burundi sparked ethnic strife and civil war. A rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA toppled the MOBUTU regime in 1997. KABILA renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In 1998, another insurrection -- again backed by Rwanda and Uganda -- challenged the KABILA regime, but troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe helped quell the uprising. In 2001, KABILA was assassinated, and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In 2002, the new president negotiated the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying the eastern DRC; the remaining warring parties subsequently signed the Pretoria Accord to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. KABILA was elected as president in 2006 and 2011. The DRC constitution barred him from running for a third term, so in 2016, the DRC Government delayed national elections for two years. This fueled significant civil and political unrest, with sporadic street protests and exacerbation of tensions in the eastern DRC regions. The results of the 2018 elections were disputed, but opposition candidate Felix TSHISEKEDI, son of long-time opposition leader Etienne TSHISEKEDI, was announced as the election winner. This was the first transfer of power to an opposition candidate without significant violence or a coup since 1960. In 2023, the DRC held its fourth electoral cycle since independence; TSHISEKEDI was proclaimed the winner despite some allegations of fraud, with his Sacred Union alliance retaining a large parliamentary majority. The DRC continues to experience violence -- particularly in the East -- perpetrated by more than 100 armed groups active in the region, including the March 23 (M23) rebel group, the ISIS-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF, or ISIS-DRC), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and assorted local militias known as Mai Mai militias. The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) has operated in the region since 1999 and is the largest and most expensive UN peacekeeping mission in the world. ### Geography **Location:** Central Africa, northeast of Angola **Geographic coordinates:** 0 00 N, 25 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 2,344,858 sq km land: 2,267,048 sq km water: 77,810 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US **Land boundaries:** total: 11,027 km border countries (9): Angola 2,646 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province); Burundi 236 km; Central African Republic 1,747 km; Republic of the Congo 1,775 km; Rwanda 221 km; South Sudan 714 km; Tanzania 479 km; Uganda 877 km; Zambia 2,332 km **Coastline:** 37 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: since 2011, the DRC has had a Common Interest Zone agreement with Angola for the mutual development of off-shore resources **Climate:** tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October) **Terrain:** vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east **Elevation:** highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 726 m **Natural resources:** cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber note 1: coltan, the industrial name for a columbite–tantalite mineral from which niobium and tantalum are extracted, is mainly artisanal and small-scale; tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold extracted from central Africa are considered "conflict minerals" and as such are subject to international monitoring note 2: the DROC is the World's leading producer of cobalt, accounting for as much as 70% of the World's supply; between 20-30% of this cobalt is produced in artisanal and small-scale mining operations **Land use:** agricultural land: 15.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 8% (2023 est.) forest: 61.6% (2023 est.) other: 22.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 110 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Tanganyika (shared with Burundi, Tanzania, and Zambia) - 32,000 sq km; Lake Albert (shared with Uganda) - 5,590 sq km; Lake Mweru (shared with Zambia) - 4,350 sq km; Lac Mai-Ndombe - 2,300 sq km; Lake Kivu (shared with Rwanda) - 2,220 sq km; Lake Edward (shared with Uganda) - 2,150 sq km; Lac Tumba - 500 sq km; Lac Upemba - 530 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Zaïre (Congo) river mouth (shared with Zambia [s], Angola, and Republic of Congo) - 2,920 km; Ubangi river mouth (shared with Central African Republic [s] and Republic of Congo) - 2,270 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km) Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Congo Basin **Population distribution:** urban clusters are spread throughout the country, particularly in the northeast along the border with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi; the largest city is the capital, Kinshasha, located in the west along the Congo River; the south is least densely populated, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); active volcanoes in the east along the Great Rift Valley volcanism: the active volcano Nyiragongo (3,470 m) poses a major threat to the city of Goma, home to a quarter of a million people; it produces unusually fast-moving lava, known to travel up to 100 km/hr; Nyiragongo has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; its neighbor Nyamuragira is Africa's most active volcano; Visoke is the only other historically active volcano **Geography - note:** note 1: second-largest country in Africa (after Algeria) and largest country in sub-Saharan Africa; straddles the equator; dense tropical rainforest in central river basin and eastern highlands; the narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River is the DRC's only outlet to the South Atlantic Ocean note 2: the Congo River, most of which flows through the DRC, has never been accurately measured along much of its length because of its speed, cataracts, rapids, and turbulence; nonetheless, it is conceded to be the deepest river in the world, with estimates of the point of greatest depth varying between 220 and 250 meters ### People and Society **Population:** total: 119,038,825 (2025 est.) male: 59,509,076 female: 59,529,749 **Nationality:** noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo **Ethnic groups:** more than 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest groups - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) - make up about 45% of the population **Languages:** French (official), Lingala (a trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba major-language sample(s): Buku oyo ya bosembo ya Mokili Mobimba Ezali na Makanisi ya Liboso Mpenza. (Lingala) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Christian 93/1% (Roman Catholic 29.9%, Protestant 26.7%, other Christian 36.5%), Kimbanguist 2.8%, Muslim 1.3%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 1.2%, none 1.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2014 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 45.7% (male 26,584,268/female 26,208,891) 15-64 years: 51.8% (male 29,845,450/female 29,884,958) 65 years and over: 2.5% (2024 est.) (male 1,258,442/female 1,621,018) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 92.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 87.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 4.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 20.8 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 16.9 years (2025 est.) male: 16.7 years female: 17 years **Population growth rate:** 3.09% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 38.8 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.37 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** urban clusters are spread throughout the country, particularly in the northeast along the border with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi; the largest city is the capital, Kinshasha, located in the west along the Congo River; the south is least densely populated, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 47.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 16.316 million KINSHASA (capital), 2.892 million Mbuji-Mayi, 2.812 million Lubumbashi, 1.664 million Kananga, 1.423 million Kisangani, 1.249 million Bukavu (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.9 years (2013/14 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 427 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 55.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 62.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 51.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 62.6 years (2024 est.) male: 60.7 years female: 64.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 5.42 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 2.67 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 59.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 13.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 35.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 40.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 86.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 64.9% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.8% of GDP (2021) 4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 48.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 20.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 33.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 51.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 79.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 66.3% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 6.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 10.4% (2025 est.) male: 18.8% (2025 est.) female: 2.3% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 25% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 58.2% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 8.4% (2018) women married by age 18: 29.1% (2018) men married by age 18: 5.6% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 2.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 13.5% national budget (2017 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 73.6% (2018 est.) male: 87.5% (2018 est.) female: 61.6% (2018 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** poaching; water pollution; deforestation from agriculture and wood used for fuel; soil erosion; damage from mining **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification **Climate:** tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October) **Land use:** agricultural land: 15.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 8% (2023 est.) forest: 61.6% (2023 est.) other: 22.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 47.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 5.883 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 731,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 5.152 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 33.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 780.6 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 567.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 499.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 214.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 14.385 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 6.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 464.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 146.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 71.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 1.283 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo conventional short form: DRC local long form: République démocratique du Congo local short form: RDC former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire abbreviation: DRC (or DROC) etymology: named for the Congo River, most of which lies within the DRC; the river name derives from Kongo, a Bantu kingdom in the area **Government type:** semi-presidential republic **Capital:** name: Kinshasa geographic coordinates: 4 19 S, 15 18 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: the DRC has two time zones etymology: founded as a trading post in 1881 and named Leopoldville in honor of King LEOPOLD II of the Belgians; in 1966, Leopoldville was renamed Kinshasa, a Bantu name of unknown meaning **Administrative divisions:** 26 provinces; Bas-Uele (Lower Uele), Equateur, Haut-Katanga (Upper Katanga), Haut-Lomami (Upper Lomami), Haut-Uele (Upper Uele), Ituri, Kasai, Kasai-Central, Kasai-Oriental (East Kasai), Kinshasa, Kongo Central, Kwango, Kwilu, Lomami, Lualaba, Mai-Ndombe, Maniema, Mongala, Nord-Kivu (North Kivu), Nord-Ubangi (North Ubangi), Sankuru, Sud-Kivu (South Kivu), Sud-Ubangi (South Ubangi), Tanganyika, Tshopo, Tshuapa **Legal system:** civil law system primarily based on Belgian law, but also customary and tribal law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 13 May 2005, approved by referendum 18-19 December 2005, promulgated 18 February 2006 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic, by the government, by either house of Parliament, or by public petition; agreement on the substance of a proposed bill requires absolute majority vote in both houses; passage requires a referendum only if both houses in joint meeting fail to achieve three-fifths majority vote; constitutional articles, including the form of government, universal suffrage, judicial independence, political pluralism, and personal freedoms, cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Democratic Republic of the Congo dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal and compulsory **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Felix TSHISEKEDI (since 20 January 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Judith SUMINWA Tuluka (since 29 May 2024) cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple majority vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 20 December 2023 election results: 2023: Felix TSHISEKEDI reelected president; percent of vote - Felix TSHISEKEDI (UDPS) 73.3%, Moise KATUMBI (Ensemble) 18.8%, Martin FAYULU (ECIDE) 5.3%, other 2.6% 2018: Felix TSHISEKEDI elected president; percent of vote - Felix TSHISEKEDI (UDPS) 38.6%, Martin FAYULU (Lamuka coalition) 34.8%, Emmanuel Ramazani SHADARY (PPRD) 23.9%, other 2.7% expected date of next election: 20 December 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parlement (Parliament) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) number of seats: 500 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 4/29/2024 to 5/26/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Union for Democracy and Social Progress/TSHISEKEDI (UDPS/TSHISEKEDI) (69); Action of Allies and Union for the Congolese Nation (A/A-UNC) (35); Alliance of Democratic Forces of Congo and Allies (AFDC-A) (35); Act and Build (AB) (26); Action of Allies/All for the Development of the Congo (2A/TDC) (21); Alliance of Stakeholders for the People (AAAP) (21); Alliance Bloc 50 (A/B50) (20); Congo Liberation Movement (MLC) (19); Other (131) percentage of women in chamber: 12.8% expected date of next election: December 2028 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Sénat) number of seats: 109 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 12/20/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 15.8% expected date of next election: April 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of 26 justices and organized into legislative and judiciary sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges nominated by the Judicial Service Council, an independent body of public prosecutors and selected judges of the lower courts; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges - 3 nominated by the president, 3 by the Judicial Service Council, and 3 by the legislature; judges appointed by the president to serve 9-year non-renewable terms with one third of the membership renewed every 3 years subordinate courts: State Security Court; Court of Appeals (organized into administrative and judiciary sections); Tribunal de Grande Instance; magistrates' courts; customary courts **Political parties:** Christian Democrat Party or PDC Congolese Rally for Democracy or RCD Convention of Christian Democrats or CDC Engagement for Citizenship and Development or ECIDE Forces of Renewal or FR Movement for the Liberation of the Congo or MLC Nouvel Elan Our Congo or CNB ("Congo Na Biso") People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD Social Movement for Renewal or MSR Together for Change ("Ensemble") Unified Lumumbist Party or PALU Union for the Congolese Nation or UNC Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Michael SHAKU YUMI (since 1 August 2024) chancery: 1100 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690 FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609 email address and website: ambassade@ambardcusa.org https://www.ambardcusa.org/ representative office: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Susan TULLER (since January 2026) embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa, Gombe mailing address: 2220 Kinshasa Place, Washington DC 20521-2220 telephone: [243] 081 556-0151 FAX: [243] 81 556-0175 email address and website: ACSKinshasa@state.gov https://cd.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, CEPGL, COMESA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC (observer), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 30 June 1960 (from Belgium) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 30 June (1960) **Flag:** description: sky-blue field divided diagonally from the lower-left corner to the upper-right corner by a red stripe bordered with two narrow yellow stripes; a five-pointed yellow star is in the upper-left corner meaning: blue stands for peace and hope, red for the blood of the country's martyrs, and yellow for the country's wealth and prosperity; the star symbolizes unity and a brilliant future for the country **National symbol(s):** leopard **National color(s):** sky blue, red, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Debout Congolaise" (Arise, Congolese) lyrics/music: Joseph LUTUMBA/Simon-Pierre BOKA di Mpasi Londi history: adopted 1960; replaced when the country was known as Zaire, but readopted in 1997 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 5 (all natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Garamba National Park; Kahuzi-Biega National Park; Okapi Wildlife Reserve; Salonga National Park; Virunga National Park ### Economy **Economic overview:** very poor, large, natural resource-rich sub-Saharan country; possesses the world’s second largest rainforest; increasing Chinese extractive sector trade; massive decrease in government investments; increasing current account deficit and public debts **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $164.367 billion (2024 est.) $154.081 billion (2023 est.) $141.867 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 6.7% (2024 est.) 8.6% (2023 est.) 8.9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $1,500 (2024 est.) $1,500 (2023 est.) $1,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $70.749 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 41.5% (2017 est.) 2.9% (2016 est.) 0.7% (2015 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 17.1% (2024 est.) industry: 46.6% (2024 est.) services: 33% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 62.7% (2024 est.) government consumption: 8.1% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 32.9% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.5% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 46.6% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -50.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** cassava, plantains, sugarcane, maize, oil palm fruit, rice, root vegetables, bananas, sweet potatoes, groundnuts (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** mining (copper, cobalt, gold, diamonds, coltan, zinc, tin, tungsten), mineral processing, consumer products (textiles, plastics, footwear, cigarettes), metal products, processed foods and beverages, timber, cement, commercial ship repair **Industrial production growth rate:** 10.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 38.546 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.6% (2024 est.) 4.5% (2023 est.) 4.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 8.5% (2024 est.) male: 10.8% (2024 est.) female: 6.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 56.2% (2020 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 44.7 (2020 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.1% (2020 est.) highest 10%: 35.7% (2020 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 4.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 5% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $11.568 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $13.026 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 16% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 11.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$3.883 billion (2023 est.) -$3.148 billion (2022 est.) -$587.407 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $29.65 billion (2023 est.) $28.753 billion (2022 est.) $22.354 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 69%, UAE 7%, India 3%, Spain 3%, Egypt 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined copper, cobalt, copper ore, raw copper, crude petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $33.68 billion (2023 est.) $31.699 billion (2022 est.) $22.193 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 35%, Zambia 12%, South Africa 12%, India 5%, Belgium 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** trucks, refined petroleum, stone processing machines, plastic products, sulphur (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $5.104 billion (2023 est.) $4.378 billion (2022 est.) $3.467 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $7.926 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2,340.036 (2023 est.) 2,006.708 (2022 est.) 1,989.391 (2021 est.) 1,851.122 (2020 est.) 1,647.76 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 21.5% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 45.3% electrification - rural areas: 1% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 3.229 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 16.069 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 62 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 1.473 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.242 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** solar: 13.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 86% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 304,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 304,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 987.999 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 19,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 35,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 180 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 380,000 cubic meters (2019 est.) consumption: 380,000 cubic meters (2019 est.) proven reserves: 991.09 million cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 1.305 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: (2023 est.) Currently, operators holding fixed-line telephone licenses do not have an operational distribution network, which explains the low number of customers. subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 56.3 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 53 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned TV station with near-national coverage; more than a dozen privately owned TV stations, including 2 with near-national coverage; 2 state-owned radio stations and over 100 private radio stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available **Internet country code:** .cd **Internet users:** percent of population: 31% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 33,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 9Q **Airports:** 273 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 4,007 km (2014) narrow gauge: 3,882 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified) 125 1.000-mm gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 24 (2023) by type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 2, other 17 **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Banana, Boma, Matadi ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Forces d'Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo, FARDC): Land Forces (Forces Terrestres), National Navy (La Marine Nationale), Congolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Congolaise, FAC); Republican Guard (Garde Républicaine, GR) Ministry of Interior: Congolese National Police (Police Nationale Congolaise, PNC) (2025) note: the Republican Guard is overseen by the office of the presidency rather than the FARDC; it focuses on protecting the president and government institutions and enforcing internal security note 2: community-based self-defense groups, known as Wazalendo militias, are also active in areas contested by illegal armed groups, such as M23 **Military expenditures:** 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 100-150,000 active FARDC (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the FARDC is equipped mostly with Soviet-era and older French armaments; in recent years, it has received some more modern equipment, such as armored vehicles and armed drones, from China, South Africa, Turkey, and the UAE (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-35 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 18-45 years of age for compulsory military service for men; it is unclear how much conscription is used (2025) note: in eastern Congo, fighters from armed groups, including some associated with government security forces, have been accused of forced recruitment of child soldiers **Military - note:** the FARDC’s primary focus is internal security and conducting operations against rebels and other illegal armed groups (IOGs) operating in the DRC, particularly in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, where more than 15 significant and cohesive IOGs operate; there is also IOG-related violence in Maniema, Kasai, Kasai Central, and Tanganyika provinces; some estimates place over 100 IOGs operating in the country, including organized militias, such as the Nduma Defense of Congo-Renewal (NDC-R), which operates in North Kivu; Mai Mai groups (local militias that operate variously as self-defense networks and criminal rackets); and foreign-origin groups seeking safe haven and resources, such as the Ugandan-origin Allied Democratic Forces (ADF; aka Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the DRC), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), multiple groups originating from Burundi, the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), and the Rwandan-backed March 23 Movement (aka M23 or Congolese Revolutionary Army); the FARDC incorporates some non-state armed groups and has been accused of collaborating with some IOGs, such as the NDC-R the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has operated in the central and eastern parts of the country since 1999; its mandate had been extended to the end of 2026; MONUSCO includes a Force Intervention Brigade (FIB), the first ever UN peacekeeping force specifically tasked to carry out targeted offensive operations to neutralize and disarm groups considered a threat to state authority and civilian security (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Democratic Republic of the Congo (ISIS-DRC) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 518,445 (2024 est.) IDPs: 6,895,648 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the Democratic Republic of the Congo did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period and was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/democratic-republic-of-the-congo/ --- ## Congo, Republic of the **Slug:** congo-republic-of-the **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇨🇬 **Codes:** cek: cf, iso2: CG, iso3: COG, iso_num: 178, genc: COG, stanag: COG, internet: .cg ### Introduction **Background:** Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. From 1968 to 1992, the country was named the People’s Republic of the Congo. A quarter-century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990, and a democratically elected government took office in 1992, at which time the country reverted to "the Republic of the Congo" name. A two-year civil war that ended in 1999 restored to power former President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso, who had ruled from 1979 to 1992. A new constitution adopted three years later provided for a multi-party system and a seven-year presidential term, and the next elections retained SASSOU-Nguesso. After a year of renewed fighting, SASSOU-Nguesso and southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in 2003. SASSOU-Nguesso was reelected in 2009 and, after passing a constitutional referendum allowing him to run for additional terms, was reelected again in 2016 and 2021. The Republic of the Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers. ### Geography **Location:** Central Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon **Geographic coordinates:** 1 00 S, 15 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 342,000 sq km land: 341,500 sq km water: 500 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Montana; about twice the size of Florida **Land boundaries:** total: 5,554 km border countries (5): Angola 231 km; Cameroon 494 km; Central African Republic 487 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,775 km; Gabon 2,567 km **Coastline:** 169 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator **Terrain:** coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin **Elevation:** highest point: Mont Nabeba 1,020 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 430 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 31.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 29.3% (2023 est.) forest: 63.9% (2023 est.) other: 4.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 20 sq km (2012) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Oubangui (Ubangi) (shared with Central African Republic [s] and Democratic Republic of Congo [m]) - 2,270 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Congo Basin **Population distribution:** the population is primarily located in the south, in and around the capital of Brazzaville, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** seasonal flooding **Geography - note:** about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them ### People and Society **Population:** total: 6,244,005 (2025 est.) male: 3,118,731 female: 3,125,274 **Nationality:** noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo **Ethnic groups:** Kongo (Bakongo) 40.5%, Teke 16.9%, Mbochi 13.1%, foreigner 8.2%, Sangha 5.6%, Mbere/Mbeti/Kele 4.4%, Punu 4.3%, Pygmy 1.6%, Oubanguiens 1.6%, Duma 1.5%, Makaa 1.3%, other and unspecified 1% (2014-15 est.) **Languages:** French (official), French Lingala and Monokutuba (trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread) major-language sample(s): Buku oyo ya bosembo ya Mokili Mobimba Ezali na Makanisi ya Liboso Mpenza. (Lingala) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 33.1%, Awakening Churches/Christian Revival 22.3%, Protestant 19.9%, Salutiste 2.2%, Muslim 1.6%, Kimbanguist 1.5%, other 8.1%, none 11.3% (2007 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 37.8% (male 1,162,298/female 1,143,668) 15-64 years: 57.8% (male 1,770,337/female 1,756,925) 65 years and over: 4.3% (2024 est.) (male 113,338/female 151,099) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 71.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 64 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 7.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 13.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 20.9 years (2025 est.) male: 20.5 years female: 20.9 years **Population growth rate:** 2.36% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 28.34 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.64 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the population is primarily located in the south, in and around the capital of Brazzaville, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 69.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.638 million BRAZZAVILLE (capital), 1.336 million Pointe-Noire (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.6 years (2011/12 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 241 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 29.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 33.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 72.9 years (2024 est.) male: 71.5 years female: 74.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.72 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.83 (2025 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.9% of GDP (2021) 3.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.17 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 9.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 5.74 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 5.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 15.8% (2025 est.) male: 30% (2025 est.) female: 1.7% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 51.8% (2023 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 6.9% (2015) women married by age 18: 27.3% (2015) men married by age 18: 5.6% (2018 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 14.7% national budget (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; tap water not potable; deforestation; wildlife protection **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator **Land use:** agricultural land: 31.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 29.3% (2023 est.) forest: 63.9% (2023 est.) other: 4.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 69.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 2.66 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.826 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 834,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 36.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 308.8 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 19.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 25.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 11.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 451,200 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 17.2% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 63.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 24 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 4 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 832 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville) local long form: République du Congo local short form: Congo former: French Congo, Middle Congo, People's Republic of the Congo, Congo/Brazzaville etymology: named for the Congo River, which makes up much of the country's eastern border; the river name derives from Kongo, a Bantu kingdom in the area **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Brazzaville geographic coordinates: 4 15 S, 15 17 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after the Italian-born French explorer and humanitarian, Pierre Savorgnan de BRAZZA (1852-1905), who founded the town in 1883 **Administrative divisions:** 15 departments; Bouenza, Brazzaville, Congo-Oubangui, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Djoue-Lefini, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Nkeni-Alima, Plateaux, Pointe-Noire, Pool, Sangha **Legal system:** mixed system of French civil law and customary law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest approved by referendum 25 October 2015 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; passage of presidential proposals requires Supreme Court review followed by approval in a referendum; such proposals may also be submitted directly to Parliament, in which case passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote of both houses in joint session; proposals by Parliament require three-fourths majority vote of both houses in joint session; constitutional articles including those affecting the country’s territory, republican form of government, and secularity of the state are not amendable **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Republic of the Congo dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (since 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Anatole Collinet MAKOSSO (since 12 May 2021) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for 2 additional terms) most recent election date: 21 March 2021 election results: 2021: Denis SASSOU-Nguesso reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (PCT) 88.4%, Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS (MCDDI) 8.0%, other 3.6% 2016: Denis SASSOU-Nguesso reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (PCT) 60.4%, Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS (MCDDI) 15.1%, Jean-Marie MOKOKO (independent) 13.9%, Pascal Tsaty MABIALA (UPADS) 4.4%, other 6.2% expected date of next election: 21 March 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Parlement) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) number of seats: 151 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 8/20/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Congolese Workers Party (PCT) (112); Other (39) percentage of women in chamber: 14.6% expected date of next election: July 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Sénat) number of seats: 72 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 7/10/2022 to 7/31/2022 percentage of women in chamber: 31.9% expected date of next election: August 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of NA judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges elected by Parliament and serve until age 65; Constitutional Court members appointed by the president of the republic - 3 directly by the president and 6 nominated by Parliament; members appointed for renewable 9-year terms with one third of the membership renewed every 3 years subordinate courts: Court of Audit and Budgetary Discipline; courts of appeal; regional and district courts; employment tribunals; juvenile courts note: a High Court of Justice, outside the judicial authority, tries cases involving treason by the President of the Republic **Political parties:** Alliance of the Presidential Majority or AMP Action Movement for Renewal or MAR Citizen's Rally or RC Congolese Labour Party or PCT Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI Congo on the Move or LCEM Movement for Unity, Solidarity, and Work or MUST Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS Club 2002-Party for the Unity and the Republic or Club 2002 Patriotic Union for Democracy and Progress or UPDP Perspectives and Realities Club or CPR Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS Republican and Liberal Party or PRL Union of Democratic Forces or UDF Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR Union of Humanist Democrats or UDH-YUKI Union for the Republic or UR **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Firmine BOUITY (since 6 September 2025) chancery: 1720 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860 email address and website: info@ambacongo-us.org http://www.ambacongo-us.org/en-us/home.aspx **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Amanda S. JACOBSEN (since 18 July 2025) embassy: 70-83 Section D, Boulevard Denis Sassou N'Guesso, Brazzaville mailing address: 2090 Brazzaville Place, Washington DC 20521-2090 telephone: [242] 06 612-2000, [242] 05 387-9700 email address and website: BrazzavilleACS@state.gov https://cg.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC (observer), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 15 August 1960 (from France) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 15 August (1960) **Flag:** description: divided diagonally from the lower-left side by a wide yellow band; the upper triangle (left side) is green, and the lower triangle is red meaning: green stands for agriculture and forests, and yellow for the people's friendship and nobility; the meaning of the red color is not noted but has been associated with the struggle for independence history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement **National symbol(s):** lion, elephant **National color(s):** green, yellow, red **National anthem(s):** title: "La Congolaise" (The Congolese) lyrics/music: Jacques TONDRA and Georges KIBANGHI/Jean ROYER and Joseph SPADILIERE history: originally adopted 1959, restored 1991 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Sangha Trinational Forest; Forest Massif of Odzala-Kokoua ### Economy **Economic overview:** primarily an oil- and natural resources-based economy; recovery from mid-2010s oil devaluation has been slow and curtailed by COVID-19; extreme poverty increasing, particularly in southern rural regions; attempting to implement recommended CEMAC reforms; increasing likelihood of debt default **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $39.147 billion (2024 est.) $38.163 billion (2023 est.) $37.448 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.6% (2024 est.) 1.9% (2023 est.) 1.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $6,200 (2024 est.) $6,200 (2023 est.) $6,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $15.72 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.1% (2024 est.) 4.3% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 9.4% (2024 est.) industry: 40.1% (2024 est.) services: 45% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 47.4% (2024 est.) government consumption: 13.4% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 26.5% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.3% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 52.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -40.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** cassava, sugarcane, oil palm fruit, bananas, plantains, root vegetables, game meat, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, fruits (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 2.563 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 19.7% (2024 est.) 19.9% (2023 est.) 20.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 40% (2024 est.) male: 41% (2024 est.) female: 39% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 0.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $2.393 billion (2020 est.) expenditures: $3.231 billion (2020 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 6.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $1.716 billion (2021 est.) $1.441 billion (2020 est.) $1.632 billion (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $7.752 billion (2021 est.) $4.67 billion (2020 est.) $7.855 billion (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 46%, UAE 23%, India 6%, Saudi Arabia 5%, Portugal 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, refined copper, gold, wood, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $4.487 billion (2021 est.) $3.279 billion (2020 est.) $4.945 billion (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 24%, Angola 20%, Gabon 9%, France 6%, UAE 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** ships, poultry, garments, iron pipes, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $715.391 million (2023 est.) $835.649 million (2022 est.) $828.56 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $6.36 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 50.6% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 67.5% electrification - rural areas: 12.4% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 842,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 2.832 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 31 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 30.588 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.335 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 79.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 20.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 65 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 267,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 2.882 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 425 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 425 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 283.99 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 7.351 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 17,600 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 6.05 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 96 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 state-owned TV and 3 state-owned radio stations; several privately owned TV and radio stations; satellite TV service is available; rebroadcasts of several international broadcasters are available **Internet country code:** .cg **Internet users:** percent of population: 38% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 78,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** TN **Airports:** 56 (2025) **Railways:** total: 510 km (2014) narrow gauge: 510 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 11 (2023) by type: oil tanker 1, other 10 **Ports:** total ports: 5 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 4 ports with oil terminals: 4 key ports: Djeno Terminal, Dussafu Terminal, N'kossa Terminal, Pointe Noire, Yombo Terminal ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Congolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Congolaises, FAC): Army, Navy, Congolese Air Force, National Gendarmerie Ministry of Interior: National Police (2025) note: the National Gendarmerie (GN) is a paramilitary force with domestic law enforcement and security responsibilities; it is under the Ministry of Defense, but also reports to the Ministry of Interior; the GN nominally includes the Republican Guard (GR), which is responsible for presidential security and has a separate command structure **Military expenditures:** 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 12-14,000 active FAC, including Gendarmerie (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the FAC has a mixed inventory of Chinese, French, Italian, Russian/Soviet, and South African armaments (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (2025) **Military deployments:** has about 175 mostly police personnel deployed to the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025) **Military - note:** the FAC's primary focuses are internal and maritime/riverine security; since its creation in 1961, the FAC has had a turbulent history; it has been sidelined by some national leaders in favor of personal militias, endured an internal rebellion (1996), and clashed with various rebel groups and political or ethnic militias (1993-1996, 2002-2005, 2017); during the 1997-1999 civil war, the military generally split along ethnic lines, with most northern officers supporting eventual winner SASSOU-Nguesso, and most southerners backing the rebels; others joined ethnic-based factions loyal to regional warlords; forces backing SASSOU-Nguesso were supported by Angolan troops and received some French assistance; the FAC also has undergone at least three reorganizations that included the incorporation of former rebel combatants and various ethnic and political militias; in recent years, France has provided some advice and training, and a military cooperation agreement was signed with Russia in 2019 (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 69,766 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the Republic of the Congo does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but the government has devoted sufficient resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards; therefore, the Republic of the Congo was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 and remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/republic-of-the-congo/ --- ## Cook Islands **Slug:** cook-islands **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇨🇰 **Codes:** cek: cw, iso2: CK, iso3: COK, iso_num: 184, genc: COK, stanag: COK, internet: .ck ### Introduction **Background:** Polynesians from Tahiti were probably the first people to settle Rarotonga -- the largest of the Cook Islands -- around A.D. 900. Over time, Samoans and Tongans also settled in Rarotonga, and Rarotongans voyaged to the northern Cook Islands, settling Manihiki and Rakahanga. Pukapuka and Penrhyn in the northern Cook Islands were settled directly from Samoa. Prior to European contact, there was considerable travel and trade between inhabitants of the different islands and atolls, but they were not united in a single political entity. Spanish navigators were the first Europeans to spot the northern Cook Islands in 1595, followed by the first landing in 1606, but no further European contact occurred until the 1760s. In 1773, British explorer James COOK spotted Manuae in the southern Cook Islands, and Russian mapmakers named the islands after COOK in the 1820s. Fearing France would militarily occupy the islands as it did in Tahiti, Rarotongans asked the UK for protectorate status in the 1840s and 1860s, a request the UK ignored. In 1888, Queen MAKEA TAKAU of Rarotonga formally petitioned for protectorate status, to which the UK reluctantly agreed. In 1901, the UK placed Rarotonga and the rest of the islands in the New Zealand Colony, and in 1915, the Cook Islands Act organized the islands into one political entity. It remained a protectorate until 1965, when New Zealand granted the Cook Islands self-governing status. The Cook Islands has a great deal of local autonomy and is an independent member of international organizations, but it is in free association with New Zealand, which is responsible for its defense and foreign affairs. In September 2023, the US recognized the Cook Islands as a sovereign and independent state. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand **Geographic coordinates:** 21 14 S, 159 46 W **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 236 sq km land: 236 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** 1.3 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 120 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March **Terrain:** low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south **Elevation:** highest point: Te Manga 652 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** coconuts (copra) **Land use:** agricultural land: 7.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 65% (2023 est.) other: 27.1% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** NA **Population distribution:** most of the population is found on the island of Rarotonga **Natural hazards:** tropical cyclones (November to March) **Geography - note:** the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of the population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km ### People and Society **Population:** total: 7,592 (2025 est.) male: 3,890 female: 3,702 **Nationality:** noun: Cook Islander(s) adjective: Cook Islander **Ethnic groups:** Cook Island Maori 77.4%, part Cook Island Maori 8.3%, Fijian 3.6%, New Zealand Maori/European 3.4%, Filipino 2.9%, other Pacific Islands 1.8%, other 2.6% (2021 est.) **Languages:** English (official) 86.4%, Cook Islands Maori (Rarotongan) (official) 76.2%, other 8.3% (2011 est.) note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census **Religions:** Protestant 55% (Cook Islands Christian Church 43.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.3%, Assemblies of God 3.6%), Roman Catholic 16.7%, Church of Jesus Christ 3.9%, Jehovah's Witness 2.2%, Apostolic Church 2.1%, other 4.5%, none/unspecified 15.6% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 18.2% (male 738/female 671) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 2,634/female 2,479) 65 years and over: 16% (2024 est.) (male 608/female 631) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 53 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 27.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 25.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 41.5 years (2025 est.) male: 40.7 years female: 41.4 years **Population growth rate:** -2.15% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 11.85 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.48 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -23.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is found on the island of Rarotonga **Urbanization:** urban population: 76.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 0 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 14.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 77.6 years (2024 est.) male: 74.8 years female: 80.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.99 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.97 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: NA rural: NA total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: NA rural: NA total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.2% of GDP (2020) 11.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.67 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Hospital bed density:** 8.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 96.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 3.2% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 55.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 12.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 7.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 24% (2025 est.) male: 28.6% (2025 est.) female: 20.1% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 53.2% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 9.2% national budget (2025 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 15 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** solid- and liquid-waste disposal; soil degradation; deforestation; use of pesticides; improper disposal of pollutants; overfishing and destructive fishing practices; over-dredging of lagoons and coral rubble beds; unregulated building **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March **Land use:** agricultural land: 7.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 65% (2023 est.) other: 27.1% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 76.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 103,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 103,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 7.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cook Islands former: Hervey Islands etymology: named after Captain James COOK, the British explorer who visited the islands in 1773 and 1777 **Government type:** parliamentary democracy **Dependency status:** self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs and conducts its own international relations, including establishing diplomatic relationships with foreign countries; New Zealand has a constitutional responsibility to respond to requests for assistance with foreign affairs, disasters, and defense **Capital:** name: Avarua geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: translates as "two harbors" in Maori **Legal system:** common law similar to New Zealand common law **Constitution:** history: 4 August 1965 (Cook Islands Constitution Act 1964) amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Parliament membership in each of several readings and assent of the chief of state’s representative; passage of amendments relating to the chief of state also requires two-thirds majority approval in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration (New Zealand normally retains responsibility for external affairs); accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Sir Tom J. MARSTERS (since 9 August 2013); New Zealand High Commissioner Catherine GRAHAM (since 8 September 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Mark BROWN (since 1 October 2020) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; UK representative appointed by the monarch; New Zealand high commissioner appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes prime minister **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 24 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 8/1/2022 parties elected and seats per party: CIP (12); Demo (5); Cook Islands United Party (3); OCI (1); independent (3) percentage of women in chamber: 25% expected date of next election: 2026 note: the House of Ariki, a 24-member parliamentary body of traditional leaders appointed by the King's representative, serves as a consultative body to the Parliament **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 3 judges of the High Court); High Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 4 judges and organized into civil, criminal, and land divisions) judge selection and term of office: High Court chief justice appointed by the Queen's Representative on the advice of the Executive Council tendered by the prime minister; other judges appointed by the Queen's Representative, on the advice of the Executive Council tendered by the chief justice, High Court chief justice, and the minister of justice; chief justice and judges appointed for 3-year renewable terms subordinate courts: justices of the peace note: appeals beyond the Cook Islands Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) **Political parties:** Cook Islands Party or CIP Democratic Party or Demo One Cook Islands or OCI **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) note: on 25 September 2023, the US officially established diplomatic relations with Cook Islands **International organization participation:** ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IMO, IMSO, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO **Independence:** 4 August 1965 (Cook Islands became self-governing state in free association with New Zealand) **National holiday:** Constitution Day, the first Monday in August (1965) **Flag:** description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and a large circle of 15 five-pointed white stars (one for each island) centered in the right half of the flag **National symbol(s):** a circle of 15 five-pointed white stars on a blue field, tiare maori flower (Gardenia taitensis) **National color(s):** green, white **National coat of arms:** the coat of arms was designed by Papa Motu Kora, a mataiapo (traditional chief) from the Matavera village in Rarotonga; the shield with a circle of 15 five-pointed white stars represents the protection of the people and the country; on each side of the shield is a flying fish (maroro) and a white tern (kakaia); a Rarotongan orator club above the fish represents local traditions, and a cross above the tern symbolizes Christianity; a red-feathered Ariki headdress (pare kura) at the top of the shield represents the country’s traditional ranking system **National anthem(s):** title: "Te Atua Mou E" (To God Almighty) lyrics/music: Tepaeru Te RITO/Thomas DAVIS history: adopted 1982; as prime minister, Sir Thomas DAVIS composed the anthem; Pa Tepaeru Terito Ariki, his wife and a tribal chief, wrote the lyrics title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: royal anthem ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income self-governing New Zealand territorial economy; tourism-based activity but diversifying; severely curtailed by COVID-19 pandemic; copra and tropical fruit exporter; Asian Development Bank aid recipient **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $401.155 million (2024 est.) $364.686 million (2023 est.) $306.285 million (2022 est.) note: data are in 2015 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 10.5% (2022 est.) -24.5% (2021 est.) -5.2% (2020 est.) **Real GDP per capita:** $29,800 (2024 est.) $25,700 (2023 est.) $19,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $409.077 million (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 10.6% (2022 est.) 1.9% (2021 est.) 1% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **Agricultural products:** coconuts, vegetables, papayas, pork, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, fruits, mangoes/guavas, watermelons, chicken (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** fishing, fruit processing, tourism, clothing, handicrafts **Budget:** revenues: $113.687 million (2022 est.) expenditures: $143.391 million (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Exports - partners:** Japan 33%, Thailand 15%, Greece 15%, France 11%, China 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fish, ships, garments, shellfish (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports - partners:** NZ 44%, Italy 26%, Fiji 9%, China 7%, Australia 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum, cars, plastic products, additive manufacturing machines (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.652 (2024 est.) 1.628 (2023 est.) 1.577 (2022 est.) 1.414 (2021 est.) 1.542 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 17,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 37.5 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.2 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 60.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 39.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 1 metric tons (2022 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 700 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 6,990 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 48 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 18,100 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 privately owned TV station in Rarotonga provides a mix of local news and overseas-sourced programs (2019) **Internet country code:** .ck **Internet users:** percent of population: 64.8% (2021 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2,700 (2018 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2018 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** E5 **Airports:** 10 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 190 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 19, general cargo 44, oil tanker 58, other 69 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Avatiu ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; Cook Islands Police Service **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of New Zealand in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request the Cook Islands have a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within its designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025) --- ## Coral Sea Islands **Slug:** coral-sea-islands **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Codes:** cek: cr, genc: XCS, stanag: AUS, internet: -, comment: ISO includes with Australia ### Introduction **Background:** The widely scattered Coral Sea Islands were first charted in 1803, but they were too small to host permanent human habitation. The 1870s and 1880s saw attempts at guano mining, but these were soon abandoned. The islands became an Australian territory in 1969, and the boundaries were extended in 1997. A small meteorological staff has operated on the Willis Islets since 1921, and several other islands host unmanned weather stations, beacons, and lighthouses. Much of the territory lies within national marine nature reserves. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia **Geographic coordinates:** 18 00 S, 152 00 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 3 sq km less than land: 3 sq km less than water: 0 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km (300,000 sq mi), with the Willis Islets the most important **Area - comparative:** about four times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 3,095 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical **Terrain:** sand and coral reefs and islands (cays) **Elevation:** highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 9 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) **Natural hazards:** occasional tropical cyclones **Geography - note:** important nesting area for birds and turtles ### People and Society **Population:** total: no permanent inhabitants note: Willis Island is inhabited by meteorological staff ### Environment **Environmental issues:** no permanent freshwater resources; damaging activities include coral mining, fishing practices (overfishing, blast fishing) **Climate:** tropical **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands etymology: self-descriptive name to reflect the islands' position in the Coral Sea off the northeastern coast of Australia **Dependency status:** territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport **Legal system:** the common law system of Australia applies **Citizenship:** see Australia **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (territory of Australia) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (territory of Australia) **Flag:** the flag of Australia is used ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of Australia --- ## Costa Rica **Slug:** costa-rica **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇨🇷 **Codes:** cek: cs, iso2: CR, iso3: CRI, iso_num: 188, genc: CRI, stanag: CRI, internet: .cr ### Introduction **Background:** Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance from Indigenous populations, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two-and-a-half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica was one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. General Federico TINOCO Granados led a coup in 1917, but the threat of US intervention pushed him to resign in 1919. In 1948, landowner Jose FIGUERES Ferrer raised his own army and rebelled against the government. The brief civil war ended with an agreement to allow FIGUERES to remain in power for 18 months, then step down in favor of the previously elected Otilio ULATE. FIGUERES was later elected twice in his own right, in 1953 and 1970. Costa Rica experienced destabilizing waves of refugees from Central American civil wars in the 1970s and 1980s, but peace in the region has since helped the economy rebound. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. ### Geography **Location:** Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama **Geographic coordinates:** 10 00 N, 84 00 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 51,100 sq km land: 51,060 sq km water: 40 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than West Virginia **Land boundaries:** total: 661 km border countries (2): Nicaragua 313 km; Panama 348 km **Coastline:** 1,290 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands **Terrain:** coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major active volcanoes **Elevation:** highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,819 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 746 m **Natural resources:** hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 33.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 7.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 22.5% (2023 est.) forest: 58.4% (2023 est.) other: 8.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,015 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** roughly half of the nation's population resides in urban areas; the capital of San Jose is the largest city and home to approximately one fifth of the population **Natural hazards:** occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes volcanism: Arenal (1,670 m) is the most active volcano in Costa Rica; a 1968 eruption destroyed the town of Tabacon; Irazu (3,432 m), situated just east of San Jose, has the potential to spew ash over the capital city, as it did between 1963 and 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Miravalles, Poas, Rincon de la Vieja, and Turrialba **Geography - note:** four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65 ### People and Society **Population:** total: 5,304,932 (2025 est.) male: 2,654,314 female: 2,650,618 **Nationality:** noun: Costa Rican(s) adjective: Costa Rican **Ethnic groups:** White or Mestizo 83.6%, Mulatto 6.7%, Indigenous 2.4%, Black or African descent 1.1%, other 1.1%, none 2.9%, unspecified 2.2% (2011 est.) **Languages:** Spanish (official), English major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 47.5%, Evangelical and Pentecostal 19.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.4%, other Protestant 1.2%, other 3.1%, none 27% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 18.8% (male 506,041/female 482,481) 15-64 years: 70.2% (male 1,862,872/female 1,832,024) 65 years and over: 11.1% (2024 est.) (male 266,568/female 315,589) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 42.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 26.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 16.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 6.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 36 years (2025 est.) male: 34.9 years female: 36.1 years **Population growth rate:** 0.75% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.86 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.24 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 1.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** roughly half of the nation's population resides in urban areas; the capital of San Jose is the largest city and home to approximately one fifth of the population **Urbanization:** urban population: 82.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.462 million SAN JOSE (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 24 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 80.3 years (2024 est.) male: 77.7 years female: 82.9 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.45 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.71 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.6% of GDP (2021) 25.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.69 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 1.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 97.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 2.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 25.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 8.1% (2025 est.) male: 12.2% (2025 est.) female: 4.1% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.9% (2018 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 41.7% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 2% (2018) women married by age 18: 17.1% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 6.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 31.2% national budget (2021 est.) **Literacy:** female: 94.1% (2018 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2019 est.) male: 15 years (2019 est.) female: 16 years (2019 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation, largely from clearing land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands **Land use:** agricultural land: 33.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 7.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 22.5% (2023 est.) forest: 58.4% (2023 est.) other: 8.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 82.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 7.91 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 58,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 7.852 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 15.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.46 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 5.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 1.109 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 245.34 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 2.093 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 113 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica conventional short form: Costa Rica local long form: República de Costa Rica local short form: Costa Rica etymology: the name means "rich coast" in Spanish; Christopher COLUMBUS named it in 1502, referring to the region's abundant vegetation and water **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: San José geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Spanish settlers originally named the city Villa Nueva in 1736; it was later renamed for Saint Joseph **Administrative divisions:** 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose **Legal system:** civil law system based on Spanish civil code; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts **Constitution:** history: many previous; latest effective 8 November 1949 amendment process: proposals require the signatures of at least 10 Legislative Assembly members or petition of at least 5% of qualified voters; consideration of proposals requires two-thirds majority approval in each of three readings by the Assembly, followed by preparation of the proposal as a legislative bill and its approval by simple majority of the Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership; a referendum is required only if approved by at least two thirds of the Assembly **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal and compulsory **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Rodrigo CHAVES Robles (since 8 May 2022) head of government: President Rodrigo CHAVES Robles (since 8 May 2022) cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president election/appointment process: president and vice presidents directly elected on the same ballot by modified majority popular vote (40% threshold) for a 4-year term (eligible for non-consecutive terms) most recent election date: 6 February 2022, with a runoff on 3 April 2022 election results: 2022: Rodrigo CHAVES Robles elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (PLN) 27.3%, Rodrigo CHAVES Robles (PPSD) 16.8%, Fabricio ALVARADO Munoz (PNR) 14.9%, Eliecer FEINZAIG Mintz (PLP) 12.4%, Lineth SABORIO Chaverri (PUSC) 12.4%, Jose Maria VILLALTA Florez-Estrada 8.7% (PFA), other 7.5%; percent of vote in second round - Rodrigo CHAVES Robles (PPSD) 52.8%, Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (PLN) 47.2% 2018: Carlos ALVARADO Quesada elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Fabricio ALVARADO Munoz (PRN) 25%; Carlos ALVARADO Quesada (PAC) 21.6%; Antonio ALVAREZ (PLN) 18.6%; Rodolfo PIZA (PUSC) 16%; Juan Diego CASTRO (PIN) 9.5%; Rodolfo HERNANDEZ (PRSC) 4.9%, other 4.4%; percent of vote in second round - Carlos ALVARADO Quesada (PAC) 60.7%; Fabricio ALVARADO Munoz (PRN) 39.3% expected date of next election: 1 February 2026 (a runoff, if needed, will take place in April 2026) note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 57 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 2/6/2022 parties elected and seats per party: National Liberation Party (PLN) (19); Democratic Social Progress Party (PPSD) (10); Christian Social Unity Party (USC) (9); New Republic Party (NR) (7); Broad Front (FA) (6); Progressive Liberal Party (LP) (6) percentage of women in chamber: 49.1% expected date of next election: February 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of 22 judges organized into 3 cassation chambers each with 5 judges and the Constitutional Chamber with 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court of Justice judges elected by the National Assembly for 8-year terms with renewal decided by the National Assembly subordinate courts: appellate courts; trial courts; first instance and justice of the peace courts; Superior Electoral Tribunal **Political parties:** Accessibility Without Exclusion or PASE Broad Front (Frente Amplio) or PFA Citizen Action Party or PAC Costa Rican Renewal Party or PRC Here Costa Rica Commands Party or ACRM Liberal Progressive Party or PLP Libertarian Movement Party or ML National Integration Party or PIN National Liberation Party or PLN National Restoration Party or PRN New Generation or PNG New Republic Party or PNR Social Christian Republican Party or PRSC Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC of UNIDAD Social Democratic Progress Party or PPSD **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Catalina CRESPO SANCHO (since 19 April 2023) chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 499-2980 FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795 email address and website: embcr-us@rree.go.cr https://www.embassycr.org/ consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Washington DC **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Melinda HILDEBRAND (since 3 December 2025); Chargé d’Affaires Jennifer SAVAGE (since August 2025) embassy: Calle 98 Via 104, Pavas, San Jose mailing address: 3180 St. George's Place, Washington DC 20521-3180 telephone: [506] 2519-2000 FAX: [506] 2519-2305 email address and website: acssanjose@state.gov https://cr.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACS, BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 15 September 1821 (from Spain) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 15 September (1821) **Flag:** description: five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double-width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk placed toward the left side of the red band meaning: the blue is said to stand for the sky, opportunity, and perseverance; the white for peace, happiness, and wisdom; and the red for the blood shed for freedom, as well as Costa Ricans' generosity and vibrancy history: Costa Rica retained the earlier blue-white-blue flag of Central America until 1848 when, in response to revolutions in Europe, it was decided to incorporate the French colors by adding a central red stripe note: somewhat resembles the flag of North Korea; similar to the flag of Thailand, but with the blue and red colors reversed **National symbol(s):** yiguirro (clay-colored thrush) **National color(s):** blue, white, red **National coat of arms:** the Costa Rican coat of arms highlights the country’s natural beauty and history; three volcanoes, each topped with a white cloud, are surrounded with water, symbolizing the seaports of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans; the rising sun in the background stands for the birth of a new nation, and the seven white stars for the country's provinces; the two merchant ships carrying Costa Rica’s flag are a reminder of the maritime trade that shaped the country's history **National anthem(s):** title: "Himno Nacional de Costa Rica" (National Anthem of Costa Rica) lyrics/music: Jose Maria ZELEDON Brenes/Manuel Maria GUTIERREZ history: adopted 1949; the music was originally written for a welcome ceremony in 1852 for the US and UK diplomatic missions; the lyrics were added in 1900 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 4 (1 cultural, 3 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Guanacaste Conservation Area (n); Cocos Island National Park (n); Precolumbian Stone Spheres (c); La Amistad International Park (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** trade-based upper middle-income economy; green economy leader, having reversed deforestation; investing in blue economy infrastructure; declining poverty until hard impacts of COVID-19; lingering inequality and growing government debts have prompted a liquidity crisis **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $138.371 billion (2024 est.) $132.64 billion (2023 est.) $126.189 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.3% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 4.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $27,000 (2024 est.) $26,000 (2023 est.) $24,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $95.35 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** -0.4% (2024 est.) 0.5% (2023 est.) 8.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 3.6% (2024 est.) industry: 19.7% (2024 est.) services: 68.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 63.9% (2024 est.) government consumption: 14.7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 15.8% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -0.1% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 38.5% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -32.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, pineapples, bananas, oil palm fruit, milk, fruits, oranges, chicken, cassava, beef (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** medical equipment, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products **Industrial production growth rate:** 4.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 2.357 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 7.9% (2024 est.) 8.4% (2023 est.) 11.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 23% (2024 est.) male: 20.7% (2024 est.) female: 26.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 24.4% (2023 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 45.8 (2024 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 21.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.7% (2024 est.) highest 10%: 34.2% (2024 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $26.333 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $25.953 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 13.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$1.291 billion (2024 est.) -$1.239 billion (2023 est.) -$2.272 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $36.77 billion (2024 est.) $33.683 billion (2023 est.) $29.392 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 40%, Netherlands 6%, China 5%, Guatemala 4%, Belgium 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** medical instruments, integrated circuits, orthopedic appliances, bananas, tropical fruits (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $30.459 billion (2024 est.) $28.413 billion (2023 est.) $27.095 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 38%, China 15%, Mexico 6%, Brazil 3%, Guatemala 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, plastic products, cars, medical instruments, broadcasting equipment (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $14.177 billion (2024 est.) $13.225 billion (2023 est.) $8.554 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $15.574 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Costa Rican colones (CRC) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 515.11 (2024 est.) 544.051 (2023 est.) 647.136 (2022 est.) 620.785 (2021 est.) 584.901 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 3.751 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 9.957 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 774 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 54 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.039 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 12.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 72.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 13.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 23,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 24,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 400 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 60,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 30.725 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 610,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 6.98 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 136 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** over two dozen privately owned TV stations and 1 publicly owned TV station; cable network services are widely available; more than 100 privately owned radio stations and a public radio network (2022) **Internet country code:** .cr **Internet users:** percent of population: 85% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.15 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** TI **Airports:** 132 (2025) **Heliports:** 8 (2025) **Railways:** total: 278 km (2014) narrow gauge: 278 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge note: the entire rail network fell into disrepair and out of use at the end of the 20th century; since 2005, certain sections of rail have been rehabilitated **Merchant marine:** total: 11 (2023) by type: other 11 **Ports:** total ports: 6 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 5 ports with oil terminals: 4 key ports: Golfito, Puerto Caldera, Puerto Limon, Puerto Moin, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Ministry of Public Security (Ministerio de Seguridad Pública de Costa Rica): National Police (Fuerza Pública), Air Surveillance Service (Servicio de Vigilancia Aérea), National Coast Guard Service (Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas), Drug Control Police (Policía Control de Drogas), Border Police (Policia de Fronteras), Professional Migration Police (Policía Profesional de Migración) Ministry of Presidency: Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS), Special Intervention Unit (UEI) (2025) note: Costa Rica's armed forces were constitutionally abolished in 1949 **Military expenditures:** 0.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 10-15,000 Ministry of Public Security personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the National Police are lightly armed although small special units are trained and equipped for tactical operations; the US has provided equipment and support to forces such as the Coast Guard, including secondhand US vessels and aircraft (2025) **Military - note:** Costa Rica relies on specialized paramilitary units within the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) for internal security missions and countering transnational threats such as narcotics smuggling and organized crime, as well as for participating in regional security operations and exercises; MPS forces have received advisory and training support from the US (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Costa Rican Space Agency (ACE; established by legislation in 2021) (2025) note: ACE is a non-state, public entity subject to guidelines issued by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Telecommunications of Costa Rica **Space program overview:** has a small, recently established program focused on using space to develop the country’s economy and industry, including acquiring and using satellites; has built a remote sensing (RS) cube satellite; has relations with US space agencies and commercial space industries, as well as with the ESA and the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2018 - first domestically produced remote sensing cube satellite (Irazú) for monitoring tropical forests and climate change launched by US and deployed from the International Space Station 2021 - signed protocols for newly established Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency; opened US commercial company’s space radar facility for mapping and space situational awareness 2022 - domestically produced scientific device (Proyecto Musa or Musa Project) launched on European rocket 2024 - participated in first China-Latin America and the Caribbean Space Cooperation Forum ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 249,521 (2024 est.) IDPs: 58 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 345 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Cote d'Ivoire **Slug:** cote-divoire **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇨🇮 **Codes:** cek: iv, iso2: CI, iso3: CIV, iso_num: 384, genc: CIV, stanag: CIV, internet: .ci ### Introduction **Background:** Various small kingdoms ruled the area of Cote d'Ivoire between the 15th and 19th centuries, when European explorers arrived and then began to expand their presence. In 1844, France established a protectorate. During this period, many of these kingdoms and tribes fought to maintain their cultural identities -- some well into the 20th century. For example, the Sanwi kingdom -- originally founded in the 17th century -- tried to break away from Cote d’Ivoire and establish an independent state in 1969. Cote d’Ivoire achieved independence from France in 1960 but has maintained close ties. Foreign investment and the export and production of cocoa drove economic growth that led Cote d’Ivoire to become one of the most prosperous states in West Africa. Then in 1999, a military coup overthrew the government, and a year later, junta leader Robert GUEI held rigged elections and declared himself the winner. Popular protests forced him to step aside, and Laurent GBAGBO was elected. Ivoirian dissidents and members of the military launched a failed coup in 2002 that developed into a civil war. In 2003, a cease-fire resulted in rebels holding the north, the government holding the south, and peacekeeping forces occupying a buffer zone in the middle. In 2007, President GBAGBO and former rebel leader Guillaume SORO signed an agreement in which SORO joined GBAGBO's government as prime minister. The two agreed to reunite the country by dismantling the buffer zone, integrating rebel forces into the national armed forces, and holding elections. In 2010, Alassane Dramane OUATTARA won the presidential election, but GBAGBO refused to hand over power, resulting in five months of violent conflict. Armed OUATTARA supporters and UN and French troops eventually forced GBAGBO to step down in 2011. OUATTARA won a second term in 2015 and a controversial third term in 2020 -- despite the two-term limit in the Ivoirian constitution -- in an election boycotted by the opposition. Through political compromise with OUATTARA, the opposition participated peacefully in 2021 legislative elections and won a substantial minority of seats. Also in 2021, the International Criminal Court in The Hague ruled on a final acquittal for GBAGBO, who was on trial for crimes against humanity, paving the way for GBAGBO’s return to Abidjan the same year. GBAGBO has publicly met with OUATTARA since his return as a demonstration of political reconciliation. ### Geography **Location:** Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia **Geographic coordinates:** 8 00 N, 5 00 W **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 322,463 sq km land: 318,003 sq km water: 4,460 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than New Mexico **Land boundaries:** total: 3,458 km border countries (5): Burkina Faso 545 km; Ghana 720 km; Guinea 816 km; Liberia 778 km; Mali 599 km **Coastline:** 515 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October) **Terrain:** mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest **Elevation:** highest point: Monts Nimba 1,752 m lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m mean elevation: 250 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 86.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 15.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 29.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 41.5% (2023 est.) forest: 12.4% (2023 est.) other: 1.1% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 730 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Lagune Aby - 780 sq km **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km) **Population distribution:** the population is primarily located in the forested south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast; most of the northern savanna remains sparsely populated, with higher concentrations located along transportation corridors, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible **Geography - note:** most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated ### People and Society **Population:** total: 31,855,971 (2025 est.) male: 15,992,906 female: 15,863,065 **Nationality:** noun: Ivoirian(s) adjective: Ivoirian **Ethnic groups:** Akan 38%, Voltaique or Gur 22%, Northern Mande 22%, Kru 9.1%, Southern Mande 8.6%, other 0.3% (2021 est.) **Languages:** French (official), 60 native dialects of which Dioula is the most widely spoken major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 42.9%, Catholic 17.2%, Evangelical 11.8%, Methodist 1.7%, other Christian 3.2%, animist 3.6%, other religion 0.5%, none 19.1% (2014 est.) note: the majority of foreign migrant workers are Muslim (72.7%) and Christian (17.7%) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 36.1% (male 5,437,108/female 5,390,782) 15-64 years: 60.9% (male 9,200,957/female 9,060,748) 65 years and over: 3% (2024 est.) (male 401,967/female 490,196) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 72.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 67.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 4.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 21.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 20 years (2025 est.) male: 21.2 years female: 21.2 years **Population growth rate:** 2.33% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 29.87 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.93 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the population is primarily located in the forested south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast; most of the northern savanna remains sparsely populated, with higher concentrations located along transportation corridors, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 53.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 231,000 YAMOUSSOUKRO (capital) (2018), 5.686 million ABIDJAN (seat of government) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.6 years (2011/12 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 359 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 52.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 59.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 45.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 63.2 years (2024 est.) male: 60.9 years female: 65.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.85 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.9 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 86.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 58% of population (2022 est.) total: 72.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 13.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 42% of population (2022 est.) total: 27.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.1% of GDP (2021) 6.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.17 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 84.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 41.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 64.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 15.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 58.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 35.8% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 10.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 7.8% (2025 est.) male: 14.9% (2025 est.) female: 0.6% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 13.6% (2021 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 62.7% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 7.4% (2021) women married by age 18: 25.8% (2021) men married by age 18: 1.9% (2021) **Education expenditure:** 3.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 17.6% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 50% (2021 est.) male: 60.2% (2021 est.) female: 40.3% (2021 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 11 years (2023 est.) male: 11 years (2023 est.) female: 11 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; water pollution from sewage and from industrial, mining, and agricultural effluents **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October) **Land use:** agricultural land: 86.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 15.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 29.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 41.5% (2023 est.) forest: 12.4% (2023 est.) other: 1.1% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 53.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 16.28 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 11.641 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 4.639 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 36 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 187.7 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 192 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 199.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 28.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.441 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 320 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 242 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 600 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 84.14 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Côte d'Ivoire conventional short form: Côte d'Ivoire local long form: République de Côte d'Ivoire local short form: Cote d'Ivoire former: Ivory Coast etymology: name, which means "Ivory Coast" in French, reflects the ivory trade in the region from the 15th to 17th centuries; the French version of the name has been used internationally since 1986, at the country's request note: pronounced coat-div-whar **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Yamoussoukro (legislative capital), Abidjan (administrative and economic capital); note - the US Embassy is in Abidjan geographic coordinates: 6 49 N, 5 16 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: formerly a village named N'Gokro, Yamoussoukro is named after Queen YAMOUSSOU, who ruled during the early 20th century; Abidjan's name may have come from a misunderstanding when a French explorer asked a group of women the name of the village -- thinking it was a question about what they were doing, they replied "t'chan m’bi djan," which in the Ebrie language means "I return from cutting leaves," so the explorer recorded the name of the locale as Abidjan **Administrative divisions:** 12 districts and 2 autonomous districts*; Abidjan*, Bas-Sassandra, Comoe, Denguele, Goh-Djiboua, Lacs, Lagunes, Montagnes, Sassandra-Marahoue, Savanes, Vallée du Bandama, Woroba, Yamoussoukro*, Zanzan **Legal system:** civil law system based on the French civil code; Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court reviews legislation **Constitution:** history: previous 1960, 2000; latest draft completed 24 September 2016, approved by the National Assembly 11 October 2016, approved by referendum 30 October 2016, promulgated 8 November 2016 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; consideration of drafts or proposals requires an absolute majority vote by the parliamentary membership; passage of amendments affecting presidential elections, presidential term of office and vacancies, and amendment procedures requires approval by absolute majority in a referendum; passage of other proposals by the president requires at least four-fifths majority vote by Parliament; constitutional articles on the sovereignty of the state and its republican and secular form of government cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cote d'Ivoire dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Alassane Dramane OUATTARA (since 25 October 2025) head of government: Prime Minister Robert BREUGRE MAMBE (since 17 October 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a single renewable 5-year term; vice president elected on same ballot as president; prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: October 2030 election results: 2025: Alassane OUATTARA reelected president; percent of vote - Alassane OUATTARA (RDR) 91.2%, Jean Louis BILLON (DC) 3.1%, Simone Gbagbo (MCG) 2.4%, Ahoua Don MELLO (Ind.) 2.0%, other 1.3% 2020: Alassane OUATTARA reelected president; percent of vote - Alassane OUATTARA (RDR) 94.3%, Kouadio Konan BERTIN (PDCI-RDA) 2.0%, other 3.7% expected date of next election: October 2030 note: because President OUATTARA promulgated the new constitution in 2016, he has claimed that the clock is reset on term limits, allowing him to run for up to two additional terms **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Parlement) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) number of seats: 255 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/6/2021 to 6/12/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) (139); Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA)-Together for Democracy and Sovereignty (EDS) (49); Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA) (23); Independents (26); Other (18) percentage of women in chamber: 13.4% expected date of next election: December 2025 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Sénat) number of seats: 99 (66 indirectly elected; 33 appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/16/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 24.5% expected date of next election: September 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (organized into Judicial, Audit, Constitutional, and Administrative Chambers; consists of the court president, 3 vice presidents for the Judicial, Audit, and Administrative chambers, and 9 associate justices or magistrates) judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Superior Council of the Magistrature, a 7-member body consisting of the national president (chairman), 3 "bench" judges, and 3 public prosecutors; judges appointed for life subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (organized into civil, criminal, and social chambers); first instance courts; peace courts **Political parties:** African Peoples' Party-Cote d'Ivoire or PPA-CI Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire or PDCI Ivorian Popular Front or FPI Liberty and Democracy for the Republic or LIDER Movement of the Future Forces or MFA Pan-African Congress for People's Justice and Equality or COJEP Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace or RHDP Rally of the Republicans or RDR Together for Democracy and Sovereignty or EDS Together to Build (UDPCI, FPI,and allies) Union for Cote d'Ivoire or UPCI Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote d'Ivoire or UDPCI **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahima TOURE (since 13 January 2022) chancery: 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300 FAX: [1] (202) 204-3967 email address and website: info@ambacidc.org Ambassade de Cote D’ivoire aux USA (ambaciusa.org) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Jessica Davis BA (since 2 March 2023) embassy: B.P. 730 Abidjan Cidex 03 mailing address: 2010 Abidjan Place, Washington DC 20521-2010 telephone: [225] 27-22-49-40-00 FAX: [225] 27-22-49-43-23 email address and website: AbjAmCit@state.gov https://ci.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMISS, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 7 August 1960 (from France) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 7 August (1960) **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of orange (left side), white, and green meaning: orange stands for the savannah and fertility, white for peace and unity, green for the forests of the south and the hope for a bright future; design based on France's flag note: similar to the flag of Ireland, which is wider and has the colors reversed -- green (left side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (left side), white, and red **National symbol(s):** elephant **National color(s):** orange, white, green **National anthem(s):** title: "L'Abidjanaise" (Song of Abidjan) lyrics/music: Mathieu EKRA, Joachim BONY, and Pierre Marie COTY/Pierre Marie COTY and Pierre Michel PANGO history: adopted 1960; named after the former capital city of Abidjan **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 5 (2 cultural, 3 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Comoé National Park (n); Historic Grand-Bassam (c); Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (n); Sudanese-style Mosques (c); Taï National Park (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** one of West Africa’s most influential, stable, and rapidly developing economies; poverty declines in urban but increases in rural areas; strong construction sector and increasingly diverse economic portfolio; increasing but manageable public debt; large labor force in agriculture **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $215.018 billion (2024 est.) $202.943 billion (2023 est.) $190.645 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 6% (2024 est.) 6.5% (2023 est.) 6.4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $6,700 (2024 est.) $6,500 (2023 est.) $6,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $86.538 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.5% (2024 est.) 4.4% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 17.9% (2024 est.) industry: 22.1% (2024 est.) services: 53.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 66% (2024 est.) government consumption: 9% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.5% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 27.6% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -27.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** yams, cassava, oil palm fruit, cocoa beans, sugarcane, plantains, rice, rubber, maize, cashews (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, gold mining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.8% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 12.595 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.3% (2024 est.) 2.3% (2023 est.) 2.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 3.9% (2024 est.) male: 3.5% (2024 est.) female: 4.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 37.5% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 35.3 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 37.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.1% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 27.8% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $12.351 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $16.03 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 13.2% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$5.394 billion (2022 est.) -$2.874 billion (2021 est.) -$1.974 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $17.211 billion (2022 est.) $16.23 billion (2021 est.) $13.232 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Switzerland 17%, Netherlands 9%, Mali 7%, USA 5%, Malaysia 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, cocoa beans, rubber, refined petroleum, coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $19.948 billion (2022 est.) $16.191 billion (2021 est.) $12.66 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 16%, Nigeria 12%, France 6%, India 5%, USA 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, ships, refined petroleum, fish, rice (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Debt - external:** $26.576 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 70.4% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 95% electrification - rural areas: 45.3% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 2.315 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 8.746 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 971 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 222.79 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.638 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 68.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 30.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 29,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 87,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 100 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 2.474 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 2.474 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 28.317 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 8.489 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 245,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 58.7 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 184 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-controlled Radiodiffusion Télévision Ivoirienne (RTI) is made up of 2 radio stations (Radio Cote d'Ivoire and Fréquence2) and 2 TV stations (RTI1 and RTI2) with nationwide coverage, broadcasting mainly in French; 178 proximity radio stations, 16 religious radio stations, 5 commercial radio stations, and 5 international radio stations; government now runs radio station UNOCIFM, previously owned by the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire; in 2016, 4 media companies were granted licenses: Live TV, Optimum Media Cote d'Ivoire, the Audiovisual Company of Cote d'Ivoire (Sedaci), and Sorano-CI (2019) **Internet country code:** .ci **Internet users:** percent of population: 41% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 425,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** TU **Airports:** 29 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 660 km (2008) narrow gauge: 660 km (2008) 1.000-m gauge note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso **Merchant marine:** total: 25 (2023) by type: oil tanker 2, other 23 **Ports:** total ports: 5 (2024) large: 1 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 4 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Abidjan, Baobab Marine Terminal, Espoir Marine Terminal, Port Bouet, San Pedro ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire (Forces Armees de Cote d'Ivoire, FACI; aka Republican Forces of Ivory Coast, FRCI): Army, National Navy, Air Force, Special Forces; National Gendarmerie Ministry of Security and Civil Protection: National Police (2025) note: the National Gendarmerie is a paramilitary force under the Ministry of Defense that is responsible for ensuring public safety, maintaining order, enforcing laws, and protecting institutions, people, and property; it is organized into mobile and territorial components; the Mobile Gendarmerie is responsible for maintaining and restoring order and is considered the backbone of the country’s domestic security; the Territorial Gendarmerie is responsible for the administrative, judicial, and military police; the Gendarmerie also has separate specialized units for security, intervention (counterterrorism, hostage rescue, etc), VIP protection, and surveillance **Military expenditures:** 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 25-30,000 active FACI, including Gendarmerie personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the inventory of the FACI consists mostly of older or secondhand armaments, typically of French or Soviet-era origin; in recent years, it has received small quantities of newer and secondhand equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Bulgaria, China, France, Israel, South Africa, and the US (2025) note: Cote d'Ivoire was under a partial UN arms embargo from 2004 to 2016 **Military service age and obligation:** 18-26 (up to 35 for healthcare professionals) years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription is authorized but reportedly not enforced (2025) **Military deployments:** 180 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025) **Military - note:** the military (FACI) is responsible for external defense but also has a considerable internal role supporting the National Gendarmerie and other internal security forces; key areas of focus for the FACI are the country's porous international borders and the threat posed by Islamic militants associated with the al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) terrorist group operating across the border in Burkina Faso and Mali; AQIM militants conducted attacks in the country in 2016 and 2020; Côte d’Ivoire since 2016 has stepped up border security and completed building a joint counter-terrorism training center with France near Abidjan in 2020; Cote d'Ivoire has long maintained a close security relationship with France the FACI has mutinied several times since the late 1990s, most recently in 2017, and has had a large role in the country’s political turmoil; it was established in 1960 from home defense units the French colonial government began standing up in 1950 (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** National Office for Technical Studies and Development (Bureau d'Études Techniques et de Développement or BNETD); Côte d’Ivoire Geographic and Digital Information Center (CIGN) (2025) note: in mid-2025, Côte d’Ivoire announced that it would establish the Space Agency of Côte d’Ivoire (ASCI) in 2026 under the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research **Space program overview:** has a small, nascent program focused on satellite technology and geospatial information systems, as well as exploitation for resource management, environmental challenges, agricultural sector support, and national security; member of the African Space Agency and cooperates bilaterally with member states such as Tanzania (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2023 - hosted an Africa-wide space industry conference; announced plans to acquire and launch first small remote sensing satellite (Yam-Sat- CI 01) 2024 - began joint project with Tanzania to build a technology-demonstrator cube satellite (TanSat-1) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM); Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 69,176 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 930,978 (2024 est.) --- ## Croatia **Slug:** croatia **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇭🇷 **Codes:** cek: hr, iso2: HR, iso3: HRV, iso_num: 191, genc: HRV, stanag: HRV, internet: .hr ### Introduction **Background:** The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the end of World War I. In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal independent communist state consisting of six socialist republics, including Croatia, under the strong hand of Josip Broz, aka TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before Yugoslav forces were cleared from Croatian lands, along with a majority of Croatia's ethnic Serb population. Under UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998. The country joined NATO in 2009 and the EU in 2013. In January 2023, Croatia further integrated into the EU by joining the Eurozone and the Schengen Area. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia **Geographic coordinates:** 45 10 N, 15 30 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 56,594 sq km land: 55,974 sq km water: 620 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than West Virginia **Land boundaries:** total: 2,237 km border countries (5): Bosnia and Herzegovina 956 km; Hungary 348 km; Montenegro 19 km; Serbia 314 km; Slovenia 600 km **Coastline:** 5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km; islands 4,058 km) **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast **Terrain:** geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands **Elevation:** highest point: Dinara 1,831 m lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 331 m **Natural resources:** oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, gypsum, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 26.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 15.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 9.6% (2023 est.) forest: 34.7% (2023 est.) other: 38.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 170 sq km (2022) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Dunav (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** more of the population lives in the northern half of the country, with approximately a quarter of the populace residing in and around the capital of Zagreb; many of the islands are sparsely populated **Natural hazards:** destructive earthquakes **Geography - note:** controls most land routes from Western Europe to the Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits; most Adriatic Sea islands lie off the coast of Croatia -- some 1,200 islands, islets, ridges, and rocks ### People and Society **Population:** total: 4,071,208 (2025 est.) male: 1,968,334 female: 2,102,874 **Nationality:** noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s) adjective: Croatian note: the French designation of "Croate" to Croatian mercenaries in the 17th century eventually became "Cravate" and later came to be applied to the soldiers' scarves - the cravat; Croatia celebrates Cravat Day every 18 October **Ethnic groups:** Croat 91.6%, Serb 3.2%, other 3.9% (including Bosniak, Romani, Albanian, Italian, and Hungarian), unspecified 1.3% (2021 est.) **Languages:** Croatian (official) 95.2%, Serbian 1.2%, other 3.1% (including Bosnian, Romani, Albanian, and Italian) unspecified 0.5% (2021 est.) major-language sample(s): Knjiga svjetskih činjenica, nužan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Croatian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 79%, Orthodox 3.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other Christian 4.8%, Muslim 1.3%, other 1.1%, agnostic 1.7%, none or atheist 4.7%, unspecified 3.9% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 13.8% (male 296,527/female 278,236) 15-64 years: 63.1% (male 1,307,814/female 1,309,394) 65 years and over: 23.1% (2024 est.) (male 399,090/female 559,055) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 55.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 21.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 34.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 44.9 years (2025 est.) male: 43.2 years female: 47 years **Population growth rate:** -0.53% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 8.49 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 12.87 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** more of the population lives in the northern half of the country, with approximately a quarter of the populace residing in and around the capital of Zagreb; many of the islands are sparsely populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 58.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 684,000 ZAGREB (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 29 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 8.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 77.7 years (2024 est.) male: 74.6 years female: 81 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.43 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.69 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8.1% of GDP (2021) 13.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.91 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 5.6 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 24.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 9.64 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 32.8% (2025 est.) male: 33.6% (2025 est.) female: 32.1% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 50.1% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.1% of GDP (2021 est.) 8.5% national budget (2021 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2022 est.) male: 15 years (2022 est.) female: 17 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution in urban areas, as well as emissions from neighboring countries; surface water pollution in the Danube River Basin **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast **Land use:** agricultural land: 26.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 15.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 9.6% (2023 est.) forest: 34.7% (2023 est.) other: 38.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 58.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 16.467 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1.335 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 9.858 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 5.275 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 15.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.81 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 20% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 465 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 475 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 76 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 105.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 3 (2024) global geoparks and regional networks: Biokovo-Imotski Lakes; Papuk; Vis Archipelago (2024) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Croatia conventional short form: Croatia local long form: Republika Hrvatska local short form: Hrvatska former: People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia etymology: name probably derives from the Croats, a Slavic tribe who migrated to the Balkans in the 7th century A.D., but that name may be related to the Russian word khrebet, meaning "mountain chain" **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Zagreb geographic coordinates: 45 48 N, 16 00 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the city's name means "beyond the bank (or ditch)"; za in Old Croat means "beyond," and greb means "bank" or "ditch," relating to the city's original site above the Sava River **Administrative divisions:** 20 counties (zupanije, singular - zupanija) and 1 city* (grad - singular) with special county status; Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska (Bjelovar-Bilogora), Brodsko-Posavska (Brod-Posavina), Dubrovacko-Neretvanska (Dubrovnik-Neretva), Istarska (Istria), Karlovacka (Karlovac), Koprivnicko-Krizevacka (Koprivnica-Krizevci), Krapinsko-Zagorska (Krapina-Zagorje), Licko-Senjska (Lika-Senj), Medimurska (Medimurje), Osjecko-Baranjska (Osijek-Baranja), Pozesko-Slavonska (Pozega-Slavonia), Primorsko-Goranska (Primorje-Gorski Kotar), Sibensko-Kninska (Sibenik-Knin), Sisacko-Moslavacka (Sisak-Moslavina), Splitsko-Dalmatinska (Split-Dalmatia), Varazdinska (Varazdin), Viroviticko-Podravska (Virovitica-Podravina), Vukovarsko-Srijemska (Vukovar-Syrmia), Zadarska (Zadar), Zagreb*, Zagrebacka (Zagreb county) **Legal system:** civil law system influenced by legal heritage of Austria-Hungary **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 22 December 1990 amendment process: proposed by at least one fifth of the Assembly membership, by the president of the republic, by the Government of Croatia, or through petition by at least 10% of the total electorate; proceedings to amend require majority vote by the Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; passage by petition requires a majority vote in a referendum and promulgation by the Assembly **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Croatia dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Zoran MILANOVIC (since 18 February 2020) head of government: Prime Minister Andrej PLENKOVIC (since 19 October 2016) cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved by the Assembly election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president and approved by the Assembly most recent election date: December 2024 (first round) and January 2025 (second round) election results: 2025: Zoran MILANOVIC elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - Zoran MILANOVIC (SDP) 74.6%, Dragan PRIMORAC (independent) 25.3% 2019: Zoran MILANOVIC elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - Zoran MILANOVIC (SDP) 52.7%, Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC (HDZ) 47.3% expected date of next election: 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Croatian Parliament (Hrvatski Sabor) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 151 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 4/17/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) (55); Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP) (37); Homeland Movement (DP) (11); We Can! – Political Platform (Možemo!) (10); Bridge (Most) (7); Other (20) percentage of women in chamber: 33.1% expected date of next election: April 2028 note: of the 151 seats, 140 members come from 10 multi-seat constituencies, with 3 members in a constituency for Croatian diaspora; voters belonging to recognized minorities elect an additional 8 members from a nationwide constituency: the Serb minority elects 3 members, the Hungarian and Italian minorities elect 1 each, the Czech and Slovak minorities elect 1 jointly, and all other minorities elect 2 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the court president and vice president, 25 civil department justices, and 16 criminal department justices) judge selection and term of office: president of Supreme Court nominated by the president of Croatia and elected by the Sabor for a 4-year term; other Supreme Court justices appointed by the National Judicial Council; all judges serve until age 70 subordinate courts: Administrative Court; county, municipal, and specialized courts note: an 11-member Constitutional Court has jurisdiction limited to constitutional issues, but it is outside the judicial system **Political parties:** Bosniaks Together The Bridge or MOST (formerly the Bridge of Independent Lists) Croatia Romani Union Kali Sara (SRRH) Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ Democratic Union of Hungarians in Croatia (DZMH) Focus or Fokus Homeland Movement or DP (also known as Miroslav Škoro Homeland Movement or DPMS) Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS Independent Platform of the North (NPS) Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP We Can! or Mozemo! **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Pjer ŠIMUNOVIĆ (since 8 September 2017) chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899 FAX: [1] (202) 588-8937 email address and website: washington@mvep.hr https://mvep.gov.hr/embassy-114969/114969 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle (WA) consulate(s): Anchorage (AL), Houston, Kansas City (MO),Minneapolis/St. Paul (MN), New Orleans, Pittsburgh (PA) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Nicole McGRAW (since 21 October 2025) embassy: Ulica Thomasa Jeffersona 2, 10010 Zagreb mailing address: 5080 Zagreb Place, Washington DC 20521-5080 telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200 FAX: [385] (1) 665-8933 email address and website: ZagrebACS@state.gov https://hr.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** AIIB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EMU, EU, FAO, G-11, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia); notable earlier dates: ca. 925 (Kingdom of Croatia established), 1 December 1918 (Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes established, later became Yugoslavia) note: 25 June 1991 was the day the Croatian parliament voted for independence; the legislature adopted a decision on 8 October 1991 to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia **National holiday:** Statehood Day (National Day), 30 May (1990) note: marks the day in 1990 that the first modern multi-party Croatian parliament convened **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue -- the pan-Slav colors -- with the Croatian coat of arms in the center, which consists of a main shield (a checkerboard of 13 red and 12 silver fields) with five smaller shields that form a crown over the main shield meaning: the small shields represent the five historic regions (from left to right): Croatia, Dubrovnik, Dalmatia, Istria, and Slavonia history: Russia's 19th-century flag inspired the pan-Slav colors **National symbol(s):** red-and-white checkerboard **National color(s):** red, white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "Lijepa nasa domovino" (Our Beautiful Homeland) lyrics/music: Antun MIHANOVIC/Josip RUNJANIN history: adopted in 1972 while still part of Yugoslavia; the lyrics were written in 1835, and it served as an unofficial anthem beginning in 1891 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 10 (8 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Plitvice Lakes National Park (n); Historic Split (c); Old City of Dubrovnik (c); Euphrasian Basilica; Historic Trogir (c); Šibenik Cathedral (c); Stari Grad Plain (c); Zadar and Fort St. Nikola Venetian Defense Works (c); Primeval Beech Forests (n); Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income Balkan economy; newest euro user (introduced in 2023); increased investments from EU structural funds and tourism sector contributing to strong but moderating economic growth; declining energy prices and restrictive monetary policy easing inflation; historically low unemployment rate with labor shortages within services and manufacturing sectors **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $164.825 billion (2024 est.) $158.769 billion (2023 est.) $153.693 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.8% (2024 est.) 3.3% (2023 est.) 7.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $42,600 (2024 est.) $41,100 (2023 est.) $39,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $92.526 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3% (2024 est.) 7.9% (2023 est.) 10.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 3.4% (2024 est.) industry: 19.8% (2024 est.) services: 59.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 57% (2024 est.) government consumption: 22.6% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.7% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -0.2% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 49.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -52.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** maize, wheat, sugar beets, milk, barley, soybeans, sunflower seeds, potatoes, pork, grapes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal, electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper, wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding, petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages, tourism **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 1.733 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.3% (2024 est.) 6.1% (2023 est.) 7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 16.6% (2024 est.) male: 15.5% (2024 est.) female: 18.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 18% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 30 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 18.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 7.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.9% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 23% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 7.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 7.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 7.5% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $32.487 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $33.715 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 75.6% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 21.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$1.049 billion (2024 est.) $635.97 million (2023 est.) -$2.621 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $46.601 billion (2024 est.) $45.064 billion (2023 est.) $41.907 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Italy 14%, Germany 11%, Slovenia 11%, Bosnia & Herzegovina 6%, Austria 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** ships, garments, electricity, packaged medicine, wood (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $49.86 billion (2024 est.) $46.811 billion (2023 est.) $46.769 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Italy 14%, Germany 14%, Slovenia 11%, Hungary 6%, Austria 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, garments, natural gas, crude petroleum (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $3.336 billion (2024 est.) $3.176 billion (2023 est.) $29.726 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) note: Croatia used the kuna prior to conversion to the euro on 1 January 2023. During the transition period the exchange rate was fixed at 7.53450 kuna to 1 euro. ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 5.518 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 16.408 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 8.461 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 10.038 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.053 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 31.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 14.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 48.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 596,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1,000 metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 663,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 70,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 71 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 722.231 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 2.689 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 1.119 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 2.995 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 24.919 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 79.907 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.1 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 4.72 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 122 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** the national state-owned public broadcaster, Croatian Radiotelevision, operates 4 terrestrial TV networks, a satellite channel that rebroadcasts programs for Croatians overseas, and 6 regional TV centers; 2 private broadcasters with national terrestrial networks; 29 privately owned regional TV stations; multi-channel cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; state-owned public broadcaster operates 4 national radio networks and 23 regional radio stations; 2 privately owned national radio networks and 117 local radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .hr **Internet users:** percent of population: 83% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.11 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 9A **Airports:** 45 (2025) **Heliports:** 7 (2025) **Railways:** total: 2,617 km (2020) 980 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 384 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 10, general cargo 32, oil tanker 14, other 328 **Ports:** total ports: 16 (2024) large: 2 medium: 0 small: 6 very small: 8 ports with oil terminals: 8 key ports: Bakar, Dubrovnik, Omisalj, Rijeka Luka, Rovinj, Sibenik, Split, Zadar ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Oruzane Snage Republike Hrvatske, OSRH): Croatian Army (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Croatian Navy (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM; includes Coast Guard), Croatian Air Force (Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo, HRZ) (2025) note: the Ministry of the Interior is responsible for internal security, including law enforcement (Croatia Police) and border security **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2025 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 2% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 15,000 active-duty military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is a mix of Soviet-era (largely from the former Yugoslavia) equipment and a growing amount of more modern, NATO-compatible weapon systems from suppliers such as France, Germany, Türkiye, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-29 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished in 2008 but will be reinstated in 2026 when it will become mandatory for men aged 19-29 to undergo two months of basic military training (2025) note: as of 2024, women comprised about 14% of the military's full-time personnel **Military deployments:** 150 Kosovo (KFOR/NATO); also has a few hundred personnel participating in several other EU, NATO, and UN missions (2025) **Military - note:** the Armed Forces of Croatia (OSRH) are responsible for the defense of Croatia’s sovereignty and territory, contributing to international humanitarian, peacekeeping, and security missions, and providing assistance to civil authorities for such missions as disaster response, search and rescue, anti-terrorism, and internal security in times of crisis if called upon by the prime minister or the president; Croatia joined NATO in 2009, and the OSRH participates in NATO missions, including its peacekeeping force in Kosovo and the Enhanced Forward Presence mission in Eastern Europe; it also contributes to EU and UN missions; the OSRH trains regularly with NATO and regional partners the OSRH was established in 1991 from the Croatian National Guard during the Croatian War of Independence (1991-95); during the war, the ground forces grew to as many as 60 brigades and dozens of independent battalions, and a single military offensive against Serbian forces in 1995 included some 100,000 Croatian troops; in 2000, Croatia initiated an effort to modernize and reform the OSRH into a small, professional military capable of meeting the challenges of NATO membership (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 29,927 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 758 (2024 est.) --- ## Cuba **Slug:** cuba **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇨🇺 **Codes:** cek: cu, iso2: CU, iso3: CUB, iso_num: 192, genc: CUB, stanag: CUB, internet: .cu ### Introduction **Background:** The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the arrival of Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492, as the country was developed as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule eventually provoked an independence movement, and occasional rebellions were harshly suppressed. US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 assisted the Cubans in overthrowing Spanish rule. The Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence from Spain in 1898, and after three-and-a-half years of subsequent US military rule, Cuba became an independent republic in 1902. Cuba then experienced a string of governments mostly dominated by the military and corrupt politicians. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his authoritarian rule held the subsequent regime together for nearly five decades. He handed off the presidency to his younger brother Raul CASTRO in 2008. Cuba's communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez, hand-picked by Raul CASTRO to succeed him, was approved as president by the National Assembly and took office in 2018. DIAZ-CANEL was appointed First Secretary of the Communist Party in 2021 after the retirement of Raul CASTRO and continues to serve as both president and first secretary. Cuba traditionally and consistently portrays the US embargo, in place since 1961, as the source of its socioeconomic difficulties. As a result of efforts begun in 2014 to reestablish diplomatic relations, the US and Cuba reopened embassies in their respective countries in 2015. The embargo remains in place, however, and the relationship between the US and Cuba remains tense. Illicit migration of Cuban nationals to the US via maritime and overland routes has been a longstanding challenge. In 2017, the US and Cuba signed a Joint Statement ending the so-called "wet-foot, dry-foot" policy, by which Cuban nationals who reached US soil were permitted to stay. Irregular Cuban maritime migration has dropped significantly since 2016, when migrant interdictions at sea topped 5,000, but land border crossings continue. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida **Geographic coordinates:** 21 30 N, 80 00 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 110,860 sq km land: 109,820 sq km water: 1,040 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Pennsylvania **Land boundaries:** total: 28.5 km border countries (1): US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 28.5 km note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of Cuba **Coastline:** 3,735 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October) **Terrain:** mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast **Elevation:** highest point: Pico Turquino 1,974 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 108 m **Natural resources:** cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 61.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 28% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 6.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 27.4% (2023 est.) forest: 34.9% (2023 est.) other: 3.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 8,700 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** large population clusters found throughout the country, the more significant ones being in the larger towns and cities, particularly the capital of Havana **Natural hazards:** the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common **Geography - note:** largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles ### People and Society **Population:** total: 10,059,519 (2025 est.) male: 4,950,615 female: 5,108,904 **Nationality:** noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban **Ethnic groups:** White 64.1%, Mulatto or mixed 26.6%, Black 9.3% (2012 est.) note: data represent racial self-identification from Cuba's 2012 national census **Languages:** Spanish (official) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Christian 58.9%, folk religion 17.6%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, Muslim <1%, other <1%, none 23.2% (2020 est.) note: folk religions include religions of African origin, spiritualism, and others intermingled with Catholicism or Protestantism; data is estimative because no authoritative source on religious affiliation exists for Cuba **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16.3% (male 918,066/female 866,578) 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 3,670,531/female 3,623,658) 65 years and over: 17.2% (2024 est.) (male 852,910/female 1,034,295) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 50.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 22.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 27.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 46.2 years (2025 est.) male: 41 years female: 44.4 years **Population growth rate:** -0.6% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 7.78 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 11.42 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** large population clusters found throughout the country, the more significant ones being in the larger towns and cities, particularly the capital of Havana **Urbanization:** urban population: 77.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.149 million HAVANA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 35 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 80.1 years (2024 est.) male: 77.8 years female: 82.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.49 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.72 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 95.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 91.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 8.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.3% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 13.8% of GDP (2021) 21% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 9.54 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Hospital bed density:** 4.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 95.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 97.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 4.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 2.2% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 24.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 4.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.77 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 16.7% (2025 est.) male: 24.7% (2025 est.) female: 9% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.4% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 58.6% (2019 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 4.8% (2019) women married by age 18: 29.4% (2019) men married by age 18: 5.9% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 8.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 17% national budget (2022 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 97.7% (2019 est.) male: 99% (2019 est.) female: 96.3% (2019 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2023 est.) male: 13 years (2023 est.) female: 15 years (2023 est.) **People - note:** illicit emigration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US including direct flights to Miami and overland via the southwest border; the number of Cubans migrating to the US surged after the announcement of normalization of US-Cuban relations in late December 2014 but has decreased since the end of the so-called "wet-foot, dry-foot" policy on 12 January 2017 ### Environment **Environmental issues:** soil degradation and desertification (brought on by poor farming techniques and natural disasters); biodiversity loss; deforestation; air and water pollution **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October) **Land use:** agricultural land: 61.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 28% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 6.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 27.4% (2023 est.) forest: 34.9% (2023 est.) other: 3.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 77.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 19.716 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 16,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 18.12 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 1.58 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 13.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 23 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 249.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 146.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 2.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.693 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 25.7% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 1.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 740 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 4.519 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 38.12 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Cuba conventional short form: Cuba local long form: República de Cuba local short form: Cuba etymology: the origin of the name is disputed; it could be derived from a local Taino word, either cubao, meaning "where fertile land is abundant," or coabana, meaning "great place" **Government type:** communist state **Capital:** name: Havana geographic coordinates: 23 07 N, 82 21 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November; note - Cuba has been known to alter the schedule of DST on short notice in an attempt to conserve electricity for lighting etymology: Spanish soldier Diego VELAZQUEZ named the city San Cristobal de la Habana, or Saint Christopher of the Habana; "Habana" may have been the name of a local ethnic group, but the meaning of the word is unknown **Administrative divisions:** 15 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Artemisa, Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana (Havana), Las Tunas, Matanzas, Mayabeque, Pinar del Río, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara **Legal system:** civil law system based on Spanish civil code **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest drafted 14 July 2018, approved by the National Assembly 22 December 2018, approved by referendum 24 February 2019 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly of People’s Power; passage requires approval of at least two-thirds majority of the National Assembly membership; amendments to constitutional articles on the authorities of the National Assembly, Council of State, or any rights and duties in the constitution also require approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on the Cuban political, social, and economic system cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: unknown **Suffrage:** 16 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (since 19 April 2018) head of government: Prime Minister Manuel MARRERO Cruz (since 21 December 2019) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president and appointed by the National Assembly election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 19 April 2023 election results: 2023: Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (PCC) reelected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 97.7%; Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (PCC) reelected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 93.4% 2018: Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (PCC) elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 98.8%; Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (PCC) elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 98.1% expected date of next election: 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly of the People's Power (Asamblea nacional del Poder popular) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 470 (all directly elected) electoral system: other systems scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/26/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 55.7% expected date of next election: March 2028 note: the National Candidature Commission submits a slate of approved candidates; to be elected, candidates must receive more than 50% of valid votes, otherwise the seat remains vacant or the Council of State can declare another election **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): People's Supreme Court (consists of court president, vice president, 41 professional justices, and NA lay judges); organization includes the State Council, criminal, civil, administrative, labor, crimes against the state, and military courts) judge selection and term of office: professional judges elected by the National Assembly are not subject to a specific term; lay judges nominated by workplace collectives and neighborhood associations and elected by municipal or provincial assemblies; lay judges appointed for 5-year terms and serve up to 30 days per year subordinate courts: People's Provincial Courts; People's Regional Courts; People's Courts **Political parties:** Cuban Communist Party or PCC **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Lianys TORRES RIVERA (since 14 January 2021) chancery: 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 797-8515 FAX: [1] (202) 797-8521 email address and website: recepcion@usadc.embacuba.cu https://misiones.cubaminrex.cu/en/usa/embassy-cuba-usa **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Mike HAMMER (since 14 November 2024) embassy: Calzada between L & M Streets, Vedado, Havana mailing address: 3200 Havana Place, Washington DC 20521-3200 telephone: [53] (7) 839-4100 FAX: [53] (7) 839-4247 email address and website: acshavana@state.gov https://cu.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ACS, ALBA, AOSIS, CABEI, CELAC, EAEU (observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 20 May 1902 (from US administration); 10 December 1898 (from Spain); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as days of independence **National holiday:** Triumph of the Revolution (Liberation Day), 1 January (1959) **Flag:** description: five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the left side has a five-pointed white star in the center meaning: the blue bands stand for the islands' three former departments: Central, Occidental, and Oriental; the white bands for the purity of the independence ideal; the triangle for liberty, equality, and fraternity; the red color for the blood shed in the independence struggle; the white star, called "La Estrella Solitaria" (the Lone Star), lights the way to freedom and was inspired by the state flag of Texas note: design similar to the Puerto Rican flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed **National symbol(s):** royal palm **National color(s):** red, white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "La Bayamesa" (The Bayamo Song) lyrics/music: Pedro FIGUEREDO history: adopted 1940; Pedro FIGUEREDO first performed it in 1868 during the Ten Years War against the Spanish; a leading figure in the uprising, FIGUEREDO was captured in 1870 and executed by a firing squad; just before being shot, he is said to have shouted, "Morir por la Patria es vivir" (To die for the country is to live), a line from the anthem **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 9 (7 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Old Havana (c); Trinidad and the Valley de los Ingenios (c); San Pedro de la Roca Castle (c); Desembarco del Granma National Park (n); Viñales Valley (c); Archaeological Landscape of the First Coffee Plantations (c); Alejandro de Humboldt National Park (n); Historic Cienfuegos (c); Historic Camagüey (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** still largely state-run planned economy, although privatization increasing under new constitution; widespread protests due to lack of basic necessities and electricity; massive foreign investment increases recently; known tobacco exporter; unique oil-for-doctors relationship with Venezuela; widespread corruption **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $81.165 billion (2024 est.) $81.985 billion (2023 est.) $83.597 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -1.9% (2023 est.) 1.8% (2022 est.) 1.3% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $23,700 (2024 est.) $18,300 (2023 est.) $13,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $259.781 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 76.1% (2022 est.) 151.9% (2021 est.) 11.9% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.3% (2023 est.) industry: 27.5% (2023 est.) services: 70% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 73.3% (2023 est.) government consumption: 25.5% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 12.3% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 10% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 43.5% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -64.6% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, cassava, plantains, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, milk, tomatoes, pumpkins/squash, sweet potatoes, bananas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum, nickel, cobalt, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, construction, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, sugar **Industrial production growth rate:** -0.9% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 4.859 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 1.6% (2024 est.) 1.8% (2023 est.) 1.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 3.9% (2024 est.) male: 4.1% (2024 est.) female: 3.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Budget:** revenues: $54.52 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: $64.64 billion (2017 est.) **Exports:** $8.768 billion (2020 est.) $12.632 billion (2019 est.) $14.53 billion (2018 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 34%, Spain 12%, Germany 6%, Switzerland 5%, Hong Kong 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** tobacco, nickel, liquor, zinc ore, precious metal ore (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $8.067 billion (2020 est.) $10.971 billion (2019 est.) $12.567 billion (2018 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Spain 24%, China 13%, Netherlands 10%, USA 9%, Canada 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** beer, poultry, rice, plastic products, soybean oil (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** Cuban pesos (CUP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 24 (2024 est.) 24 (2023 est.) 24 (2022 est.) 24 (2021 est.) 1 (2020 est.) note: official exchange rate of 24 Cuban pesos per US dollar effective 1 January 2021 ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 7.264 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 11.951 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.352 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 95.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 2.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 1,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 25 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 8,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 34,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 118,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 124 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 850.133 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 850.133 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 70.792 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 26.07 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.59 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 8.01 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 73 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** government owns and controls all broadcast media: 8 national TV channels (Cubavision, Cubavision Plus, Tele Rebelde, Multivision, Educational Channel 1 and 2, Canal Clave, Canal Habana), 2 international channels (Cubavision Internacional and Canal Caribe), multiple regional TV stations, 7 national radio networks, and multiple regional radio stations; the government uses the Radio-TV Marti signal; private ownership of electronic media is officially prohibited, with several online independent news sites tolerated but blocked if critical of the government; YouTube popular; Christian denominations create original video content to distribute via social media (2023) **Internet country code:** .cu **Internet users:** percent of population: 71% (2023 est.) note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may access the Internet in large hotels but are subject to firewalls; some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market or take advantage of public outlets to access limited email and the government-controlled "intranet"; issues relating to COVID-19 impact research into internet adoption, so actual internet user figures may be different than published numbers suggest **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 327,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** CU **Airports:** 120 (2025) **Heliports:** 4 (2025) **Railways:** total: 8,367 km (2017) standard gauge: 8,195 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (124 km electrified) narrow gauge: 172 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge note: As of 2013, 70 km of standard gauge and 12 km of narrow gauge track were not for public use **Merchant marine:** total: 65 (2023) by type: general cargo 13, oil tanker 10, other 42 **Ports:** total ports: 34 (2024) large: 6 medium: 3 small: 10 very small: 6 size unknown: 9 ports with oil terminals: 14 key ports: Antilla, Bahai de la Habana, Bahia de Sagua de Tanamo, Cabanas, Casilda, Cienfuegos, Nuevitas Bay, Puerto Guantanamo, Santiago de Cuba ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias, FAR): Ground Troops (Tropas Terrestres), Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR), Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Forces (Defensas Anti-Aereas y Fuerza Aerea Revolucionaria, DAAFAR) Paramilitary forces under the FAR: Youth Labor Army (Ejercito Juvenil del Trabajo, EJT), Territorial Militia Troops (Milicia de Tropas de Territoriales, MTT), Defense and Production Brigades (Brigadas de Producción y Defensa, BPD), Civil Defense Organization (Defensa Civil de Cuba) Ministry of Interior: National Revolutionary Police (Policía Nacional Revolucionaria, PNR), Directorate of Border Guard Troops (Dirección de Tropas de Guardia Fronteriza, TGF), Department of State Security (Departamento de Seguridad del Estado, DSE) (2025) **Military expenditures:** 4.2% of GDP (2020 est.) 3.2% of GDP (2019 est.) 2.9% of GDP (2018 est.) 2.9% of GDP (2017 est.) 3.1% of GDP (2016 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** limited available information; estimated 50,000 active Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is comprised of Russian and Soviet-era equipment (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** military service is mandatory for all men and voluntary for women (ages 17-28); service obligation is 24 months with the Armed Forces or the Ministry of Interior; reserve commitment for men until age 45 (2025) **Military - note:** the Cuban military is largely focused on protecting territorial integrity and the state; it perceives the US as its primary threat; the military is a central pillar of the Cuban regime and viewed as the guardian of the Cuban revolution; it has an important role in the country’s politics and economy; many senior government posts are held by military officers, and the FAR reportedly has interests in agriculture, banking and finance, construction, import/exports, ports, industry, real estate, retail, shipping, transportation, and tourism (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 171 (2024 est.) IDPs: 37,171 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Cuba does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Cuba remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/cuba/ --- ## Curacao **Slug:** curacao **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇨🇼 **Codes:** cek: uc, iso2: CW, iso3: CUW, iso_num: 531, genc: CUW, stanag: -, internet: .cw ### Introduction **Background:** The original Arawak Indian settlers who arrived on Curaçao from South America in about A.D. 1000 were largely enslaved by the Spanish early in the 16th century and forcibly relocated to other colonies where labor was needed. The Dutch seized Curaçao from the Spanish in 1634. Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, Curaçao was hard hit economically when the Dutch abolished slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of the Isla Refineria to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oilfields. In 1954, Curaçao and several other Dutch Caribbean colonies were reorganized as the Netherlands Antilles, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In referenda in 2005 and 2009, the citizens of Curaçao voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The change in status became effective in 2010 with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, an island in the Caribbean Sea, 55 km off the coast of Venezuela **Geographic coordinates:** 12 10 N, 69 00 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 444 sq km land: 444 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** more than twice the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 364 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semiarid with average rainfall of 60 cm/year **Terrain:** generally low, hilly terrain **Elevation:** highest point: Mt. Christoffel 372 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** calcium phosphates, protected harbors, hot springs **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) arable land: 10% (2018) forest: 0.2% (2022 est.) other: 99.8% (2022 est.) **Irrigated land:** NA **Population distribution:** largest concentration on the island is Willemstad; smaller settlements near the coast can be found throughout the island, particularly in the northwest **Natural hazards:** Curacao is south of the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened **Geography - note:** Curaçao is a part of the Windward Islands (southern) group in the Lesser Antilles ### People and Society **Population:** total: 153,693 (2025 est.) male: 73,992 female: 79,701 **Nationality:** noun: Curacaoan adjective: Curacaoan; Dutch **Ethnic groups:** Curacaoan 75.4%, Dutch 6%, Dominican 3.6%, Colombian 3%, Bonairean, Sint Eustatian, Saban 1.5%, Haitian 1.2%, Surinamese 1.2%, Venezuelan 1.1%, Aruban 1.1%, other 5%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.) **Languages:** Papiamento (official) (a creole language that is a mixture of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, and, to a lesser extent, French, as well as elements of African languages and the language of the Arawak) 80%, Dutch (official) 8.8%, Spanish 5.6%, English (official) 3.1%, other 2.3%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.) note: data represent most spoken language in household **Religions:** Roman Catholic 72.8%, Pentecostal 6.6%, Protestant 3.2%, Adventist 3%, Jehovah's Witness 2%, Evangelical 1.9%, other 3.8%, none 6%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 19.2% (male 15,069/female 14,337) 15-64 years: 62.3% (male 47,258/female 48,217) 65 years and over: 18.5% (2024 est.) (male 11,428/female 16,980) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 61.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 30.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 38.1 years (2025 est.) male: 35.5 years female: 40.2 years **Population growth rate:** 0.25% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 12.71 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.91 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** largest concentration on the island is Willemstad; smaller settlements near the coast can be found throughout the island, particularly in the northwest **Urbanization:** urban population: 89% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 144,000 WILLEMSTAD (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 79.9 years (2024 est.) male: 77.6 years female: 82.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.95 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.95 (2025 est.) **Education expenditure:** 7.4% of GDP (2020 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** waste management, including pollution of marine areas from domestic sewage, inadequate sewage treatment facilities, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, mismanagement of toxic substances, and ineffective regulations; damage from neglect and a lack of controls at major refinery **Climate:** tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semiarid with average rainfall of 60 cm/year **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) arable land: 10% (2018) forest: 0.2% (2022 est.) other: 99.8% (2022 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 89% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 24,700 tons (2024 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Country of Curacao conventional short form: Curacao local long form: Land Curacao (Dutch)/ Pais Korsou (Papiamento) local short form: Curacao (Dutch)/ Korsou (Papiamento) former: Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies etymology: the origin of the name is disputed; many historians now agree that the name derives from a similar-sounding word the original inhabitants used to describe themselves **Government type:** parliamentary democracy **Dependency status:** one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch government responsible for defense and foreign affairs note: the other three constituent countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands are the Netherlands, Aruba, and Sint Maarten **Capital:** name: Willemstad geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 55 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "William's Town" in Dutch; named after Prince WILLEM of Orange (1533-84), the first stadtholder of the United Provinces of the Netherlands **Legal system:** based on Dutch civil law **Constitution:** history: previous 1947, 1955; latest adopted 5 September 2010, entered into force 10 October 2010 (regulates governance of Curacao but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands) **Citizenship:** see the Netherlands **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor Lucille A. GEORGE-WOUT (since 4 November 2013) head of government: Prime Minister Gilmar PISAS (since 14 June 2021) cabinet: Cabinet sworn-in by the governor election/appointment process: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the legislature usually elects the leader of the majority party as prime minister most recent election date: 21 March 2025 expected date of next election: 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament of Curacao legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 21 (directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 3/19/2021 parties elected and seats per party: MFK (9); PAR (4); PNP (4); MAN (2); KEM (1); TPK (1) percentage of women in chamber: 28.6% expected date of next election: 2025 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba or "Joint Court of Justice" (sits as a 3-judge panel); final appeals heard by the Supreme Court in The Hague, Netherlands judge selection and term of office: Joint Court judges appointed by the monarch for life subordinate courts: first instance courts, appeals court; specialized courts **Political parties:** Korsou di Nos Tur or KdnT Korsou Esun Miho or KEM Movementu Futuro Korsou or MFK Movementu Progresivo or MP Movishon Antia Nobo or MAN Partido Antia Restruktura or PAR Partido Inovashon Nashonal or PIN Partido Nashonal di Pueblo or PNP Pueblo Soberano or PS Trabou pa Kòrsou or TPK Un Korsou Hustu **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Consul General Ramón “Chico” NEGRÓN (since 9 June 2025); note - also accredited to Aruba and Sint Maarten embassy: P.O. Box 158, J.B. Gorsiraweg 1 mailing address: 3160 Curacao Place, Washington DC 20521-3160 telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066 FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489 email address and website: ACSCuracao@state.gov https://cw.usconsulate.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACS (associate), Caricom (observer), FATF, ILO, ITU, UNESCO (associate), UPU **Independence:** none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) **National holiday:** King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967) note: King's or Queen's Day are observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a Sunday **Flag:** description: on a blue field, a horizontal yellow band divides the flag below the center; two five-pointed white stars -- the smaller above and to the left of the larger -- appear in the upper left meaning: the blue stands for the sky and sea, and yellow for the sun; the stars symbolize Curacao and its uninhabited sister island of Klein Curacao (Little Curacao); the star points represent the five continents from which Curacao's inhabitants originate **National symbol(s):** laraha (citrus tree) **National color(s):** blue, yellow, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Himmo di Korsou" (Anthem of Curacao) lyrics/music: Guillermo ROSARIO, Mae HENRIQUEZ, Enrique MULLER, Betty DORAN/Frater Candidus NOWENS, Errol "El Toro" COLINA history: adapted 1978; the lyrics, originally written in 1899, were rewritten in 1978 to remove colonial references **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural); note - excerpted from the Netherlands entry selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Willemstad ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income island economy; developed infrastructure; tourism and financial services-based economy; investing in information technology incentives; oil refineries service Venezuela and China **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $4.312 billion (2023 est.) $4.138 billion (2022 est.) $3.834 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.2% (2023 est.) 7.9% (2022 est.) 4.2% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $27,700 (2023 est.) $27,600 (2022 est.) $25,200 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $3.281 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.6% (2019 est.) 2.6% (2018 est.) 1.6% (2017 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.3% (2023 est.) industry: 11.7% (2023 est.) services: 73.3% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 73.2% (2018 est.) government consumption: 14.5% (2018 est.) investment in fixed capital: 34% (2018 est.) investment in inventories: 7.1% (2018 est.) exports of goods and services: 63.2% (2018 est.) imports of goods and services: -92% (2018 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** aloe, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit **Industries:** tourism, petroleum refining, petroleum transshipment, light manufacturing, financial and business services **Remittances:** 5.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 5.2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Current account balance:** -$654.688 million (2023 est.) -$822.667 million (2022 est.) -$508.758 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $2.107 billion (2023 est.) $2.046 billion (2022 est.) $1.363 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Armenia 57%, USA 15%, Guyana 5%, Dominican Republic 4%, Netherlands 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** diamonds, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, gold, petroleum coke (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $2.764 billion (2023 est.) $2.891 billion (2022 est.) $1.91 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 39%, Netherlands 24%, China 6%, Colombia 5%, Brazil 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, garments, plastic products, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.79 (2024 est.) 1.79 (2023 est.) 1.79 (2022 est.) 1.79 (2021 est.) 1.79 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 46,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 174,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 94 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** government-run TeleCuracao operates a TV station and a radio station; 2 other privately owned TV stations and several privately owned radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .cw **Internet users:** percent of population: 68% (2017 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 61,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** PJ **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 57 (2023) by type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 1, other 51 **Ports:** total ports: 4 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 1 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Bullenbaai, Caracasbaai, Sint Michelsbaai, Willemstad ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Curaçao Militia (CURMIL); Curaçao Volunteer Corps; Curacao Police Force (Korps Politie Curacao) (2025) **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the Dutch Government controls foreign and defense policy; local security forces are supported by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Gendarmerie), the Dutch Caribbean Police Force (Korps Politie Caribisch Nederland, KPCN), and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG or Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied (KWCARIB)); there are two Dutch naval bases on Curaçao, and the Dutch Army maintains a small unit on a rotational basis (2025) --- ## Cyprus **Slug:** cyprus **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇨🇾 **Codes:** cek: cy, iso2: CY, iso3: CYP, iso_num: 196, genc: CYP, stanag: CYP, internet: .cy ### Introduction **Background:** A former British colony, Cyprus became independent in 1960 after years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic intercommunal violence continued and forced most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek Government-sponsored attempt to overthrow the elected president of Cyprus was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish Cypriot administered area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC), but it is recognized only by Turkey. A UN-mediated agreement to reunite Cyprus, the Annan Plan, failed to win approval from both communities in 2004. The most recent round of reunification negotiations was suspended in 2017 after failure to achieve a breakthrough. The entire island joined the EU in 2004, although the EU acquis -- the body of common rights and obligations -- applies only to the areas under the internationally recognized government and is suspended in the TRNC. However, individual Turkish Cypriots able to document their eligibility for Republic of Cyprus citizenship have the same legal rights accorded to citizens of other EU states. ### Geography **Location:** Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey; note - Cyprus views itself as part of Europe; geopolitically, it can be classified as falling within Europe, the Middle East, or both **Geographic coordinates:** 35 00 N, 33 00 E **Map references:** Middle East **Area:** total : 9,251 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus) land: 9,241 sq km water: 10 sq km **Area - comparative:** about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut **Land boundaries:** total: 156 km border sovereign base areas: Akrotiri 48 km; Dhekelia 108 km **Coastline:** 648 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters **Terrain:** central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 91 m **Natural resources:** copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment **Land use:** agricultural land: 14% (2023 est.) arable land: 10.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.2% (2023 est.) forest: 18.6% (2023 est.) other: 67.1% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 269 sq km (2020) **Population distribution:** population concentrated in central Nicosia and in the major cities of the south: Paphos, Limassol, and Larnaca **Natural hazards:** moderate earthquake activity; droughts **Geography - note:** the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia) ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,332,293 (2025 est.) male: 681,128 female: 651,165 **Nationality:** noun: Cypriot(s) adjective: Cypriot **Ethnic groups:** Greek 98.8%, other 1% (includes Maronite, Armenian, Turkish-Cypriot), unspecified 0.2% (2011 est.) note: data represent only the Greek-Cypriot citizens in the Republic of Cyprus **Languages:** Greek (official) 80.9%, Turkish (official) 0.2%, English 4.1%, Romanian 2.9%, Russian 2.5%, Bulgarian 2.2%, Arabic 1.2%, Filipino 1.1%, other 4.3%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): Το Παγκόσμιο Βιβλίο Δεδομένων, η απαραίτητη πηγή βασικών πληροφοριών. (Greek) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: data represent only the Republic of Cyprus **Religions:** Eastern Orthodox Christian 89.1%, Roman Catholic 2.9%, Protestant/Anglican 2%, Muslim 1.8%, Buddhist 1%, other (includes Maronite Catholic, Armenian Apostolic, Hindu) 1.4%, unknown 1.1%, none/atheist 0.6% (2011 est.) note: data represent only the government-controlled area of Cyprus **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 15.6% (male 105,533/female 100,099) 15-64 years: 70% (male 486,569/female 437,651) 65 years and over: 14.4% (2024 est.) (male 83,094/female 107,579) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 43.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 22.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 21.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.7 (2025 est.) note: data represent the whole country **Median age:** total: 39.9 years (2025 est.) male: 38.2 years female: 41 years **Population growth rate:** 0.89% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 9.95 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.11 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 6.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population concentrated in central Nicosia and in the major cities of the south: Paphos, Limassol, and Larnaca **Urbanization:** urban population: 67% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.76% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 269,000 NICOSIA (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 30 years (2020 est.) note: data represents only government-controlled areas **Maternal mortality ratio:** 14 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 80.2 years (2024 est.) male: 77.4 years female: 83.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.49 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.73 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9.4% of GDP (2021) 18.3% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.56 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 2.2 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 21.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 9.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.85 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 33.1% (2025 est.) male: 44.1% (2025 est.) female: 22.2% (2025 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 12.5% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2022 est.) male: 16 years (2022 est.) female: 17 years (2022 est.) **People - note:** demographic data for Cyprus represent the population of the government-controlled area and the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, unless otherwise indicated ### Environment **Environmental issues:** scarce water resources; salination; water pollution from sewage, industrial wastes, and pesticides; coastal degradation; erosion; loss of wildlife habitats from urbanization **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters **Land use:** agricultural land: 14% (2023 est.) arable land: 10.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.2% (2023 est.) forest: 18.6% (2023 est.) other: 67.1% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 67% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.76% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 6.837 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 100,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 6.737 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 14.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 769,500 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 17.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 112 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 17 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 177 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 780 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Troodos (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus conventional short form: Cyprus local long form: Kypriaki Dimokratia (Greek)/ Kibris Cumhuriyeti (Turkish) local short form: Kypros (Greek)/ Kibris (Turkish) etymology: the Greek name for the island is Kupros, which is probably derived from the Sumerian kabar, meaning "copper" or "bronze;" copper mines were located on the island in antiquity note: the Turkish Cypriot community, which administers the northern part of the island, refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" or "TRNC" ("Kuzey Kibris Turk Cumhuriyeti" or "KKTC") **Government type:** Republic of Cyprus - presidential republic; self-declared "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC) - parliamentary republic with enhanced presidency note: a separation of the two main ethnic communities inhabiting the island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified when a Greek military-junta-supported coup attempt prompted the Turkish military intervention in July 1974 that gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only internationally recognized government on the island; on 15 November 1983, then Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTAS declared independence and the formation of the "TRNC,” which is recognized only by Turkey **Capital:** name: Nicosia (Lefkosia/Lefkosa) geographic coordinates: 35 10 N, 33 22 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: may have been named after Nike, the Greek goddess of victory; the Greek name for the city, Lefkosia, and the Turkish name, Lefkosa, both mean "White City" **Administrative divisions:** 6 districts; Ammochostos (Famagusta; all but a small part located in the Turkish Cypriot community), Keryneia (Kyrenia; the only district located entirely in the Turkish Cypriot community), Larnaka (Larnaca; with a small part located in the Turkish Cypriot community), Lefkosia (Nicosia; a small part administered by Turkish Cypriots), Lemesos (Limassol), Pafos (Paphos) note: the 5 "districts" of the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" are Gazimagusa (Famagusta), Girne (Kyrenia), Guzelyurt (Morphou), Iskele (Trikomo), Lefkosa (Nicosia) **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law and civil law, with European law supremacy **Constitution:** history: ratified 16 August 1960 amendment process: constitution of the Republic of Cyprus -- proposed by the House of Representatives; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership of the "Greek Community" and the "Turkish Community"; however, all seats of Turkish Cypriot members have remained vacant since 1964 constitution of the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” -- proposed by at least 10 members of the "Assembly of the Republic"; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total Assembly membership and approval by referendum note: in 1963, the constitution was partly suspended as Turkish Cypriots withdrew from the government; Turkish-held territory in 1983 was declared the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"); in 1985, the "TRNC" approved its own constitution **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cyprus dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS (since 28 February 2023) head of government: President Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS (since 28 February 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms) most recent election date: 5 February 2023, with a runoff on 12 February 2023 election results: 2023: Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS (independent) 32%, Andreas MAVROGIANNIS (independent) 29.6%, Averof NEOFYTOU (DISY) 26.1%, Christos CHRISTOU (ELAM) 6%, other 6.3%; percent of vote in second round - Nikos CHRISTODOULIDS 52%, Andreas MAVROGIANNIS 48% 2018: Nikos ANASTASIADIS reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Nikos ANASTASIADIS (DISY) 35.5%, Stavros MALAS (AKEL) 30.2%, Nicolas PAPADOPOULOS (DIKO) 25.7%, other 8.6%; percent of vote in second round - Nikos ANASTASIADIS 56%, Stavros MALAS 44% expected date of next election: 2028 note 1: vice presidency reserved for a Turkish Cypriot, but the post has been vacant since 1974 because Turkish Cypriots do not participate in the Republic of Cyprus Government note 2: under the 1960 constitution, 3 ministerial posts are reserved for Turkish Cypriots, appointed by the vice president, but Greek Cypriots currently hold the positions **Legislative branch:** legislature name: House of Representatives (Vouli Antiprosopon) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 80 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 5/30/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Democratic Rally (DISY) (17); Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL) (15); Democratic Party (DIKO) (9); National Popular Front (ELAM) (4); Movement of Social Democrats (EDEK) (4); Democratic Alignment (DIPA) (4); Cyprus Green Party (KOP) (3) percentage of women in chamber: 14.3% expected date of next election: May 2026 note: the area of Cyprus that Turkish Cypriots administer has a separate unicameral Assembly of the Republic, or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats); members are directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Cyprus (consists of 13 judges, including the court president) judge selection and term of office: Republic of Cyprus Supreme Court judges appointed by the president of the republic on the recommendation of the Supreme Court judges; judges can serve until age 68; "TRNC Supreme Court" judges appointed by the "Supreme Council of Judicature," a 12-member body of judges, the attorney general, appointees by the president of the "TRNC," and by the "Legislative Assembly," and members elected by the bar association; judge tenure NA subordinate courts: Republic of Cyprus district courts; Assize Courts; Administrative Court; specialized courts for issues relating to family, industrial disputes, the military, and rent control; "TRNC Assize Courts"; "TNRC district and family courts" note: the highest court in the TRNC is the Supreme Court (consists of 8 judges, including the court president) **Political parties:** area under government control: Democratic Front or DIPA Democratic Party or DIKO Democratic Rally or DISY Movement of Ecologists - Citizens' Alliance Movement of Social Democrats EDEK National Popular Front or ELAM Progressive Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist Party) Solidarity Movement area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Communal Democracy Party or TDP Communal Liberation Party - New Forces or TKP-YG Cyprus Socialist Party or KSP Democratic Party or DP National Democratic Party or NDP National Unity Party or UBP New Cyprus Party or YKP People's Party or HP Rebirth Party or YDP Republican Turkish Party or CTP United Cyprus Party or BKP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Evangelos SAVVA (since 15 September 2023) chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772 FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710 email address and website: info@cyprusembassy.net https://www.cyprusembassy.net/ consulate(s) general: New York honorary consulate(s): Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Kirkland (WA), Los Angeles, New Orleans, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Julie Davis FISHER (since 21 February 2023); note - Ambassador FISHER is temporarily assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine as Chargé d’ Affaires ad interim; she remains fully accredited in Cyprus embassy: Metochiou and Ploutarchou Street, 2407, Engomi, Nicosia mailing address: 5450 Nicosia Place, Washington DC 20521-5450 telephone: [357] (22) 393939 FAX: [357] (22) 780944 email address and website: ACSNicosia@state.gov https://cy.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** Australia Group, C, CD, CE, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 16 August 1960 (from the UK) note: Turkish Cypriots proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but only Turkey recognizes these proclamations **National holiday:** Independence Day, 1 October (1960) note: Turkish Cypriots celebrate 15 November (1983) as "Republic Day" **Flag:** description: a copper-colored silhouette of the island is centered on a white field above two crossed green olive branches meaning: the olive branches symbolize hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities note 1: one of two national flags that uses a map as a design element; the flag of Kosovo is the other note 2: the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" flag retains the white field of the Cyprus national flag but has narrow horizontal red stripes near the top and bottom edges, with a red crescent and a five-pointed red star between them; the banner is modeled on the Turkish national flag, but with the colors reversed **National symbol(s):** Cypriot mouflon (wild sheep), white dove **National color(s):** blue, white **National coat of arms:** The coat of arms of Cyprus features a yellow shield representing the island’s copper deposits. A dove, one of the national symbols, holds an olive branch symbolizing peace, and olive branches encircle the shield. The year 1960 on the shield is the date of Cyprus’s independence from the United Kingdom. **National anthem(s):** title: "Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian" (Hymn to Freedom) lyrics/music: Dionysios SOLOMOS/Nikolaos MANTZAROS history: adopted 1966; Cyprus uses the Greek national anthem; the Turkish Cypriot community in Cyprus uses Turkey's national anthem **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Paphos; Painted Churches in the Troodos Region; Choirokoitia ### Economy **Economic overview:** services-based, high-income EU island economy; heavy tourism; sustained growth between recovery of national banking system and COVID-19 trade restrictions; high living standards; a known financial hub, its stock exchange functions as an investment bridge between EU-and EEU-member countries note: Even though the whole of the island is part of the EU, implementation of the EU "acquis communautaire" has been suspended in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, known locally as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, until political conditions permit the reunification of the island. Its market-based economy is roughly one-fifth the size of its southern neighbor and is likewise dominated by the service sector with a large portion of the population employed by the government. Manufacturing is limited mainly to food and beverages, furniture and fixtures, construction materials, metal and non-metal products, textiles and clothing. Little trade exists with the Republic of Cyprus outside of construction, historically relying heavily upon Turkey for financial aid, defense, telecommunications, utilities, and postal services. The Turkish Lira is the preferred currency, though foreign currencies are widely accepted in business transactions. **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $50.055 billion (2024 est.) $48.386 billion (2023 est.) $47.085 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.4% (2024 est.) 2.8% (2023 est.) 7.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $53,300 (2024 est.) $52,200 (2023 est.) $51,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $36.333 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.8% (2024 est.) 3.5% (2023 est.) 8.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.2% (2024 est.) industry: 10.3% (2024 est.) services: 76.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 58.9% (2024 est.) government consumption: 18.6% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.5% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -1.6% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 96.7% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -93.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, potatoes, sheep milk, pork, goat milk, wheat, chicken, olives, grapes, barley (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, food and beverage processing, cement and gypsum, ship repair and refurbishment, textiles, light chemicals, metal products, wood, paper, stone and clay products note: area administered by Turkish Cypriots - foodstuffs, textiles, clothing, ship repair, clay, gypsum, copper, furniture **Industrial production growth rate:** 4.6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 772,300 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.7% (2024 est.) 6.1% (2023 est.) 6.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 15.6% (2024 est.) male: 17.4% (2024 est.) female: 13.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 13.9% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 31.5 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.6% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 26.2% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $14.39 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $13.733 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 97.5% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment **Taxes and other revenues:** 24.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$3.05 billion (2024 est.) -$3.831 billion (2023 est.) -$2.178 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $35.12 billion (2024 est.) $32.922 billion (2023 est.) $32.563 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Libya 14%, Greece 11%, Lebanon 8%, Bermuda 7%, Marshall Islands 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, cheese, scented mixtures (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $33.802 billion (2024 est.) $32.556 billion (2023 est.) $31.486 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Greece 20%, UK 10%, Italy 7%, Turkey 6%, Spain 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, ships, cars, packaged medicine, coal tar oil (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $2.088 billion (2024 est.) $1.789 billion (2023 est.) $1.671 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 2.288 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 5.197 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 146.11 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 79.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 16% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 3.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 46,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 71.6 metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 22,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 45,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 107.188 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 245,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 1.51 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 156 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** mix of state and privately run TV and radio; the public broadcaster operates 2 TV channels and 4 radio stations; 6 private TV broadcasters, satellite and cable TV services (including from Greece and Turkey), and a number of private radio stations; in areas administered by Turkish Cypriots, there are 2 public TV stations, 4 public radio stations, 7 privately owned TV stations and 21 privately owned radio stations, 6 radio and 4 TV channels at local universities, 1 military radio station, and 1 radio station for civil defense cooperation, as well as relay stations from Turkey (2019) **Internet country code:** .cy **Internet users:** percent of population: 91% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 357,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 5B **Airports:** 14 (2025) **Heliports:** 68 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 1,005 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 243, container ship 154, general cargo 211, oil tanker 47, other 350 **Ports:** total ports: 6 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 3 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 4 key ports: Dhekelia, Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Xeros ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Cypriot National Guard (Ethniki Froura, EF): Army, Navy, Air Force (2025) **Military expenditures:** 1.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 12-15,000 active Cypriot National Guard (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the National Guard's inventory includes a mix of armaments from a variety of suppliers, including Brazil, Israel, Russia, several European countries, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** all Cypriot men must complete 14 months of compulsory service upon reaching the age of 18; women may volunteer for 6 months of service at age 18; men and women may also enlist as contract soldiers up to age 42 (2025) **Military - note:** established in 1964, the National Guard (EF) is responsible for ensuring Cyprus’s territorial integrity and sovereignty; its primary focus is Turkey, which invaded Cyprus in 1974 and maintains a large military presence in the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus; the majority of the force is deployed along the “Green Line” that separates the Greek Cypriots from the Turkish Cypriots; the EF also participates in some internal missions, such as providing assistance during natural disasters; Greece is its primary security partner and maintains a military presence on Cyprus; the EF has conducted training exercises with other militaries including France, Israel, and the US; since Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, the EF has actively participated in the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy and has sent small numbers of personnel to some EU and missions; Cyprus is also part of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has been deployed in Cyprus since 1964; its mandate includes supervising the de facto ceasefire that came into effect in August 1974 and maintaining a buffer zone between the lines of the Cypriot National Guard and of the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot forces; UNFICYP has about 1,100 personnel assigned (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 73,303 (2024 est.) IDPs: 244,944 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 130 (2024 est.) --- ## Czechia **Slug:** czechia **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇨🇿 **Codes:** cek: ez, iso2: CZ, iso3: CZE, iso_num: 203, genc: CZE, stanag: CZE, internet: .cz ### Introduction **Background:** At the close of World War I, the Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia, a parliamentarian democracy. During the interwar years, having rejected a federal system, the new country's predominantly Czech leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the increasingly strident demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Slovaks, the Sudeten Germans, and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). On the eve of World War II, Nazi Germany occupied the territory that today comprises Czechia, and Slovakia became an independent state allied with Germany. After the war, a reunited but truncated Czechoslovakia (less Ruthenia) fell within the Soviet sphere of influence when the pro-Soviet Communist party staged a coup in February 1948. In 1968, an invasion by fellow Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize communist rule and create "socialism with a human face," ushering in a period of repression known as "normalization." The peaceful "Velvet Revolution" swept the Communist Party from power at the end of 1989 and inaugurated a return to democratic rule and a market economy. On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a nonviolent "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. The country formally added the short-form name Czechia in 2016, while also continuing to use the full form name, the Czech Republic. ### Geography **Location:** Central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria **Geographic coordinates:** 49 45 N, 15 30 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 78,867 sq km land: 77,247 sq km water: 1,620 sq km **Area - comparative:** about two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than South Carolina **Land boundaries:** total: 2,046 km border countries (4): Austria 402 km; Germany 704 km; Poland 699 km; Slovakia 241 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters **Terrain:** Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country **Elevation:** highest point: Snezka 1,602 m lowest point: Labe (Elbe) River 115 m mean elevation: 433 m **Natural resources:** hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 45.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 32.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 12.5% (2023 est.) forest: 38.2% (2023 est.) other: 16% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 220 sq km (2022) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Labe (Elbe) river source (shared with Germany [m]) - 1,252 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, but the northern and eastern regions tend to have larger urban concentrations **Natural hazards:** flooding **Geography - note:** note 1: landlocked; strategically located on some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe note 2: the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the world's deepest surveyed freshwater cave at 519 m (1,703 ft); its survey is not complete, and it may be up to 800-1,200 m (2,625-3,937 ft) deep ### People and Society **Population:** total: 10,838,703 (2025 est.) male: 5,337,128 female: 5,501,575 **Nationality:** noun: Czech(s) adjective: Czech **Ethnic groups:** Czech 57.3%, Moravian 3.4%, other 7.7%, unspecified 31.6% (2021 est.) note: includes only persons with one ethnicity **Languages:** Czech (official) 88.4%, Slovak 1.5%, other 2.6%, unspecified 7.2% (2021 est.) major-language sample(s): World Factbook, nepostradatelný zdroj základních informací. (Czech) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: includes only persons with one mother tongue **Religions:** Roman Catholic 7%, other believers belonging to a church or religious society 6% (includes Evangelical United Brethren Church and Czechoslovak Hussite Church), believers unaffiliated with a religious society 9.1%, none 47.8%, unspecified 30.1% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 15.7% (male 871,303/female 826,896) 15-64 years: 63.8% (male 3,542,298/female 3,373,127) 65 years and over: 20.5% (2024 est.) (male 922,136/female 1,302,130) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 56.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 24.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 32.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 44.4 years (2025 est.) male: 42.7 years female: 45.7 years **Population growth rate:** -0.02% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 9.56 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 11.82 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 2.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, but the northern and eastern regions tend to have larger urban concentrations **Urbanization:** urban population: 74.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.323 million PRAGUE (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 28.5 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 78.6 years (2024 est.) male: 75.6 years female: 81.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.73 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.84 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9.5% of GDP (2021) 16.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.35 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 6.6 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 26% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 12.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 6.77 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 3.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 26.8% (2025 est.) male: 30.8% (2025 est.) female: 23% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 53.7% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 10% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 17 years (2022 est.) male: 16 years (2022 est.) female: 18 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air and water pollution (including acid rain) in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava; pollution from industry, mining, and agriculture **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters **Land use:** agricultural land: 45.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 32.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 12.5% (2023 est.) forest: 38.2% (2023 est.) other: 16% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 74.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 79.901 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 41.667 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 25.707 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 12.527 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 15 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 5.335 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 37.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 626 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 776 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 44 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 13.15 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Bohemian Paradise (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Czech Republic conventional short form: Czechia local long form: Ceska republika local short form: Cesko etymology: name derives from the Czechs, a West Slavic tribe who rose to prominence in the late 9th century A.D.; the tribal name is said to come from an ancestral chief **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Prague geographic coordinates: 50 05 N, 14 28 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name may derive from the old Slavic word "praga" or "prah," meaning "threshold;" it could also be related to the same Slavic root word as the modern Czech "pražiti," a term for woodland cleared by burning **Administrative divisions:** 13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky (South Bohemia), Jihomoravsky (South Moravia), Karlovarsky (Karlovy Vary), Kralovehradecky (Hradec Kralove), Liberecky (Liberec), Moravskoslezsky (Moravia-Silesia), Olomoucky (Olomouc), Pardubicky (Pardubice), Plzensky (Pilsen), Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky (Central Bohemia), Ustecky (Usti), Vysocina (Highlands), Zlinsky (Zlin) **Legal system:** new civil code enacted in 2014, replacing civil code of 1964 based on former Austro-Hungarian civil codes and socialist theory **Constitution:** history: previous 1960; latest ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993 amendment process: passage requires at least three-fifths concurrence of members present in both houses of Parliament **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Czechia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Petr PAVEL (since 9 March 2023) head of government: Prime Minister Andrej BABIS (since 9 December 2025) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms); prime minister appointed by the president for a 4-year term most recent election date: 13-14 January 2023, with a second round on 27-28 January 2023 election results: 2023: Petr PAVEL elected in the second round; percent of vote in the first round - Petr PAVEL (independent) 35.4%, Andrej BABIS (ANO) 35%, Danuse NERUDOVA (Mayors and Independents) 13.9%, Pavel FISCHER (independent) 6.8%; percent of vote in the second round - Petr PAVEL 58.3%, Andrej BABIS 41.6% 2018: Milos ZEMAN reelected president in the second round; percent of vote - Milos ZEMAN (SPO) 51.4%, Jiri DRAHOS (independent) 48.6% expected date of next election: by January 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Parlament) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Poslanecka Snemovna) number of seats: 200 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/3/2025 to 10/4/2025 parties elected and seats per party: ANO (80); SPOLU (52); Mayors and independents (STAN) (22); Czech Pirate Party (18); Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) (15); Motoristé sobě (AUTO) (13) percentage of women in chamber: 33.5% expected date of next election: October 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Senat) number of seats: 81 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 9/20/2024 to 9/28/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Civic Democratic Party (ODS) (8); Christian Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party (KDU - CSL) (7); TOP 09 (3); ANO 2011 (3); Independents (2); Other (4) percentage of women in chamber: 21.3% expected date of next election: September 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (organized into Civil Law and Commercial Division, and Criminal Division each with a court chief justice, vice justice, and several judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 15 justices); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 36 judges, including the court president and vice president, and organized into 6-, 7-, and 9-member chambers) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges proposed by the Chamber of Deputies and appointed by the president; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate; judges appointed for 10-year, renewable terms; Supreme Administrative Court judges selected by the president of the Court; unlimited terms subordinate courts: High Court; regional and district courts **Political parties:** Action of Dissatisfied Citizens or ANO (Akce nespokojených občanů) Christian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-ČSL Civic Democratic Party or ODS Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSČM Czech Pirate Party or Piráti ForMOST or ProMOST Freedom and Direct Democracy or SPD Independents or NEZ Mayors and Independents or STAN Mayors for the Liberec Region or SLK Přísaha Senator 21 or SEN 21 Social Democracy SOCDEM Svobodni Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09 or TOP 09 Tábor 2020 or T2020 United Democrats - Association of Independents or SD-SN **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Miloslav STAŠEK (since 16 September 2022) chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008-3803 telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540 email address and website: washington@embassy.mzv.cz https://www.mzv.cz/washington/ consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Nicholas MERRICK (since 23 October 2025) embassy: Trziste 15, 118 01 Praha 1 - Mala Strana mailing address: 5630 Prague Place, Washington DC 20521-5630 telephone: [420] 257-022-000 FAX: [420] 257-022-809 email address and website: ACSPrg@state.gov https://cz.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) note: although 1 January is the day the Czech Republic came into being, the Czechs commemorate 28 October 1918, the day the former Czechoslovakia declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as their independence day **National holiday:** Czechoslovak Founding Day, 28 October (1918) **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the left side note: combines the white and red of Bohemia with blue from the arms of Moravia; identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia **National symbol(s):** silver (or white) double-tailed rampant lion **National color(s):** white, red, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "Kde domov muj?" (Where is My Home?) lyrics/music: Josef Kajetan TYL/Frantisek Jan SKROUP history: adopted 1993; the anthem was originally written as incidental music for the play "Fidlovacka" (1834), but it soon became popular as an unofficial anthem of the Czech nation; its first verse served as the official Czechoslovak anthem beginning in 1918, and the second verse (Slovak) was dropped after Czechoslovakia was dissolved in 1993 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 17 (16 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Prague (c); Historic Telč (c); Historic Český Krumlov (c); Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape (c); Historic Kutná Hora (c); Holy Trinity Column, Olomouc (c); Karlovy Vary Spa (c); Zatec and the Landscape of Saaz Hops; Žatec and the Landscape of Saaz Hops (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, diversified EU economy; manufacturing-oriented exporter led by automotive industry; moderate growth driven by household consumption and investments, despite negative contribution from net exports; tight labor market with low unemployment; gained energy independence from Russian oil in April 2025 **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $521.928 billion (2024 est.) $516.145 billion (2023 est.) $516.431 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.1% (2024 est.) -0.1% (2023 est.) 2.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $48,000 (2024 est.) $47,500 (2023 est.) $48,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $345.037 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.4% (2024 est.) 10.7% (2023 est.) 15.1% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.5% (2024 est.) industry: 30.2% (2024 est.) services: 59.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 44% (2023 est.) government consumption: 19.7% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 27.3% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.7% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 69% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -64% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, sugar beets, milk, barley, rapeseed, potatoes, maize, triticale, pork, chicken (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** motor vehicles, metallurgy, machinery and equipment, glass, armaments **Industrial production growth rate:** -1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 5.541 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.6% (2024 est.) 2.6% (2023 est.) 2.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 8.4% (2024 est.) male: 8.2% (2024 est.) female: 8.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 10.2% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 25.9 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 15.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 7.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.8% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 21.8% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $94.01 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $106.07 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 12.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $6.047 billion (2024 est.) -$432.727 million (2023 est.) -$13.644 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $239.259 billion (2024 est.) $236.103 billion (2023 est.) $219.419 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 29%, Slovakia 7%, Poland 6%, France 5%, UK 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** cars, vehicle parts/accessories, broadcasting equipment, computers, plastic products (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $216.741 billion (2024 est.) $219.09 billion (2023 est.) $216.042 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 22%, China 17%, Poland 8%, Slovakia 5%, Italy 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** broadcasting equipment, vehicle parts/accessories, cars, plastic products, computers (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $146.281 billion (2024 est.) $148.379 billion (2023 est.) $139.981 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** koruny (CZK) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 23.217 (2024 est.) 22.198 (2023 est.) 23.357 (2022 est.) 21.678 (2021 est.) 23.21 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 21.802 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 63.628 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 22.648 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 13.465 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.012 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 45.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 40.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 4.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 6 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 3.96GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 40% (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 31.946 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 33.239 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 2.128 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 4.09 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 3.595 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 219,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 15 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 163.333 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 6.499 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 6.812 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 3.964 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 136.306 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.16 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 13.6 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 127 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 22 national TV stations, with 17 privately owned; publicly operated Czech Television has 5 national channels; over 350 TV channels, many through cable, satellite, and IPTV subscription services; 63 radio broadcasters operate over 80 radio stations, including 7 multiregional radio stations or networks; publicly owned broadcaster Czech Radio operates 4 national, 14 regional, and 4 Internet stations; both Czech Radio and Czech Television are partly financed through a license fee (2019) **Internet country code:** .cz **Internet users:** percent of population: 86% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 4.1 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** OK **Airports:** 252 (2025) **Heliports:** 107 (2025) **Railways:** total: 9,548 km (2020) 3,242 km electrified ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Czech Armed Forces: Land Forces, Air Force, Special Forces (2025) **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2025 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 28,000 active-duty military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Czech military has a mix of domestically produced, Soviet-era, and more recently acquired modern weapons and equipment from such suppliers as France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and the US; its domestic defense industry produces such items as armored combat vehicles and light attack aircraft (2025) note 1: in 2019, Czechia announced a modernization plan to acquire more Western equipment that was compliant with NATO standards, including armored vehicles, fighter aircraft, and helicopters note 2: during the Cold War, Czechoslovakia was a major producer of armored personnel carriers, military trucks, tanks, and trainer aircraft **Military service age and obligation:** 18-28 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished 2004 (2025) note: as of 2023, women comprised nearly 14% of the military's full-time personnel **Military deployments:** up to 130 Lithuania (NATO); 130 Slovakia (NATO) (2024) **Military - note:** the Czech military is responsible for national and territorial defense, assisting civil authorities during natural disasters or other emergencies, boosting border security alongside the police, participating in international peacekeeping operations, and supporting its collective security commitments to the EU and NATO, both of which Czechia considers pillars of its national security strategy; Czechia is a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, contributes to UN peacekeeping operations, and actively participates in EU military and security missions under the EU Common Security and Defense Policy; the Czech military has been an active member of NATO since the country joined in 2009 and participates in a variety of NATO’s collective defense missions, including contributing to the Enhanced Forward Presence in Eastern Europe, Baltic Air Policing operations, rapid response forces, and operations in Kosovo; it also exercises regularly with NATO partners and maintains close bilateral ties to a number of militaries particularly partner members of the Visegrad Group (Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia) and Germany (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 392,198 (2024 est.) IDPs: 5 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 588 (2024 est.) --- ## Denmark **Slug:** denmark **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇩🇰 **Codes:** cek: da, iso2: DK, iso3: DNK, iso_num: 208, genc: DNK, stanag: DNK, internet: .dk ### Introduction **Background:** Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is part of the general political and economic integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. The country has opted out of certain elements of the EU's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union and justice and home affairs issues. a 2022 referendum resulted in the removal of Denmark's 30-year opt-out on defense issues, now allowing Denmark to participate fully in the EU's Common Security and Defense Policy. ### Geography **Location:** Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes several major islands (Sjaelland, Fyn, and Bornholm) **Geographic coordinates:** 56 00 N, 10 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 43,094 sq km land: 42,434 sq km water: 660 sq km note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major islands of Sjaelland and Fyn) but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland **Area - comparative:** slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts; about two-thirds the size of West Virginia **Land boundaries:** total: 141 km border countries (2): Germany 140 km; Canada 1.3 km **Coastline:** 7,314 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers **Terrain:** low and flat to gently rolling plains **Elevation:** highest point: Store Mollehoj 171 m lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m mean elevation: 34 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, fish, arable land, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand **Land use:** agricultural land: 65.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 59.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 5.6% (2023 est.) forest: 16% (2023 est.) other: 18.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 2,420 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** population centers tend to be along coastal areas, particularly in Copenhagen and the eastern side of the country's mainland **Natural hazards:** flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes **Geography - note:** composed of the Jutland Peninsula and a group of more than 400 islands (Danish Archipelago); controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen ### People and Society **Population:** total: 6,051,491 (2025 est.) male: 3,001,698 female: 3,049,793 **Nationality:** noun: Dane(s) adjective: Danish **Ethnic groups:** Danish (includes Greenlandic (who are predominantly Inuit) and Faroese) 84.2%, Turkish 1.1%, other 14.7% (largest groups are Polish, Romanian, Syrian, Ukrainian, German, and Iraqi) (2023 est.) note: data represent population by country of origin **Languages:** Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority); note - English is the predominant second language major-language sample(s): Verdens Faktabog, den uundværlig kilde til grundlæggende oplysninger. (Danish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Evangelical Lutheran (official) 71.4%, Muslim 4.3%, other/none/unspecified (denominations include Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Serbian Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Baptist, Buddhist, Church of Jesus Christ, Pentecostal, and nondenominational Christian) 24.3% (2024 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16.2% (male 496,793/female 471,018) 15-64 years: 62.9% (male 1,903,315/female 1,856,615) 65 years and over: 20.8% (2024 est.) (male 575,153/female 670,242) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 57.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 24.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 32.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 42.2 years (2025 est.) male: 41 years female: 43.4 years **Population growth rate:** 0.64% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 9.81 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 10.56 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 7.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population centers tend to be along coastal areas, particularly in Copenhagen and the eastern side of the country's mainland **Urbanization:** urban population: 88.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.54% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.381 million COPENHAGEN (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 29.8 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 82.1 years (2024 est.) male: 80.2 years female: 84.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.5 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.73 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9.5% of GDP (2022) 17.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 7.24 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Hospital bed density:** 2.5 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 19.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 9.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 4.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 14.3% (2025 est.) male: 14.4% (2025 est.) female: 14.3% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 54.3% (2024 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 18: 0.7% (2021) **Education expenditure:** 6.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 14.2% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 18 years (2023 est.) male: 18 years (2023 est.) female: 19 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution, principally from vehicle and power-plant emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; water pollution from animal wastes and pesticides **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protection **Climate:** temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 65.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 59.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 5.6% (2023 est.) forest: 16% (2023 est.) other: 18.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 88.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.54% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 29.915 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.54 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 22.535 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 4.841 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 10.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 49.7 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 236.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 54.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 5.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.911 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 35.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 382.787 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 45.076 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 506.487 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 6 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 3 (2024) global geoparks and regional networks: Odsherred; South Fyn Archipelago; Vestjylland (2024) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark conventional short form: Denmark local long form: Kongeriget Danmark local short form: Danmark etymology: the name derives from the words Dane, a tribal name with unclear Germanic origins, and mark, a Danish word that refers to a march (borderland) **Government type:** parliamentary constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Copenhagen geographic coordinates: 55 40 N, 12 35 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October; note - applies to continental Denmark only, not to its North Atlantic components etymology: name derives from the Danish words køber (merchant or buyer) and havn (harbor or port) **Administrative divisions:** metropolitan Denmark - 5 regions (regioner, singular - region); Hovedstaden (Capital), Midtjylland (Central Jutland), Nordjylland (North Jutland), Sjaelland (Zealand), Syddanmark (Southern Denmark) **Legal system:** civil law; judicial review of legislative acts **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 5 June 1953 amendment process: proposed by the Folketing (Parliament) with consent of the government; passage requires approval by the next Folketing following a general election, approval by simple majority vote of at least 40% of voters in a referendum, and assent of the chief of state **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Denmark dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King FREDERIK X (since 14 January 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Mette FREDERIKSEN (since 27 June 2019) cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the monarch usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister note: Queen MARGRETHE II abdicated on 14 January 2024, the first Danish monarch to voluntarily abdicate since King ERIC III in 1146 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Folketinget) legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: The Danish Parliament (Folketinget) number of seats: 179 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/1/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Social Democratic Party (50); Liberal Party (Venstre) (23); Moderates (M) (16); Socialist People's Party (SF) (15); Danish Democrats (Æ) (14); Liberal Alliance (14); Conservative People's Party (10); Unity List-Red-Green Alliance (9); Other (24) percentage of women in chamber: 43.6% expected date of next election: October 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 18 judges) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the monarch upon the recommendation of the Minister of Justice, with the advice of the Judicial Appointments Council, a 6-member independent body of judges and lawyers; judges appointed for life with retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Special Court of Indictment and Revision; 2 High Courts; Maritime and Commercial Court; county courts **Political parties:** The Alternative or AP Conservative People's Party or DKF or C Danish People's Party or DF or O Denmark Democrats or E Green Left or SF or F (formerly Socialist People's Party or SF or F) Liberal Alliance or LA or I Liberal Party (Venstre) or V Moderates or M New Right Party or NB or D Red-Green Alliance (Unity List) or EL Social Democrats or SDP or A Social Liberal Party or SLP or B **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Jesper Møller SØRENSEN (since 15 September 2023) chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470 email address and website: wasamb@um.dk https://usa.um.dk/en consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, Silicon Valley (CA) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth A. HOWERY (since 5 November 2025) embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Kobenhavn 0 mailing address: 5280 Copenhagen Place, Washington DC 20521-5280 telephone: [45] 33-41-71-00 FAX: [45] 35-43-02-23 email address and website: CopenhagenACS@state.gov https://dk.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** ca. 965 (unified and Christianized under Harald I GORMSSON); 5 June 1849 (became a parliamentary constitutional monarchy) **National holiday:** Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) note: closest equivalent to a national holiday **Flag:** description: red field with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the left history: referred to as the Dannebrog (Danish flag) and is one of the oldest national flags in the world; the origin of the design is unclear; one legend says that the banner fell from the sky during an early-13th-century battle and inspired the royal army to victory; in actuality, the flag may derive from a crusade banner note: Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Faroe Islands subsequently adopted the shifted-cross design **National symbol(s):** lion, mute swan **National color(s):** red, white **National coat of arms:** Denmark’s King Frederick VI adopted the national coat of arms in 1819; the crown of King Christian V, who ruled Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, sits atop the shield, symbolizing royal and national authority; the three lions represent a strong and powerful country, with red lily pads in the shape of hearts that stand for strength, valor, and joy **National anthem(s):** title: "Der er et yndigt land" (There is a Lovely Country) lyrics/music: Adam Gottlob OEHLENSCHLAGER/Hans Ernst KROYER; Johannes EWALD/unknown history: adopted 1844; national anthem _____ title: “Kong Christian stod ved højen mast” (King Christian Stood by the Lofty Mast) lyrics/music: Johannes EWALD/unknown history: adopted 1780; one of the oldest royal anthems in the world; used for events when Danish royalty is present; anthem has equal status with the national anthem note: Denmark is one of only two countries that has two national anthems of equal status (New Zealand is the other) **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 12 (8 cultural, 4 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Denmark: Mounds, Runic Stones, and Church at Jelling (c); Roskilde Cathedral (c); Kronborg Castle (c); Wadden Sea (n); Stevns Klint (n); Christiansfeld, Moravian Church Settlement (c); Par force hunting landscape, North Zealand (c); Greenland: Ilulissat Icefjord (n); Kujataa, Norse and Inuit Farming (c); Aasivissuit–Nipisat, Inuit Hunting Ground (c); Viking-Age Ring Fortresses (c); Møns Klint (n) note: includes three sites in Greenland ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, EU-member, trade-oriented Nordic economy; growth driven by pharmaceuticals, energy, and services; large share of employment in public sector; fixed exchange rate pegged to euro; strong fiscal position and declining public debt; tight labor market mitigated by migrant workers and higher retirement age **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $440.558 billion (2024 est.) $424.937 billion (2023 est.) $414.592 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.7% (2024 est.) 2.5% (2023 est.) 1.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $73,700 (2024 est.) $71,500 (2023 est.) $70,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $429.457 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.4% (2024 est.) 3.3% (2023 est.) 7.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.7% (2024 est.) industry: 24% (2024 est.) services: 64% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 45.5% (2023 est.) government consumption: 22.5% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.6% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.2% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 68% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -59.8% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, wheat, potatoes, barley, sugar beets, pork, rapeseed, rye, oats, chicken (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** wind turbines, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, shipbuilding and refurbishment, iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing, machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing, electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products **Industrial production growth rate:** 12% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 3.21 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.6% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 4.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 12.1% (2024 est.) male: 12.3% (2024 est.) female: 11.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 12.4% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 29.3 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 11.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.6% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 24.5% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $149.393 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $136.662 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 35.3% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions **Taxes and other revenues:** 31.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $55.901 billion (2024 est.) $40.061 billion (2023 est.) $46.488 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $299.405 billion (2024 est.) $276.646 billion (2023 est.) $283.37 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 13%, USA 10%, Sweden 9%, Netherlands 7%, China 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** packaged medicine, fish, vaccines, refined petroleum, pork (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $252.954 billion (2024 est.) $243.478 billion (2023 est.) $245.07 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 18%, Sweden 11%, Norway 10%, Netherlands 9%, China 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** natural gas, cars, garments, packaged medicine, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $108.405 billion (2024 est.) $109.371 billion (2023 est.) $96.073 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 6.894 (2024 est.) 6.89 (2023 est.) 7.076 (2022 est.) 6.287 (2021 est.) 6.542 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 20.794 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 35.253 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 16.698 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 19.831 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.825 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 11.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 9.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 57.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 21.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 1.135 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 124,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1.296 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 63,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 151,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 441 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 2.021 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 2.309 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 8.388 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 8.612 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 29.534 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 98.513 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 698,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 7.57 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 127 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** strong public-sector TV presence, with Danmarks Radio (DR) operating 6 channels and TV2 operating roughly a half-dozen channels; private stations are available via satellite and cable feed; DR operates 4 FM radio stations, 10 digital audio stations, and 14 web-based radio stations; 140 commercial and 187 community (non-commercial) radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .dk **Internet users:** percent of population: 100% (2024 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2.65 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** OY **Airports:** 102 (2025) **Heliports:** 29 (2025) **Railways:** total: 2,682 km (2020) 876 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 715 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 15, container ship 132, general cargo 69, oil tanker 107, other 392 **Ports:** total ports: 69 (2024) large: 1 medium: 2 small: 30 very small: 36 ports with oil terminals: 33 key ports: Abenra, Alborg, Arhus, Assens, Augustenborg, Bandholm, Esbjerg, Faborg, Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Haderslev, Holstebro-Stuer, Kalundborg, Kobenhavn, Kolding, Korsor, Marstal, Middelfart, Naestved, Nakskov, Nyborg, Nykobing, Odense, Randers, Ronne, Rudkobing, Sakskobing, Skagen Havn, Sonderborg, Stubbekobing, Studstrup, Svendborg, Vejle ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Danish Armed Forces (Forsvaret): Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force (2025) **Military expenditures:** 3.2% of GDP (2025 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 17,000 active-duty military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Danish military inventory is comprised of modern European, Israeli, US, and domestically produced weapons and equipment; the Danish defense industry is active in the production of naval vessels, defense electronics, and subcomponents of larger weapons systems, such as the US F-35 fighter aircraft; the major warships of the Royal Danish Navy are produced domestically (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service for men and women; draftees serve 11 months, including five months of basic training, followed by six months in an operational unit (2025) note 1: Denmark has had compulsory military service since 1849; conscripts are chosen by lottery; conscientious objectors can choose to instead serve 6 months in a non-military position, for example in Beredskabsstyrelsen (dealing with non-military disasters like fires, flood, pollution, etc.) or overseas foreign aid work note 2: women have been able serve in all military occupations, including combat arms, since 1988; military conscription was extended to women in June 2025 **Military deployments:** Denmark contributes air, ground, and naval forces to a variety of international missions, including grounds troops to NATO's forward defenses in Latvia (2025) **Military - note:** the Danish Armed Forces (Forsvaret) have a variety of missions, including enforcing the country’s sovereignty, monitoring Danish waters and airspace, search and rescue, environmental protection, host nation support for alliance partners, international peacekeeping, fulfilling Denmark’s commitments to NATO, and providing assistance to the police for border control, guard tasks, air surveillance, and during national disasters and other emergencies NATO has been a cornerstone of Danish security and defense police since it joined in 1949 as one of the organization’s original members under the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty); the Forsvaret regularly exercises with NATO allies and participates in a number of NATO missions, including its Enhanced Forward Presence in Eastern Europe, air policing in the Baltics, naval operations in the Baltic Sea and North Atlantic, and an advisory mission in Iraq; the Forsvaret leads NATO’s Multinational Division – North (inaugurated 2019), a headquarters based in Latvia that supports the defense planning of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and the coordination of regional military activities, including NATO’s forward deployed forces; it also takes part in other international missions for Europe and the UN ranging from peacekeeping in Africa to protecting Europe's external borders by patrolling the Mediterranean Sea in support of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency; Denmark is a member of the EU and voted to join the EU’s Common Defense and Security Policy in a 2022 referendum; the Forsvaret cooperates closely with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO; established 2009), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden in such areas as armaments, training and exercises, and operations; it also has a joint composite special operations command with Belgium and the Netherlands the Forsvaret has an Arctic Command to protect the sovereignty of Denmark in the Arctic region, including the Faroe Islands and Greenland, and conducts maritime pollution prevention, environmental monitoring, fishery inspections, search and rescue, and hydrographical surveys, plus support to governmental science missions; there is also a joint service Special Operations Command (SOKOM), which includes the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, an elite unit that patrols the most remote parts of northeast Greenland (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 100,832 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 8,566 (2024 est.) --- ## Dhekelia **Slug:** dhekelia **Region:** Europe **Codes:** cek: dx, genc: XXD, stanag: -, internet: - --- ## Djibouti **Slug:** djibouti **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇩🇯 **Codes:** cek: dj, iso2: DJ, iso3: DJI, iso_num: 262, genc: DJI, stanag: DJI, internet: .dj ### Introduction **Background:** Present-day Djibouti was the site of the medieval Ifat and Adal Sultanates. In the late 19th century, the Afar sultans signed treaties with the French that allowed the latter to establish the colony of French Somaliland in 1862. The French signed additional treaties with the ethnic Somali in 1885. Tension between the ethnic Afar and Somali populations increased over time, as the ethnic Somalis perceived that the French unfairly favored the Afar and gave them disproportionate influence in local governance. In 1958, the French held a referendum that provided residents of French Somaliland the option to either continue their association with France or to join neighboring Somalia as it established its independence. Ethnic Somali protested the vote, because French colonial leaders did not recognize many Somali as residents, which gave the Afar outsized influence in the decision to uphold ties with France. After a second referendum in 1967, the French changed the territory’s name to the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas, in part to underscore their relationship with the ethnic Afar and downplay the significance of the ethnic Somalis. A final referendum in 1977 established Djibouti as an independent nation and granted ethnic Somalis Djiboutian nationality, formally resetting the balance of power between the majority ethnic Somalis and minority ethnic Afar residents. Upon independence, the country was named after its capital city of Djibouti. Hassan Gouled APTIDON, an ethnic Somali leader, installed an authoritarian one-party state and served as president until 1999. Unrest between the Afar minority and Somali majority culminated in a civil war during the 1990s that ended in 2001 with a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Somali Issa-dominated government. In 1999, Djibouti's first multiparty presidential election resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH as president; he was reelected to a second term in 2005 and extended his tenure in office via a constitutional amendment, which allowed him to serve his third and fourth terms, and to begin a fifth term in 2021. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic location at the intersection of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Its ports handle 95% of Ethiopia’s trade. Djibouti’s ports also service transshipments between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The government has longstanding ties to France, which maintains a military presence in the country, as do the US, Japan, Italy, Germany, Spain, and China. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia **Geographic coordinates:** 11 30 N, 43 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 23,200 sq km land: 23,180 sq km water: 20 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than New Jersey **Land boundaries:** total: 528 km border countries (3): Eritrea 125 km; Ethiopia 342 km; Somalia 61 km **Coastline:** 314 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** desert; torrid, dry **Terrain:** coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains **Elevation:** highest point: Moussa Ali 2,021 m lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m mean elevation: 430 m **Natural resources:** potential geothermal power, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum **Land use:** agricultural land: 73.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 73.3% (2023 est.) forest: 0.3% (2023 est.) other: 26.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 10 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Abhe Bad/Abhe Bid Hayk (shared with Ethiopia) - 780 sq km **Population distribution:** most densely populated areas are in the east; the largest city is Djibouti, and the other cities in the country are a fraction of its size, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods volcanism: experiences limited volcanic activity; Ardoukoba (298 m) last erupted in 1978; Manda-Inakir, located along the Ethiopian border, is also historically active **Geography - note:** strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa and the saltiest lake in the world ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,013,703 (2025 est.) male: 458,988 female: 554,715 **Nationality:** noun: Djiboutian(s) adjective: Djiboutian **Ethnic groups:** Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (mostly Yemeni Arab, also French, Ethiopian, and Italian) **Languages:** French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar **Religions:** Sunni Muslim 94% (nearly all Djiboutians), other 6% (mainly foreign-born residents - Shia Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Baha'i, and atheist) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 28.4% (male 141,829/female 140,696) 15-64 years: 67.4% (male 290,654/female 379,778) 65 years and over: 4.2% (2024 est.) (male 18,313/female 23,704) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 48.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 41.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 15.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 26.7 years (2025 est.) male: 24.4 years female: 27.9 years **Population growth rate:** 1.84% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 21.46 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 3.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most densely populated areas are in the east; the largest city is Djibouti, and the other cities in the country are a fraction of its size, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 78.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.56% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 600,000 DJIBOUTI (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.77 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.83 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 162 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 44.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 52.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 38 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 65.9 years (2024 est.) male: 63.4 years female: 68.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.09 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.03 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 84.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 47.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 76.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 15.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 52.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 23.8% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 2.9% of GDP (2021) 5.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 1.4 beds/1,000 population (2018 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 87.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 24.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 74% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 12.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 75.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 26% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 13.5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 17.7% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 46.5% (2017 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 1.4% (2019) women married by age 18: 6.5% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 3.8% of GDP (2018 est.) 14.5% national budget (2018 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution; limited arable land; deforestation (forests threatened by agriculture and the use of wood for fuel); desertification; endangered species **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** desert; torrid, dry **Land use:** agricultural land: 73.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 73.3% (2023 est.) forest: 0.3% (2023 est.) other: 26.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 78.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.56% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 685,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 45,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 640,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 21 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 115,000 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 14.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 16 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 0 cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 300 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti conventional short form: Djibouti local long form: République de Djibouti (French)/ Jumhuriyat Jibuti (Arabic) local short form: Djibouti (French)/ Jibuti (Arabic) former: French Somaliland, French Territory of the Afars and Issas etymology: the country name derives from the capital city of Djibouti **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Djibouti geographic coordinates: 11 35 N, 43 09 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is said to derive from the Afar word gabouri, meaning "plate," in reference to a palm-fiber plate used for ceremonial purposes **Administrative divisions:** 6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah **Legal system:** mixed system based primarily on the French civil code (as it existed in 1997), Islamic religious law (in matters of family law and successions), and customary law **Constitution:** history: approved by referendum 4 September 1992 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or by the National Assembly; Assembly consideration of proposals requires assent of at least one third of the membership; passage requires a simple majority vote by the Assembly and approval by simple majority vote in a referendum; the president can opt to bypass a referendum if adopted by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; constitutional articles on the sovereignty of Djibouti, its republican form of government, and its pluralist form of democracy cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the mother must be a citizen of Djibouti dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil MOHAMED (since 1 April 2013) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term; prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 9 April 2021 election results: 2021: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president for a fifth term; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH (RPP) 97.4%, Zakaria Ismael FARAH (MDEND) 2.7% expected date of next election: April 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 65 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 2/24/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP) (58); Union for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) (7) percentage of women in chamber: 26.2% expected date of next election: February 2028 note: most opposition parties boycotted the 2023 polls, stating the elections were "not free, not transparent, and not democratic" **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Suprême (consists of NA magistrates); Constitutional Council (consists of 6 magistrates) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court magistrates appointed by the president with the advice of the Superior Council of the Magistracy (CSM), a 10-member body consisting of 4 judges, 3 members (non-parliamentarians and judges) appointed by the president, and 3 appointed by the National Assembly president or speaker; magistrates appointed for life with retirement at age 65; Constitutional Council magistrate appointments - 2 by the president of the republic, 2 by the president of the National Assembly, and 2 by the CSM; magistrates appointed for 8-year, non-renewable terms subordinate courts: High Court of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; customary courts; State Court (replaced sharia courts in 2003) **Political parties:** Front for Restoration of Unity and Democracy (Front pour la Restauration de l'Unite Democratique) or FRUD National Democratic Party or PND People's Rally for Progress or RPP Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ Union for the Presidential Majority coalition or UMP Union of Reform Partisans or UPR **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Siad DOUALEH (28 January 2016) chancery: 1156 15th Street NW, Suite 515, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270 FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302 email address and website: info@djiboutiembassyus.org https://www.djiboutiembassyus.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Cynthia KIERSCHT (since 17 October 2024) embassy: Lot 350-B Haramouss, B.P. 185 mailing address: 2150 Djibouti Place, Washington DC 20521-2150 telephone: [253] 21-45-30-00 FAX: [253] 21-45-31-29 email address and website: DjiboutiACS@state.gov https://dj.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, ATMIS, AU, CAEU (candidates), COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 27 June 1977 (from France) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 27 June (1977) **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green, with a white isosceles triangle based on the left side that has a five-pointed red star in the center meaning: blue stands for sea, sky, and the Issa Somali people, green for earth and the Afar people, and white for peace; the red star stands for the struggle for independence and unity **National symbol(s):** red star **National color(s):** light blue, green, white, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Jabuuti" (Djibouti) lyrics/music: Aden ELMI/Abdi ROBLEH history: adopted 1977 ### Economy **Economic overview:** food import-dependent Horn of Africa economy driven by various national military bases and port-based trade; fairly resilient from COVID-19 disruptions; major re-exporter; increasing Ethiopian and Chinese trade relations; investing in infrastructure **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $7.995 billion (2024 est.) $7.546 billion (2023 est.) $7.028 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 6% (2024 est.) 7.4% (2023 est.) 5.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $6,800 (2024 est.) $6,500 (2023 est.) $6,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $4.086 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.1% (2024 est.) 1.5% (2023 est.) 5.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2.6% (2024 est.) industry: 15.4% (2024 est.) services: 75.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 73% (2024 est.) government consumption: 18.8% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 26.3% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -30.1% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 160.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -148.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** vegetables, beans, milk, beef, camel milk, lemons/limes, goat meat, lamb/mutton, tomatoes, beef offal (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** construction, agricultural processing, shipping **Industrial production growth rate:** 9.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 265,200 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 25.9% (2024 est.) 26.2% (2023 est.) 26.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 76.3% (2024 est.) male: 75.3% (2024 est.) female: 77.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 21.1% (2017 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 41.6 (2017 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.9% (2017 est.) highest 10%: 32.3% (2017 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $725 million (2019 est.) expenditures: $754 million (2019 est.) **Current account balance:** $610.124 million (2024 est.) $721.349 million (2023 est.) $656.207 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $5.25 billion (2024 est.) $5.877 billion (2023 est.) $5.674 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Ethiopia 77%, UAE 5%, China 3%, Singapore 2%, France 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** raw sugar, seed oils, cars, palm oil, rice (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $4.765 billion (2024 est.) $5.269 billion (2023 est.) $5.096 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 32%, India 12%, UAE 10%, Turkey 6%, Morocco 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, palm oil, fertilizers, cars, seed oils (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $348.725 million (2024 est.) $502.034 million (2023 est.) $589.437 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $2.531 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Djiboutian francs (DJF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 177.721 (2024 est.) 177.721 (2023 est.) 177.721 (2022 est.) 177.721 (2021 est.) 177.721 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 65% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 72.8% electrification - rural areas: 36.6% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 210,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 584.997 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 512 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 128.74 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 65.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 34.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** exports: 8 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 19,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 10.428 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 28,700 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 559,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned Radiodiffusion-Télévision de Djibouti operates the sole terrestrial TV station, as well as the 2 domestic radio networks; no private TV or radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2019) **Internet country code:** .dj **Internet users:** percent of population: 65% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 17,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** J2 **Airports:** 10 (2025) **Heliports:** 6 (2025) **Railways:** total: 97 km (2017) (Djibouti segment of the 756 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway) standard gauge: 97 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 40 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 1, general cargo 4, oil tanker 13, other 21 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Djibouti, Doraleh ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Djibouti Armed Forces (Forces Armées Djiboutiennes or FAD): Djiboutian (or National) Army, Djiboutian Navy (includes Djiboutian Coast Guard), Djiboutian Air Force; Djiboutian National Gendarmerie Ministry of Interior: National Police (Police Nationale) (2025) note 1: the National Gendarmerie is a security force with military status under the FAD and the Ministry of Defense, but also has responsibilities to the Ministry of Interior; the Gendarmerie's duties include providing security outside of Djibouti City and protecting critical infrastructure within the city, such as the international airport note 2: the National Police are responsible for security within Djibouti City and have primary control over immigration and customs procedures for all land border-crossing points **Military expenditures:** 3.5% of GDP (2019 est.) 3.5% of GDP (2018 est.) 3.3% of GDP (2017 est.) 2.7% of GDP (2016 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2015 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 10-12,000 active Armed Forces, including Gendarmerie (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the FAD's inventory is a mix of mostly older or secondhand equipment from a variety of suppliers, including China, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Africa, Türkiye, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service (2025) **Military deployments:** approximately 1,500 Somalia (AUSSOM) (2025) **Military - note:** Djibouti's military forces are largely focused on border, coastal, and internal security duties; as recently as February 2025, Djiboutian forces have conducted operations near its border with Ethiopia against members of the Armed Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD A), which Djibouti considers a terrorist group China, France, Italy, Japan, and the US maintain bases in Djibouti for regional military missions, including counterterrorism, counter-piracy, crisis response, and security assistance; other countries, such as Germany and Spain, have smaller military contingents; the EU and NATO also maintain a presence in Djibouti to support multinational naval counter-piracy operations and maritime training efforts (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): al-Shabaab note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 32,636 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Djibouti does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so, therefore Djibouti was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/djibouti/ --- ## Dominica **Slug:** dominica **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇩🇲 **Codes:** cek: do, iso2: DM, iso3: DMA, iso_num: 212, genc: DMA, stanag: DMA, internet: .dm ### Introduction **Background:** Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession to Britain in 1763, and Dominica became a British colony in 1805. Slavery ended in 1833, and in 1835, the first three men of African descent were elected to the legislative assembly of Dominica. In 1871, Dominica became first part of the British Leeward Islands and then the British Windward Islands until 1958. In 1967, Dominica became an associated state of the UK, formally taking responsibility for its internal affairs, and the country gained its independence in 1978. In 1980, Dominica's fortunes improved when Mary Eugenia CHARLES -- the first female prime minister in the Caribbean -- replaced a corrupt and tyrannical administration, and she served for the next 15 years. In 2017, Hurricane Maria passed over the island, causing extensive damage to structures, roads, communications, and the power supply, and largely destroying critical agricultural areas. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about halfway between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago **Geographic coordinates:** 15 25 N, 61 20 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 751 sq km land: 751 sq km water: NEGL **Area - comparative:** slightly more than four times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 148 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall **Terrain:** rugged mountains of volcanic origin **Elevation:** highest point: Morne Diablotins 1,447 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** timber, hydropower, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 33.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 22.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.7% (2023 est.) forest: 76.6% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** NA **Population distribution:** population is mostly clustered along the coast, with roughly a third living in the parish of St. George, in or around the capital of Roseau; the volcanic interior is sparsely populated **Natural hazards:** flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months volcanism: Dominica lies in the middle of the volcanic-island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from the island of Saba in the north to Grenada in the south; of the 16 volcanoes that make up this arc, five are located on Dominica, more than any other island in the Caribbean: Morne aux Diables (861 m), Morne Diablotins (1,430 m), Morne Trois Pitons (1,387 m), Watt Mountain (1,224 m), which last erupted in 1997, and Morne Plat Pays (940 m); the two best-known volcanic features on Dominica, the Valley of Desolation and the Boiling Lake thermal areas, lie on the flanks of Watt Mountain, and both are popular tourist destinations **Geography - note:** known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its lush and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest thermally active lake in the world ### People and Society **Population:** total: 74,642 (2025 est.) male: 37,742 female: 36,900 **Nationality:** noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican **Ethnic groups:** African descent 84.5%, mixed 9%, Indigenous 3.8%, other 2.1%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est.) **Languages:** English (official), French patois **Religions:** Roman Catholic 52.7%, Protestant 29.7% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 6.7%, Pentecostal 6.1%, Baptist 5.2%, Christian Union Church 3.9%, Methodist 2.6%, Gospel Mission 2.1%, other Protestant 3.1%), Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, Rastafarian 1.1%, other 4.3%, none 9.4%, unspecified 1.4% (2011 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 20.7% (male 7,891/female 7,530) 15-64 years: 65.6% (male 25,000/female 24,009) 65 years and over: 13.7% (2024 est.) (male 4,862/female 5,369) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 52.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 31.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 21.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 37.5 years (2025 est.) male: 36.5 years female: 37.6 years **Population growth rate:** -0.04% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 13.02 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.15 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -5.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population is mostly clustered along the coast, with roughly a third living in the parish of St. George, in or around the capital of Roseau; the volcanic interior is sparsely populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 72% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 15,000 ROSEAU (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 36 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 10.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 14.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 78.7 years (2024 est.) male: 75.8 years female: 81.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.01 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.98 (2025 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.5% of GDP (2021) 6.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.16 physicians/1,000 population (2018) **Hospital bed density:** 3 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 27.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 6.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.64 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 5.8% national budget (2025 est.) **People - note:** 3,000-3,500 Kalinago (Carib) still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the Caribbean; only 70-100 may be "pure" Kalinago because of years of integration into the broader population ### Environment **Environmental issues:** pollution from agrochemicals and from untreated sewage; forests endangered by the expansion of farming; soil erosion; pollution of the coastal zone from agricultural/industrial chemicals and untreated sewage **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall **Land use:** agricultural land: 33.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 22.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.7% (2023 est.) forest: 76.6% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 72% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 168,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 168,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 7.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 13,200 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 12.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 19 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 0 cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 200 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica conventional short form: Dominica etymology: the island was named by explorer Christopher COLUMBUS for the day of the week on which he spotted it, Sunday (Domingo in Spanish, dominica dies in Latin), 3 November 1493 **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Roseau geographic coordinates: 15 18 N, 61 24 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is French for "reed;" the first settlement was named after the river reeds that grew in the area **Administrative divisions:** 10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter **Legal system:** common law based on the English model **Constitution:** history: previous 1967 (pre-independence); latest presented 25 July 1978, entered into force 3 November 1978 amendment process: proposed by the House of Assembly; passage of amendments to constitutional sections such as fundamental rights and freedoms, the government structure, and constitutional amendment procedures requires approval by three fourths of the Assembly membership in the final reading of the amendment bill, approval by simple majority in a referendum, and assent of the president **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Sylvanie BURTON (since 2 October 2023) head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment process: president nominated by the prime minister and leader of the opposition party and elected by the House of Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 27 September 2023 election results: 2023: parliament elects Sylvanie BURTON (DLP) with 20 votes for and five against 2018: Charles A. SAVARIN (DLP) reelected president unopposed expected date of next election: October 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: House of Assembly legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 32 (21 directly elected; 9 appointed) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 12/6/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Dominica Labor Party (DLP) (19); Independents (2) percentage of women in chamber: 40.6% expected date of next election: December 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; the Caribbean Court of Justice is the final court of appeal judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62 subordinate courts: Court of Summary Jurisdiction; magistrates' courts **Political parties:** Dominica Freedom Party or DFP Dominica Labor Party or DLP Dominica United Workers Party or UWP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Steve FERROL (since 15 September 2023) chancery: 3216 New Mexico Ave NW Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791 email address and website: embdomdc@gmail.com consulate(s) general: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica **International organization participation:** ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, Commonwealth of Nations, ECCU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 3 November 1978 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 3 November (1978) **Flag:** description: green with a centered cross of three equal bands in yellow, black, and white; in the center of the cross is a red disk with a Sisserou parrot surrounded by 10 five-pointed green stars edged in yellow meaning: the stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes); green symbolizes the island's lush vegetation; the tricolor cross represents the Christian Trinity; yellow stands for sunshine, the primary agricultural products (citrus and bananas), and the Carib people; black for the rich soil and the African heritage of most citizens; white for rivers, waterfalls, and the purity of aspirations; the red disc for social justice **National symbol(s):** sisserou parrot, Carib wood flower **National color(s):** green, yellow, black, white, red **National coat of arms:** the coat of arms was adopted on July 21, 1961, and features two sisserou parrots supporting a shield that is divided into four sections by a cross, a reference to the island’s discovery on a Sunday; the quadrants feature a palm tree, a banana tree, a frog that is native to the island, and a canoe on the Caribbean Sea; the golden lion symbolizes Dominica’s past colonial ties with the UK; below the shield is the national motto, which means "After God is the Earth" **National anthem(s):** title: "Isle of Beauty" lyrics/music: Wilfred Oscar Morgan POND/Lemuel McPherson CHRISTIAN history: adopted 1967 ### Economy **Economic overview:** highly agrarian OECS island economy; ECCU-member state; large banana exporter; improved oversight of its citizenship-by-investment program; emerging ecotourism, information and communications, and education industries **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.241 billion (2024 est.) $1.216 billion (2023 est.) $1.173 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.1% (2024 est.) 3.7% (2023 est.) 10.4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $18,700 (2024 est.) $18,300 (2023 est.) $17,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $688.881 million (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.6% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 2.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 12.2% (2024 est.) industry: 13.9% (2024 est.) services: 56.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 87.7% (2018 est.) government consumption: 27.4% (2018 est.) investment in fixed capital: 32.7% (2018 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2018 est.) exports of goods and services: 29.2% (2018 est.) imports of goods and services: -77.8% (2018 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** taro, grapefruits, yams, bananas, coconuts, plantains, milk, yautia, sugarcane, oranges (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes **Industrial production growth rate:** 8.8% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Remittances:** 5.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 5.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 6.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $233.831 million (2017 est.) expenditures: $164.673 million (2017 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Current account balance:** -$160.12 million (2024 est.) -$223.632 million (2023 est.) -$163.746 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $212.753 million (2024 est.) $188.818 million (2023 est.) $173.93 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Bahamas, The 13%, Saudi Arabia 11%, Iceland 10%, Guyana 7%, Antigua & Barbuda 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** iron blocks, medical instruments, excavation machinery, power equipment, soap (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $387.532 million (2024 est.) $417.164 million (2023 est.) $354.27 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 24%, China 11%, Indonesia 8%, Trinidad & Tobago 7%, Italy 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, ships, plastic products, semi-finished iron, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $155.971 million (2024 est.) $183.53 million (2023 est.) $204.343 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $301.191 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2.7 (2024 est.) 2.7 (2023 est.) 2.7 (2022 est.) 2.7 (2021 est.) 2.7 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 41,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 145.827 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 8 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 84.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 15% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 1,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 36.395 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 7,460 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2021 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 56,900 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 85 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** no terrestrial TV service; subscription cable TV provider offers some locally produced programming, plus channels from the US, Latin America, and the Caribbean; state-operated radio broadcasts on 6 stations; privately owned radio broadcasts on about 15 stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .dm **Internet users:** percent of population: 84% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 14,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** J7 **Airports:** 2 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 77 (2023) by type: general cargo 26, oil tanker 10, other 41 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Portsmouth, Roseau ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF) under the Ministry of National Security and Legal Affairs **Military - note:** Dominica has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 5 (2024 est.) --- ## Dominican Republic **Slug:** dominican-republic **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇩🇴 **Codes:** cek: dr, iso2: DO, iso3: DOM, iso_num: 214, genc: DOM, stanag: DOM, internet: .do ### Introduction **Background:** The Taino -- indigenous inhabitants of Hispaniola prior to the arrival of Europeans -- divided the island now known as the Dominican Republic and Haiti into five chiefdoms and territories. Christopher COLUMBUS explored and claimed the island on his first voyage in 1492; it became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but the Haitians conquered and ruled it for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later, they launched a war that restored independence in 1865. A legacy of unsettled and mostly non-representative rule followed, capped by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930 to 1961. Juan BOSCH was elected president in 1962 but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In 1965, the US led an intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in the presidential election. BALAGUER maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years, until international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti **Geographic coordinates:** 19 00 N, 70 40 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 48,670 sq km land: 48,320 sq km water: 350 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly more than twice the size of New Jersey **Land boundaries:** total: 376 km border countries (1): Haiti 376 km **Coastline:** 1,288 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin note: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines **Climate:** tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall **Terrain:** rugged highlands and mountains interspersed with fertile valleys **Elevation:** highest point: Pico Duarte 3,098 m lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m mean elevation: 424 m **Natural resources:** nickel, bauxite, gold, silver, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 55.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 20.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 23.8% (2023 est.) forest: 46.6% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 2,981 sq km (2018) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Lago de Enriquillo - 500 sq km **Population distribution:** coastal development is significant, especially in the southern coastal plains and the Cibao Valley, where population density is highest; smaller population clusters exist in the interior mountains (Cordillera Central) **Natural hazards:** lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts **Geography - note:** shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds makes up the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti); the second largest country in the Antilles (after Cuba); geographically diverse with the Caribbean's tallest mountain, Pico Duarte, and lowest elevation and largest lake, Lago Enriquillo ### People and Society **Population:** total: 10,899,292 (2025 est.) male: 5,506,679 female: 5,392,613 **Nationality:** noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican **Ethnic groups:** mixed 70.4% (Mestizo/Indio 58%, Mulatto 12.4%), Black 15.8%, White 13.5%, other 0.3% (2014 est.) note: respondents self-identified their race; the term "indio" in the Dominican Republic is not associated with people of indigenous ancestry but people of mixed ancestry or skin color between light and dark **Languages:** Spanish (official) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Evangelical 50.2%, Roman Catholic 30.1%, none 18.5%, unspecified 1.2% (2023 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 25.5% (male 1,402,847/female 1,358,833) 15-64 years: 66.9% (male 3,667,584/female 3,563,848) 65 years and over: 7.6% (2024 est.) (male 395,345/female 427,400) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 49.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 37.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 11.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.5 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 29.6 years (2025 est.) male: 29.1 years female: 29.4 years **Population growth rate:** 0.78% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 17.4 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.97 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** coastal development is significant, especially in the southern coastal plains and the Cibao Valley, where population density is highest; smaller population clusters exist in the interior mountains (Cordillera Central) **Urbanization:** urban population: 84.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.524 million SANTO DOMINGO (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 20.9 years (2013 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 124 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 20.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 24.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 72.6 years (2024 est.) male: 71 years female: 74.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.17 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.06 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 97.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 91.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 96.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 8.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 3.2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.9% of GDP (2021) 14.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.43 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 1.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 97.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 91.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 96.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 8.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 3.5% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 27.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 5.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 9.7% (2025 est.) male: 13.5% (2025 est.) female: 5.9% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 3% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 53.2% (2019 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 9.4% (2019) women married by age 18: 31.5% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 3.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 20.9% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 94% (2024 est.) male: 93.6% (2024 est.) female: 94.4% (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2022 est.) male: 13 years (2022 est.) female: 15 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall **Land use:** agricultural land: 55.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 20.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 23.8% (2023 est.) forest: 46.6% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 84.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 29.713 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 5.374 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 19.872 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 4.467 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.064 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 11.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 855 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 659.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 7.563 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 23.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Dominican Republic conventional short form: The Dominican local long form: República Dominicana local short form: La Dominicana former: Santo Domingo (the capital city's name formerly applied to the entire country) etymology: the name is a latinized form of the Spanish term Santo Domingo, meaning "holy Sunday;" Spanish explorers originally settled the island on a Sunday in 1496, and the name was first given to the island of Hispaniola as a whole in 1697 **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Santo Domingo geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 69 54 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after Saint Domingo de GUZMAN (1170-1221), founder of the Dominican Order; the city's full name was originally Santo Domingo de Guzman **Administrative divisions:** 31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabón, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elías Piña, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Hermanas Mirabal, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, María Trinidad Sánchez, Monseñor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Samaná, Sánchez Ramírez, San Cristóbal, San José de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macorís, Santiago, Santiago Rodríguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde **Legal system:** civil law system based on the French civil code; Criminal Procedures Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system **Constitution:** history: many previous (38 total); latest proclaimed 13 June 2015 amendment process: proposed by a special session of the National Congress called the National Revisory Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority approval by at least one half of those present in both houses of the Assembly; passage of amendments to constitutional articles, such as fundamental rights and guarantees, territorial composition, nationality, or the procedures for constitutional reform, also requires approval in a referendum **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Dominican Republic dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal and compulsory; married persons can vote, regardless of age note: members of the armed forces and national police by law cannot vote **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (since 16 August 2020) head of government: President Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (since 16 August 2020) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a maximum of two consecutive terms) most recent election date: 19 May 2024 election results: 2024: Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona reelected president; percent of vote - Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (PRM) 57.5%, Leonel Antonio FERNÁNDEZ Reyna (FP) 28.8%, Abel MARTÍNEZ (PLD) 10.4%, other 3.3% 2020: Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona elected president in first round; percent of vote - Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (PRM) 52.5%, Gonzalo CASTILLO Terrero (PLD) 37.5%, Leonel Antonio FERNÁNDEZ Reyna (FP) 8.9%, other 1.1% expected date of next election: 21 May 2028 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Congress of the Republic (Congreso Nacional de la República) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados) number of seats: 190 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 5/19/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and its allies (146); People’s Force (FP) and its allies (28); Other (16) percentage of women in chamber: 37.4% expected date of next election: May 2028 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Senado) number of seats: 32 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 5/19/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and its allies (24); People’s Force (FP) and its allies (3); Other (5) percentage of women in chamber: 12.5% expected date of next election: May 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia (consists of a minimum of 16 magistrates); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 13 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary composed of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and a non-governing party congressional representative; Supreme Court judges appointed for 7-year terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed for 9-year terms subordinate courts: courts of appeal; courts of first instance; justices of the peace; special courts for juvenile, labor, and land cases; Contentious Administrative Court for cases filed against the government **Political parties:** Alliance for Democracy or APD Broad Front (Frente Amplio) Country Alliance or AP Dominican Liberation Party or PLD Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD Dominicans For Change or DXC Independent Revolutionary Party or PRI Institutional Social Democratic Bloc or BIS Liberal Reformist Party or PRL (formerly the Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic or PLRD) Modern Revolutionary Party or PRM National Progressive Front or FNP People's First Party or PPG People's Force or FP Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador María Isabel CASTILLO BÁEZ (since 11 June 2025) chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280 FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057 email address and website: embassy@drembassyusa.org http://drembassyusa.org/ consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angelos, Miami, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Leah F. CAMPOS (since 19 November 2025) embassy: Av. Republica de Colombia #57, Santo Domingo mailing address: 3470 Santo Domingo Place, Washington DC 20521-3470 telephone: (809) 567-7775 email address and website: SDOAmericans@state.gov https://do.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ACS, AOSIS, BCIE, Caricom (observer), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA (associated member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 27 February 1844 (from Haiti) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 27 February (1844) **Flag:** description: a centered white cross extends to the edges and divides the flag into four rectangles; the top ones are ultramarine blue (left side) and vermilion red, and the bottom ones are vermilion red (left side) and ultramarine blue; a small coat of arms with a shield supported by a laurel branch and a palm branch is at the center of the cross; above the shield, a blue ribbon displays the motto DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty); below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA is on a red ribbon; on the shield, a Bible is opened to a verse that reads "Y la verdad nos hara libre" (And the truth shall set you free) meaning: blue stands for liberty, white for salvation, and red for the blood of heroes **National symbol(s):** palmchat (bird) **National color(s):** red, white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "Himno Nacional" (National Anthem) lyrics/music: Emilio PRUD'HOMME/Jose REYES history: adopted 1934; also known as "Quisqueyanos valientes" (Valiant Sons of Quisqueye); the anthem refers to the Dominican people as Quisqueyanos, which comes from the ethnic name for the island **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Colonial City of Santo Domingo ### Economy **Economic overview:** surging middle-income tourism, construction, mining, and telecommunications OECS economy; major foreign US direct investment and free-trade zones; developing local financial markets; improving debt management; declining poverty **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $276.884 billion (2024 est.) $263.82 billion (2023 est.) $258.16 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5% (2024 est.) 2.2% (2023 est.) 5.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $24,200 (2024 est.) $23,300 (2023 est.) $23,000 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $124.282 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.3% (2024 est.) 4.8% (2023 est.) 8.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 4.5% (2024 est.) industry: 28.7% (2024 est.) services: 59.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 67.7% (2024 est.) government consumption: 11.5% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 26.1% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.9% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 22.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -29% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, bananas, papayas, plantains, avocados, rice, milk, watermelons, vegetables, pineapples (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, sugar processing, gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco, electrical components, medical devices **Industrial production growth rate:** 3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 5.413 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.5% (2024 est.) 5.6% (2023 est.) 5.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 11.7% (2024 est.) male: 9.2% (2024 est.) female: 15.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 23% (2023 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 38.4 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 28.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.3% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 29.1% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 9% of GDP (2024 est.) 8.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 9.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $20.418 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $24.348 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 14.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$4.167 billion (2024 est.) -$4.418 billion (2023 est.) -$6.549 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $28.563 billion (2024 est.) $25.79 billion (2023 est.) $25.169 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 52%, Switzerland 7%, Haiti 6%, China 5%, India 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** medical instruments, tobacco, gold, garments, power equipment (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $36.144 billion (2024 est.) $34.45 billion (2023 est.) $36.838 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 40%, China 18%, Brazil 4%, Spain 4%, Mexico 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, natural gas, plastic products, crude petroleum (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $13.471 billion (2024 est.) $15.547 billion (2023 est.) $14.523 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $35.044 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Dominican pesos (DOP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 59.565 (2024 est.) 56.158 (2023 est.) 55.141 (2022 est.) 57.221 (2021 est.) 56.525 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 98.1% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 98.8% electrification - rural areas: 95% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 6.581 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 22.193 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.369 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 82.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 5.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 4.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 2.356 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 2.356 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 146,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 2.277 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 1.997 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 2.279 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 39.329 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.15 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 10.7 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 94 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** combination of state-owned and privately owned broadcast media; 1 state-owned TV network and a number of private TV networks; networks operate repeaters to extend signals throughout country; over 300 state-owned and privately owned radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .do **Internet users:** percent of population: 85% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.26 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** HI **Airports:** 32 (2025) **Heliports:** 8 (2025) **Railways:** total: 496 km (2014) standard gauge: 354 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 142 km (2014) 0.762-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 40 (2023) by type: container ship 1, general cargo 2, oil tanker 1, other 36 **Ports:** total ports: 17 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 7 very small: 6 size unknown: 2 ports with oil terminals: 7 key ports: Andres (Andres Lng Terminal), Las Calderas, Puerto de Haina, Puerto Plata, Punta Nizao Oil Terminal, San Pedro de Macoris, Santa Barbara de Samana, Santa Cruz de Barahona, Santo Domingo ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic: Army of the Dominican Republic (Ejercito de la República Dominicana, ERD), Navy (Armada de República Dominicana or ARD; includes naval infantry), Dominican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de la República Dominicana, FARD) (2025) note 1: in addition to the three main branches of the military, the Ministry of Defense directs the Specialized Border Security Corps (CESFRONT), the Specialized Corps in Port Security (CESEP), and the Specialized Corps in Airport and Civil Aviation Safety (CESAC); these specialized corps are joint forces, made up of civilians and personnel from all the military branches; they may also assist in overall citizen security working together with the National Police, which is under the Ministry of Interior **Military expenditures:** 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 55-60,000 Armed Forces; up to 35,000 National Police (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's equipment inventory comes largely from the US, with smaller quantities from such suppliers as Brazil and Spain (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 17-early 20s for voluntary military service for men and women (ages vary depending on military service and position; under 18 admitted with permission of parents) (2025) note: as of 2024, women made up approximately 17% of the active-duty military **Military - note:** the military is responsible for defending the independence, integrity, and sovereignty of the Dominican Republic; it also has an internal security role, which includes assisting with airport, border, port, tourism, and urban security, supporting the police in maintaining or restoring public order, countering transnational crime, and providing disaster or emergency relief/management; a key area of focus is securing the country’s 217-mile (350-kilometer) long border with Haiti, where the Army in recent years has assigned thousands of troops to assist with security; these forces complement the personnel of the Border Security Corps permanently deployed along the border; the Air Force and Navy also provide support to the Haitian border mission; the Army has a brigade dedicated to managing and providing relief during natural disasters; the military also contributes personnel to the National Drug Control Directorate, and both the Air Force and Navy devote assets to detecting and interdicting narcotics trafficking; the Navy conducts regular bilateral maritime interdiction exercises with the US Navy (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 1,004 (2024 est.) IDPs: 390 (2023 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025) --- ## Ecuador **Slug:** ecuador **Region:** South America **Flag:** 🇪🇨 **Codes:** cek: ec, iso2: EC, iso3: ECU, iso_num: 218, genc: ECU, stanag: ECU, internet: .ec ### Introduction **Background:** What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito -- the traditional name for the area -- became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty -- New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito -- gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew to become an independent republic in 1830, the traditional name was changed to the "Republic of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador has had nearly 50 years of civilian governance, the period has been marked by political instability. ### Geography **Location:** Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru **Geographic coordinates:** 2 00 S, 77 30 W **Map references:** South America **Area:** total : 283,561 sq km land: 276,841 sq km water: 6,720 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Nevada **Land boundaries:** total: 2,237 km border countries (2): Colombia 708 km; Peru 1529 km **Coastline:** 2,237 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm note: Ecuador has declared its right to extend its continental shelf to 350 nm, measured from the baselines of the Galapagos Archipelago **Climate:** tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands **Terrain:** coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente) **Elevation:** highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 1,117 m note: because the earth is not a perfect sphere and has an equatorial bulge, the highest point on the planet farthest from its center is Mount Chimborazo not Mount Everest, which is merely the highest peak above sea level **Natural resources:** petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 21.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 11.8% (2023 est.) forest: 49.8% (2023 est.) other: 28.6% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 12,520 sq km (2022) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km) **Population distribution:** nearly half of the population is concentrated in the interior, with large concentrations also found along the western coastal strip; the rainforests of the east remain sparsely populated **Natural hazards:** frequent earthquakes; landslides; volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts volcanism: volcanic activity concentrated along the Andes Mountains; Sangay (5,230 m) is mainland Ecuador's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes in the Andes include Antisana, Cayambe, Chacana, Cotopaxi, Guagua Pichincha, Reventador, Sumaco, and Tungurahua; Fernandina (1,476 m), a shield volcano, is the most active of the many Galapagos volcanoes; other historically active Galapagos volcanoes include Wolf, Sierra Negra, Cerro Azul, Pinta, Marchena, and Santiago **Geography - note:** Cotopaxi in the Andes is highest active volcano in world ### People and Society **Population:** total: 18,479,841 (2025 est.) male: 9,097,614 female: 9,382,227 **Nationality:** noun: Ecuadorian(s) adjective: Ecuadorian **Ethnic groups:** Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and White) 77.5%, Montubio 7.7%, Indigenous 7.7%, White 2.2%, Afroecuadorian 2%, Mulatto 1.4%, Black 1.3%, other 0.1% (2022 est.) **Languages:** Spanish (Castilian; official) 98.6%, indigenous 3.9% (Quechua 3.2%, other indigenous 0.7%), foreign 2.8%, other 0.6% (includes Ecuadorian sign language) (2022 est.) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note 1: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census note 2: Quechua and Shuar are official languages of intercultural relations; other indigenous languages are in official use by indigenous peoples in the areas they inhabit **Religions:** Roman Catholic 68.2%, Protestant 19% (Evangelical 18.3%, Adventist 0.6%, other Protestant 0.2%), Jehovah's Witness 1.4%, other 2.3%, none 8.2% don't know/no response 1% (2023 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 26.8% (male 2,505,729/female 2,395,198) 15-64 years: 64.1% (male 5,771,234/female 5,972,938) 65 years and over: 9.1% (2024 est.) (male 746,207/female 918,678) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 55.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 41 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 14.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 28.2 years (2025 est.) male: 27 years female: 28.9 years **Population growth rate:** 0.91% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 17.42 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.12 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** nearly half of the population is concentrated in the interior, with large concentrations also found along the western coastal strip; the rainforests of the east remain sparsely populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 64.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.62% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.142 million Guayaquil, 1.957 million QUITO (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 55 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 74.9 years (2024 est.) male: 69.7 years female: 80.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.17 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.06 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 87.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 95.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 12.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 4.3% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8.3% of GDP (2021) 11.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.31 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Hospital bed density:** 1.3 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 19.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.61 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 9.7% (2025 est.) male: 17.2% (2025 est.) female: 2.4% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 4.9% (2024 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 45.3% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 3.8% (2018) women married by age 18: 22.2% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 3.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 15.5% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 96.3% (2022 est.) male: 96.8% (2022 est.) female: 95.7% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2022 est.) male: 14 years (2022 est.) female: 15 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands **Land use:** agricultural land: 21.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 11.8% (2023 est.) forest: 49.8% (2023 est.) other: 28.6% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 64.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.62% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 38.286 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 39,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 37.711 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 536,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 17.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 454.3 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 346.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 210.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 2.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 5.297 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 28% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 1.293 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 549 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 8.076 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 442.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 3 (2025) global geoparks and regional networks: Imbabura: Napo Sumaco; Tungurahua (2025) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador conventional short form: Ecuador local long form: República del Ecuador local short form: Ecuador former: Quito etymology: the name is the Spanish word for "equator," referring to its geographic position **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Quito geographic coordinates: 0 13 S, 78 30 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: Ecuador has two time zones, including the Galapagos Islands (UTC-6) etymology: named after the Quitu, a Pre-Columbian people who lived in the area; the meaning of their name is unknown **Administrative divisions:** 24 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Cañar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabí, Morona Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Santa Elena, Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora Chinchipe **Legal system:** civil law based on the Chilean civil code with modifications; traditional law in ethnic communities **Constitution:** history: many previous; latest approved 20 October 2008 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic through a referendum, by public petition of at least 1% of registered voters, or by agreement of at least one-third membership of the National Assembly; passage requires two separate readings a year apart and approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, and approval by absolute majority in a referendum; amendments such as changes to the structure of the state, constraints on personal rights and guarantees, or constitutional amendment procedures are not allowed **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years **Suffrage:** 18-65 years of age; universal and compulsory; voluntary for 16-18, over 65, and other eligible voters **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Daniel NOBOA Azin (since 23 November 2023) head of government: President Daniel NOBOA Azin (since 23 November 2023) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 9 February 2025, with a runoff on 13 April 2025 election results: 2025: Daniel NOBOA Azin reelected president; percent of vote in the first round - Daniel NOBOA Azin (ADN) 44.2%, Luisa GONZÁLEZ Alcivar (MRC) 44%, Leonidas IZA (MUPP) 5.3%, other 6.5%; percent of vote in the second round - Daniel NOBOA Azin 55.6%, Luisa GONZÁLEZ Alcivar 44.4% 2023: Daniel NOBOA Azin elected president; percent of vote in the first round - Luisa GONZÁLEZ Alcivar (MRC) 33.6%, Daniel NOBOA Azin (ADN) 23.5%, Christian Gustavo ZURITA Ron (Construye) 16.4%, Jan Tomislav TOPIĆ Feraud (Por Un País Sin Miedo) 14.7%, Otto Ramón SONNENHOLZNER Sper (Avanza) 7.1%, other 4.7%; percent of vote in the second round - Daniel NOBOA Azin 51.8%, Luisa GONZÁLEZ Alcivar 48.2% 2021: Guillermo LASSO Mendoza elected president; percent of vote in the first round - Andres ARAUZ (UNES) 32.7%, Guillermo LASSO Mendoza (CREO) 19.7%, Yaku PEREZ Guartambel (MUPP) 19.4%, Xavier HERVAS Mora (ID) 15.7%, other 12.5%; percent of vote in the second round - Guillermo LASSO Mendoza (CREO) 52.5%, Andres ARAUZ (UNES) 47.5% expected date of next election: 28 February 2029 note 1: the president is both chief of state and head of government note 2: though eligible for a second term, former president Guillermo LASSO announced that he would not run in the 2023 election; President Daniel NOBOA Azin is serving out the remainder of the presidential term (2021–2025) **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 151 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 2/9/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Citizen Revolution Movement (RC) - Renewal Movement (RETO) (67); National Democratic Action (ADN) (66); Pachakutik (9); Other (9) percentage of women in chamber: 45% expected date of next election: February 2029 note 1: all Assembly members have alternates from the same party who cast votes when a primary member is absent, resigns, or is removed from office note 2: on 18 May 2023, Ecuador’s National Electoral Council announced that the legislative and presidential elections - originally scheduled for February 2025 - would be held on 20 August 2023 after President Guillermo LASSO dissolved the National Assembly by decree on 17 May 2023; a return to a regular election cycle will occur in February 2025 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): National Court of Justice or Corte Nacional de Justicia (consists of 21 judges, including the chief justice and organized into 5 specialized chambers); Constitutional Court or Corte Constitucional (consists of the court president and 8 judges) judge selection and term of office: candidates for the National Court of Justice evaluated and appointed justices by the Judicial Council, a 9-member independent body of law professionals; justices elected for 9-year, non-renewable terms, with one third of the membership renewed every 3 years; candidates for the Constitutional Court evaluated and appointed judges by a 6-member independent body of law professionals; judges appointed for 4-year renewable terms subordinate courts: provincial courts (one for each province except Galapagos); fiscal, criminal, and administrative tribunals; Election Dispute Settlement Courts; cantonal courts **Political parties:** Actuemos Ecuador or Actuemos AMIGO movement, Independent Mobilizing Action Generating Opportunities (Movimiento AMIGO (Acción Movilizadora Independiente Generando Oportunidades)) or AM16O Avanza Party or AVANZA Central Democratic Movement or CD Citizen Revolution Movement or MRC or RC5 Creating Opportunities Movement or CREO Democratic Left or ID Democracy Yes Movement (Movimiento Democracia Si) For A Country Without Fear (Por Un País Sin Miedo) (an alliance including PSC, CD, and PSP) Green Movement (Movimiento Verde) Movimiento Construye or Construye National Democratic Action (Acción Democrática Nacional) or ADN Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement or MUPP Patriotic Society Party or PSP People, Equality, and Democracy Party (Partido Pueblo, Igualdad y Democracia) or PID Popular Unity Party (Partido Unidad Popular) or UP Revolutionary and Democratic Ethical Green Movement (Movimiento Verde Ético Revolucionario y Democrático) or MOVER Social Christian Party or PSC Socialist Party Society United for More Action or SUMA Total Renovation Movement (Movimiento Renovacion Total) or RETO **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Pablo Agustín ZAMBRANO Albuja (since 24 July 2025) chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200 FAX: [1] (202) 333-2893 email address and website: eecuusanotifications@mmrree.gob.ec Contact – Washington (cancilleria.gob.ec) consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis (MN), New Haven (CT), New York, Newark (NJ), Phoenix, San Juan (PR) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Lawrence PETRONI (since 17 April 2025) embassy: E12-170 Avenida Avigiras y Avenida Eloy Alfaro, Quito mailing address: 3420 Quito Place, Washington DC 20521-3420 telephone: [593] (2) 398-5000 email address and website: ACSQuito@state.gov https://ec.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Guayaquil **International organization participation:** CAN, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 24 May 1822 (from Spain) **National holiday:** Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809) **Flag:** description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red, with the coat of arms at the center of the flag meaning: yellow stands for sunshine, grain, and mineral wealth; blue for the sky, sea, and rivers; red for patriots' blood spilled in the struggle for freedom and justice note: similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not have a coat of arms **National symbol(s):** Andean condor **National color(s):** yellow, blue, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Salve, O Patria!" (We Salute You, Our Homeland) lyrics/music: Juan Leon MERA/Antonio NEUMANE history: adopted 1948; MERA wrote the lyrics in 1865; only the chorus and second verse are sung **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 5 (3 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Quito (c); Galápagos Islands (n); Historic Cuenca (c); Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System (c); Sangay National Park (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** highly informal South American economy; USD currency user; major banana exporter; hard hit by COVID-19; macroeconomic fragility from oil dependency; successful debt restructuring; China funding budget deficits; social unrest hampering economic activity **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $252.728 billion (2024 est.) $257.889 billion (2023 est.) $252.861 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -2% (2024 est.) 2% (2023 est.) 5.9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $13,900 (2024 est.) $14,300 (2023 est.) $14,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $124.676 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.5% (2024 est.) 2.2% (2023 est.) 3.5% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 9.5% (2024 est.) industry: 26.5% (2024 est.) services: 57.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 64.9% (2024 est.) government consumption: 13.3% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 18.4% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.1% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 30.3% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -26.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** bananas, sugarcane, milk, oil palm fruit, maize, rice, plantains, chicken, pineapples, cocoa beans (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals **Industrial production growth rate:** -3.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 8.821 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.8% (2024 est.) 3.6% (2023 est.) 3.8% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 10.1% (2024 est.) male: 8.3% (2024 est.) female: 13% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 26% (2023 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 44.6 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 25.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.6% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 33.2% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 5.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 4.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $35.962 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $35.969 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 13.1% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $7.082 billion (2024 est.) $2.217 billion (2023 est.) $2.136 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $38.468 billion (2024 est.) $35.687 billion (2023 est.) $36.588 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 22%, China 21%, Panama 12%, Japan 3%, Peru 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, shellfish, bananas, fish, gold (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $33.97 billion (2024 est.) $35.421 billion (2023 est.) $36.644 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 27%, China 20%, Colombia 7%, Brazil 4%, Peru 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, coal tar oil, cars, packaged medicine, plastics (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $6.908 billion (2024 est.) $4.442 billion (2023 est.) $8.459 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $39.658 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** the US dollar became Ecuador's currency in 2001 ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 8.438 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 29.305 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 192 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 466 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 5.119 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 23.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 75.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 14,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 200 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 14,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 24 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 480,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 272,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 8.273 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 271.053 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 271.053 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 10.902 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 35.7 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.22 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 18.4 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 102 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 956 media outlets, of which 89% are private, 5% are public, and 6% belong to small communities; government controls most of the 44 public media stations, including national media and multiple local radio stations; most media outlets are concentrated in Guayas and Pichincha (2022) **Internet country code:** .ec **Internet users:** percent of population: 77% (2024 est.) according to 2021 statistics from Ecuador's Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Society, 50% of homes do not have access to fixed internet **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2.89 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** HC **Airports:** 317 (2025) **Heliports:** 28 (2025) **Railways:** total: 965 km (2022) narrow gauge: 965 km (2022) 1.067-m gauge note: passenger service limited to certain sections of track, mostly for tourist trains **Merchant marine:** total: 154 (2023) by type: container ship 1, general cargo 8, oil tanker 28, other 117 **Ports:** total ports: 6 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 4 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, Puerto Maritimo de Guayaquil ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Ecuadorian Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas del Ecuador): Ground Force (Fuerza Terrestre), Naval Force (Fuerza Naval; includes naval infantry, naval aviation, coast guard), Ecuadorian Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana) (2025) note: the National Police of Ecuador (Policía Nacional del Ecuador) is under the Ministry of Government/Interior **Military expenditures:** 2.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 40,000 active Ecuadorian Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory includes a mix of mostly older and limited quantities of more modern equipment from a variety of sources such as Brazil, Chile, China, France, Italy, Germany, Russia/Soviet-Union, Spain, Turkey, the UK, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-22 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 12-month service obligation; conscription abolished in 2008 (2025) note: in 2024, women made up about 5% of the active military **Military - note:** the military is responsible for preserving Ecuador’s national sovereignty and defending the integrity of the state; it also has some domestic security responsibilities and may complement police operations in maintaining public order if required; the military shares responsibility for border enforcement with the National Police; it participates in bilateral and multinational training exercises and has sent troops on UN peacekeeping missions; the military has defense ties to regional countries, such as Chile, Colombia, and Peru border conflicts with Peru dominated the military’s focus until the late 1990s and border security remains a priority, but in more recent years, security challenges have included counterinsurgency and counternarcotics operations, particularly in the northern border area where violence and other criminal activity related to terrorism, insurgency, and narco-trafficking, as well as refugees, have spilled over the borders with Colombia and Venezuela; the military has established a joint service task force for counterinsurgency and counternarcotics operations and boosted troop deployments along those borders; other missions include countering illegal mining, smuggling, and maritime piracy; since 2012, the Ecuadorian Government has expanded the military’s role in general public security and domestic crime operations, in part due to rising violence, police corruption, and police ineffectiveness; in 2024, Ecuador passed a constitutional amendment formally authorizing the military to participate in complementary security roles such as supporting law enforcement in high-risk areas, conducting joint operations against organized crime, and providing logistical assistance in maintaining public order the military ruled the country from 1963-1966 and 1972-1979, and supported a dictatorship in 1970-1972; during the 1980s, the military remained loyal to the civilian government, but civilian-military relations were at times tenuous, and the military had considerable autonomy from civilian oversight; it was involved in coup attempts in 2000 and 2010 (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Ecuadorian Civilian Space Agency (EXA; a civilian independent research and development institution in charge of the administration and execution of Ecuador’s space program, established 2007) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a small program focused on acquiring and manufacturing satellites; builds scientific satellites; conducts research and develops some space-related technologies; has relationships with China and Russia's space agencies and industries, as well as the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency and its member states (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2007 - an Ecuadorian completed a suborbital astronaut training program provided by Russia 2013 - first two domestically designed and built scientific/technology demonstrator satellites (NEE-01/Pegasus, NEE-02/Krysaor) launched by China and Russia 2021 - signed accords for the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency 2023 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space exploration ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Los Choneros; Los Lobos ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 30,241 (2024 est.) IDPs: 57,402 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Egypt **Slug:** egypt **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇪🇬 **Codes:** cek: eg, iso2: EG, iso3: EGY, iso_num: 818, genc: EGY, stanag: EGY, internet: .eg ### Introduction **Background:** The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations in Egypt. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. Arab conquerors introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and ruled for the next six centuries. The Mamluks, a local military caste, took control around 1250 and continued to govern after the Ottoman Turks conquered Egypt in 1517. Completion of the Suez Canal in 1869 elevated Egypt as an important world transportation hub. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but the country's nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Egypt gained partial independence from the UK in 1922 and full sovereignty in 1952. British forces evacuated the Suez Canal Zone in 1956. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have reaffirmed the time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to meet the demands of Egypt's fast-growing population as it implements large-scale infrastructure projects, energy cooperation, and foreign direct investment appeals. Inspired by the 2010 Tunisian revolution, Egyptian opposition groups led demonstrations and labor strikes countrywide, culminating in President Hosni MUBARAK's ouster in 2011. Egypt's military assumed national leadership until a new legislature was in place in early 2012; later that same year, Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed MORSI won the presidential election. Following protests throughout the spring of 2013 against MORSI's government and the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian Armed Forces intervened and removed MORSI from power in July 2013 and replaced him with interim president Adly MANSOUR. Simultaneously, the government began enacting laws to limit freedoms of assembly and expression. In 2014, voters approved a new constitution by referendum and then elected former defense minister Abdel Fattah EL-SISI president. EL-SISI was reelected to a second four-year term in 2018 and a third term in December 2023. ### Geography **Location:** Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula **Geographic coordinates:** 27 00 N, 30 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 1,001,450 sq km land: 995,450 sq km water: 6,000 sq km **Area - comparative:** more than eight times the size of Ohio; slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico **Land boundaries:** total: 2,612 km border countries (4): Gaza Strip 13 km; Israel 208 km; Libya 1,115 km; Sudan 1,276 km **Coastline:** 2,450 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or the equidistant median line with Cyprus continental shelf: 200 nm **Climate:** desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters **Terrain:** vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m mean elevation: 321 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, rare earth elements, zinc **Land use:** agricultural land: 4.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 0% (2023 est.) other: 95.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 36,500 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Lake Manzala - 1,360 sq km note - largest of Nile Delta lakes **Major rivers (by length in km):** An Nīl (Nile) river mouth (shared with Rwanda [s], Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, and Sudan) - 6,650 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Nubian Aquifer System **Population distribution:** approximately 95% of the population lives within 20 km (12 mi) of the Nile River and its delta; vast areas of the country remain sparsely populated or uninhabited, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes; flash floods; landslides; hot, driving windstorms called khamsin occur in spring; dust storms; sandstorms **Geography - note:** controls Sinai Peninsula, the only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea ### People and Society **Population:** total: 112,870,457 (2025 est.) male: 57,960,635 female: 54,909,822 **Nationality:** noun: Egyptian(s) adjective: Egyptian **Ethnic groups:** Egyptian 99.7%, other 0.3% (2006 est.) note: data represent respondents by nationality **Languages:** Arabic (official); English and French widely understood by educated classes major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، أفضل مصدر للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 90%, Christian (majority Coptic Orthodox, other Christians include Armenian Apostolic, Catholic, Maronite, Orthodox, and Anglican) 10% **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 33.8% (male 19,349,395/female 18,243,571) 15-64 years: 60.6% (male 34,646,369/female 32,792,151) 65 years and over: 5.6% (2024 est.) (male 3,146,720/female 3,069,042) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 63.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 54.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 9.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 10.5 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 24.6 years (2025 est.) male: 24.3 years female: 24.4 years **Population growth rate:** 1.4% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 18.63 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.33 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** approximately 95% of the population lives within 20 km (12 mi) of the Nile River and its delta; vast areas of the country remain sparsely populated or uninhabited, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 43.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 22.183 million CAIRO (capital), 5.588 million Alexandria, 778,000 Bur Sa'id (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 22.6 years (2014 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 17 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 16.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 17.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 75 years (2024 est.) male: 73.8 years female: 76.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.53 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.23 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.6% of GDP (2021) 7.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.67 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Hospital bed density:** 1.1 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.9% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 32% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 25.8% (2025 est.) male: 51% (2025 est.) female: 0.3% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 3.7% (2021 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 65.6% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 1.8% (2021) women married by age 18: 15.8% (2021) **Education expenditure:** 3.9% of GDP (2015 est.) 12% national budget (2015 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 79.5% (2022 est.) male: 85.3% (2022 est.) female: 73.3% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2023 est.) male: 13 years (2023 est.) female: 13 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** rapid growth in population straining natural resources; increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam; desertification; oil pollution in coastal ecosystems; water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and industrial effluents; limited natural freshwater resources away from the Nile **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters **Land use:** agricultural land: 4.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 0% (2023 est.) other: 95.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 43.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 236.618 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 6.966 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 114.507 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 115.144 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 66.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 690.8 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 548.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 874 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 9.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 21 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 26.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 10.75 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 5.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 61.35 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 57.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt conventional short form: Egypt local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah local short form: Misr former: United Arab Republic (short-lived unification with Syria) etymology: the English name Egypt derives from the ancient Greek name for the country, "Aguptos," and the ancient Roman name, "Aegyptus," with the Greek form coming from the words aia gupos, or "land of the vulture;" the Arabic name for the country, Misr, can be traced to the Assyrian word misir, meaning "fort" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Cairo geographic coordinates: 30 03 N, 31 15 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in April; ends last Friday in October etymology: the ancient Egyptian name of the original city was Khere-ohe or Kheri-aha; the modern city's name may also derive from the Arabic al-qahir, meaning "the victorious;" this is an Arabic name for the planet Mars, which was in the ascendant on the day in 969 A.D. when construction on the new part of the city began **Administrative divisions:** 27 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah (Alexandria), Al Isma'iliyah (Ismailia), Al Jizah (Giza), Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah (Cairo), Al Qalyubiyah, Al Uqsur (Luxor), Al Wadi al Jadid (New Valley), As Suways (Suez), Ash Sharqiyah, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id (Port Said), Dumyat (Damietta), Janub Sina' (South Sinai), Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina' (North Sinai), Suhaj **Legal system:** mixed system based on Napoleonic civil and penal law, Islamic religious law, and vestiges of colonial-era laws; Supreme Constitutional Court reviews laws **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest approved by a constitutional committee in December 2013, approved by referendum held on 14-15 January 2014, ratified by interim president on 19 January 2014 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or by one fifth of the House of Representatives members; a decision to accept the proposal requires majority vote by House members; passage of amendment requires a two-thirds majority vote by House members and passage by majority vote in a referendum; articles of reelection of the president and principles of freedom are not amendable unless the amendment "brings more guarantees" **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: if the father was born in Egypt dual citizenship recognized: only with prior permission from the government residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal and compulsory **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Abdel Fattah EL-SISI (since 8 June 2014) head of government: Prime Minister Mostafa MADBOULY (since 7 June 2018) cabinet: Cabinet ministers nominated by the executive branch and approved by the House of Representatives election/appointment process: president elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 6-year term (eligible for 3 consecutive terms); prime minister appointed by the president, approved by the House of Representatives most recent election date: 10-12 December 2023 election results: 2023: Abdel Fattah EL-SISI reelected president in first round; percent of valid votes cast - Abdel Fattah EL-SISI (independent) 89.6%, Hazam OMAR (Republican People’s Party) 4.5%, Farid ZAHRAN (Egyptian Social Democratic Party 4%, Abdel-Samad YAMAMA 1.9% 2018: Abdelfattah ELSISI reelected president in first round; percent of valid votes cast - Abdelfattah ELSISI (independent) 97.1%, Moussa Mostafa MOUSSA (El Ghad Party) 2.9%; note - more than 7% of ballots cast were deemed invalid expected date of next election: 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nuwab) number of seats: 596 (568 directly elected; 28 appointed) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 10/24/2020 to 12/8/2020 parties elected and seats per party: Future of the Nation (Mostakbal Watan) (317); Republican People's party (El Shaab el Gomhory) (49); Independents (117); Other (109) percentage of women in chamber: 27.7% expected date of next election: November 2025 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Majlis Al-Shiyoukh) number of seats: 300 (200 directly elected; 100 appointed) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 8/4/2025 to 8/28/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Future of the Nation (Mostakbal Watan) (148); Republican People's party (17); Independents (88); Other (47) percentage of women in chamber: 10.7% expected date of next election: July 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) (consists of the court president and 10 justices); the SCC serves as the final court of arbitration on the constitutionality of laws and conflicts between lower courts regarding jurisdiction and rulings; Court of Cassation (CC) (consists of the court president and 550 judges organized in circuits with cases heard by panels of 5 judges); the CC is the highest appeals body for civil and criminal cases, also known as "ordinary justices"; Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) (consists of the court president and NA judges and organized in circuits with cases heard by panels of 5 judges); the SAC is the highest court of the State Council judge selection and term of office: under the 2014 constitution, all judges and justices selected and appointed by the Supreme Judiciary Council and approved as a formality by the president of the Republic; judges appointed for life; under the 2019 amendments, the president has the power to appoint heads of judiciary authorities and courts, the prosecutor general, and the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; courts of limited jurisdiction; Family Court (established in 2004) **Political parties:** Al-Nour Arab Democratic Nasserist Party Congress Party Conservative Party Democratic Peace Party Egyptian National Movement Party Egyptian Social Democratic Party El Ghad Party El Serh El Masry el Hor Eradet Geel Party Free Egyptians Party Freedom Party Justice Party Homeland’s Protector Party Modern Egypt Party My Homeland Egypt Party Nation's Future Party (Mostaqbal Watan) National Progressive Unionist (Tagammu) Party Reform and Development Party Republican People’s Party Revolutionary Guards Party Wafd Party **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Motaz Mounir ZAHRAN (since 17 September 2020) chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400 FAX: (202) 244-4319 email address and website: embassy@egyptembassy.net https://www.egyptembassy.net/ consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Herro MUSTAFA GARG (since 15 November 2023) embassy: 5 Tawfik Diab St., Garden City, Cairo mailing address: 7700 Cairo Place, Washington DC 20512-7700 telephone: [20-2] 2797-3300 FAX: [20-2] 2797-3200 email address and website: ConsularCairoACS@state.gov https://eg.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Alexandria **International organization participation:** ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BRICS, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CD, CICA, COMESA, D-8, EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, LCBC (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 28 February 1922 (from UK protectorate status; the military-led revolution that began on 23 July 1952 led to a republic being declared on 18 June 1953 and all British troops withdrawn on 18 June 1956) note: the Two Lands of Upper (southern) and Lower (northern) Egypt were first united politically around 3200 B.C. **National holiday:** Revolution Day, 23 July (1952) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; centered in the white band is the national emblem, a gold Eagle of Saladin; it faces the left side, with a shield on its chest, above a scroll with the country's name in Arabic meaning: the band colors derive from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black) overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white) note: similar to the flags of Syria (two green stars in the white band), Iraq (an Arabic inscription centered in the white band), and Yemen (plain white band) **National symbol(s):** golden eagle, white lotus **National color(s):** red, white, black **National coat of arms:** adopted in 1984, the coat of arms features the national symbol, the Eagle of Saladin; the eagle holds a golden scroll with the name of the country, “Gumhuriyet Miṣr al-ʿArabiyyah” (Arab Republic of Egypt), in Arabic script; the shield on the eagle’s chest shows the national colors of red, white, and black **National anthem(s):** title: "Bilady, Bilady, Bilady" (My Homeland, My Homeland, My Homeland) lyrics/music: Younis-al QADI/Sayed DARWISH history: adopted 1979; the current anthem was written after the 1979 peace treaty with Israel; the composer is considered the father of modern Egyptian music; of the three verses, only the first verse is sung, preceded and followed by the chorus **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 7 (6 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Memphis and its Necropolis (c); Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis (c); Nubian Monuments (c); Saint Catherine Area (c); Abu Mena (c); Historic Cairo (c); Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley) (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** Africa’s second-largest economy; 2030 Vision to diversify markets and energy infrastructure; improving fiscal, external, and current accounts; underperforming private sector; poor labor force participation; expanded credit access **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.958 trillion (2024 est.) $1.912 trillion (2023 est.) $1.842 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.4% (2024 est.) 3.8% (2023 est.) 6.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $16,800 (2024 est.) $16,700 (2023 est.) $16,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $389.06 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 28.3% (2024 est.) 33.9% (2023 est.) 13.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 13.7% (2024 est.) industry: 32.6% (2024 est.) services: 48.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 87.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 6.3% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 11.7% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 1.3% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 16.4% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -23.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, sugar beets, wheat, maize, potatoes, tomatoes, rice, milk, onions, oranges (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light manufactures **Industrial production growth rate:** -1.9% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 33.749 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 7.2% (2024 est.) 7.4% (2023 est.) 7.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 18.7% (2024 est.) male: 12.4% (2024 est.) female: 47.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 29.7% (2019 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 28.5 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 36.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 4.2% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 24.6% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 4.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 7.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $69.999 billion (2015 est.) expenditures: $96.057 billion (2015 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 103% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover central government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are sold at public auctions **Taxes and other revenues:** 12.5% (of GDP) (2015 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$12.564 billion (2023 est.) -$10.537 billion (2022 est.) -$18.611 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $68.218 billion (2023 est.) $76.295 billion (2022 est.) $58.339 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Saudi Arabia 10%, Turkey 9%, Italy 6%, USA 5%, UAE 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, natural gas, fertilizers, garments, crude petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $82.265 billion (2023 est.) $97.144 billion (2022 est.) $94.039 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 16%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Russia 6%, USA 6%, Germany 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, wheat, plastics, natural gas, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $44.921 billion (2024 est.) $33.07 billion (2023 est.) $32.144 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $117.272 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Egyptian pounds (EGP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 45.299 (2024 est.) 30.626 (2023 est.) 19.16 (2022 est.) 15.645 (2021 est.) 15.759 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 59.68 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 162.026 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 1.785 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 187 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 45.67 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 87.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 2.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 4 (2025) **Coal:** production: 69,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 3.262 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 68,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 3.263 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 182 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 667,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 830,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 3.3 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 57.181 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 58.695 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 5.344 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 9.126 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.784 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 34.975 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 13.3 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 113 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 97 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** mix of state-run and private broadcast media; state-run TV operates 2 national and 6 regional terrestrial networks, as well as a few satellite channels; dozens of private satellite channels and a large number of Arabic satellite channels are available for free; some limited satellite services are also available via subscription; state-run radio operates about 30 stations belonging to 8 networks; privately-owned radio includes 8 major stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .eg **Internet users:** percent of population: 73% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 13.6 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** SU **Airports:** 73 (2025) **Heliports:** 60 (2025) **Railways:** total: 5,085 km (2014) standard gauge: 5,085 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 441 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 14, container ship 6, general cargo 23, oil tanker 42, other 356 **Ports:** total ports: 31 (2024) large: 5 medium: 1 small: 8 very small: 16 size unknown: 1 ports with oil terminals: 17 key ports: Ain Sukhna Terminal, Al Iskandariyh (Alexandria), As Suways, Bur Sa'id, Damietta, Ras Shukhier ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Egyptian Armed Forces (EAF): Army (includes Republican Guard), Navy (includes Coast Guard), Air Force, Air Defense Forces, Border Guard Forces Interior Ministry: Public Security Sector Police, the Central Security Force, National Security Agency (2025) note: the Public Security Sector Police are responsible for law enforcement nationwide; the Central Security Force protects infrastructure and is responsible for crowd control; the National Security Agency is responsible for internal security threats and counterterrorism along with other security services **Military expenditures:** 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 450,000 active Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the EAF's inventory is comprised of a mix of domestically produced, Soviet-era, and more modern, typically Western, weapons systems; in recent years, the EAF has embarked on an equipment modernization program with purchases from foreign suppliers, including China, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, UAE, the UK, and the US; Egypt's defense industry produces a range of products from small arms to armored vehicles and naval vessels; it also has licensed and co-production agreements with several countries, including Germany and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** voluntary enlistment possible from age 16 for men and 17 for women; 18-30 years of age for compulsory service for men; service obligation 14-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve obligation; active service length depends on education; high school drop-outs serve for the full 36 months, while college graduates serve for lesser periods of time, depending on their education level (2025) **Military deployments:** 775 (plus nearly 200 police) Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,100 Somalia (AUSSOM); also has about 200 police deployed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo under MONUSCO (2025) **Military - note:** the Egyptian Armed Forces (EAF) are responsible for external defense but also have an internal role assisting police and paramilitary security forces during emergencies and in anti-terrorism operations; the EAF participates in foreign peacekeeping and other security missions, as well as both bilateral and multinational exercises; the military has considerable political power and independence; it has long had a role in Egypt’s politics and has a stake in the civilian economy, including running banks, businesses, gas stations, shipping lines, and utilities, and producing consumer and industrial goods, importing commodities, and building and managing infrastructure projects, such as bridges, roads, hospitals, and housing key areas of concern for the EAF include Islamist militant groups operating out of the Sinai Peninsula, regional challenges such as ongoing conflicts and instability, and maritime security; since 2011, the EAF has been conducting operations alongside other security forces in the North Sinai governorate against several militant groups, particularly the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); over the past decade, it has deployed additional units along the border with Libya, provided air support to the Saudi-led coalition's intervention in Yemen, and most recently boosted its presence on the border with Gaza in response to the HAMAS-Israel conflict; the Navy in recent years has sought to modernize and expand its capabilities and profile in the Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea, including the acquisition of helicopter carriers, modern frigates, and attack submarines, as well as the establishment of a joint service military base on the Red Sea the Multinational Force & Observers (MFO) has operated in the Sinai since 1982 as a peacekeeping and monitoring force to supervise the implementation of the security provisions of the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace; the MFO is an independent international organization, created by agreement between Egypt and Israel; it has about 1,150 troops from 13 countries; Colombia, Fiji, and the US are the leading providers of troops to the MFO (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA; established 2019); National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Science (NARSS; formed in 1994 from the Remote Sensing Center, which was established in 1971) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a growing space program and seeks to become a regional space power; operates satellites; builds satellites jointly with foreign partners but developing localized satellite manufacturing and support infrastructure; acquiring other space-related technologies through transfers and domestic development, including in communications, Earth imaging/remote sensing (RS), and satellite payloads and components; works with a variety of foreign governments and commercial space companies, including those of Belarus, Canada, China, the ESA and its member states (particularly France, Germany, Italy), Ghana, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Nigeria, Russia, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, Ukraine, the UAE, and the US; also a member of the Arab Space Coordination Group; has an active commercial space sector (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1960 - initiated a space program 1998 - first communications satellite (NileSat-101) built in Europe and launched on a European rocket (first African country to have its own communications satellite) 2007 - first remote sensing (RS) satellite (Egypsat-1) built and launched by Russia 2019 - first domestically produced RS cube satellites (NARSSCube-1 and 2) released from International Space Station; signed agreement with China for construction of satellite assembly, integrating, and testing facilities 2020 - announced a 10-year national space program, including initiating an astronaut training program and jointly developing with several African countries an RS satellite for monitoring climate changes 2022 - inaugurated a “space city” containing a satellite manufacturing facility, a research center, a space academy, and the headquarters of the African Space Agency (AfSA; inaugurated 2025); latest NileSat-series (NileSat-301) communications satellite acquired from Europe and launched by the US 2023 - three RS satellites (Horus-1, Horus-2, and MisrSat-2) built jointly with and launched by China; joined the China-led International Lunar Research Station project 2024 - experimental RS satellite (Nexsat-1) jointly developed with a European commercial company and launched by China ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Army of Islam; Harakat Sawa'd Misr (HASM); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Sinai Province (ISIS-SP); al-Qa’ida note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 876,962 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 5 (2024 est.) --- ## El Salvador **Slug:** el-salvador **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇸🇻 **Codes:** cek: es, iso2: SV, iso3: SLV, iso_num: 222, genc: SLV, stanag: SLV, internet: .sv ### Introduction **Background:** El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms. El Salvador is beset by one of the world's highest homicide rates and pervasive criminal gangs. ### Geography **Location:** Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras **Geographic coordinates:** 13 50 N, 88 55 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 21,041 sq km land: 20,721 sq km water: 320 sq km **Area - comparative:** about the same size as New Jersey **Land boundaries:** total: 590 km border countries (2): Guatemala 199 km; Honduras 391 km **Coastline:** 307 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands **Terrain:** mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau **Elevation:** highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 442 m **Natural resources:** hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 57.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 34.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 7.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 15.2% (2023 est.) forest: 33% (2023 est.) other: 9.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 240 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** high population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvador **Natural hazards:** known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes volcanism: significant volcanic activity; San Salvador (1,893 m), which last erupted in 1917, has the potential to cause major harm to the country's capital, which lies just below the volcano's slopes; San Miguel (2,130 m) is one of the most active volcanoes in the country; other historically active volcanoes include Conchaguita, Ilopango, Izalco, and Santa Ana **Geography - note:** smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on the Caribbean Sea ### People and Society **Population:** total: 6,334,723 (2025 est.) male: 3,026,645 female: 3,308,078 **Nationality:** noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran **Ethnic groups:** Mestizo 86.3%, White 12.7%, Indigenous 0.2% (includes Lenca, Kakawira, Nahua-Pipil), Black 0.1%, other 0.6% (2007 est.) **Languages:** Spanish (official), Nawat (among some indigenous) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 43.9%, Protestant 39.6% (Evangelical - unspecified 38.2%, Evangelical - Methodist 1.3%, Evangelical - Baptist 0.1%), none 16.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2023 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 25.3% (male 855,841/female 818,642) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 2,077,745/female 2,317,416) 65 years and over: 8.4% (2024 est.) (male 238,658/female 320,400) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 43 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 29.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 13.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 7.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 31.2 years (2025 est.) male: 28.2 years female: 31.2 years **Population growth rate:** 0.34% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 12.46 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.93 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -3.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** high population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvador **Urbanization:** urban population: 75.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.116 million SAN SALVADOR (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 20.8 years (2008 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 39 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 75.9 years (2024 est.) male: 72.4 years female: 79.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.4 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.68 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 94.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 5.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9.7% of GDP (2021) 21.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.62 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 1.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 24.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 2.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 7.8% (2025 est.) male: 14.7% (2025 est.) female: 1.7% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 5% (2021 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 50.7% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 4.3% (2021) women married by age 18: 19.7% (2021) **Education expenditure:** 3.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 15.9% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 89.8% (2024 est.) male: 91.6% (2024 est.) female: 88.2% (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 11 years (2023 est.) male: 11 years (2023 est.) female: 12 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea **Climate:** tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands **Land use:** agricultural land: 57.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 34.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 7.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 15.2% (2023 est.) forest: 33% (2023 est.) other: 9.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 75.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 8.694 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 7.745 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 948,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 23.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.649 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.2% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 433.229 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 94.316 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 1.411 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 26.27 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador conventional short form: El Salvador local long form: República de El Salvador local short form: El Salvador etymology: means "the Savior" in Spanish and is a shortened form of "the Divine Savior of the World" (el Divino Salvador del Mundo), referring to Jesus Christ; 16th-century Spanish colonists gave the name "San Salvador" to the fort located where the country's capital of San Salvador now stands, and the name was later used for the city and the surrounding region; the country was officially named El Salvador in 1824 **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: San Salvador geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Spanish colonists founded the city in 1526 on the feast day of the Transfiguration of the Savior (Jesus Christ), and the name means "Holy Savior" in Spanish **Administrative divisions:** 14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapán, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlán, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazán, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Usulután **Legal system:** civil law system with minor common law influence; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts **Constitution:** history: many previous; latest drafted 16 December 1983, enacted 23 December 1983 amendment process: proposals require agreement by absolute majority of the Legislative Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; constitutional articles on basic principles, and citizen rights and freedoms cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (since 1 June 2019) head of government: President Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (since 1 June 2019) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote for a 6-year term (no term limits) most recent election date: 4 February 2024 election results: 2024: Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez reelected president - Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (Nuevas Ideas) 84.7%, Manuel FLORES (FMLN) 6.4%, Joel SANCHEZ (ARENA) 5.6%, Luis PARADA (NT) 2%, other 1.3% 2019: Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez elected president - Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (GANA) 53.1%, Carlos CALLEJA Hakker (ARENA) 31.7%, Hugo MARTINEZ (FMLN) 14.4%, other 0.8% expected date of next election: 28 February 2027; note - on 31 July 2025, the Legislative Assembly voted to move the date of the next presidential election from 2029 to 2027 to bring the presidential election cycle in line with the three-year legislative and municipal election cycle note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Legislative Assembly (Asamblea legislativa) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 60 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 3 years most recent election date: 2/4/2024 parties elected and seats per party: New Ideas (N) (54); Other (6) percentage of women in chamber: 31.7% expected date of next election: February 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 15 judges, including its president, and 15 substitute judges organized into Constitutional, Civil, Penal, and Administrative Conflict Chambers) judge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Legislative Assembly on the recommendation of both the National Council of the Judicature, an independent body elected by the Legislative Assembly, and the Bar Association; judges elected for 9-year terms, with renewal of one third of membership every 3 years; consecutive reelection is allowed subordinate courts: Appellate Courts; Courts of First Instance; Courts of Peace **Political parties:** Christian Democratic Party or PDC Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN Great Alliance for National Unity or GANA National Coalition Party or PCN Nationalist Republican Alliance or ARENA New Ideas (Nuevas Ideas) or NI Our Time (Nuestro Tiempo) or NT Vamos or V **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Carmen Milena MAYORGA VALERA (since 23 December 2020) chancery: 1400 16th Street NW, Suite 100, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 595-7500 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3763 email address and website: infoEEUU@rree.gob.sv https://rree.gob.sv/embajadas-consulados-y-misiones-permanentes-de-la-republica-de-el-salvador/ consulate(s) general: Aurora (CO), Boston, Charlotte (NC), Chicago, Dallas, Doral (FL), Duluth (GA), El Paso (TX), Elizabeth (NJ), Fresno (CA), Houston, Las Vegas (NV), Laredo (TX), Long Island (NY), Los Angeles, McAllen (TX), New York, Omaha (NE), San Bernardino (CA), San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Silver Spring (MD), Springdale (AR), St. Paul (MN), Tucson (AZ), Woodbridge (VA) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Naomi C. FELLOWS (since August 2025) embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador mailing address: 3450 San Salvador Place, Washington, DC 20521-3450 telephone: [503] 2501-2999 FAX: [503] 2501-2150 email address and website: ACSSanSal@state.gov https://sv.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACS, BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 15 September 1821 (from Spain) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 15 September (1821) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of cobalt blue (top), white, and cobalt blue, with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has a round emblem with the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL around it meaning: the blue bands stand for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and the white for the land, as well as peace and prosperity history: the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America note: similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an "X" pattern and centered in the white band **National symbol(s):** turquoise-browed motmot (bird) **National color(s):** blue, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Himno Nacional de El Salvador" (National Anthem of El Salvador) lyrics/music: Juan Jose CANAS/Juan ABERLE history: officially adopted 1953, in use since 1879; at four minutes and 20 seconds, the anthem is one of the world's longest **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Joya de Cerén Archaeological Site ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income, dollarized Central American economy; reliant on remittances from US; recent growth linked to infrastructure investment, consumption, and crime reduction; $1.3 billion IMF loan to address fiscal imbalances; Bitcoin adopted as legal tender; persistent poverty and large informal sector **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $73.961 billion (2024 est.) $72.085 billion (2023 est.) $69.621 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.6% (2024 est.) 3.5% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $11,700 (2024 est.) $11,400 (2023 est.) $11,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $35.365 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 0.9% (2024 est.) 4% (2023 est.) 7.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 4.4% (2024 est.) industry: 22.4% (2024 est.) services: 61% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 79.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 19.2% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.2% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -1.9% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 32.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -51.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, maize, milk, chicken, sorghum, beans, oranges, coconuts, eggs, mangoes/guavas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 2.89 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.9% (2024 est.) 3% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 6.7% (2024 est.) male: 5.2% (2024 est.) female: 9.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 26.6% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 39.8 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 26.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.9% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 29.7% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 24% of GDP (2024 est.) 24.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 24.6% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $9.359 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $10.313 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 102.2% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 20.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$632.549 million (2024 est.) -$367.831 million (2023 est.) -$2.144 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $11.586 billion (2024 est.) $10.629 billion (2023 est.) $10.164 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 36%, Guatemala 17%, Honduras 15%, Nicaragua 8%, Costa Rica 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** garments, plastic products, electrical capacitors, raw sugar, toilet paper (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $18.354 billion (2024 est.) $17.034 billion (2023 est.) $18.181 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 28%, China 15%, Guatemala 11%, Mexico 8%, Honduras 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, natural gas, garments, packaged medicine, plastics (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $3.705 billion (2024 est.) $3.079 billion (2023 est.) $2.695 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $12.668 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** the US dollar is used as a medium of exchange and circulates freely in the economy ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 2.803 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 6.335 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 140 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 750.096 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 770.613 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 9.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 19.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 31% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 24.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 14% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 500 metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 2,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 3 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 56,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 486.291 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 486.291 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 24.421 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 885,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 11.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 177 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** multiple privately owned national terrestrial TV networks, supplemented by cable TV networks that carry international channels; hundreds of commercial radio stations and 2 government-owned radio stations; transition to digital transmission was set to begin in 2018, along with adoption of the Japanese-Brazilian Digital Standard (ISDB-T) (2022) **Internet country code:** .sv **Internet users:** percent of population: 68% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 671,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** YS **Airports:** 27 (2025) **Railways:** total: 12.5 km (2014) narrow gauge: 12.5 km (2014) 0.914-mm gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 5 (2023) by type: other 5 **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Acajutla, Acajutla Offshore Terminal, La Union ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** The Armed Forces of El Salvador (La Fuerza Armada de El Salvador, FAES): Army of El Salvador (Ejercito de El Salvador, ES), Naval Force of El Salvador (Fuerza Naval de El Salvador, FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Salvadoreña, FAS) Ministry of Justice and Public Safety: National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil, PNC) (2025) **Military expenditures:** 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 25,000 active FAES (2025) note: El Salvador has pledged to increase the size of the military to 40,000 troops by 2026 **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the FAES is lightly armed with an inventory of mostly older or secondhand arms and equipment, largely provided by the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (17-22 for military schools); men are subject to selective compulsory military service; service obligation up to 18 months (2025) note: in 2024, women comprised over 11% of the active military **Military - note:** the Armed Force of El Salvador (FAES) is responsible for defending national sovereignty and ensuring territorial integrity but also has domestic security responsibilities; while the National Civil Police (PNC) are responsible for maintaining public security, the country’s constitution allows the president to use the FAES “in exceptional circumstances” to maintain internal peace and public security; in 2016, the government created a special joint unit of Army commandos and police to fight criminal gangs; more military personnel were devoted to internal security beginning in 2019 when President BUKELE signed a decree authorizing military involvement in police duties to combat rising gang violence, organized crime, and narcotics trafficking, as well as assisting with border security the military led the country for much of the 20th century; from 1980 to 1992, it fought a bloody civil war against guerrillas from the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front or FMLN, the paramilitary arm of the Democratic Revolutionary Front (Frente Democrático Revolucionario), a coalition of left-wing dissident political groups backed by Cuba and the Soviet Union; the FAES received considerable US support during the conflict; significant human rights violations occurred during the war and approximately 75,000 Salvadorans, mostly civilians, were killed (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 392 (2024 est.) IDPs: 35,391 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Equatorial Guinea **Slug:** equatorial-guinea **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇬🇶 **Codes:** cek: ek, iso2: GQ, iso3: GNQ, iso_num: 226, genc: GNQ, stanag: GNQ, internet: .gq ### Introduction **Background:** Equatorial Guinea consists of a continental territory and five inhabited islands; it is one of the smallest countries by area and population in Africa. The mainland region was most likely predominantly inhabited by Pygmy ethnic groups prior to the migration of various Bantu-speaking ethnic groups around the second millennium BC. The island of Bioko, the largest of Equatorial Guinea’s five inhabited islands and the location of the country’s capital of Malabo, has been occupied since at least 1000 B.C. In the early 1470s, Portuguese explorers landed on Bioko Island, and Portugal soon after established control of the island and other areas of modern Equatorial Guinea. In 1778, Portugal ceded its colonial hold over present-day Equatorial Guinea to Spain in the Treaty of El Pardo. The borders of modern-day Equatorial Guinea would evolve between 1778 and 1968 as the area remained under European colonial rule. In 1968, Equatorial Guinea was granted independence from Spain and elected Francisco MACIAS NGUEMA as its first president. MACIAS consolidated power soon after his election and ruled brutally for over a decade. Under his regime, Equatorial Guinea experienced mass suppression, purges, and killings. Some estimates indicate that a third of the population either went into exile or was killed under MACIAS’ rule. In 1979, present-day President OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo, then a senior military officer, deposed MACIAS in a violent coup. OBIANG has ruled since and has been elected in non-competitive contests several times, most recently in 2022. The president exerts near-total control over the political system. Equatorial Guinea experienced rapid economic growth in the early years of the 21st century due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves in 1996. Production peaked in 2004 and has declined since. The country's economic windfall from oil production resulted in massive increases in government revenue, a significant portion of which was earmarked for infrastructure development. Systemic corruption, however, has hindered socio-economic development, and the population has seen only limited improvements to living standards. Equatorial Guinea continues to seek to diversify its economy, increase foreign investment, and assume a greater role in regional and international affairs.  ### Geography **Location:** Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon **Geographic coordinates:** 2 00 N, 10 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 28,051 sq km land: 28,051 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Maryland **Land boundaries:** total: 528 km border countries (2): Cameroon 183 km; Gabon 345 km **Coastline:** 296 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; always hot, humid **Terrain:** coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic **Elevation:** highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 577 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay **Land use:** agricultural land: 3.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.2% (2023 est.) forest: 86.4% (2023 est.) other: 9.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** NA **Population distribution:** the two large cities are Bata on the mainland and the capital Malabo on the island of Bioko; small communities are scattered throughout the mainland and the five inhabited islands, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** violent windstorms; flash floods volcanism: Santa Isabel (3,007 m), which last erupted in 1923, is the country's only historically active volcano; Santa Isabel and two dormant volcanoes form Bioko Island in the Gulf of Guinea **Geography - note:** insular and continental regions widely separated; despite its name, no part of the equator passes through Equatorial Guinea -- the mainland part of the country is located just north of the equator ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,853,559 (2025 est.) male: 994,672 female: 858,887 **Nationality:** noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s) adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean **Ethnic groups:** Fang 78.1%, Bubi 9.4%, Ndowe 2.8%, Nanguedambo 2.7%, Bisio 0.9%, foreigner 5.3%, other 0.7%, unspecified 0.2% (2011 est.) **Languages:** Spanish (official) 67.6%, other (includes Fang, Bubi, Portuguese (official), French (official), Fa d'Ambo spoken in Annobon) 32.4% (1994 est.) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 88%, Protestant 5%, Muslim 2%, other 5% (animist, Baha'i, Jewish) (2015 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 35.6% (male 330,636/female 309,528) 15-64 years: 59.4% (male 585,139/female 481,121) 65 years and over: 5% (2024 est.) (male 46,610/female 42,800) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 67.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 59 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 8.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 11.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 22.3 years (2025 est.) male: 22.7 years female: 21.5 years **Population growth rate:** 3.1% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 28.55 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.81 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 11.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the two large cities are Bata on the mainland and the capital Malabo on the island of Bioko; small communities are scattered throughout the mainland and the five inhabited islands, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 74.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.62% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 297,000 MALABO (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.22 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female total population: 1.16 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 174 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 83.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 71.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 63.9 years (2024 est.) male: 61.6 years female: 66.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 4.05 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.99 (2025 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.4% of GDP (2021) 4.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.15 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 6.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.83 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation (agricultural expansion, fires, and grazing); desertification; water pollution; tap water non-potable; wildlife preservation **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** tropical; always hot, humid **Land use:** agricultural land: 3.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.2% (2023 est.) forest: 86.4% (2023 est.) other: 9.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 74.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.62% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 5.471 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 896,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 4.575 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 26.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 129.8 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 0.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 10 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 2.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 198,400 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 23.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 15.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 26 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial (Spanish)/ République de Guinée équatoriale (French) local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial (Spanish)/Guinée équatoriale (French) former: Spanish Guinea etymology: the country is named for the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea and stretches north to the Sahel; the "equatorial" refers to the fact that the country lies just north of the Equator **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Malabo; note - Malabo is on the island of Bioko; some months of the year, the government operates out of Bata on the mainland region. geographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: English settlers who founded the city in 1827 named it Port Clarence after the Duke of CLARENCE; the Spanish renamed it Santa Isabel in 1843, for Queen ISABELLA II of Spain; it was renamed again in 1973 after King MALABO (1837–1937), the last king of the Bubi (local ethnic group) **Administrative divisions:** 8 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Djibloho, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas **Legal system:** mixed system of civil and customary law **Constitution:** history: previous 1968, 1973, 1982; approved by referendum 17 November 1991 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or supported by three fourths of the membership in either house of the National Assembly; passage requires three-fourths majority vote by both houses of the Assembly and approval in a referendum if requested by the president **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Equatorial Guinea dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo (since 3 August 1979) head of government: Prime Minister Manuel Osa Nsue Nsua (since 17 August 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and overseen by the prime minister election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president most recent election date: 20 November 2022 election results: 2022: OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo reelected president; percent of vote - OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo (PDGE) 95%, other 6.1% 2016: OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo reelected president; percent of vote - OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo (PDGE) 93.5%, other 6.5% expected date of next election: 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Parlamento) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de los Diputados) number of seats: 100 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/20/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) and its allies (100) percentage of women in chamber: 31% expected date of next election: November 2027 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Senado) number of seats: 70 (55 directly elected; 15 appointed) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/20/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) and its allies (55) percentage of women in chamber: 25% expected date of next election: November 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the President of the Supreme Court and nine judges organized into civil, criminal, commercial, labor, administrative, and customary sections); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president and 4 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president for five-year terms; Constitutional Court members appointed by the president, 2 of whom are nominated by the Chamber of Deputies subordinate courts: Court of Guarantees; military courts; Courts of Appeal; first instance tribunals; district and county tribunals **Political parties:** Center Right Union or UCD Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE Liberal Democratic Convention or CLD Liberal Party or PL National Congress of Equatorial Guinea (CNGE) National Democratic Party (PNDGE) National Democratic Union or UDENA National Union for Democracy PUNDGE Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE Popular Union or UP Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP Social and Popular Convergence Party or CSDP Social Democratic Coalition Party (PCSD) Social Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea or PSDGE Social Democratic Union or UDS Socialist Party of Equatorial Guinea **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Crisantos OBAMA ONDO (since 27 February 2024) chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700 FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252 email address and website: info@egembassydc.com https://www.egembassydc.com/ consulate(s) general: Houston **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador David R. GILMOUR (since 24 May 2022) embassy: Malabo II Highway (between the Headquarters of Sonagas and the offices of the United Nations), Malabo mailing address: 2320 Malabo Place, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [240] 333 09-57-41 email address and website: Malaboconsular@state.gov https://gq.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, CPLP, FAO, Francophonie, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer) **Independence:** 12 October 1968 (from Spain) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 12 October (1968) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red, with a blue isosceles triangle based on the left side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six six-pointed yellow stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield with a silk-cotton tree; below is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice) meaning: green stands for the jungle and natural resources, blue for the sea, white for peace, and red for the fight for independence **National symbol(s):** silk cotton tree **National color(s):** green, white, red, blue **National coat of arms:** the national symbol, the silk cotton tree, is in the center of the coat of arms; the tree represents the location where the first treaty was signed between local rulers and the Portuguese; the stars above the tree symbolize the mainland and the five offshore islands; a ribbon below the shield displays the national motto, “Unidad, Paz, Justicia” (Unity, Peace, Justice) **National anthem(s):** title: "Caminemos pisando la senda" (Let Us Tread the Path) lyrics/music: Atanasio Ndongo MIYONO/Atanasio Ndongo MIYONO or Ramiro Sanchez LOPEZ (disputed) history: adopted 1968 ### Economy **Economic overview:** growing CEMAC economy and new OPEC member; large oil and gas reserves; targeting economic diversification and poverty reduction; still recovering from CEMAC crisis; improving public financial management; persistent poverty; hard-hit by COVID-19 **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $29.248 billion (2024 est.) $28.985 billion (2023 est.) $30.539 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 0.9% (2024 est.) -5.1% (2023 est.) 3.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $15,500 (2024 est.) $15,700 (2023 est.) $16,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $12.766 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.8% (2022 est.) -0.1% (2021 est.) 4.8% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 3.1% (2024 est.) industry: 45.8% (2024 est.) services: 51.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 52.9% (2024 est.) government consumption: 28.3% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 9.1% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -0.1% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 35.2% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -25.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sweet potatoes, cassava, plantains, oil palm fruit, root vegetables, bananas, coconuts, coffee, cocoa beans, chicken (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum, natural gas, sawmilling **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.8% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 715,000 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 7.9% (2024 est.) 8.4% (2023 est.) 8.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 14.7% (2024 est.) male: 13.9% (2024 est.) female: 15.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 38.5 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.6% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 29.1% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $3.62 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $2.051 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 6.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Exports:** $4.489 billion (2024 est.) $4.516 billion (2023 est.) $7.25 billion (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 27%, Netherlands 12%, Spain 10%, Italy 7%, Germany 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, natural gas, alcohols, wood, scrap iron (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $3.24 billion (2024 est.) $3.065 billion (2023 est.) $3.948 billion (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 20%, Spain 17%, USA 10%, Gabon 5%, UK 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** ships, poultry, plastic products, beer, valves (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.538 billion (2023 est.) $1.458 billion (2022 est.) $44.271 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 67% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 89.8% electrification - rural areas: 1.4% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 349,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.402 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 170.527 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 68.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 31.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 8 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 98,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 1.1 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 6.013 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 2.332 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 3.63 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 139.007 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 54.509 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 11,400 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 893,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** the state maintains control of broadcast media; 1 state-owned TV station, 1 private TV station owned by the president's eldest son, 1 state-owned radio station, and 1 private radio station owned by the president's eldest son; satellite TV service is available; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are generally accessible (2019) **Internet country code:** .gq **Internet users:** percent of population: 60% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 3C **Airports:** 7 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 53 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1, general cargo 16, oil tanker 7, other 29 **Ports:** total ports: 7 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 6 ports with oil terminals: 6 key ports: Bata, Ceiba Terminal, Cogo, Luba, Malabo, Punta Europa Terminal, Serpentina Terminal ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Equatorial Guinea Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de Guinea Ecuatorial, FAGE): Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie (Guardia Civil) (2025) note: the National Police report to the Ministry of National Security, while the Gendarmerie reports to the Ministry of National Defense; police generally are responsible for maintaining law and order in the cities, while gendarmes are responsible for security outside cities and for special events **Military expenditures:** 1% of GDP (2024) 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 2,000 active Armed Forces, including Gendarmerie (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the FAGE is armed with mostly older (typically Soviet-era) and secondhand weapons systems; in recent years, it has sought to modernize its naval inventory with purchases of vessels from several countries, including Bulgaria and Israel; China and Russia have also supplied some equipment to the FAGE (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 for voluntary military service; selective compulsory military service for men; 24-month service obligation (2025) **Military - note:** the Armed Forces of Equatorial Guinea (FAGE) are responsible for defending the territory and sovereignty of the country; the FAGE also has some internal security duties, including fulfilling some police functions in border areas, sensitive sites, and high-traffic areas; maritime security, particularly protecting offshore oil installations and combating piracy and crime in the Gulf of Guinea, is a key priority (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 5 (2024 est.) --- ## Eritrea **Slug:** eritrea **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇪🇷 **Codes:** cek: er, iso2: ER, iso3: ERI, iso_num: 232, genc: ERI, stanag: ERI, internet: .er ### Introduction **Background:** Eritrea won independence from Italian colonial control in 1941, but the UN only established it as an autonomous region within the Ethiopian federation in 1952, after a decade of British administrative control. Ethiopia's full annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a violent 30-year conflict for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean fighters defeating government forces. Eritreans overwhelmingly approved independence in a 1993 referendum. ISAIAS Afwerki has been Eritrea's only president since independence; his rule, particularly since 2001, has been characterized by highly autocratic and repressive actions. His government has created a highly militarized society by instituting an unpopular program of mandatory conscription into national service -- divided between military and civilian service -- of indefinite length. A two-and-a-half-year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices in 2000. Ethiopia rejected a subsequent 2007 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC) demarcation. More than a decade of a tense “no peace, no war” stalemate ended in 2018 when the newly elected Ethiopian prime minister accepted the EEBC’s 2007 ruling, and the two countries signed declarations of peace and friendship. Eritrean leaders then engaged in intensive diplomacy around the Horn of Africa, bolstering regional peace, security, and cooperation, as well as brokering rapprochements between governments and opposition groups. In 2018, the UN Security Council lifted an arms embargo that had been imposed on Eritrea since 2009, after the UN Somalia-Eritrea Monitoring Group reported they had not found evidence of Eritrean support in recent years for al-Shabaab. The country’s rapprochement with Ethiopia led to a resumption of economic ties, but the level of air transport, trade, and tourism have remained roughly the same since late 2020. The Eritrean economy remains agriculture-dependent, and the country is still one of Africa’s poorest nations. Eritrea faced new international condemnation and US sanctions in mid-2021 for its participation in the war in Ethiopia’s Tigray Regional State, where Eritrean forces were found to have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity. As most Eritrean troops were departing northern Ethiopia in January 2023, ISAIAS began a series of diplomatic engagements aimed at bolstering Eritrea’s foreign partnerships and regional influence. Despite the country's improved relations with its neighbors, ISAIAS has not let up on repression, and conscription and militarization continue. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan **Geographic coordinates:** 15 00 N, 39 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 117,600 sq km land: 101,000 sq km water: 16,600 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Pennsylvania **Land boundaries:** total: 1,840 km border countries (3): Djibouti 125 km; Ethiopia 1,033 km; Sudan 682 km **Coastline:** 2,234 km (mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km; islands in Red Sea 1,083 km) **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm **Climate:** hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually, heaviest June to September); semiarid in western hills and lowlands **Terrain:** dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains **Elevation:** highest point: Soira 3,018 m lowest point: near Kulul within the Danakil Depression -75 m mean elevation: 853 m **Natural resources:** gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 62.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 56.9% (2023 est.) forest: 12% (2023 est.) other: 25.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 210 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** density is highest in the center of the country, in and around the cities of Asmara (capital) and Keren; smaller settlements exist in the north and south, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** frequent droughts, rare earthquakes and volcanoes; locust swarms volcanism: Dubbi (1,625 m), which last erupted in 1861, was the country's only historically active volcano until Nabro (2,218 m) came to life in 2011 **Geography - note:** strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes ### People and Society **Population:** total: 6,416,435 (2025 est.) male: 3,158,281 female: 3,258,154 **Nationality:** noun: Eritrean(s) adjective: Eritrean **Ethnic groups:** Tigrinya 50%, Tigre 30%, Saho 4%, Afar 4%, Kunama 4%, Bilen 3%, Hedareb/Beja 2%, Nara 2%, Rashaida 1% (2021 est.) note: data represent Eritrea's nine recognized ethnic groups **Languages:** Tigrinya (official), Arabic (official), English (official), Tigre, Kunama, Afar, other Cushitic languages **Religions:** Eritrean Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran, Sunni Muslim **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 35.7% (male 1,138,382/female 1,123,925) 15-64 years: 60.3% (male 1,882,547/female 1,944,266) 65 years and over: 4% (2024 est.) (male 101,504/female 153,332) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 64.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 57.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 15.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 21.7 years (2025 est.) male: 20.8 years female: 21.8 years **Population growth rate:** 1.16% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 25.92 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -7.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** density is highest in the center of the country, in and around the cities of Asmara (capital) and Keren; smaller settlements exist in the north and south, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 43.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.67% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.073 million ASMARA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 21.3 years (2010 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 291 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 39 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 46.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 32.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 67.5 years (2024 est.) male: 64.9 years female: 70.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.35 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.65 (2025 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.2% of GDP (2021) 2.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 1 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 7.5% (2020 est.) male: 14.7% (2020 est.) female: 0.2% (2020 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 8 years (2015 est.) male: 9 years (2015 est.) female: 7 years (2015 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement **Climate:** hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually, heaviest June to September); semiarid in western hills and lowlands **Land use:** agricultural land: 62.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 56.9% (2023 est.) forest: 12% (2023 est.) other: 25.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 43.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.67% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 733,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 733,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 22.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 15.7 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 117.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 20.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 2.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 727,000 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 6.8% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 31 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 550 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 7.315 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: State of Eritrea conventional short form: Eritrea local long form: Hagere Ertra local short form: Ertra former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia etymology: the country name derives from the ancient Greek name Erythra Thalassa, meaning "Red Sea," the body of water that borders the country **Government type:** authoritarian **Capital:** name: Asmara geographic coordinates: 15 20 N, 38 56 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name's origin is unclear; according to Tigrinya oral tradition, the name is part of a phrase meaning "the women made them unite," referring to a group of women who made four clans unite to defeat a common enemy; asmara also means "flowery wood" in the Tigrinya language **Administrative divisions:** 6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); 'Anseba, Debub (South), Debubawi K'eyyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash-Barka, Ma'ikel (Central), Semienawi K'eyyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea) **Legal system:** mixed system of civil, customary, and Islamic religious law **Constitution:** history: ratified by the Constituent Assembly 23 May 1997 (never implemented) amendment process: proposed by the president of Eritrea or by assent of at least one half of the National Assembly membership; passage requires at least an initial three-quarters majority vote by the Assembly and, after one year, final passage by at least four-fifths majority vote by the Assembly **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Eritrea dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 20 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President ISAIAS Afwerki (since 24 May 1993) head of government: President ISAIAS Afwerki (since 8 June 1993) cabinet: State Council appointed by the president election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term), according to the constitution most recent election date: 24 May 1993, following independence from Ethiopia election results: 1993: ISAIAS Afwerki elected president by the transitional National Assembly; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afwerki (PFDJ) 95%, other 5% expected date of next election: postponed indefinitely note 1: Eritrea’s authoritarian regime is controlled entirely by the president, who heads the sole political party, which has ruled the country since 1991; national elections have not taken place since 1991 and the constitution has not been implemented. note 2: the president is both chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Hagerawi Baito) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 150 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 2/1/1994 note: in 1997, after the new constitution was adopted, the government formed a Transitional National Assembly to serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections to form a National Assembly could be held; the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all National Assembly members will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were postponed indefinitely due to the war with Ethiopia; as of 2025, no sitting legislative body exists **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): High Court (consists of 20 judges and organized into civil, commercial, criminal, labor, administrative, and customary sections) judge selection and term of office: High Court judges appointed by the president subordinate courts: regional/zonal courts; community courts; special courts; sharia courts (for issues dealing with Muslim marriage, inheritance, and family); military courts **Political parties:** People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ (the only party recognized by the government) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Berhane Gebrehiwet SOLOMON (since 15 March 2011) chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991 FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304 email address and website: embassyeritrea@embassyeritrea.org https://us.embassyeritrea.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Christine E. MEYER (since July 2025) embassy: 179 Alaa Street, Asmara mailing address: 7170 Asmara Place, Washington DC 20521-7170 telephone: [291] (1) 12-00-04 FAX: [291] (1) 12-75-84 email address and website: consularasmara@state.gov https://er.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS (observer), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO **Independence:** 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 24 May (1991) **Flag:** description: a red isosceles triangle (based on the left side) divides the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower is blue; a gold wreath around a gold olive branch is on the left side of the red triangle meaning: green stands for the country's agriculture economy, red for the blood shed in the fight for freedom, and blue for the sea's bounty; the shape of the red triangle mimics the country's shape note: one of four national flags that reflect the country's shape in the flag design; the others are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, and Vanuatu **National symbol(s):** camel **National color(s):** green, red, blue **National coat of arms:** Eritrea adopted its coat of arms on May 24, 1993, when it won independence from Ethiopia; the camel was used to transport supplies and goods during the war, and it became a symbol of the country’s success; the olive wreath represents peace, reconciliation, and harmony; under the camel is name of the country in its three official languages: Tigrinya, English, and Arabic **National anthem(s):** title: "Ertra, Ertra, Ertra" (Eritrea, Eritrea, Eritrea) lyrics/music: SOLOMON Tsehaye Beraki/Isaac Abraham MEHAREZGI and ARON Tekle Tesfatsion history: adopted 1993, after gaining independence from Ethiopia **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Asmara: A Modernist African City ### Economy **Economic overview:** largely agrarian economy with a significant mining sector; substantial fiscal surplus due to tight controls; high and vulnerable debts; increased Ethiopian trade and shared port usage decreasing prices; financial and economic data integrity challenges **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $2.534 billion (2024 est.) $2.465 billion (2023 est.) $2.398 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5% (2017 est.) 1.9% (2016 est.) 2.6% (2015 est.) **Real GDP per capita:** $700 (2024 est.) $700 (2023 est.) $700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $2.535 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 7.4% (2022 est.) 6.6% (2021 est.) 5.6% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **Agricultural products:** sorghum, milk, barley, vegetables, root vegetables, cereals, pulses, wheat, beef, maize (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, light manufacturing, salt, cement **Labor force:** 1.71 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.6% (2024 est.) 5.6% (2023 est.) 5.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 9.4% (2024 est.) male: 8.5% (2024 est.) female: 10.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Budget:** revenues: $633 million (2018 est.) expenditures: $549 million (2018 est.) **Exports:** $624.3 million (2017 est.) $485.4 million (2016 est.) $374.898 million (2011 est.) **Exports - partners:** China 67%, UAE 26%, Philippines 5%, Italy 1%, Croatia 1% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** copper ore, zinc ore, gold, garments, liquor (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $494.229 million (2010 est.) $435.275 million (2009 est.) **Imports - partners:** China 32%, UAE 27%, Turkey 9%, USA 7%, Italy 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** trucks, sorghum, construction vehicles, wheat flours, other foods (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $191.694 million (2019 est.) $163.034 million (2018 est.) $143.412 million (2017 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $461.376 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 15.075 (2024 est.) 15.075 (2023 est.) 15.075 (2022 est.) 15.075 (2021 est.) 15.075 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 55.4% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 75.5% electrification - rural areas: 36% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 243,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 388.987 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 51.528 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 89.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 10.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 2.977 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 68,200 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 2.02 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 59 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** government controls broadcast media, with private ownership prohibited; 1 state-owned TV station; 2 state-owned radio networks; purchases of satellite dishes and subscriptions to international broadcast media are permitted (2023) **Internet country code:** .er **Internet users:** percent of population: 20% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 6,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** E3 **Airports:** 11 (2025) **Railways:** total: 306 km (2018) narrow gauge: 306 km (2018) 0.950-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 9 (2023) by type: general cargo 4, oil tanker 1, other 4 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Assab, Mitsiwa Harbor ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF): Eritrean Ground Forces, Eritrean Navy, Eritrean Air Force; People's Militia (aka People's Army or Hizbawi Serawit) (2024) note: police are responsible for maintaining internal security, but the government sometimes uses the armed forces, reserves, demobilized soldiers, or civilian militia to meet domestic as well as external security requirements; the armed forces have authority to arrest and detain civilians **Military expenditures:** 10% of GDP (2019 est.) 10.2% of GDP (2018 est.) 10.3% of GDP (2017 est.) 10.4% of GDP (2016 est.) 10.6% of GDP (2015 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** available information varies widely; estimated 150,000-200,000 active Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the EDF's inventory is comprised primarily of Soviet-era weapons and equipment (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** Eritrea mandates military service for all citizens age 18-40; 18-month conscript service obligation, which reportedly includes 4-6 months of military training and 12 months of military or other national service (military service is most common); in practice, military and national service is often extended indefinitely; citizens up to the age of 59 eligible for recall during mobilization (2025) **Military - note:** the military’s primary responsibilities are external defense, border security, and providing the regime a vehicle for national cohesion; the conscript-based Army is the dominant service since the country's independence in 1991, the Eritrean military has participated in numerous conflicts, including the Hanish Island Crisis with Yemen (1995), the First Congo War (1996-1997), the Second Sudanese Civil War (1996-1998), the Eritrea-Ethiopia War (1998-2000), the Djiboutian-Eritrean border conflict (2008), and the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia (2020-2022); during the Tigray conflict, the Eritrean Defense Forces were accused of human rights abuses; in recent years, it has provided training support to the military of Somalia (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 119 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Eritrea does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore Eritrea remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/eritrea/ --- ## Estonia **Slug:** estonia **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇪🇪 **Codes:** cek: en, iso2: EE, iso3: EST, iso_num: 233, genc: EST, stanag: EST, internet: .ee ### Introduction **Background:** After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940 -- an action never recognized by the US and many other countries -- it regained its freedom in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with the West. It joined both NATO and the EU in 2004, formally joined the OECD in 2010, and adopted the euro as its official currency in 2011. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia **Geographic coordinates:** 59 00 N, 26 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 45,228 sq km land: 42,388 sq km water: 2,840 sq km note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea **Area - comparative:** about twice the size of New Jersey **Land boundaries:** total: 657 km border countries (2): Latvia 333 km; Russia 324 km **Coastline:** 3,794 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: limits as agreed to by Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Russia **Climate:** maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers **Terrain:** marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south **Elevation:** highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 61 m **Natural resources:** oil shale, peat, rare earth elements, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud **Land use:** agricultural land: 23.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 16.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.4% (2023 est.) forest: 57.2% (2023 est.) other: 19.6% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 20 sq km (2016) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Peipus - 4,300 sq km (shared with Russia); Lake Võrtsjärv - 270 sq km **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations **Natural hazards:** sometimes flooding occurs in the spring **Geography - note:** the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; over 1,500 islands lie offshore ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,340,478 (2025 est.) male: 634,988 female: 705,490 **Nationality:** noun: Estonian(s) adjective: Estonian **Ethnic groups:** Estonian 69.1%, Russian 23.7%, Ukrainian 2.1%, other 4.6%, unspecified 0.5% (2021 est.) **Languages:** Estonian (official) 67.2%, Russian 28.5%, other 3.7%, unspecified 0.6% (2021est.) **Religions:** Orthodox 16.5%, Protestant 9.2% (Lutheran 7.7%, other Protestant 1.5%), other 3% (includes Roman Catholic, Muslim, Jehovah's Witness, Pentecostal, Buddhist, and Taara Believer), none 58.4%, unspecified 12.9% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 15.2% (male 92,980/female 88,753) 15-64 years: 62.2% (male 373,989/female 368,113) 65 years and over: 22.6% (2024 est.) (male 96,110/female 173,846) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 57.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 24.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 32.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 42.9 years (2025 est.) male: 41.9 years female: 48.2 years **Population growth rate:** -0.47% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 7.86 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 12.57 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations **Urbanization:** urban population: 69.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.03% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 454,000 TALLINN (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.55 male(s)/female total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 28.2 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 5 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 78.4 years (2024 est.) male: 73.8 years female: 83.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.36 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.66 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) NA total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) NA total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.9% of GDP (2022) 13.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.47 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 4.5 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 21.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 11.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 1.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 23.7% (2025 est.) male: 29.9% (2025 est.) female: 18.3% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 54.1% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 13% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 16 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution from sulfur dioxide from oil-shale-burning power plants; coastal seawater pollution **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 23.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 16.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.4% (2023 est.) forest: 57.2% (2023 est.) other: 19.6% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 69.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.03% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 4.607 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: -19,814 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 3.977 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 649,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 6.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 11.9 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 27.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 23.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 2.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 489,500 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 39.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 64.998 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 1.135 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 5 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 12.806 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Estonia conventional short form: Estonia local long form: Eesti Vabariik local short form: Eesti former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic (while occupied by the USSR) etymology: derives from the name of the people who lived along the eastern Baltic Sea in the first centuries A.D., which came from the Baltic word aueist, meaning "waterside dwellers" **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Tallinn geographic coordinates: 59 26 N, 24 43 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name derives from the Old Estonian term tan-linn, meaning "Danish fort," a reference to Danish King VALDEMAR II founding the city in 1219 **Administrative divisions:** 15 urban municipalities (linnad, singular - linn), 64 rural municipalities (vallad, singular - vald) urban municipalities: Haapsalu, Keila, Kohtla-Jarve, Loksa, Maardu, Narva, Narva-Joesuu, Paide, Parnu, Rakvere, Sillamae, Tallinn, Tartu, Viljandi, Voru rural municipalities: Alutaguse, Anija, Antsla, Elva, Haademeeste, Haljala, Harku, Hiiumaa, Jarva, Joelahtme, Jogeva, Johvi, Kadrina, Kambja, Kanepi, Kastre, Kehtna, Kihnu, Kiili, Kohila, Kose, Kuusalu, Laane-Harju, Laane-Nigula, Laaneranna, Luganuse, Luunja, Marjamaa, Muhu, Mulgi, Mustvee, Noo, Otepaa, Peipsiaare, Pohja-Parnumaa, Pohja-Sakala, Poltsamaa, Polva, Raasiku, Rae, Rakvere, Räpina, Rapla, Rouge, Ruhnu, Saarde, Saaremaa, Saku, Saue, Setomaa, Tapa, Tartu, Toila, Tori, Torva, Turi, Vaike-Maarja, Valga, Viimsi, Viljandi, Vinni, Viru-Nigula, Vormsi, Voru **Legal system:** civil law system **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 28 June 1992, entered into force 3 July 1992 amendment process: proposed by at least one-fifth of Parliament members or by the president of the republic; passage requires three readings of the proposed amendment and a simple majority vote in two successive memberships of Parliament; passage of amendments to the "General Provisions" and "Amendment of the Constitution" chapters requires at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament to conduct a referendum and majority vote in a referendum **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Estonia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal; age 16 for local elections **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Alar KARIS (since 11 October 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Kristen MICHAL (since 23 July 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure two thirds of the votes after 3 rounds of balloting, then an electoral college consisting of Parliament members and local council members elects the president, choosing between the 2 candidates with the most votes; if a president is still not elected, the process begins again; prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament most recent election date: 30-31 August 2021 election results: 2021: Alar KARIS (independent) elected president; won second round of voting in parliament with 72 of 101 votes 2016: Kersti KALJULAID elected president; won sixth round of voting in parliament with 81 of 98 votes (17 ballots blank); KALJULAID sworn in on 10 October 2016 - first female head of state of Estonia expected date of next election: 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: The Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 101 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 3/5/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Reform Party (37); Conservative People's Party (EKRE) (17); Centre Party (16); Estonia 200 (Eesti 200) (14); Social Democratic Party (9); Pro Patria (Isamaa) (8) percentage of women in chamber: 28.7% expected date of next election: March 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 19 justices, including the chief justice, and organized into civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional review chambers) judge selection and term of office: the chief justice is proposed by the president of the republic and appointed by the Riigikogu; other justices proposed by the chief justice and appointed by the Riigikogu; justices appointed for life subordinate courts: circuit (appellate) courts; administrative, county, city, and specialized courts **Political parties:** Conservative People's Party of Estonia (Konservatiivne Rahvaerakond) or EKRE Estonia 200 or E200 Estonia Centre Party of (Keskerakond) or EK Estonian Free Party or VAP Estonian Freedom Party - Farmers' Assembly or V-PK Estonian Greens or EER Estonian Nationalists and Conservatives or ERK Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) or RE Fatherland or I Left Alliance or VL Social Democratic Party or SDE The Right or PP TOGETHER organization points to sovereignty or KOOS **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Kristjan PRIKK (since 7 July 2021) chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Ave, NW Washington, DC, 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101 FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108 email address and website: Embassy.Washington@mfa.ee https://washington.mfa.ee/ consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Roman PIPKO (since 26 November 2025) embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn mailing address: 4530 Tallinn Place, Washington DC 20521-4530 telephone: [372] 668-8100 FAX: [372] 668-8265 email address and website: acstallinn@state.gov https://ee.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 24 February 1918 (from Soviet Russia); 20 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 24 February (1918) note: 24 February 1918 was the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 20 August 1991 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union and restored its statehood **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white meaning: blue stands for faith, loyalty, and devotion, and also the sky, sea, and lakes; black for the country's soil and the Estonian people's past suffering; white for striving for enlightenment and virtue and also for birch bark, snow, and summer nights illuminated by the midnight sun **National symbol(s):** barn swallow, cornflower **National color(s):** blue, black, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Mu isamaa, mu onn ja room" (My Native Land, My Pride and Joy) lyrics/music: Johann Voldemar JANNSEN/Fredrik PACIUS history: adopted 1920, but banned between 1940 and 1990 under Soviet occupation; unofficially in use since 1869, it has the same melody as Finland's anthem, but with different lyrics **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Center (Old Town) of Tallinn; Struve Geodetic Arc ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, service-based EU and eurozone economy; rebound in exports playing a role in economic recovery; rising food prices contributing to inflation; decrease in labor force participation and rising unemployment rate; recovery depends on boosting private investment and productivity rates **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $57.001 billion (2024 est.) $57.15 billion (2023 est.) $58.931 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -0.3% (2024 est.) -3% (2023 est.) 0.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $41,500 (2024 est.) $41,700 (2023 est.) $43,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $42.765 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.5% (2024 est.) 9.2% (2023 est.) 19.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.9% (2024 est.) industry: 20.5% (2024 est.) services: 65.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 52.3% (2023 est.) government consumption: 20.6% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 27.9% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -0.2% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 77.9% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -77% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, wheat, barley, rapeseed, peas, oats, potatoes, rye, pork, triticale (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food, engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textiles; information technology, telecommunications **Industrial production growth rate:** -7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 756,200 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 7.9% (2024 est.) 6.4% (2023 est.) 5.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 20.9% (2024 est.) male: 21.9% (2024 est.) female: 20% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 22.5% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 32.3 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 19.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 6.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.8% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 24.4% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $15.784 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $16.721 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 28.3% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 21.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$489.659 million (2024 est.) -$722.668 million (2023 est.) -$1.496 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $32.637 billion (2024 est.) $32.147 billion (2023 est.) $33.178 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Finland 14%, Latvia 10%, Lithuania 9%, Sweden 7%, Russia 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** cars, wood, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, prefabricated buildings (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $32.375 billion (2024 est.) $31.796 billion (2023 est.) $33.655 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Finland 11%, Germany 11%, China 10%, Lithuania 6%, Poland 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, natural gas, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $2.075 billion (2024 est.) $2.593 billion (2023 est.) $2.217 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 3.225 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 8.636 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 4.355 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 7.66 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.164 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 52.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 9.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 10.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 27.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 800 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 7,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 800 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 24,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 27,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 334.748 million cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 675.708 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 1.01 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 73.679 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 227,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 2.06 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 151 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** the publicly owned broadcaster, Eesti Rahvusringhaaling (ERR), operates 3 TV channels and 5 radio networks; growing number of private commercial radio stations broadcasting nationally, regionally, and locally; fully transitioned to digital television in 2010; national private TV channels expanding service, with a range of channels aimed at Russian-speaking viewers; in 2016, there were 42 on-demand services available in Estonia, including 19 pay TVOD and SVOD services; roughly 85% of households accessed digital television services **Internet country code:** .ee **Internet users:** percent of population: 93% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 516,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** ES **Airports:** 34 (2025) **Heliports:** 10 (2025) **Railways:** total: 1,441 km (2020) 225 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 72 (2023) by type: general cargo 3, oil tanker 3, other 66 **Ports:** total ports: 20 (2024) large: 4 medium: 1 small: 4 very small: 11 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Muuga - Port of Tallin, Paldiski Lounasadam, Paljassaare, Sillamae, Vanasadam - Port of Tallinn ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Estonian Defense Forces: Land Forces, Navy, Air Force; Estonian Defense League Ministry of Interior: Police and Border Guard Board, Internal Security Service (2025) note: the Estonian Defense League is a voluntary national defense organization that operates under the Estonian Ministry of Defense **Military expenditures:** 3.4% of GDP (2025 est.) 3.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 3% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 2% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 7,500 active-duty military personnel (2025) note: the Estonian Defense Forces rely largely on reservists who have completed compulsory conscription in the previous 10 years to fill out its active duty and Territorial Defense units during a crisis; there are more than 40,000 trained reservists, and approximately 230,000 Estonians are enrolled in the mobilization registry **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Estonian military has a mix of Soviet-era and more modern, Western-origin weapons and equipment; suppliers in recent years include France, Israel, South Korea, Sweden, Türkiye, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-27 for compulsory military or governmental service for men; conscript service requirement 8-11 months depending on education; non-commissioned officers, reserve officers, and specialists serve 11 months; women can volunteer, and as of 2018 could serve in any military branch (2025) note 1: conscripts comprise approximately 3,000-3,300 of the Estonian military's active-duty personnel and serve in all branches, except for the Air Force; after conscript service, reservists are called up for training every 5 years; Estonia has had conscription since 1991 note 2: in 2024, women comprised about 8% of the full-time professional military force; the Defense League includes a Women's Voluntary Defense Organization **Military - note:** Estonia’s defense policy aims to guarantee the country’s independence and sovereignty, protect its territorial integrity, including waters and airspace, and preserve constitutional order; Estonia’s main defense goals are developing and maintaining a credible deterrent to outside aggression and ensuring the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) can fulfill their commitments to NATO and interoperate with the armed forces of NATO and EU member states; the EDF’s primary external focus is Russia; since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Estonia has boosted defense spending, sent arms to Ukraine, and sought to boost the EDF’s capabilities in such areas as air defense, artillery, personnel readiness, and surveillance Estonia has been a member of NATO since 2004, is fully integrated within the NATO structure, and relies on its NATO partners for defense; since 2017, Estonia has hosted a UK-led multinational NATO ground force battlegroup as part of the Alliance’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative; as the EDF Air Force does not have any combat aircraft, NATO has provided airspace protection for Estonia since 2004 through its Baltic Air Policing mission; NATO member countries that possess air combat capabilities voluntarily contribute to the mission on four-month rotations; NATO fighter aircraft have been hosted at Estonia’s Ämari Air Base since 2014; Estonia also hosts a NATO cyber security center; it cooperates closely with the EU on defense issues through the EU Common Security and Defense Policy and is a member of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, a pool of high-readiness military forces from 10 Baltic and Scandinavian countries designed to respond to a wide range of contingencies in the North Atlantic, Baltic Sea, and High North regions; Estonia also has close defense ties with its Baltic neighbors and has bilateral military agreements with a number of European countries, as well as Canada and the US (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 42,439 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 63,944 (2024 est.) --- ## Eswatini **Slug:** eswatini **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇸🇿 **Codes:** cek: wz, iso2: SZ, iso3: SWZ, iso_num: 748, genc: SWZ, stanag: SWZ, internet: .sz ### Introduction **Background:** A Swazi kingdom was founded in the mid-18th century and ruled by a series of kings, including MSWATI II, a 19th century ruler whose name was adopted for the country and its predominant ethnic group. European countries defined the kingdom’s modern borders during the late-19th century, and Swaziland (as it became known) was administered as a UK high commission territory from 1903 until its independence in 1968. A new constitution that came into effect in 2005 included provisions for a more independent parliament and judiciary, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear, and the kingdom is still considered an absolute monarchy. King MSWATI III renamed the country from Swaziland to Eswatini in 2018 to reflect the name most commonly used by its citizens. In 2021, MSWATI III used security forces to suppress prodemocracy protests. A national dialogue and reconciliation process agreed to in the wake of violence has not materialized. In November 2023, King MSWATI III appointed a new prime minister following peaceful national elections. Despite its classification as a lower-middle income country, Eswatini suffers from severe poverty, corruption, and high unemployment. Eswatini has the world's highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, although recent years have shown marked declines in new infections. Eswatini is the only country in Africa that recognizes Taiwan. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa **Geographic coordinates:** 26 30 S, 31 30 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 17,364 sq km land: 17,204 sq km water: 160 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than New Jersey **Land boundaries:** total: 546 km border countries (2): Mozambique 108 km; South Africa 438 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** varies from tropical to near temperate **Terrain:** mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains **Elevation:** highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m mean elevation: 305 m **Natural resources:** asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc **Land use:** agricultural land: 69.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 10.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 58.1% (2023 est.) forest: 25.4% (2023 est.) other: 5.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 500 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** because of its mountainous terrain, the population distribution is uneven throughout the country, concentrating primarily in valleys and plains as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** drought **Geography - note:** landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,137,268 (2025 est.) male: 557,204 female: 580,064 **Nationality:** noun: liSwati (singular), emaSwati (plural); note - former term, Swazi(s), still used among English speakers adjective: Swati; note - former term, Swazi, still used among English speakers **Ethnic groups:** predominantly Swazi; smaller populations of other African ethnic groups, including the Zulu, as well as people of European ancestry **Languages:** English (official, used for government business), siSwati (official) **Religions:** Christian 90% (Zionist - a blend of Christianity and traditional African religions - 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, other Christian 30% - includes Anglican, Methodist, Church of Jesus Christ, Jehovah's Witness), Muslim 2%, other 8% (includes Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu, indigenous, Jewish) (2015 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 31.6% (male 180,328/female 179,840) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 341,298/female 390,884) 65 years and over: 4% (2024 est.) (male 16,974/female 28,765) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 52.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 44.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 7.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 13.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 24.8 years (2025 est.) male: 23.4 years female: 25.8 years **Population growth rate:** 0.87% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 20.66 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.3 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -3.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** because of its mountainous terrain, the population distribution is uneven throughout the country, concentrating primarily in valleys and plains as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 24.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 68,000 MBABANE (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 118 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 38 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 40.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 32.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 60.7 years (2024 est.) male: 58.7 years female: 62.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.64 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.3 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98% of population (2022 est.) rural: 65.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 73.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 34.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 26.5% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7% of GDP (2021) 11.3% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.56 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 92.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 84.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 86.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 7.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 15.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 13.8% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 16.5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 7.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 5.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 8.5% (2025 est.) male: 16.1% (2025 est.) female: 1.2% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 5% (2021 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 36.4% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.1% (2022) women married by age 18: 1.9% (2022) men married by age 18: 0% (2022) **Education expenditure:** 6% of GDP (2024 est.) 19.2% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 90.8% (2022 est.) male: 91.1% (2022 est.) female: 90.4% (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited supplies of potable water; overhunting depleting wildlife; population growth, deforestation, and overgrazing lead to soil erosion and soil degradation **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** varies from tropical to near temperate **Land use:** agricultural land: 69.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 10.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 58.1% (2023 est.) forest: 25.4% (2023 est.) other: 5.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 24.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 1.326 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 410,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 916,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 16.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 218,200 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 17.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 41.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 20.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.006 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 4.51 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Kingdom of Eswatini conventional short form: Eswatini local long form: Umbuso weSwatini local short form: eSwatini former: Swaziland etymology: the country name derives from 19th century King MSWATI II, under whose rule Swati territory was expanded and unified note: pronounced ay-swatini or eh-swatini **Government type:** absolute monarchy **Capital:** name: Mbabane (administrative capital); Lobamba (royal and legislative capital) geographic coordinates: 26 19 S, 31 08 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the origin of the name is unclear; it may come from the Mbabane River next to the city, whose name is said to derive from the word lubabe, a type of shrub; another theory cites a local chief, Mbabane KUNENE, as the source of the name **Administrative divisions:** 4 regions; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni **Legal system:** mixed system of civil, common, and customary law **Constitution:** history: previous 1968, 1978; latest signed by the king 26 July 2005, effective 8 February 2006 amendment process: proposed at a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament; passage requires majority vote by both houses and/or majority vote in a referendum, and assent of the king; passage of amendments affecting "specially entrenched" constitutional provisions requires at least three-fourths majority vote by both houses, passage by simple majority vote in a referendum, and assent of the king; passage of "entrenched" provisions requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses, passage in a referendum, and assent of the king **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Eswatini dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age **Executive branch:** chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986) head of government: Prime Minister Russell DLAMINI (since 6 November 2023) cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister, confirmed by the monarch; at least one-half of the cabinet membership must be appointed from among elected members of the House of Assembly election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from among members of the House of Assembly **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Libandla) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Assembly number of seats: 74 (59 directly elected; 4 indirectly elected; 10 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/29/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 21.6% expected date of next election: September 2028 note: four women, one representing each region, elected by the members if representation of elected women is less than 30% **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 30 (10 indirectly elected; 20 appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/6/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 46.7% expected date of next election: November 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 4 justices) and the High Court (consists of the chief justice ex officio and 4 justices) judge selection and term of office: justices of the Supreme Court and High Court appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), a judicial advisory body consisting of the Supreme Court Chief Justice, 4 members appointed by the monarch, and the chairman of the Civil Service Commission; justices of both courts eligible for retirement at age 65 with mandatory retirement at age 75 subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; National Swazi Courts for administering customary/traditional laws (jurisdiction restricted to customary law for Swazi citizens) note: the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in all constitutional matters **Political parties:** political parties exist but conditions for their operations, particularly in elections, are undefined, legally unclear, or culturally restricted; the following are considered political associations: African United Democratic Party or AUDP Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO Swazi Democratic Party or SWADEPA **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Kennedy Fitzgerald GROENING (7 June 2022) chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002 FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254 email address and website: swaziland@compuserve.com **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) Chargé d’Affaires Marc WEINSTOCK (since August 2025) embassy: Corner of MR 103 and Cultural Center Drive, Ezulwini, P.O. Box D202, The Gables, H106 mailing address: 2350 Mbabane Place, Washington DC 20521-2350 telephone: (268) 2417-9000 FAX: [268] 2416-3344 email address and website: ConsularMbabane@state.gov Homepage - U.S. Embassy in Eswatini (usembassy.gov) **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 6 September 1968 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day (Somhlolo Day), 6 September (1968) **Flag:** description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple-width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow, with a large black-and-white shield in the center that covers two horizontal spears and a staff with feather tassels meaning: blue stands for peace and stability, red for past struggles, and yellow for the mineral resources of the country; the shield, spears, and staff symbolize protection from enemies, and the shield colors stand for ethnic groups living in peaceful coexistence **National symbol(s):** lion, elephant **National color(s):** blue, yellow, red **National coat of arms:** the national coat of arms was adopted in 1968 after independence from the United Kingdom; two national symbols, the lion (representing the king of Eswatini) and the elephant (representing the queen mother), support a traditional Nguni shield; above the shield is the king's lidlabe, or crown of feathers, and at the bottom is Eswatini's motto, Siyinqaba, or "We are the fortress” **National anthem(s):** title: "Nkulunkulu Mnikati wetibusiso temaSwati" (O God, Bestower of the Blessings of the Swazi) lyrics/music: Andrease Enoke Fanyana SIMELANE/David Kenneth RYCROFT history: adopted 1968; uses elements of both ethnic Swazi and Western music styles ### Economy **Economic overview:** landlocked southern African economy; South African trade dependent and currency pegging; CMA and SACU member state; COVID-19 economic slowdown; growing utilities inflation; persistent poverty and unemployment; HIV/AIDS labor force disruptions **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $12.885 billion (2024 est.) $12.553 billion (2023 est.) $12.135 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.6% (2024 est.) 3.4% (2023 est.) 1.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $10,400 (2024 est.) $10,200 (2023 est.) $10,000 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $4.892 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.6% (2019 est.) 4.8% (2018 est.) 6.2% (2017 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 6.8% (2023 est.) industry: 34.7% (2023 est.) services: 51.7% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 64% (2023 est.) government consumption: 19.5% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 16.1% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 3.1% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 48.7% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -51.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, maize, root vegetables, grapefruits, oranges, milk, pineapples, bananas, beef, sweet potatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** soft drink concentrates, coal, forestry, sugar processing, textiles, and apparel **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.5% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 390,600 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 34.4% (2024 est.) 35.1% (2023 est.) 35.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 58.2% (2024 est.) male: 56% (2024 est.) female: 60.3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 58.9% (2016 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 54.6 (2016 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.4% (2016 est.) highest 10%: 42.7% (2016 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.217 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $1.439 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 35.9% of GDP (2021 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 24.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $107.534 million (2023 est.) -$140.972 million (2022 est.) $125.318 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $2.174 billion (2023 est.) $2.095 billion (2022 est.) $2.132 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** South Africa 61%, Ireland 4%, Mozambique 4%, Kenya 4%, Nigeria 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** scented mixtures, raw sugar, industrial acids/oils/alcohols, garments, wood (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $2.351 billion (2023 est.) $2.288 billion (2022 est.) $2.173 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** South Africa 71%, China 8%, India 4%, USA 2%, Mozambique 1% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, electricity, plastic products, cotton fabric, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $479.261 million (2023 est.) $452.352 million (2022 est.) $572.282 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $923.266 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** emalangeni per US dollar - Exchange rates: 18.318 (2024 est.) 18.454 (2023 est.) 16.362 (2022 est.) 14.783 (2021 est.) 16.47 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 82.3% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 86.1% electrification - rural areas: 81.6% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 285,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.308 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 928.237 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 167.476 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 3.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 4.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 54.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 37.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 253,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 202,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 4,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 201,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 4.644 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 18.823 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 35,600 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 1.74 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 140 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 state-owned TV station; satellite dishes can access South African providers; state-owned radio network with 3 channels; 1 private radio station (2019) **Internet country code:** .sz **Internet users:** percent of population: 58% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 34,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 3DC **Airports:** 16 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 301 km (2014) narrow gauge: 301 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Umbutfo Eswatini Defense Force (UEDF): Army (includes a small air wing); the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) (2025) **Military expenditures:** 1.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 3,000 active-duty Defense Force (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the UEDF has a small inventory of mostly older light weapons and equipment originating from Europe, South Africa, Taiwan, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-35 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025) **Military - note:** the UEDF’s primary mission is external defense, which includes mostly securing the borders; it also has domestic security responsibilities, including protecting members of the royal family; the king is the UEDF commander in chief and holds the position of minister of defense, although the UEDF reports to the Army commander and principal undersecretary of defense for day-to-day operations; the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) is responsible for maintaining internal security as well as migration and border crossing enforcement; it is under the prime minister, although the king is the force’s titular commissioner in chief; the UEDF was originally created in 1973 as the Royal Swaziland Defense Force (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 4,459 (2024 est.) IDPs: 56 (2024 est.) --- ## Ethiopia **Slug:** ethiopia **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇪🇹 **Codes:** cek: et, iso2: ET, iso3: ETH, iso_num: 231, genc: ETH, stanag: ETH, internet: .et ### Introduction **Background:** The area that is modern-day Ethiopia is rich in cultural and religious diversity with more than 80 ethnic groups. The oldest hominid yet found comes from Ethiopia, and Ethiopia was the second country to officially adopt Christianity in the 4th century A.D. A series of monarchies ruled the area that is now Ethiopia from 980 B.C. to 1855, when the Amhara kingdoms of northern Ethiopia united in an empire under Tewodros II. Many Ethiopians still speak reverently about the Battle of Adwa in 1896, when they defeated Italian forces and won their freedom from colonial rule. Emperor Haile SELASSIE became an internationally renowned figure in 1935, when he unsuccessfully appealed to the League of Nations to prevent Italy from occupying Ethiopia from 1936 to 1941. SELASSIE survived an attempted coup in 1960, annexed modern-day Eritrea in 1962, and played a leading role in establishing the Organization of African Unity in 1963. However, in 1974, a military junta called the Derg deposed him and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, drought, and massive displacement, the Derg regime was toppled in 1991 by a coalition of opposing forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). The EPRDF became an ethno-federalist political coalition that ruled Ethiopia from 1991 until its dissolution in 2019. Ethiopia adopted its constitution in 1994 and held its first multiparty elections in 1995. A two-and-a-half-year border war with Eritrea in the late 1990s ended with a peace treaty in 2000. Ethiopia subsequently rejected the 2007 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission demarcation. This resulted in more than a decade of a tense “no peace, no war” stalemate between the two countries. In 2012, longtime Prime Minister MELES Zenawi died in office and was replaced by his Deputy Prime Minister HAILEMARIAM Desalegn, marking the first peaceful transition of power in decades. Following a wave of popular dissent and anti-government protest that began in 2015, HAILEMARIAM resigned in 2018, and ABIY Ahmed Ali took office the same year as Ethiopia's first ethnic Oromo prime minister. In 2018, ABIY promoted a rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea that was marked with a peace agreement and a reopening of their shared border. In 2019, Ethiopia's nearly 30-year ethnic-based ruling coalition, the EPRDF, merged into a single unity party called the Prosperity Party; however, the lead coalition party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), declined to join. In 2020, a military conflict erupted between forces aligned with the TPLF and the Ethiopian military. The conflict -- which was marked by atrocities committed by all parties -- ended in 2022 with a cessation of hostilities agreement between the TPLF and the Ethiopian Government. However, Ethiopia continues to experience ethnic-based violence as other groups -- including the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) and Amhara militia Fano -- seek concessions from the Ethiopian Government. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Africa, west of Somalia **Geographic coordinates:** 8 00 N, 38 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 1,104,300 sq km land: 1,096,570 sq km water: 7,730 sq km note: area numbers are approximate since a large portion of the Ethiopia-Somalia border is undefined **Area - comparative:** slightly less than twice the size of Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 5,925 km border countries (6): Djibouti 342 km; Eritrea 1,033 km; Kenya 867 km; Somalia 1,640 km; South Sudan 1,299 km; Sudan 744 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation **Terrain:** high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley **Elevation:** highest point: Ras Dejen 4,550 m lowest point: Danakil Depression -125 m mean elevation: 1,330 m **Natural resources:** small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 34.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 14.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 17.7% (2023 est.) forest: 23.7% (2023 est.) other: 42.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,814 sq km (2020) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Tana - 3,600 sq km; Abaya Hayk - 1,160 sq km; Ch'amo Hayk - 550 sq km salt water lake(s): Lake Turkana (shared with Kenya) - 6,400 sq km; Abhe Bid Hayk/Abhe Bad (shared with Djibouti) - 780 sq km; **Major rivers (by length in km):** Blue Nile river source (shared with Sudan [m]) - 1,600 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Ogaden-Juba Basin, Sudd Basin (Umm Ruwaba Aquifer) **Population distribution:** highest density is found in the highlands of the north and middle areas of the country, particularly around the centrally located capital city of Addis Ababa; the far east and southeast are sparsely populated, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts volcanism: volcanic activity in the Great Rift Valley; Erta Ale (613 m) is the country's most active volcano; Dabbahu became active in 2005, forcing evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Alayta, Dalaffilla, Dallol, Dama Ali, Fentale, Kone, Manda Hararo, and Manda-Inakir **Geography - note:** the most populous landlocked country in the world; the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia ### People and Society **Population:** total: 121,372,632 (2025 est.) male: 60,461,406 female: 60,911,226 **Nationality:** noun: Ethiopian(s) adjective: Ethiopian **Ethnic groups:** Oromo 35.8%, Amhara 24.1%, Somali 7.2%, Tigray 5.7%, Sidama 4.1%, Guragie 2.6%, Welaita 2.3%, Afar 2.2%, Silte 1.3%, Kefficho 1.2%, other 13.5% (2022 est.) **Languages:** Oromo (official regional working language) 33.8%, Amharic (official national language) 29.3%, Somali (official regional working language) 6.2%, Tigrigna (Tigrinya) (official regional working language) 5.9%, Sidamo 4%, Wolaytta 2.2%, Gurage 2%, Afar (official regional working language) 1.7%, Hadiyya 1.7%, Gamo 1.5%, Gedeo 1.3%, Opuuo 1.2%, Kafa 1.1%, other 8.1%, English (2007 est.) major-language sample(s): Kitaaba Addunyaa Waan Qabataamaatiif - Kan Madda Odeeffannoo bu’uraawaatiif baay’ee barbaachisaa ta’e. (Oromo) የአለም እውነታ መጽሐፍ፣ ለመሠረታዊ መረጃ እጅግ አስፈላጊ የሆነ ምንጭ። (Amharic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Ethiopian Orthodox 43.8%, Muslim 31.3%, Protestant 22.8%, Catholic 0.7%, traditional 0.6%, other 0.8% (2016 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 38.7% (male 23,092,496/female 22,765,882) 15-64 years: 58% (male 34,175,328/female 34,536,238) 65 years and over: 3.4% (2024 est.) (male 1,794,269/female 2,186,085) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 71.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 65.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 17.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 20.6 years (2025 est.) male: 20.2 years female: 20.7 years **Population growth rate:** 2.34% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 29.08 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** highest density is found in the highlands of the north and middle areas of the country, particularly around the centrally located capital city of Addis Ababa; the far east and southeast are sparsely populated, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 23.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 5.461 million ADDIS ABABA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.3 years (2019 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 195 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 31.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 37.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 67.7 years (2024 est.) male: 65.4 years female: 70 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.77 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.86 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 83.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 42.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 51.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 16.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 57.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 48.5% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.2% of GDP (2021) 5.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.14 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 0.3 beds/1,000 population (2016 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 50.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 8.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 17.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 49.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 91.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 82.2% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 4.5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 4.5% (2025 est.) male: 7.7% (2025 est.) female: 1.4% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 21.2% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 66.3% (2019 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 14.1% (2016) women married by age 18: 40.3% (2016) men married by age 18: 5% (2016) **Education expenditure:** 2.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 16.7% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 60.5% (2022 est.) male: 71% (2022 est.) female: 50% (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; loss of biodiversity; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management; industrial pollution and pesticides contribute to air, water, and soil pollution **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation **Land use:** agricultural land: 34.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 14.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 17.7% (2023 est.) forest: 23.7% (2023 est.) other: 42.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 23.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 18.519 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 3.427 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 15.092 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 23.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 1,108.5 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,948.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 356.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 143.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 6.533 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 12.8% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 810 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 51.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 9.687 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 122 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia conventional short form: Ethiopia local long form: YeItyop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik local short form: Ityop'iya former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa abbreviation: FDRE etymology: the country name derives from the ancient Greek word used to describe the inhabitants, aithiops, meaning "burnt appearance" **Government type:** federal parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Addis Ababa geographic coordinates: 9 02 N, 38 42 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name in Amharic means "new flower;" Empress TAITU gave the name to the new capital city in 1887 **Administrative divisions:** 12 ethnically based regional states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2 chartered cities* (astedader akabibiwach, singular - astedader akabibi); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara), Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela), Hareri Hizb (Harari), Oromia, Sidama, Sumale, Tigray, YeDebub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples), YeDebub M'irab Ityop'iya Hizboch (Southwest Ethiopia Peoples), Southern Ethiopia Peoples **Legal system:** civil law system **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest drafted June 1994, adopted 8 December 1994, entered into force 21 August 1995 amendment process: proposals submitted for discussion require two-thirds majority approval in either house of Parliament or majority approval of one-third of the State Councils; passage of amendments other than constitutional articles on fundamental rights and freedoms and the initiation and amendment of the constitution requires two-thirds majority vote in a joint session of Parliament and majority vote by two thirds of the State Councils; passage of amendments affecting rights and freedoms and amendment procedures requires two-thirds majority vote in each house of Parliament and majority vote by all the State Councils **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Ethiopia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 4 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President TAYE Atske Selassie (since 7 October 2024) head of government: Prime Minister ABIY Ahmed Ali (since April 2018) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the prime minister and approved by the House of People's Representatives election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by both chambers of Parliament for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister designated by the majority party following legislative elections most recent election date: 21 June 2021 and 30 September 2021 (scheduled 29 August 2020 election was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic) election results: 2021: SAHLE-WORK Zewde reelected president during joint session of Parliament, vote - 659 (unanimous); ABIY confirmed Prime Minister by House of Peoples' Representatives (4 October 2021) **Legislative branch:** legislative structure: bicameral note: the House of Federation is responsible for interpreting the constitution and federal-regional issues, and the House of People's Representatives is responsible for passing legislation **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Peoples' Representatives (Yehizb Tewokayoch Mekir Bete) number of seats: 547 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 6/21/2021 to 9/30/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Prosperity Party (448); Other (22) percentage of women in chamber: 41.9% expected date of next election: June 2026 note: only 470 of the 547 seats in the House of People's Representatives were filled during the 2021 elections due to security issues in the Tigray State and other areas **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: House of the Federation (Yefedereshein Mekir Bete) number of seats: 153 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 10/4/2021 percentage of women in chamber: 29.7% expected date of next election: October 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Federal Supreme Court (consists of 11 judges) judge selection and term of office: president and vice president of Federal Supreme Court recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the House of People's Representatives; other Supreme Court judges nominated by the Federal Judicial Administrative Council (a 10-member body chaired by the president of the Federal Supreme Court) and appointed by the House of People's Representatives; judges serve until retirement at age 60 subordinate courts: federal high courts and federal courts of first instance; state court systems (mirror structure of federal system); sharia courts and customary and traditional courts note: the House of Federation has jurisdiction for all constitutional issues **Political parties:** Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice and Democracy or EZEMA Gedeo People's Democratic Party Independent Kucha People Democratic Party National Movement of Amhara or NAMA Prosperity Party or PP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador BINALF Andualem Ashenef (since 25 February 2025) chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200 FAX: [1] (202) 587-0195 email address and website: ethiopia@ethiopianembassy.org https://ethiopianembassy.org/ consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, St. Paul (MN) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Ervin MASSINGA (since 4 October 2023) embassy: Entoto Street, P.O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa mailing address: 2030 Addis Ababa Place, Washington DC 20521-2030 telephone: [251] 111-30-60-00 FAX: [251] 111-24-24-01 email address and website: AddisACS@state.gov https://et.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, BRICS, COMESA, EITI, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (accession candidate) **Independence:** oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world, at least 2,000 years; may be traced to the Aksumite Kingdom, which appeared in the first century B.C. **National holiday:** Derg Downfall Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red, with a light blue disk centered on the three bands; on the disk is a yellow pentagram with single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points meaning: green stands for hope and the land's fertility, yellow for justice and harmony, and red for sacrifice and heroism; the blue of the disk symbolizes peace, and the pentagram represents the Ethiopian people's unity and equality history: the emblem in the center of the current flag was added in 1996 note: Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and newly independent African countries often adopted the Ethiopian flag's colors, which were later known as the Pan-African movement's colors **National symbol(s):** Abyssinian lion (traditional), yellow pentagram with five rays of light on a blue field (promoted by government) **National color(s):** green, yellow, red **National coat of arms:** adopted in 1996, the coat of arms features the national symbol, a pentagram; the blue circle symbolizes peace, and the pentagram represents the unity and equality of the Ethiopian people **National anthem(s):** title: "Whedefit Gesgeshi Woud Enat Ethiopia" (March Forward, Dear Mother Ethiopia) lyrics/music: DEREJE Melaku Mengesha/SOLOMON Lulu history: adopted 1992 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 12 (10 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela (c); Simien National Park (n); Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region (c); Aksum (c); Lower Valley of the Awash (c); Lower Valley of the Omo (c); Tiya (c); Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town (c); Konso Cultural Landscape (c); Gedeo Cultural Landscape (c); Bale Mountains National Park (n); Melka Kunture and Balchit: Archaeological and Palaeontological Sites in the Highland Area of Ethiopia (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income, fast-growing Horn of Africa economy; widespread poverty and food insecurity worsened by conflict and environmental factors; landlocked with tensions over seaport access; development aid supporting reforms to boost private-sector growth and financial stability; challenge of creating jobs for growing labor force **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $380.895 billion (2024 est.) $354.926 billion (2023 est.) $332.97 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 7.3% (2024 est.) 6.6% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $2,900 (2024 est.) $2,800 (2023 est.) $2,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $126.773 billion (2022 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 21% (2024 est.) 30.2% (2023 est.) 33.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 34.9% (2024 est.) industry: 25.4% (2024 est.) services: 37.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 80.2% (2024 est.) government consumption: 5.5% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.5% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 5.6% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -11.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** maize, cereals, wheat, milk, sorghum, barley, taro, beans, sweet potatoes, potatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, garments, chemicals, metals processing, cement **Industrial production growth rate:** 9.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 54.47 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.4% (2024 est.) 3.5% (2023 est.) 3.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 5.4% (2024 est.) male: 4% (2024 est.) female: 7.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 23.5% (2015 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 31.1 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 37.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.5% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 24.8% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.33% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $8.808 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $12.49 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 31.4% of GDP (2019 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 3.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$4.788 billion (2023 est.) -$5.16 billion (2022 est.) -$4.507 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $10.865 billion (2023 est.) $10.971 billion (2022 est.) $9.496 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 12%, China 10%, UAE 8%, Saudi Arabia 8%, Netherlands 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** coffee, garments, dried legumes, cut flowers, oil seeds (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $22.951 billion (2023 est.) $24.187 billion (2022 est.) $20.859 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 26%, Djibouti 16%, India 7%, Kuwait 7%, Saudi Arabia 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, fertilizers, plastics, raw sugar, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $3.784 billion (2024 est.) $2.028 billion (2023 est.) $1.192 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $25.426 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** birr (ETB) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 54.601 (2023 est.) 51.756 (2022 est.) 43.734 (2021 est.) 34.927 (2020 est.) 29.07 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 55% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 94% electrification - rural areas: 43% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 5.69 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 12.298 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 1.762 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 4.194 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 3.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 96.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 456,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 1.653 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1,000 metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 1.153 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 102,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 428,000 barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** proven reserves: 24.919 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 2.366 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 766,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 85.9 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 65 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 10 public/state broadcasters; 9 public/state radio stations; 13 commercial FM radio stations; 18 commercial TV stations; 45 community radio stations; 5 community TV stations (2023) **Internet country code:** .et **Internet users:** percent of population: 17% (2021 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 566,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** ET **Airports:** 58 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 659 km (2017) (Ethiopian segment of the 756 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) standard gauge: 659 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge note: electric railway with redundant power supplies; under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia and managed by a Chinese contractor **Merchant marine:** total: 12 (2023) by type: general cargo 10, oil tanker 2 ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF; aka Federal Defense Force of Ethiopia, FDRE): Army, Air Force, Naval Force, Defense Cyber Main Directorate (2025) note 1: national and regional police forces are responsible for law enforcement and maintenance of order, with the ENDF sometimes providing internal security support; the Ethiopian Federal Police (EFP) report to the Prime Minister’s Office note 2: the regional governments control regional security forces, including "special" paramilitary forces, which generally operate independently from the federal government and in some cases operate as regional defense forces maintaining national borders; in April 2023, the federal government ordered the integration of these regional special forces into the EFP or ENDF; in some cases, the regional governments have maintained former members of the special forces for “crowd control/Adma Bitena” as a separate unit within their security structures; local militias also operate across the country in loose and varying coordination with regional security and police forces, the ENDF, and the EFP note 3: in 2018, Ethiopia established a Republican Guard military unit as a separate command operationally under the Office of the Prime Minister and administratively accountable to the Ministry of Defense; it is responsible for protecting senior officials and government institutions and conducting some military operations **Military expenditures:** 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** available information varies widely; estimated 150-300,000 active-duty Defense Force (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the ENDF's inventory has traditionally been comprised of Russian, Soviet, and Eastern Bloc armaments; it suffered considerable equipment losses during the 2020-2022 Tigray conflict; in more recent years, Ethiopia has diversified its arms sources to include such suppliers as China, Türkiye, Ukraine, and the UAE; Ethiopia's defense industry produces small arms, as well as armored vehicles under license (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-22 years of age for voluntary military service; 24-month service obligation; no compulsory military service, but the military can conduct callups when necessary and compliance is compulsory (2025) **Military deployments:** 1,500 South Sudan (UNMISS); estimated to have as many as 10,000 troops Somalia (approximately 2,500 under the AU; the remainder under a bilateral agreement with the Somali Government) (2025) **Military - note:** the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) is focused on both external threats emanating from its neighbors and internal threats from multiple internal armed groups; since 1998, the ENDF has engaged in several conventional and counterinsurgency operations, including border wars with Eritrea (1998-2000) and Somalia (2006-2008) and internal conflicts with the Tigray regional state (2020-2022), multiple insurgent groups and ethnic militias, and the al-Shabaab terrorist group; as of 2025, the ENDF was actively conducting counterinsurgency operations against anti-government militants in several states, including the Amhara militia Fano and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), as well as al-Shabaab in Somalia (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Ethiopian Space Science and Geospatial Institute (ESSGI; formed in 2022 from the joining of the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute or ESSTI and the Ethiopian Geospatial Information Institute or EGII) (2025) **Space program overview:** focuses on acquiring and operating satellites, as well as conducting research; jointly builds satellites with foreign partners, and operates and exploits remote sensing (RS) satellites; developing the ability to manufacture satellites and their payloads; involved in astronomy and the construction of space observatories; works with a variety of countries, including China, France, India, Russia, and multiple African countries, particularly Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda; shares RS data with neighboring countries (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2015 - established Entoto Observatory and Space Science Research Center 2019 - first remote sensing (RS) satellite (Ethiopia RS Satellite or ETRSS-1) built and launched by China 2020 - second RS satellite (ET-SMART-RSS) built with assistance from and launched by China; began construction of satellite manufacturing, assembly, integration, and testing facility 2021 - established a multi-mission ground control station for RS satellites 2024 - declared second satellite ground station operational 2025 - announced plans to launch third RS satellite (ETRSS-02) in partnership with China in 2026 ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): al-Shabaab note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 1,071,881 (2024 est.) IDPs: 3,134,600 (2024 est.) --- ## European Union **Slug:** european-union **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇪🇺 **Codes:** cek: ee ### Introduction **Preliminary statement:** The European Union's (EU) evolution is unprecedented in history, transforming from a regional economic agreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to today's hybrid intergovernmental and supranational organization of 27 countries across the European continent. Such a large number of nation-states ceding some of their sovereignty to an overarching entity is unique. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation were long the norm in Europe, although country-level unions were sometimes arranged, such as the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The EU is not a federation in the strict sense, but it is far more than a free-trade association such as ASEAN or Mercosur. It has certain attributes associated with independent nations: its own flag, currency (for some members), and law-making abilities, as well as diplomatic representation and a common foreign and security policy in its dealings with external partners. For these reasons, The World Factbook includes basic information on the EU as a separate entity. **Background:** In the aftermath and devastation of the two World Wars, a number of far-sighted European leaders in the late 1940s sought to respond to the overwhelming desire for peace and reconciliation on the continent. In 1950, French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed pooling the production of coal and steel in Western Europe, which would bring France and West Germany together and be open to other countries as well. The following year, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members -- Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands -- signed the Treaty of Paris. Within a few years, the ECSC was so successful that member states decided to further integrate their economies. In 1957, envisioning an "ever closer union," the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), which eliminated trade barriers among the six member states to create a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and a legislative body known today as the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but direct elections began in 1979 and have been held every five years since. In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC added Denmark, Ireland, and the UK. The 1980s saw further membership expansion, with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further cooperation in foreign and defense policy and judicial and internal affairs, as well as the creation of an economic and monetary union -- including a common currency. The Maastricht Treaty created the European Union (EU), at the time standing alongside the EC. In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU/EC, raising the total number of member states to 15. On 1 January 1999, the new euro currency was launched in world markets and became the unit of exchange for all EU member states except Denmark, Sweden, and the UK. In 2002, citizens of the 12 participating member states began using euro banknotes and coins. In an effort to ensure that the EU could function efficiently with an expanded membership, the Treaty of Nice in 2000 set forth rules to streamline the size and procedures of the EU's institutions. An effort to establish a "Constitution for Europe," growing out of a Convention held in 2002-2003, foundered when it was rejected in referenda in France and the Netherlands in 2005. A subsequent effort in 2007 incorporated many features of the rejected draft Constitutional Treaty, while also making a number of substantive as well as symbolic changes. The new treaty, referred to as the Treaty of Lisbon, sought to amend existing treaties rather than replace them. The treaty was approved at a conference of member states, and after all member states ratified, the Lisbon Treaty came into force on 1 December 2009, at which point the EU officially replaced and succeeded the EC. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 -- Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007 and Croatia in 2013. UK citizens on 23 June 2016 narrowly voted to leave the EU; the formal exit, widely known as "Brexit," took place on 31 January 2020. The EU and the UK negotiated a withdrawal agreement that included a status quo transition period through December 2020, when the follow-on EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement was concluded. Current EU membership stands at 27. Eight of the newer member states -- Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia, and Slovenia -- have now adopted the euro, bringing total euro-zone membership to 20. ### Geography **Location:** Europe between the North Atlantic Ocean in the west and Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine to the east **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 4,236,351 sq km rank by area (sq km): 1. France (includes five overseas regions) 643,801 2. Spain 505,370 3. Sweden 450,295 4. Germany 357,022 5. Finland 338,145 6. Poland 312,685 7. Italy 301,340 8. Romania 238,391 9. Greece 131,957 10. Bulgaria 110,879 11. Hungary 93,028 12. Portugal 92,090 13. Austria 83,871 14. Czechia 78,867 15. Ireland 70,273 16. Lithuania 65,300 17. Latvia 64,589 18. Croatia 56,594 19. Slovakia 49,035 20. Estonia 45,228 21. Denmark 43,094 22. Netherlands 41,543 23. Belgium 30,528 24. Slovenia 20,273 25. Cyprus 9,251 26. Luxembourg 2,586 27. Malta 316 **Area - comparative:** less than one-half the size of the United States **Land boundaries:** total: 13,770 km border countries (18): Albania 212 km; Andorra 118 km; Belarus 1,176 km; Bosnia and Herzegovina 956 km; Holy See 3 km; Liechtenstein 34 km; North Macedonia 396 km; Moldova 683 km; Monaco 6 km; Montenegro 19 km; Norway 2,375 km; Russia 2,435 km; San Marino 37 km; Serbia 1,353 km; Switzerland 1,729 km; Turkey 415 km; United Kingdom 499 km; Ukraine 1,324 km note: data for European continent only **Coastline:** 53,563.9 km **Climate:** cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate; mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south **Terrain:** fairly flat along Baltic and Atlantic coasts; mountainous in the central and southern areas **Elevation:** highest point: Mont Blanc, France 4,810 m lowest point: Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands -7 m **Natural resources:** iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, uranium, potash, salt, hydropower, arable land, timber, fish **Irrigated land:** 154,539.82 sq km (2011 est.) **Population distribution:** population distribution varies considerably from country to country but tends to follow a pattern of coastal and river settlement, with urban agglomerations forming large hubs; the area in and around the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg (known collectively as Benelux), is the most densely populated area in the EU **Natural hazards:** flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic Sea region ### People and Society **Population:** total: 451,815,312 (2024 est.) male: 220,631,332 female: 231,183,980 **Languages:** Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish note: only the 24 official languages are listed; German, the major language of Germany and Austria, is the most widely spoken mother tongue - about 16% of the EU population; English is the most widely spoken foreign language - about 29% of the EU population is conversant with it; English is an official language in Ireland and Malta and thus remained an official EU language after the UK left the bloc (2020) **Religions:** Roman Catholic 41%, Orthodox 10%, Protestant 9%, other Christian 4%, Muslim 2%, other 4% (includes Jewish, Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu), atheist 10%, non-believer/agnostic 17%, unspecified 3% (2019 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 14.5% (male 33,606,273/female 31,985,118) 15-64 years: 63.5% (male 143,874,460/female 143,104,994) 65 years and over: 22% (2024 est.) (male 43,150,599/female 56,093,868) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 57.2 (2024) youth dependency ratio: 22.8 (2024) elderly dependency ratio: 34.5 (2024) potential support ratio: 3 (2024) **Median age:** total: 44 years (2020) male: 42.6 years female: 45.5 years **Population growth rate:** 0.1% (2021 est.) **Birth rate:** 8.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.) **Death rate:** 11.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population **Population distribution:** population distribution varies considerably from country to country but tends to follow a pattern of coastal and river settlement, with urban agglomerations forming large hubs; the area in and around the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg (known collectively as Benelux), is the most densely populated area in the EU **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 77.63 years (2021) male: 72.98 years female: 82.51 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.54 children born/woman (2024 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.75 (2024 est.) **Health expenditure:** 10.9% of GDP (2021) **Education expenditure:** 5% of GDP (2020 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** various forms of air, soil, and water pollution; see individual country entries **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006 signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds **Climate:** cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate; mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 2.651 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 518.857 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.489 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 643.8 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 1.7 trillion cubic meters (2019) ### Government **Union name:** conventional long form: European Union abbreviation: EU **Government type:** a hybrid and unique intergovernmental and supranational organization **Capital:** name: Brussels (Belgium), Strasbourg (France), Luxembourg, Frankfurt (Germany) geographic coordinates: (Brussels) 50 50 N, 4 20 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October time zone note: the 27 European Union member states are spread across three time zones note: the European Council and the Council of the European Union meet in Brussels, Belgium, except for Council of the EU meetings held in Luxembourg in April, June, and October; the European Parliament meets in Brussels and Strasbourg, France, and has administrative offices in Luxembourg; the Court of Justice of the European Union is located in Luxembourg; and the European Central Bank is located in Frankfurt, Germany **Member states:** 27 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden 13 overseas countries and territories: 1 with Denmark (Greenland), 6 with France (French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna), and 6 with the Netherlands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten); all are part of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA) note 1: the 9 EU candidate countries include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine note 2: several non-European overseas countries and territories (OCTs) have special relations with Denmark, France, and the Netherlands (list is annexed to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union) and are associated with the EU to promote their economic and social development; member states apply the same treatment to their trade with OCTs as they accord each other; OCT nationals are in principle EU citizens, but OCTs are not part of or subject to the EU **Legal system:** unique supranational system in which EU treaties and EU law have primacy over member-state law **Constitution:** history: none; the EU legal order relies primarily on the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) amendment process: EU treaties can be amended in several ways: 1) Ordinary Revision Procedure (for key amendments to the treaties); initiated by an EU member state, the European Parliament, or the European Commission; after the proposal is adopted by the European Council, a conference of national government representatives then reviews the proposal; passage requires ratification by all EU member states 2) Simplified Revision Procedure (for amendment of EU internal policies and actions); passage of a proposal requires unanimous European Council vote after European Council consultation with the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Central Bank (if the amendment concerns monetary matters) and requires ratification by all EU member states 3) Passerelle Clause; allows the alteration of a legislative procedure without a formal amendment of the treaties 4) Flexibility Clause; permits the EU to decide in subject areas where EU competences have not been explicitly granted in the treaties but are necessary to the attainment of treaty objectives **Suffrage:** 18 years of age (16 years in Austria); universal; voting for the European Parliament occurs in each member state **Executive branch:** three EU institutions have functions that can be regarded as executive in nature: European Council - composed of member-state heads of state or government, along with the president of the European Commission; meets at least four times a year to issue general policy guidance; the president of the European Council is appointed by leaders of the EU member states for a 2 1/2 year term, renewable once president: António Costa (since 1 December 2024) Council of the European Union - consists of member-state officials, ranging from working-level diplomats to cabinet ministers in specific policy fields such as foreign affairs, agriculture, or economy; has policymaking, coordinating, and legislative functions president: the six-month presidency rotates among the member states European Commission - composed of 27 commissioners (one from each member state), including the president; the president assigns each commissioner one or more policy areas, called portfolios; the Commission has the sole right to initiate EU legislation, except for foreign and security/defense policy, and is responsible for monitoring the application of EU law, implementing/executing the EU budget, negotiating in certain policy areas, and ensuring the EU's external representation in some policy areas; the president is nominated for a 5-year term by the European Council and confirmed by the European Parliament; the European Parliament also confirms the entire Commission for a 5-year term president: Ursula von der Leyen (since 1 December 2019) note: for external representation and foreign policy, member-state leaders appoint a High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; the High Representative's concurrent appointment as Vice President of the European Commission is meant to bring more coherence to the EU’s foreign policy; the High Representative helps develop and implement the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy and Common Security and Defense Policy, chairs the Council of the EU's meetings of member-state foreign ministers, represents and acts for the EU in many international contexts, and oversees the European External Action Service, the EU's diplomatic corps **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Council of the European Union (Council) and the European Parliament (EP) (separate legislative bodies; see note 2) number of seats: Council - 27; EP - 720 electoral system: Council - none, composed of ministers from EU member states; EP - proportional representation scope of elections: EP - full renewal term in office: 5 years note: for the EP most recent election date: EP - 6/9/2024 parties elected and seats per party: EP - PP (188); S&D (136); PfE (84); ECR (78); Renew (77); Greens/EFA (53); GUE-NGL (46); ESN (25); non-attached (12); other (21) percentage of women in chamber: 39.8% note: for the EP expected date of next election: EP - June 2029 note 1: the European Parliament (EP) President, Roberta METSOLA, was elected in January 2022 and reelected in July 2024 by a majority of EP members (MEPs) note 2: the EP and the Council of the EU share responsibilities for adopting the bulk of EU legislation; the European Commission proposes legislation, and the two other bodies have to agree for the proposal to become law -- except in the area of Common Foreign and Security Policy, which is governed by consensus of the EU member-state governments **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Justice of the European Union, which includes the Court of Justice (informally known as the European Court of Justice or ECJ, includes 11 advocates general) and the General Court (consists of 27 judges, one drawn from each member state; can include additional judges); both the ECJ and the General Court sit in chambers of 3 to 5 judges but may sit in a Grand Chamber of 15 judges in special cases judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the common consent of the member states to serve 6-year renewable terms **Political parties:** The Left or GUE/NGL European Conservatives and Reformists or ECR Greens/European Free Alliance or Greens/EFA European People's Party or EPP Europe of Sovereign Nations or ESN Patriots for Europe or PfE Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats or S&D Renew Europe or Renew (formerly Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe or ALDE) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Jovita NELIUPŠIENĖ, Head of Delegation (since 27 February 2024) chancery: 2175 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 862-9500 FAX: [1] (202) 429-1766 email address and website: delegation-usa-info@eeas.europa.eu Delegation of the European Union to the United States of America | EEAS (europa.eu) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew PUZDER (since 11 September 2025) embassy: Zinnerstraat - 13 - Rue Zinner, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [32] (2) 811-4100 email address and website: https://useu.usmission.gov/ **International organization participation:** ARF, ASEAN (dialogue member), Australian Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CERN, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-7, G-10, G-20, IDA, IEA, IGAD (partners), LAIA (observer), NSG (observer), OAS (observer), OECD, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), UN (observer), UNRWA (observer), WCO, WTO, ZC (observer) **Independence:** 7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed establishing the European Union); 1 November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered into force) note: the Treaties of Rome, signed on 25 March 1957 and entered into force on 1 January 1958, created the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community; a series of subsequent treaties increased efficiency and transparency, prepared for new member states, and introduced new areas of cooperation such as a single currency; the Treaty of Lisbon, signed on 13 December 2007 and entered into force on 1 December 2009, is the most recent **National holiday:** Europe Day (also known as Schuman Day), 9 May (1950) **Flag:** description: a blue field with 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged in a circle in the center; blue stands for the sky of the Western world, and the stars for unity, solidarity, and harmony meaning: the number of stars is fixed and does not correspond to the number of member states **National symbol(s):** a circle of 12 five-pointed golden-yellow stars on a blue field **National color(s):** blue, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "European Anthem" (Ode to Joy) lyrics/music: no lyrics/Ludwig VAN BEETHOVEN, arranged by Herbert VON KARAJAN history: adopted 1985; the anthem is meant to represent all of Europe rather than just the organization, conveying the ideals of peace, freedom, and unity ### Economy **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $24.441 trillion (2024 est.) $24.17 trillion (2023 est.) $24.036 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1% (2024 est.) 0.5% (2023 est.) 3.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $54,300 (2024 est.) $53,800 (2023 est.) $53,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $19.423 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.4% (2024 est.) 6.3% (2023 est.) 8.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.6% (2024 est.) industry: 22.1% (2024 est.) services: 66.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 51.6% (2023 est.) government consumption: 20.8% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.4% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 51.9% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -48.3% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, wheat, sugar beets, maize, potatoes, barley, grapes, pork, rapeseed, tomatoes (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage for all EU member states **Industries:** among the world's largest and most technologically advanced regions, the EU industrial base includes: ferrous and non-ferrous metal production and processing, metal products, petroleum, coal, cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, rail transportation equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, construction equipment, industrial equipment, shipbuilding, electrical power equipment, machine tools and automated manufacturing systems, electronics and telecommunications equipment, fishing, food and beverages, furniture, paper, textiles **Industrial production growth rate:** -0.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 221.391 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 6% (2024 est.) 6.1% (2023 est.) 6.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 15.9% (2024 est.) male: 16% (2024 est.) female: 16% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 31 (2015 est.) **Remittances:** 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Taxes and other revenues:** 19.8% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Exports:** $9.783 trillion (2024 est.) $9.689 trillion (2023 est.) $9.425 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** US 20%, UK 12%, China 10%, Switzerland 7%, Turkey 4% (2023) note: top five non-EU export partners based on percentage share of external exports; does not include internal trade among EU member states **Exports - commodities:** cars, packaged medicine, refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, vaccines (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars; includes both exports to external partners and internal trade among EU member states **Imports:** $8.953 trillion (2024 est.) $8.978 trillion (2023 est.) $9.072 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 21%, US 14%, UK 7%, Switzerland 6%, Norway 5% (2023) note: top five non-EU import partners based on percentage share of external imports; does not include internal trade among EU member states **Imports - commodities:** cars, crude petroleum, natural gas, refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars; includes both imports from external partners and internal trade among EU member states **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 1.142 billion kW (2023 est.) consumption: 2.511 trillion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 407.824 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 405.154 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 169.694 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 33.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 22.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 9.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 17.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 11.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 100 (2025) Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 1 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 97.63GW (2025 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 75 (2025) **Coal:** production: 304.827 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 398.817 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 32.326 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 127.304 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 84.193 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 748,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 11.022 million bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 40.239 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 335.326 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 100.238 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 396.993 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 114.309 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 155,004,603 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 552,315,605 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 124 (2022 est.) **Internet country code:** .eu note: see country entries of member states for individual country codes **Internet users:** percent of population: 90% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 172.888 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 5,211 (2025) **Heliports:** 2,069 (2025) **Railways:** total: 4,894,173 km (2019) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** the EU's Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) provides the civilian, military, and political structures for EU crisis management and security issues; the highest bodies are: the Political and Security Committee (PSC), which meets at the ambassadorial level as a preparatory body for the Council of the EU; it assists with defining policies and preparing a crisis response the European Union Military Committee (EUMC) is the EU's highest military body; it is composed of the chiefs of defense (CHODs) of the Member States, who are regularly represented by their permanent Military Representatives; the EUMC provides the PSC with advice and recommendations on all military matters within the EU the Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management (CIVCOM) provides advice and recommendations to the PSC in parallel with the EUMC on civilian aspects of crisis management the Politico-Military Group (PMG) provides advice and recommendations to the PSC on political aspects of EU military and civil-military issues, including concepts, capabilities and operations and missions, and monitors implementation other bodies set up under the CSDP include the Security and Defense Policy Directorate (SECDEFPOL), the Integrated approach for Security and Peace Directorate (ISP), the EU Military Staff (EUMS), the Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC), the Civilian Operations Headquarters (CivOpsHQ), the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC), the European Defense Agency (EDA), the European Security and Defense College (ESDC), the EU Institute for Security Studies, the EU Satellite Center, the Peace, Partnerships and Crisis Management Directorate (PCM) (2025) note 1: Frontex is the European Border and Coast Guard Agency that supports EU Member States and Schengen-associated countries in the management of the EU’s external borders and the fight against cross-border crime; it has a standing corps of uniformed border guard officers directly employed by Frontex as staff members and regularly deployed to border guarding missions, plus thousands of other officers seconded by EU member states note 2: in 2017, the EU set up the Permanent Structured Cooperation on Defense (PESCO), a mechanism for deepening defense cooperation amongst member states through binding commitments and collaborative programs on a variety of military-related capabilities such as cyber, maritime surveillance, medical support, operational readiness, procurement, and training **Military expenditures:** 1.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2020 est.) note 1: the European Defense Fund (EDF) has a budget of approximately $8 billion for 2021-2027; about $2.7 billion is devoted to funding collaborative defense research while about $5.3 billion is allocated for collaborative capability development projects that complement national contributions; the EDF identifies critical defense domains that it will support note 2: NATO is separate from the EU and is resourced through the direct and indirect contributions of its members; NATO’s common funds are direct contributions to collective budgets, capabilities and programs, which equate to only 0.3% of total NATO defense spending to develop capabilities and run NATO, its military commands, capabilities, and infrastructure; NATO's 2014 Defense Investment Pledge called for NATO members to meet the 2% of GDP guideline for defense spending and the 20% of annual defense expenditure on major new equipment by 2024 **Military deployments:** since 2003, the EU has launched more than 30 civilian and military crisis-management, advisory, and training missions in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, as well as counter-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia and a naval operation in the Mediterranean to disrupt human smuggling and trafficking networks and prevent the loss of life at sea (2025) note: in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU established a rapid deployment force consisting of up to 5,000 troops in 2025 **Military - note:** the EU partners with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); NATO is an alliance of 32 countries from North America and Europe; its role is to safeguard the security of its member countries by political and military means; NATO conducts crisis management and peacekeeping missions; member countries that participate in the military aspect of the Alliance contribute forces and equipment, which remain under national command and control until a time when they are required by NATO for a specific purpose (i.e., conflict or crisis, peacekeeping); NATO, however, does possess some common capabilities owned and operated by the Alliance, such as some early warning radar aircraft; relations between NATO and the EU were institutionalized in the early 2000s, building on steps taken during the 1990s to promote greater European responsibility in defense matters; cooperation and coordination covers a broad array of issues, including crisis management, defense and political consultations, civil preparedness, capacity building, military capabilities, maritime security, planning, cyber defense, countering hybrid threats, information sharing, logistics, defense industry, counterterrorism, etc.; since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU and NATO have intensified their work and cooperation; NATO and the EU have 23 member countries in common there are no permanent standing EU forces, but Europe has a variety of multinational military organizations that may be deployed through the EU, in a NATO environment, upon the mandate of the participating countries, or upon the mandate of other international organizations, such as the UN or OSCE including: the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity (EU RDC) was declared operational in May 2025; the RDC's purpose is to enable the EU to respond to different crisis scenarios by providing a flexible and scalable military instrument of up to 5,000 troops that can be deployed in a swift manner; missions could include capacity building, conflict prevention, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, rescue and evacuation, or stabilization; the use of the RDC is subject to a unanimous decision by the EU Member States EU Battlegroups (BGs) are rapid reaction multinational army units that form a key part of the EU's capacity to respond to crises and conflicts; their deployment is subject to a unanimous decision by the European Council; BGs typically consists of 1,500-2,000 troops organized around an infantry battalion depending on the mission; the troops and equipment are drawn from EU member states and under the direction of a lead nation; two BGs are always on standby for a period of six months; the BGs were declared operational in 2007 but have never been used operationally due to political and financial obstacles the European Corps (Eurocorps) is an independent multinational land force corps headquarters composed of personnel from six framework nations and five associated nations; the corps has no standing operational units; during a crisis, units would be drawn from participating states, and the corps would be placed at the service of the EU and NATO; Eurocorps was established in 1992 by France and Germany; Belgium (1993), Spain (1994), and Luxembourg (1996) joined over the next few years; Poland joined in 2022; Greece and Turkey (since 2002), Italy, Romania, and Austria (since 2009, 2016, and 2021 respectively) participate as associated nations; Eurocorps is headquartered in France the European Gendarmerie Force (EURGENDFOR) is an operational, pre-organized, and rapidly deployable European gendarmerie/police force; it is not established at the EU level, but is capable of performing police tasks, including law enforcement, stability operations, and training in support of the EU, the UN, OSCE, NATO, and other international organizations or ad hoc coalitions; member state gendarmeries include those of France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Spain; the Lithuanian Public Security Service is a partner, while Turkey's Gendarmerie is an observer force the European Medical Corps (EMC) was set up in the aftermath of the Ebola crisis in West Africa in 2014 to enable the deployment of teams and equipment from EU member states to provide medical assistance and public health expertise in response to emergencies inside and outside the EU; 12 European states have committed teams and equipment to the EMC the European Medical Command (EMC) was formed to provide a standing EU medical capability, increase medical operational readiness, and improve interoperability amongst the participating EU members; it operates closely with the NATO Framework Nations Concept’s Multinational Medical Coordination Center (MMCC) under a single administrative and infrastructural framework (MMCC/EMC); the EMC was declared operational in May 2022 the European Air Transport Command (EATC) is a single multinational command for more than 150 military air mobility assets from seven member states, including transport, air-to-air refueling, and aeromedical evacuation; the EATC headquarters is located in the Netherlands, but the air assets remain located at member national air bases; the EATC was established in 2010 the European Air Group (EAG) is an independent organization formed by the air forces of its seven member nations (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, and the UK) that is focused on improving interoperability between the air forces of EAG members and its 14 partner and associate nations; it was established in the late 1990s and is headquartered in the UK the European Maritime Force (EUROMARFOR or EMF) is a four-nation (France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain), non-standing naval force with the ability to carry out naval, air, and amphibious operations; EUROMARFOR was formed in 1995 to conduct missions such as crisis response, humanitarian missions, peacekeeping, peace enforcement, and sea control; it can deploy under EU, NATO, or UN mandate, but also as long as the four partner nations agree the Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF) is a deployable, combined France-UK military force of up to 10,000 personnel for use in a wide range of crisis scenarios, up to and including high intensity combat operations; the CJEF has no standing forces but would be available at short notice for French-UK bilateral, NATO, EU, UN, or other operations; it was established in 2010 and declared operational in 2020 the 1st German/Netherlands (Dutch) Corps is a combined army corps headquarters that has the ability to conduct operations under the command and control of Germany and the Netherlands, NATO, or the EU; in peacetime, approximately 1,100 Dutch and German soldiers are assigned, but during a crisis up to 80,000 troops may be assigned; it was formed in 1995 and is headquartered in Germany the Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian Brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG) is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units; units affiliated with the multinational brigade remain within the structures of the armed forces of their respective countries until the brigade is activated for participation in an international operation; it was formed in 2014 and is headquartered in Poland (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** the only EU agency dedicated to space is the EU Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA; established in 2021); the EUSPA originated with the Galileo Joint Undertaking (GJU) set up in 2002 by the European Community (EC) and the European Space Agency (ESA) to manage the development phase of Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation program; the GJU’s responsibilities were assumed by the European Global Navigation Satellite System Supervisory Authority (GSA) in 2007 the ESA (established 1975 from the European Launcher Development Organization and the European Space Research Organization, which were established in the early 1960s) is an independent organization although it maintains close ties with the EU through an ESA/EC Framework Agreement; the ESA and EC share a joint European Strategy for Space and have together developed a European Space Policy the ESA has 23 member states; the national bodies responsible for space in these countries sit on ESA’s governing Council: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK; Canada also sits on the Council and takes part in some projects under a Cooperation Agreement; Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovakia are Associate Members; Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, and Malta have cooperation agreements with ESA; ESA has established formal cooperation with all member states of the EU that are not ESA members (2025) **Space launch site(s):** ESA’s spaceport is located in Kourou, French Guiana; EU members Norway and Sweden have operational commercial space ports; the UK, non-EU member, has two operational commercial space ports (2025) **Space program overview:** EU member states have a large and advanced commercial space sector that develops and produces a full range of capabilities and technologies; a key focus for both the European Space Agency (ESA) and the EU Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA) is encouraging this sector; Europe is a global leader in satellite-based communications and hosts the headquarters of three of the world’s major satellite communications companies ESA is comprehensive space agency that is active across the space sector, except for launching humans into space; its activities include producing and operating satellites with a full spectrum of capabilities (communications, multipurpose, navigational, remote sensing, science/technology), satellite launch vehicles (SLVs), space launches, astronaut training, space transportation/automated transfer vehicles, reusable spacecraft, space station modules, spacecraft components, robotic space labs, lunar/planetary surface rovers, interplanetary space probes and exploration, and space telescopes; ESA participates in international programs such as the International Space Station and works closely with Europe’s commercial space industry; it also works with a broad range of space agencies and industries of non-member countries, including China, Japan, Russia, and the US; many of its programs are conducted jointly, particularly with the US space program the EUSPA is responsible for the operational management of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Galileo satellite navigation programs; the EU space strategy encourages investment in and the use of space services and data, fosters competition and innovation, develops space technologies, and reinforces Europe’s autonomy in accessing space (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1979 - first launch of Ariane heavy-lift satellite launch vehicle (SLV) 1980s-2011 - participated in US Space Shuttle program (included more than 20 Spacelab missions, 1983-1998) 1995 - first solar satellite/orbiter (SOHO) launched 1997-2017 - Cassini-Huygens research mission to Saturn 1998-present - participating in a series of missions with varying start dates, including the International Space Station, International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory mission (INTEGRAL), Mars Express orbiter exploration mission, Rosetta comet probe (included world’s first landing on a comet, 2014), Copernicus Earth observation program, Mars orbiter mission (ExoMars), Mercury planetary orbiter mission (BepiColombo), Solar Orbiter mission, US Gateway Lunar orbital station project 2016 - Galileo satellite-based global navigational positioning system reached initial operational capability 2019 - began development of quantum communications infrastructure (EuroQCI) 2021 - implemented EU government satellite communications (GOVSATCOM) and Space Surveillance and Awareness (SSA) components of EU space program; launched world’s first commercial, fully flexible, reprogrammable quantum satellite; launched US-built James Webb Space Telescope 2023 - launched Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission; launched Euclid space observatory/telescope 2024 - successful test launch of Ariane-6 SLV; launched probe (Hera) to study asteroid Didymos and its moon Dimorphos 2025 - announced EU Space Act, a cooperative framework for space activities across the EU ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): see individual EU member states --- ## Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) **Slug:** falkland-islands-islas-malvinas **Region:** South America **Flag:** 🇫🇰 **Codes:** cek: fk, iso2: FK, iso3: FLK, iso_num: 238, genc: FLK, stanag: FLK, internet: .fk ### Introduction **Background:** Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later, and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands in 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force and after fierce fighting forced an Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982. With hostilities ended and Argentine forces withdrawn, UK administration resumed. In response to renewed calls from Argentina for Britain to relinquish control of the islands, a referendum was held in 2013 that resulted in 99.8% of the population voting to remain a part of the UK. ### Geography **Location:** Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 500 km east of southern Argentina **Geographic coordinates:** 51 45 S, 59 00 W **Map references:** South America **Area:** total : 12,173 sq km land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Connecticut **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 1,288 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 60 cm in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but typically does not accumulate **Terrain:** rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss **Land use:** agricultural land: 93.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 0% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 93.2% (2023 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 6.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** NA **Population distribution:** a very small population, with most residents living in and around Stanley **Natural hazards:** strong winds persist throughout the year **Geography - note:** deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season ### People and Society **Population:** total: 3,142 (2021) male: 1,645 female: 1,497 note: data include all persons usually resident in the islands at the time of the 2021 census **Nationality:** noun: Falkland Islander(s) adjective: Falkland Island **Ethnic groups:** Falkland Islander 48.3%, British 23.1%, St. Helenian 7.5%, Chilean 4.6%, mixed 6%, other 8.5%, unspecified 2% (2016 est.) note: data represent population by national identity **Languages:** English 89%, Spanish 7.7%, other 3.3% (2006 est.) **Religions:** Christian 57.1%, other 1.6%, none 35.4%, unspecified 6% (2016 est.) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 38.4 (2021) youth dependency ratio: 21.8 (2021) elderly dependency ratio: 16.6 (2021) potential support ratio: 6 (2021) **Population growth rate:** 0.01% (2014 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.9 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) **Death rate:** 4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2012 est.) **Population distribution:** a very small population, with most residents living in and around Stanley **Urbanization:** urban population: 79.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.53% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2,000 STANLEY (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2016 est.) **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: (2017 est.) 77.9 male: 75.6 female: 79.6 **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 21.8% of population **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 47.7% (2016 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** overfishing by unlicensed vessels; grazing threatens important habitats; soil erosion from fires **Climate:** cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 60 cm in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but typically does not accumulate **Land use:** agricultural land: 93.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 0% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 93.2% (2023 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 6.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 79.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.53% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 36,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 36,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) etymology: the archipelago takes its name from the Falkland Sound, the strait separating the two main islands; the channel was named after the Fifth Viscount of FALKLAND, who sponsored an expedition to the islands in 1690; the Spanish name for the archipelago derives from the French "Iles Malouines," meaning Islands of Malo, the name French explorer Louis-Antoine de BOUGAINVILLE gave the islands in 1764 in honor of the French port of Saint-Malo **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (Legislative Assembly); self-governing overseas territory of the UK **Dependency status:** overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina **Capital:** name: Stanley geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 51 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named in 1844 after Edward SMITH-STANLEY, the 14th Earl of Derby **Legal system:** English common law and local statutes **Constitution:** history: previous 1985; latest entered into force 1 January 2009 (The Falkland Islands Constitution Order 2008) **Citizenship:** see United Kingdom **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Colin MARTIN-REYNOLDS (since 29 July 2025) head of government: Chief Executive Andrea Patricia CLAUSEN (since 1 April 2025) cabinet: Executive Council elected by the Legislative Council election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; monarch appoints the governor, who appoints the chief executive **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Legislative Assembly legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 10 (8 directly elected, 2 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 12/11/2025 percentage of women in chamber: 25% note: does not include the speaker expected date of next election: November 2025 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, the chief justice as an ex officio non-resident member, and 2 justices of appeal); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice) judge selection and term of office: chief justice, court of appeal president, and justices appointed by the governor; tenure specified in each justice's instrument of appointment subordinate courts: Magistrate's Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction note: appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) **Political parties:** none; all independents **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (administered by the UK; claimed by Argentina) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (administered by the UK; claimed by Argentina) **International organization participation:** UPU **Independence:** none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) **National holiday:** Liberation Day, 14 June (1982) **Flag:** description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the right half of the flag; the coat of arms has a white ram above the ship "Desire" (whose crew discovered the islands), with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT **National symbol(s):** ram **National color(s):** red, white, blue **National coat of arms:** the Falkland Islands adopted its coat of arms in 1948; the shield highlights the national symbol, the ram, which represents the country’s agricultural industry and stands on native tussock grass; English navigator John Davis’s sailing vessel, the Desire, is shown, referencing his sighting of the islands in 1592; below the shield is the national motto, “Desire the Right” **National anthem(s):** title: "Song of the Falklands" lyrics/music: Christopher LANHAM history: adopted unknown _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as a UK territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** British South American territorial economy; longstanding fishing industry; surging tourism prior to COVID-19 and Brexit; recent offshore hydrocarbon discoveries threaten ecotourism industries; no central bank and must have British approval on currency shifts **Real GDP per capita:** $70,800 (2015 est.) $63,000 (2014 est.) **GDP (official exchange rate):** $206.4 million (2015 est.) **Agricultural products:** fodder and vegetable crops; venison, sheep, dairy products; fish, squid **Industries:** fish and wool processing; tourism **Exports - partners:** Spain 68%, Morocco 10%, USA 8%, Namibia 3%, Germany 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** shellfish, fish, wool, sheep and goat meat (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports - partners:** UK 68%, Greece 19%, Spain 11%, Netherlands 1%, NZ 0% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, aircraft parts, prefabricated buildings, plastic products, surveying equipment (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** Falkland pounds (FKP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.78 (2024 est.) 0.805 (2023 est.) 0.811 (2022 est.) 0.727 (2021 est.) 0.78 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 10,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 18.257 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 900,000 kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 73.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 26.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 200 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1,980 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 57 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 6,420 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 184 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** TV service provided by a multi-channel service provider; radio provided by public broadcaster Falkland Islands Radio Service and the British Forces Broadcasting Service (2007) **Internet country code:** .fk **Internet users:** percent of population: 99% (2021 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1,000 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2020 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** VP-F **Airports:** 34 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 2 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, other 1 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Stanley ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the UK, which maintains a military presence on the islands --- ## Faroe Islands **Slug:** faroe-islands **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇫🇴 **Codes:** cek: fo, iso2: FO, iso3: FRO, iso_num: 234, genc: FRO, stanag: FRO, internet: .fo ### Introduction **Background:** The Faroe Islands were already populated by about A.D. 500, but whether the original settlers were Celtic or early Norse (or someone else) has yet to be determined. Viking settlers arrived on the islands in the 9th century, and the islands served as an important stepping stone for medieval Viking exploration of the North Atlantic. The islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century, and today the Faroe Islands are a self-governing dependency of Denmark. The Home Rule Act of 1948 granted a high degree of self-government to the Faroese, who have autonomy over most internal affairs and external trade, while Denmark is responsible for justice, defense, and some foreign affairs. The Faroe Islands are not part of the European Union. ### Geography **Location:** Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about halfway between Iceland and Norway **Geographic coordinates:** 62 00 N, 7 00 W **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 1,393 sq km land: 1,393 sq km water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams) **Area - comparative:** eight times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 1,117 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line **Climate:** mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy **Terrain:** rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast **Elevation:** highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas **Land use:** agricultural land: 70.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 70.1% (2023 est.) forest: 0.1% (2023 est.) other: 29.8% (2023 est.) **Population distribution:** the island of Streymoy is by far the most populous with over 40% of the population; it has approximately twice as many inhabitants as Eysturoy, the second most populous island; seven of the inhabited islands have fewer than 100 people **Natural hazards:** strong winds and heavy rains can occur throughout the year **Geography - note:** archipelago of 17 inhabited islands, one uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands ### People and Society **Population:** total: 53,264 (2025 est.) male: 27,551 female: 25,713 **Nationality:** noun: Faroese (singular and plural) adjective: Faroese **Ethnic groups:** Faroese 83.8% (Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon descent), Danish 8.3%, Filipino 1.2%, other Nordic 0.9%, other 4.5% (includes Polish and Romanian) (2024 est.) note: data represent respondents by country of birth **Languages:** Faroese 93.8% (derived from Old Norse), Danish 3.2%, other 3% (2011 est.) note: data represent population by primary language **Religions:** Christian 87% (predominantly Evangelical Lutheran), other 0.9%, none 3.7%, unspecified 8.9% (2011 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 20% (male 5,489/female 5,122) 15-64 years: 61.5% (male 17,188/female 15,346) 65 years and over: 18.5% (2024 est.) (male 4,723/female 5,065) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 63.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 33.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 30.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 37 years (2025 est.) male: 36.9 years female: 36.8 years **Population growth rate:** 0.62% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 14.76 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.58 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the island of Streymoy is by far the most populous with over 40% of the population; it has approximately twice as many inhabitants as Eysturoy, the second most populous island; seven of the inhabited islands have fewer than 100 people **Urbanization:** urban population: 43% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 21,000 TORSHAVN (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 81.7 years (2024 est.) male: 79.2 years female: 84.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.26 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.09 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: NA rural: NA total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: NA rural: NA total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.62 physicians/1,000 population (2016) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 52.3% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 7.6% of GDP (2019 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** coastal erosion, landslides and rockfalls, flash flooding, wind storms; oil spills **Climate:** mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy **Land use:** agricultural land: 70.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 70.1% (2023 est.) forest: 0.1% (2023 est.) other: 29.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 43% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 742,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 742,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 61,000 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 67% (2012 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Faroe Islands local long form: none local short form: Foroyar etymology: the archipelago's name derives from the Old Norse name Faeroyar, meaning "sheep islands;" faer means "sheep," and -oyar means "islands" **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (Faroese Parliament); part of the Kingdom of Denmark **Dependency status:** part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948 **Capital:** name: Torshavn geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 6 46 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name means "Thor's harbor" in Danish **Administrative divisions:** 29 first-order municipalities (kommunur, singular - kommuna) Eidhi, Eystur, Famjin, Fuglafjordhur, Fugloy, Hov, Husavik, Hvalba, Hvannasund, Klaksvik, Kunoy, Kvivik, Nes, Porkeri, Runavik, Sandur, Sjovar, Skalavik, Skopun, Skuvoy, Sorvagur, Sumba, Sunda, Torshavn, Tvoroyri, Vagar, Vagur, Vestmanna, Vidhareidhi **Legal system:** the laws of Denmark apply **Constitution:** history: 5 June 1953 (Danish Constitution), 23 March 1948 (Home Rule Act), and 24 June 2005 (Takeover Act) serve as the Faroe Islands' constitutional position in the Unity of the Realm amendment process: see entry for Denmark **Citizenship:** see Denmark **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King FREDERIK X of Denmark (since 14 January 2024), represented by High Commissioner Lene Moyell JOHANSEN, chief administrative officer (since 15 May 2017) (2024) head of government: Prime Minister Aksel V. JOHANNESEN (since 22 December 2022) cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the Parliament usually elects the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as the prime minister most recent election date: 8 December 2022 expected date of next election: 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Faroese Parliament (Logting) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 33 (directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 12/8/2022 parties elected and seats per party: JF (9); B (7); A (6); E (6); F (3); H (2) percentage of women in chamber: 27.3% expected date of next election: 2026 note: the Faroe Islands elect 2 members to the Danish Parliament to serve 4-year terms **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Faroese Court or Raett (Rett in Danish) decides both civil and criminal cases; the Court is part of the Danish legal system subordinate courts: Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Première Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif; Mixed Commercial Court; Land Court **Political parties:** Center Party or H (Midflokkurin) People's Party or A (Folkaflokkurin) Progress Party or F (Framsokn) Republic or E (Tjodveldi) (formerly the Republican Party) Social Democratic Party or JF (Javnadarflokkurin) or JF Union Party or B (Sambandsflokkurin) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) **International organization participation:** Arctic Council, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UNESCO (associate), UPU **Independence:** none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) **National holiday:** Olaifest (Olavsoka), 29 July (1030) note: commemorates the death in battle of King OLAF II of Norway, later St. OLAF **Flag:** description: white with a red cross outlined in blue that extends to the edges of the flag; the cross is shifted toward the left side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) meaning: white represents waves breaking on the shore; red and blue are traditional Faroese colors history: the flag is referred to as Merkid, meaning "the banner" or "the mark;" a group of students designed it in 1919, although it wasn't officially adopted until 1940 note: resembles the flags of Iceland and Norway; uses the same three colors in a different sequence and with a lighter blue **National symbol(s):** ram **National anthem(s):** title: "Mitt alfagra land" (My Fairest Land) lyrics/music: Simun av SKAROI/Peter ALBERG history: adopted 1948; the anthem is also known as "Tu alfagra land mitt" (Thou Fairest Land of Mine); as a self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark, the Faroe Islands are permitted to have their own national anthem ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income Danish territorial economy; party neither to the EU nor the Schengen Area; associate Nordic Council member; very low unemployment; unique foreign ownership allowance in fishing industry; known salmon exporter; growing IT industries **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $3.834 billion (2023 est.) $3.741 billion (2022 est.) $3.613 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.5% (2023 est.) 3.6% (2022 est.) 5.5% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $70,400 (2023 est.) $69,400 (2022 est.) $67,800 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $3.907 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 18.2% (2023 est.) industry: 19.7% (2023 est.) services: 52% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 40.6% (2023 est.) government consumption: 27.3% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 31% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 57.7% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -56.6% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, potatoes, lamb/mutton, sheepskins, sheep offal, beef, sheep fat, beef offal, cattle hides, beef suet (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** fishing, fish processing, tourism, small ship repair and refurbishment, handicrafts **Remittances:** 4.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 4.3% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Exports:** $2.255 billion (2023 est.) $2.219 billion (2022 est.) $1.923 billion (2021 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Russia 26.4%, UK 14.1%, Germany 8.4%, China 7.9%, Spain 6.8%, Denmark 6.2%, US 4.7%, Poland 4.4%, Norway 4.1% (2017) **Exports - commodities:** fish and fish products (2021) **Imports:** $2.212 billion (2023 est.) $2.223 billion (2022 est.) $1.906 billion (2021 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Denmark 33%, China 10.7%, Germany 7.6%, Poland 6.8%, Norway 6.7%, Ireland 5%, Chile 4.3% (2017) **Imports - commodities:** goods for household consumption, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, raw materials and semi-manufactures, cars **Exchange rates:** Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 6.894 (2024 est.) 6.89 (2023 est.) 7.076 (2022 est.) 6.287 (2021 est.) 6.542 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 99.9% electrification - rural areas: 100% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 180,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 463.285 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 25.115 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 53.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 18.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 26.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 14,900 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 57,100 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 publicly owned TV station; the Faroese telecommunications company distributes local and international channels through its digital terrestrial network; publicly owned radio station supplemented by 3 privately owned stations broadcasting over multiple frequencies **Internet country code:** .fo **Internet users:** percent of population: 98% (2017 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 19,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** OY-H **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Heliports:** 12 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 91 (2023) by type: container ships 6, general cargo 45, other 40 **Ports:** total ports: 9 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 9 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Fuglafjordur, Klaksvik, Kongshavn, Runavik, Sorvagur, Torshavn, Tvoroyri, Vagur, Vestmanna ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces or conscription **Military - note:** the Government of Denmark has responsibility for defense; as such, the Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk, Greenland is responsible for coordinating the defense of the Faroe Islands; the Joint Arctic Command has a contact element in the capital of Torshavn --- ## Fiji **Slug:** fiji **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇫🇯 **Codes:** cek: fj, iso2: FJ, iso3: FJI, iso_num: 242, genc: FJI, stanag: FJI, internet: .fj ### Introduction **Background:** Austronesians settled Fiji around 1000 B.C., followed by successive waves of Melanesians starting around the first century A.D. Fijians traded with Polynesian groups in Samoa and Tonga, and by about 900, much of Fiji was in the Tu’i Tongan Empire’s sphere of influence. The Tongan influence declined significantly by 1200, while Melanesian seafarers continued to periodically arrive in Fiji, further mixing Melanesian and Polynesian cultural traditions. The first European spotted Fiji in 1643 and by the 1800s, European merchants, missionaries, traders, and whalers frequented the islands. Rival kings and chiefs competed for power, at times aided by Europeans, and in 1865, Seru Epenisa CAKOBAU united many groups into the Confederacy of Independent Kingdoms of Viti. The arrangement proved weak, however, and in 1871 CAKOBAU formed the Kingdom of Fiji in an attempt to centralize power. Fearing a hostile takeover by a foreign power as the kingdom’s economy began to falter, CAKOBAU ceded Fiji to the UK in 1874. The first British governor set up a plantation-style economy and brought in more than 60,000 Indians as indentured laborers, most of whom chose to stay in Fiji rather than return to India when their contracts expired. In the early 1900s, society was divided along ethnic lines, with iTaukei (indigenous Fijians), Europeans, and Indo-Fijians living in separate areas and maintaining their own languages and traditions. ITaukei fears of an Indo-Fijian takeover of government delayed independence through the 1960s; Fiji achieved independence in 1970 with agreements to allocate parliamentary seats by ethnic groups. After two coups in 1987, a new constitution in 1990 cemented iTaukei control of politics, leading thousands of Indo-Fijians to leave. A reformed constitution in 1997 was more equitable and led to the election of an Indo-Fijian prime minister in 1999, who was ousted in a coup the following year. In 2005, the new prime minister put forward a bill that would grant pardons to the coup perpetrators, leading Josaia Voreqe "Frank" BAINIMARAMA to launch a coup in 2006. BAINIMARAMA appointed himself prime minister in 2007 and retained the position after elections in 2014 and 2018 that international observers deemed credible. BAINIMARAMA's party lost control of the prime minister position after elections in 2022 with former opposition leader Sitiveni Ligamamada RABUKA winning the office by a narrow margin. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand **Geographic coordinates:** 18 00 S, 175 00 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 18,274 sq km land: 18,274 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than New Jersey **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 1,129 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation note: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines **Climate:** tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation **Terrain:** mostly mountains of volcanic origin **Elevation:** highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 17.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 9.5% (2023 est.) forest: 61.7% (2023 est.) other: 21.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 40 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** approximately 70% of the population lives on the island of Viti Levu; roughly half of the population lives in urban areas **Natural hazards:** cyclonic storms can occur from November to January **Geography - note:** consists of 332 islands, approximately 110 of which are inhabited, and more than 500 islets ### People and Society **Population:** total: 955,284 (2025 est.) male: 484,037 female: 471,247 **Nationality:** noun: Fijian(s) adjective: Fijian **Ethnic groups:** iTaukei 56.8% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indo-Fijian 37.5%, Rotuman 1.2%, other 4.5% (European, part European, other Pacific Islanders, Chinese) (2007 est.) note: a 2010 law replaces 'Fijian' with 'iTaukei' when referring to the original and native settlers of Fiji **Languages:** English (official), iTaukei (official), Fiji Hindi (official) **Religions:** Protestant 45% (Methodist 34.6%, Assembly of God 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 3.9%, and Anglican 0.8%), Hindu 27.9%, other Christian 10.4%, Roman Catholic 9.1%, Muslim 6.3%, Sikh 0.3%, other 0.3%, none 0.8% (2007 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 24.7% (male 119,910/female 114,904) 15-64 years: 66.4% (male 323,339/female 308,921) 65 years and over: 8.9% (2024 est.) (male 39,055/female 45,482) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 50.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 36.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 13.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 7.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 32 years (2025 est.) male: 31.4 years female: 31.8 years **Population growth rate:** 0.38% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 15.63 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.58 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -5.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** approximately 70% of the population lives on the island of Viti Levu; roughly half of the population lives in urban areas **Urbanization:** urban population: 58.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.37% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 178,000 SUVA (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 30 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 9.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 11.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 74.8 years (2024 est.) male: 72.2 years female: 77.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.18 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.06 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 91.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 95.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 8.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 4.5% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.4% of GDP (2021) 10.3% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.81 physicians/1,000 population (2015) **Hospital bed density:** 1.9 beds/1,000 population (2017 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 30.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 2.71 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.64 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.79 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 26.8% (2025 est.) male: 40.8% (2025 est.) female: 12.9% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 4.6% (2021 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 59.2% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.2% (2021) women married by age 18: 4% (2021) men married by age 18: 1.7% (2021) **Education expenditure:** 4.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 13.8% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** female: 92.4% (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution from waste incineration and vehicle emissions; deforestation and soil erosion; soil erosion from clearing land by bush burning **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation **Land use:** agricultural land: 17.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 9.5% (2023 est.) forest: 61.7% (2023 est.) other: 21.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 58.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.37% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 1.432 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 12 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.432 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 8.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 189,400 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 16.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 25.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 9.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 50 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 28.55 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Fiji conventional short form: Fiji local long form: Republic of Fiji (English)/ Matanitu ko Viti (Fijian) local short form: Fiji (English)/ Viti (Fijian) etymology: the Fijians called their home Viti, but the neighboring Tongans called it Fisi; in the Anglicized spelling of the Tongan pronunciation -- promulgated by explorer Captain James COOK -- the designation became Fiji **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Suva (on Viti Levu) geographic coordinates: 18 08 S, 178 25 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "little hill" in the native Fijian language and may refer to a mound where a temple once stood **Administrative divisions:** 14 provinces and 1 dependency*; Ba, Bua, Cakaudrove, Kadavu, Lau, Lomaiviti, Macuata, Nadroga and Navosa, Naitasiri, Namosi, Ra, Rewa, Rotuma*, Serua, Tailevu **Legal system:** common law system based on the English model **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest signed into law 6 September 2013 amendment process: proposed as a bill by Parliament and supported by at least three quarters of its members, followed by referral to the president and then to the Electoral Commission, which conducts a referendum; passage requires approval by at least three-quarters of registered voters and assent by the president **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Fiji dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: at least 5 years residency out of the 10 years preceding application **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Ratu Naiqama LALABALAVU (since 12 November 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Sitiveni Ligamamada RABUKA (since 24 December 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament election/appointment process: president elected by Parliament for a 3-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister endorsed by the president most recent election date: 31 October 2024 election results: 2024: Ratu Naiqama LALABALAVU elected president (People's Alliance) 35 votes, Meli Tora TAVAIQIA (Fiji First) 14 votes 2021: Ratu Wiliame KATONIVERE elected president; Wiliame KATONIVERE (People's Alliance) 28 votes, Teimumu KEPA (SODELPA) 23 votes expected date of next election: 2027 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 55 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 12/14/2022 parties elected and seats per party: FijiFirst (26); People's Alliance (21); National Federation Party (NFP) (5); Social Democratic Liberal Party (Soldelpa) (3) percentage of women in chamber: 9.1% expected date of next election: December 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, all justices of the Court of Appeal, and judges appointed specifically as Supreme Court judges); Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, all puisne judges of the High Court, and judges specifically appointed to the Court of Appeal); High Court (chaired by the chief justice and includes a minimum of 10 puisne judges; High Court organized into civil, criminal, family, employment, and tax divisions) judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president of Fiji on the advice of the prime minister following consultation with the parliamentary leader of the opposition; judges of the Supreme Court, the president of the Court of Appeal, the justices of the Court of Appeal, and puisne judges of the High Court appointed by the president of Fiji on the nomination of the Judicial Service Commission after consulting with the cabinet minister and the House of Representatives committee responsible for the administration of justice; the chief justice, Supreme Court judges, and justices of Appeal generally required to retire at age 70, but this requirement may be waived for one or more sessions of the court; puisne judges appointed for not less than 4 years or more than 7 years, with mandatory retirement at age 65 subordinate courts: Magistrates' Court (organized into civil, criminal, juvenile, and small claims divisions) **Political parties:** Fiji First Fiji Labor Party or FLP Freedom Alliance (formerly Fiji United Freedom Party or FUFP) National Federation Party or NFP People's Alliance Peoples Democratic Party or PDP Social Democratic Liberal Party or SODELPA Unity Fiji **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Ilisoni VUIDREKETI (since 17 June 2024) chancery: 1707 L Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (917) 208-4560 FAX: [1] (202) 466-8325 email address and website: info@FijiEmbassyDC.com https://www.fijiembassydc.com/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Marie DAMOUR (since 24 November 2022); note - also accredited to Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu embassy: 158 Princes Road, Tamavua, Suva mailing address: 4290 Suva Place, Washington DC 20521-4290 telephone: [679] 331-4466 FAX: [679] 330-2267 email address and website: SuvaACS@state.gov https://fj.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca (suspended), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 10 October 1970 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Fiji (Independence) Day, 10 October (1970) **Flag:** description: light blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the right half of the flag; the shield shows a yellow lion holding a coconut above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George; the four quarters depict sugarcane, a palm tree, a banana bunch, and a white dove meaning: blue symbolizes the Pacific Ocean **National symbol(s):** Fijian canoe **National color(s):** light blue **National anthem(s):** title: "God Bless Fiji" (Let Us Show Pride) lyrics/music: Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT/C. Austin MILES (adapted by Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT) history: adopted 1970; known in Fijian as "Meda Dau Doka" (Let Us Show Pride); adapted from the hymn, "Dwelling in Beulah Land," the anthem's English lyrics are usually used, although they differ in meaning from the official Fijian lyrics **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Levuka Historical Port Town ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle income, tourism-based Pacific island economy; susceptible to ocean rises; key energy and infrastructure investments; post-pandemic tourism resurgence; improved debt standing; limited workforce **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $13.1 billion (2024 est.) $12.617 billion (2023 est.) $11.734 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.8% (2024 est.) 7.5% (2023 est.) 19.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $14,100 (2024 est.) $13,700 (2023 est.) $12,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $5.841 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.5% (2024 est.) 2.3% (2023 est.) 4.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 8.4% (2024 est.) industry: 14.1% (2024 est.) services: 56.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 71.7% (2023 est.) government consumption: 20.8% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 18.6% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 1.2% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 57% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -69.2% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, cassava, taro, vegetables, chicken, coconuts, eggs, ginger, milk, sweet potatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, sugar processing, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber **Industrial production growth rate:** 7.3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 387,800 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.4% (2024 est.) 4.4% (2023 est.) 4.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 15.5% (2024 est.) male: 11.8% (2024 est.) female: 22.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 24.1% (2019 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 30.7 (2019 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.5% (2019 est.) highest 10%: 24.2% (2019 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 9.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 9.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 9.1% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.345 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $1.562 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 20.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$865.665 million (2022 est.) -$686.577 million (2021 est.) -$614.13 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $2.376 billion (2022 est.) $1.171 billion (2021 est.) $1.23 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 32%, Australia 12%, Tonga 6%, NZ 6%, Samoa 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** water, fish, raw sugar, refined petroleum, garments (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $3.434 billion (2022 est.) $2.344 billion (2021 est.) $1.977 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Singapore 25%, China 16%, Australia 15%, NZ 14%, USA 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, medical instruments, cars, broadcasting equipment, plastics (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.6 billion (2024 est.) $1.548 billion (2023 est.) $1.557 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $1.397 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Fijian dollars (FJD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2.268 (2024 est.) 2.25 (2023 est.) 2.201 (2022 est.) 2.071 (2021 est.) 2.169 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 92% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 97.6% electrification - rural areas: 86.8% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 427,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.048 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 102.047 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 36.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 52.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 10% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 6 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 2 metric tons (2022 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 10,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 25.375 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 77,800 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 5.33 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 574 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** Fiji TV, a publicly traded company, operates a free-to-air channel; Digicel Fiji operates the Sky Fiji and Sky Pacific multi-channel pay-TV services; state-owned commercial company, Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, Ltd, operates 6 radio stations, including 2 public broadcasters and 4 commercial broadcasters with multiple repeaters; 5 radio stations with repeaters operated by Communications Fiji, Ltd; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available **Internet country code:** .fj **Internet users:** percent of population: 79% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 23,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** DQ **Airports:** 26 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Railways:** total: 597 km (2008) narrow gauge: 597 km (2008) 0.600-m gauge note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during the harvest season, which runs from May to December **Merchant marine:** total: 74 (2023) by type: general cargo 21, oil tanker 4, other 49 **Ports:** total ports: 5 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 4 key ports: Lautoka Harbor, Levuka, Malai, Savusavu Bay, Suva Harbor ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Force, Republic of Fiji Navy (2025) **Military expenditures:** 1.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 4,000 active Republic of Fiji Military Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the RFMF is lightly armed and equipped; Australia has provided patrol boats and a few armored personnel carriers; it also provides logistical support for RFMF regional or UN operations; in recent years, China and the US have provided small amounts of equipment (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (2026) **Military deployments:** 170 Egypt (MFO); 160 Iraq (UNAMI); 150 Golan Heights (UNDOF) (2025) **Military - note:** the Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) are responsible for external security but can be assigned some domestic security responsibilities in specific circumstances; the RFMF has a history of intervening in the country’s politics, and it continues to have significant political power; it also has a tradition of participating in UN peacekeeping operations, which have offered experience and a source of financial support; Fiji has sent troops on nearly 20 such missions since first deploying personnel to South Lebanon in 1978 Fiji has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Fiji's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 25 (2024 est.) IDPs: 259 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Fiji remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/fiji/ --- ## Finland **Slug:** finland **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇫🇮 **Codes:** cek: fi, iso2: FI, iso3: FIN, iso_num: 246, genc: FIN, stanag: FIN, internet: .fi ### Introduction **Background:** Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It gained complete independence in 1917. During World War II, Finland successfully defended its independence through cooperation with Germany and resisted subsequent invasions by the Soviet Union, albeit with some loss of territory. During the next half-century, Finland transformed from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per-capita income is among the highest in Western Europe. A member of the EU since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro single currency at its initiation in January 1999. In the 21st century, the key features of Finland's modern welfare state are high-quality education, promotion of equality, and a national social welfare system, although the system is currently facing the challenges of an aging population and the fluctuations of an export-driven economy. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Finland opted to join NATO; it became the organization's 31st member in April 2023. ### Geography **Location:** Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia **Geographic coordinates:** 64 00 N, 26 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 338,145 sq km land: 303,815 sq km water: 34,330 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly more than two times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Montana **Land boundaries:** total: 2,563 km border countries (3): Norway 709 km; Sweden 545 km; Russia 1,309 km **Coastline:** 1,250 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm) contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden, Estonia, and Russia **Climate:** cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes **Terrain:** mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills **Elevation:** highest point: Halti (alternatively Haltia, Haltitunturi, Haltiatunturi) 1,328 m lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 164 m **Natural resources:** timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone **Land use:** agricultural land: 7.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 7.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2023 est.) forest: 74.2% (2023 est.) other: 18.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 80 sq km (2016) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Saimaa - 1,760 sq km; Paijanne - 1,090 sq km; Inarijarvi - 1,000 sq km; Oulujarvi - 900 sq km; Pielinen - 850 sq km **Population distribution:** the vast majority of people are found in the south; the northern interior areas remain sparsely populated **Natural hazards:** severe winters in the north **Geography - note:** long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain ### People and Society **Population:** total: 5,550,449 (2025 est.) male: 2,750,057 female: 2,800,392 **Nationality:** noun: Finn(s) adjective: Finnish **Ethnic groups:** Finnish, Swedish, Russian, Estonian, Romani, Sami note: 90.9% of the population has a Finnish background (2022 est.) **Languages:** Finnish (official) 85.9%, Swedish (official) 5.2%, Russian 1.7%, other 7.2% (2022 est.) major-language sample(s): World Factbook, korvaamaton perustietolähde. (Finnish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Lutheran 66.6%, Greek Orthodox 1.1%, other 1.7%, none 30.6% (2022 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16.2% (male 464,939/female 444,585) 15-64 years: 60.3% (male 1,725,072/female 1,668,604) 65 years and over: 23.5% (2024 est.) (male 583,645/female 739,569) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 62.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 23.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 39 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 44 years (2025 est.) male: 41.8 years female: 44.9 years **Population growth rate:** 0.02% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 7.75 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 11.01 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 3.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the vast majority of people are found in the south; the northern interior areas remain sparsely populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 85.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.338 million HELSINKI (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 29.5 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 8 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 1.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 2.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 1.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 82.2 years (2024 est.) male: 79.3 years female: 85.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.28 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.63 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 10.2% of GDP (2021) 14.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.61 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Hospital bed density:** 2.8 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 22.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 8.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.76 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.91 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 18% (2025 est.) male: 21.7% (2025 est.) female: 14.3% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 57.1% (2023 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 18: 0.1% (2017) **Education expenditure:** 6.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 12.1% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 20 years (2023 est.) male: 18 years (2023 est.) female: 21 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited air pollution in urban centers; some water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes **Land use:** agricultural land: 7.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 7.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2023 est.) forest: 74.2% (2023 est.) other: 18.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 85.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 33.594 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 7.536 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 23.069 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 2.989 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.124 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 35.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 500 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.299 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 110 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 4 (2024) global geoparks and regional networks: Impact Crater Lake - Lappajarvi; Rokua; Lauhanvuori-Haemeenkangas; Saimaa; Salpausselka (2024) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Finland conventional short form: Finland local long form: Suomen tasavalta (Finnish)/ Republiken Finland (Swedish) local short form: Suomi (Finnish)/ Finland (Swedish) etymology: name derives from the Finns, an ethnic group in northeastern Europe; their name comes from the Germanic word finna, meaning "fish scale;" the local name, Suomi, may come from two local words: suo, meaning "marsh," and maa, meaning "land" **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Helsinki geographic coordinates: 60 10 N, 24 56 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the modern name is a Finnish derivation; King Gustav VASA of Sweden founded the city in 1550 as Helsingfors; the name came from Helsing, the Old Norwegian name for a local people, and the word fors, or "waterfall," referring to a waterfall at the city's original location on the Vantaa River **Administrative divisions:** 19 regions (maakunnat, singular - maakunta (Finnish); landskapen, singular - landskapet (Swedish)); Aland (Swedish), Ahvenanmaa (Finnish); Etela-Karjala (Finnish), Sodra Karelen (Swedish) [South Karelia]; Etela-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Sodra Osterbotten (Swedish) [South Ostrobothnia]; Etela-Savo (Finnish), Sodra Savolax (Swedish) [South Savo]; Kanta-Hame (Finnish), Egentliga Tavastland (Swedish); Kainuu (Finnish), Kajanaland (Swedish); Keski-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Mellersta Osterbotten (Swedish) [Central Ostrobothnia]; Keski-Suomi (Finnish), Mellersta Finland (Swedish) [Central Finland]; Kymenlaakso (Finnish), Kymmenedalen (Swedish); Lappi (Finnish), Lappland (Swedish); Paijat-Hame (Finnish), Paijanne-Tavastland (Swedish); Pirkanmaa (Finnish), Birkaland (Swedish) [Tampere]; Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Osterbotten (Swedish) [Ostrobothnia]; Pohjois-Karjala (Finnish), Norra Karelen (Swedish) [North Karelia]; Pohjois-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Norra Osterbotten (Swedish) [North Ostrobothnia]; Pohjois-Savo (Finnish), Norra Savolax (Swedish) [North Savo]; Satakunta (Finnish and Swedish); Uusimaa (Finnish), Nyland (Swedish) [Newland]; Varsinais-Suomi (Finnish), Egentliga Finland (Swedish) [Southwest Finland] **Legal system:** civil law system based on the Swedish model **Constitution:** history: previous 1906, 1919; latest drafted 17 June 1997, approved by Parliament 11 June 1999, entered into force 1 March 2000 amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage normally requires simple majority vote in two readings in the first parliamentary session and at least two-thirds majority vote in a single reading by the newly elected Parliament; proposals declared "urgent" by five-sixths of Parliament members can be passed by at least two-thirds majority vote in the first parliamentary session only **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Finland dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 6 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Alexander STUBB (since 1 March 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Petteri ORPO (since 20 June 2023) cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by Parliament most recent election date: 28 January 2024, with a runoff on 11 February 2024 election results: 2024: Alexander STUBB elected in the second round; percent of vote in the first round - Alexander STUBB (KoK) 27.2%, Pekka HAAVISTO (Vihr) 25.8%, Jussi HALLA-AHO (PS) 19.0%, Olli REHN (Kesk) 15.3%; percent of vote in second round - STUBB 51.6%, HAAVISTO 48.4% 2018: Sauli NIINISTO reelected president; percent of vote - Sauli NIINISTO (independent) 62.7%, Pekka HAAVISTO (Vihr) 12.4%, Laura HUHTASAARI (PS) 6.9%, Paavo VAYRYNEN (independent) 6.2%, Matti VANHANEN (Kesk) 4.1%, other 7.7% expected date of next election: by 28 January 2030 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Eduskunta - Riksdagen) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 200 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 4/2/2023 parties elected and seats per party: National Coalition Party (KOK) (48); The Finns Party (PS) (46); Social Democratic Party (SDP) (43); Center Party (KESK) (23); The Greens (13); Left Alliance (Vas) (11); Other (16) percentage of women in chamber: 45.5% expected date of next election: April 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (consists of the court president and 18 judges); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 21 judges, including the court president; organized into 3 chambers) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court judges appointed by the president of the republic; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 68 subordinate courts: 6 Courts of Appeal; 8 regional administrative courts; 27 district courts; special courts for issues relating to markets, labor, insurance, impeachment, land, tenancy, and water rights note: Finland has a dual judicial system; courts with civil and criminal jurisdiction, and administrative courts with jurisdiction for litigation between individuals and administrative organs of the state and communities **Political parties:** Aland Coalition (a coalition of several political parties on the Aland Islands) Center Party or Kesk Christian Democrats or KD Finns Party or PS Green League or Vihr Left Alliance or Vas Movement Now or Liike Nyt National Coalition Party or Kok Social Democratic Party or SDP Swedish People's Party or RKP or SFP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Leena-Kaisa MIKKOLA (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800 FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030 email address and website: sanomat.WAS@gov.fi https://finlandabroad.fi/web/usa/mission consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Howard W. BRODIE (since 13 November 2025) embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14 B, 00140 Helsinki mailing address: 5310 Helsinki Place, Washington DC 20521-5310 telephone: [358] (9) 616-250 FAX: [358] (9) 174-681 email address and website: HelsinkiACS@state.gov https://fi.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNSOM, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 6 December 1917 (from Russia) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 6 December (1917) **Flag:** description: white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the cross is shifted to the left in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) meaning: the blue stands for the country's thousands of lakes, and the white for snow **National symbol(s):** lion **National color(s):** blue, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Maamme" (Our Land) lyrics/music: Paavo Eemil KAJANDER, Johan Ludvig RUNEBERG/Fredrik PACIUS history: in use since 1848; although never officially adopted, the anthem has been popular since a student group first sang it in 1848 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 7 (6 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Fortress of Suomenlinna (c); Old Rauma (c); Petäjävesi Old Church (c); Verla Groundwood and Board Mill (c); Bronze Age Burial Site of Sammallahdenmäki (c); High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago (n); Struve Geodetic Arc (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, export-based EU and eurozone economy; major timber, metals, engineering, telecom, and electronics industries; emerging from recession triggered by inflation, weak consumer and export demand, and lower private investment; labor market reform plan to address structural rigidities **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $313.591 billion (2024 est.) $314.075 billion (2023 est.) $317.078 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -0.2% (2024 est.) -0.9% (2023 est.) 0.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $55,600 (2024 est.) $56,200 (2023 est.) $57,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $299.836 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.6% (2024 est.) 6.3% (2023 est.) 7.1% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2.5% (2024 est.) industry: 22.1% (2024 est.) services: 62.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 53.4% (2023 est.) government consumption: 25.6% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.4% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -0.4% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 43.1% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -42.8% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, barley, oats, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, pork, chicken, peas, rye (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing **Industrial production growth rate:** -2.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 2.898 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 8.3% (2024 est.) 7.2% (2023 est.) 6.8% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 19.2% (2024 est.) male: 20% (2024 est.) female: 18.3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 12.2% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 27.9 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 12.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.8% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 23.1% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $126.337 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $131.978 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 61.3% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions **Taxes and other revenues:** 25.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $930.393 million (2024 est.) -$1.58 billion (2023 est.) -$7.026 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $124.531 billion (2024 est.) $127.098 billion (2023 est.) $129.389 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 11%, Germany 11%, Sweden 10%, Netherlands 7%, China 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** paper, refined petroleum, steel, wood pulp, ships (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $122.644 billion (2024 est.) $126.175 billion (2023 est.) $135.119 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 14%, Sweden 12%, China 9%, Norway 8%, Netherlands 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, cars, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, broadcasting equipment (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $17.993 billion (2024 est.) $16.929 billion (2023 est.) $16.036 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 26.782 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 77.419 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 7.883 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 9.644 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.721 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 5.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 41.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 18.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 19.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 13.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 5 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 4.37GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 42% (2025 est.) **Coal:** production: 811,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 3.933 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 113,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 2.624 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 8,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 172,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 1.55 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 479.457 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 2.112 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 183.54 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 158,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 7.07 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 3 publicly operated TV stations and numerous privately owned TV stations; several free and special-interest pay-TV channels; cable and satellite multi-channel subscription services are available; all TV signals are digital; 13 national and 25 regional public radio stations; a large number of private radio broadcasters **Internet country code:** .fi note: Aland Islands assigned .ax **Internet users:** percent of population: 94% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.98 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** OH **Airports:** 98 (2025) **Heliports:** 17 (2025) **Railways:** total: 5,918 km (2020) 3,349 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 282 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 9, general cargo 75, oil tanker 4, other 194 **Ports:** total ports: 37 (2024) large: 5 medium: 7 small: 11 very small: 14 ports with oil terminals: 21 key ports: Helsinki, Kaskinen, Kokkola, Kotka, Kristinestad, Mantyluoto, Oulu, Pietarsaari, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Vaasa ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Finnish Defense Forces (FDF; Puolustusvoimat): Army (Maavoimat), Navy (Merivoimat), Air Force (Ilmavoimat) (2025) note: the Border Guard (Rajavartiolaitos) and National Police are under the Ministry of the Interior; the Border Guard becomes part of the FDF in wartime **Military expenditures:** 2.8% of GDP (2025 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 31,000 active-duty military personnel (2025) note: active-duty figures include about 21,000 conscripts carrying out their obligated military service **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory consists of a mix of modern European, Israeli, South Korean, US, and domestically produced weapons systems; the Finnish defense industry produces a variety of military equipment, including wheeled armored vehicles and naval vessels; Finland also cooperates with other European countries and the US in the joint production of armaments (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** all Finnish men are obligated to serve 5.5-12 months of service within a branch of the military or the Border Guard upon reaching the age of 18 (length of service depends on the type of duty); women 18-29 may volunteer for service; there is also an option to perform non-military service which lasts for 8.5 or 11.5 months; after completing their initial conscript obligation, individuals enter the reserves and remain eligible for mobilization until the age of 50 for rank-and-file and 60 for non-commissioned and commissioned officers (2025) note: Finland has had conscription since 1951; each year, the military inducts and active-duty units train approximately 21,000 conscripts; the resulting pool of trained reservists gives the FDF a wartime strength of approximately 280,000 and a total reserve of some 900,000 citizens with military service **Military deployments:** 165 Lebanon (UNIFIL); Finland also contributes to several ongoing EU and NATO missions (2025) **Military - note:** the Finnish Defense Forces (FDF) are focused primarily on territorial defense, which is based on having a large, trained reserve force created by general conscription; other FDF responsibilities include support to international peacekeeping operations and some domestic security duties, such as assisting the National Police in maintaining law and order in crises the FDF is also focused on fulfilling its commitment to NATO; following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Finland applied for NATO membership, gaining entry in April 2023; Finland had been part of NATO’s Partnership for Peace program since 1994 and participated in NATO-led military missions in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq; in 2024, it joined NATO's Air Policing mission in Eastern Europe Finland is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy and actively participates in EU crisis management missions and operations; the FDF also cooperates closely with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation structure (NORDEFCO; established 2009), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden and involves cooperation in such areas as armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; Sweden, the UK, and the US are close bi-lateral defense partners; in 2022, Finland signed a mutual security agreement with the UK, and since 2014 has been part of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, a pool of high-readiness military forces from 10 Baltic and Scandinavian countries designed to respond to a wide range of contingencies in the North Atlantic, Baltic Sea, and High North regions (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 97,568 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 1,326 (2024 est.) --- ## France **Slug:** france **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇫🇷 **Codes:** cek: fr, iso2: FR, iso3: FRA, iso_num: 250, genc: FRA, stanag: FRA, internet: .fr, comment: ISO includes metropolitan France along with the dependencies of Clipperton Island, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna ### Introduction **Background:** France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. It plays an influential global role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, NATO, the G-7, the G-20, the EU, and other multilateral organizations. France rejoined NATO's integrated military command structure in 2009, reversing then President Charles DE GAULLE's 1966 decision to withdraw French forces from NATO. Since 1958, it has constructed a hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier, more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent decades, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common currency, the euro, in January 1999. In the early 21st century, five French overseas entities -- French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion -- became French regions and were made part of France proper. ### Geography **Location:** metropolitan France: Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain French Guiana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname Guadeloupe: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico Martinique: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago Mayotte: Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about halfway between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar **Geographic coordinates:** metropolitan France: 46 00 N, 2 00 E French Guiana: 4 00 N, 53 00 W Guadeloupe: 16 15 N, 61 35 W Martinique: 14 40 N, 61 00 W Mayotte: 12 50 S, 45 10 E Reunion: 21 06 S, 55 36 E **Map references:** metropolitan France: Europe French Guiana: South America Guadeloupe: Central America and the Caribbean Martinique: Central America and the Caribbean Mayotte: Africa Reunion: World **Area:** total : 643,801 sq km ; 551,500 sq km (metropolitan France) land: 640,427 sq km ; 549,970 sq km (metropolitan France) water: 3,374 sq km ; 1,530 sq km (metropolitan France) note: the first numbers include the overseas regions of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion **Area - comparative:** slightly more than four times the size of Georgia; slightly less than the size of Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 3,956 km border countries (8): Andorra 55 km; Belgium 556 km; Germany 418 km; Italy 476 km; Luxembourg 69 km; Monaco 6 km; Spain 646 km; Switzerland 525 km metropolitan France - total: 2751 km French Guiana - total: 1205 km **Coastline:** 4,853 km metropolitan France: 3,427 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean Sea) continental shelf: 200m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** metropolitan France: generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as the mistral French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation Guadeloupe and Martinique: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average Mayotte: tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November) Reunion: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April) **Terrain:** metropolitan France: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano Mayotte: generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast **Elevation:** highest point: Mont Blanc 4,810 lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m mean elevation: 375 m note: to assess the possible effects of climate change on the ice and snow cap of Mont Blanc, its surface and peak have been extensively measured in recent years; these new peak measurements have exceeded the traditional height of 4,807 m and have varied between 4,808 m and 4,811 m; the actual rock summit is 4,792 m and is 40 m away from the ice-covered summit **Natural resources:** metropolitan France: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum, timber, arable land, fish; French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum, clay **Land use:** agricultural land: 52.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 31.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 19.2% (2023 est.) forest: 32.7% (2023 est.) other: 15% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 14,236 sq km (2020) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Geneva (shared with Switzerland) - 580 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Rhin (Rhine) (shared with Switzerland [s], Germany, and Netherlands [m]) - 1,233 km; Loire - 1,012 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Loire (115,282 sq km), Seine (78,919 sq km), Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Adriatic Sea) Po (76,997 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Rhone (100,543 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Paris Basin **Population distribution:** much of the population is concentrated in the north and southeast; although there are many urban agglomerations throughout the country, Paris is by far the largest city, with Lyon ranked a distant second **Natural hazards:** metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones); flooding volcanism: Montagne Pelée (1,394 m) on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean is the most active volcano of the Lesser Antilles arc, although it last erupted in 1932; a catastrophic eruption in 1902 destroyed the city of St. Pierre, killing an estimated 30,000 people; La Soufrière (1,467 m) on the island of Guadeloupe has also had explosive eruptions in recent years **Geography - note:** largest Western European nation; most major French rivers -- the Meuse, Seine, Loire, Charente, Dordogne, and Garonne -- flow northward or westward into the Atlantic Ocean, only the Rhone flows southward into the Mediterranean Sea ### People and Society **Population:** total: 68,512,806 (2025 est.) male: 33,627,639 female: 34,885,167 **Nationality:** noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French **Ethnic groups:** Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African (Algerian, Moroccan, Tunisian), Indochinese, Basque minorities note: overseas departments: Black, White, Mulatto, East Indian, Chinese, Indigenous **Languages:** French (official) 100%, declining regional dialects and languages (Provençal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish, Occitan, Picard) major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: overseas departments - French, Creole patois, Mahorian (a Swahili dialect) **Religions:** Roman Catholic 47%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 2%, Buddhist 2%, Orthodox 1%, Jewish 1%, other 1%, none 33%, unspecified 9% (2021 est.) note: France maintains a tradition of secularism and has not officially collected data on religious affiliation since the 1872 national census, which complicates assessments of France's religious composition; an 1872 law prohibiting state authorities from collecting data on individuals' ethnicity or religious beliefs was reaffirmed by a 1978 law emphasizing the prohibition of the collection or exploitation of personal data revealing an individual's race, ethnicity, or political, philosophical, or religious opinions; a 1905 law codified France's separation of church and state **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 17.3% (male 6,060,087/female 5,792,805) 15-64 years: 60.7% (male 20,875,861/female 20,615,847) 65 years and over: 22% (2024 est.) (male 6,621,146/female 8,408,845) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 65.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 28.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 36.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 42.7 years (2025 est.) male: 41 years female: 44.2 years **Population growth rate:** 0.2% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.88 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.91 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 1.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** much of the population is concentrated in the north and southeast; although there are many urban agglomerations throughout the country, Paris is by far the largest city, with Lyon ranked a distant second **Urbanization:** urban population: 81.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.67% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 11.208 million PARIS (capital), 1.761 million Lyon, 1.628 million Marseille-Aix-en-Provence, 1.079 million Lille, 1.060 million Toulouse, 1.000 million Bordeaux (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 28.9 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 82.6 years (2024 est.) male: 79.8 years female: 85.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.9 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.93 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 12.3% of GDP (2021) 15.3% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.28 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 6 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 21.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 11.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 6.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 28.9% (2025 est.) male: 30.7% (2025 est.) female: 27.3% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 54.9% (2020 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 9.1% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2022 est.) male: 16 years (2022 est.) female: 17 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution and acid rain from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** metropolitan France: generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as the mistral French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation Guadeloupe and Martinique: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average Mayotte: tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November) Reunion: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April) **Land use:** agricultural land: 52.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 31.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 19.2% (2023 est.) forest: 32.7% (2023 est.) other: 15% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 81.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.67% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 303.779 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 25.355 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 209.4 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 69.025 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 232 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,496.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 550.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 37.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 36.749 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 31.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 5.271 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 16.641 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 2.515 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 211 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 9 (2024) global geoparks and regional networks: Armorique; Beaujolais; Causses du Quersey; Chablais; Haute-Provence; Luberon; Massif des Bauges; Monts d'Ardèche; Normandie-Maine (2024) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: French Republic conventional short form: France local long form: République française local short form: France etymology: derives from the Latin name Francia, meaning "Land of the Franks"; the Franks were a group of Germanic tribes located along the middle and lower Rhine River in the 3rd century A.D.; the origin of the tribal name is unclear but may come from the Old German word franka, meaning "brave," or from a personal name such as Francio or Francus **Government type:** semi-presidential republic **Capital:** name: Paris geographic coordinates: 48 52 N, 2 20 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October time zone note: applies to metropolitan France only; for its overseas regions the time difference is UTC-4 for Guadeloupe and Martinique, UTC-3 for French Guiana, UTC+3 for Mayotte, and UTC+4 for Reunion etymology: name derives from the Parisii, a Celtic tribe that inhabited the area from the 3rd century B.C.; the Celtic settlement became the Roman town of Lutetia Parisiorum (Lutetia of the Parisii); over subsequent centuries it became Parisium and then Paris **Administrative divisions:** 18 regions (régions, singular - région); Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Bretagne (Brittany), Centre-Val de Loire (Center-Loire Valley), Corse (Corsica), Grand Est (Grand East), Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Hauts-de-France (Upper France), Ile-de-France, Martinique, Mayotte, Normandie (Normandy), Nouvelle-Aquitaine (New Aquitaine), Occitanie (Occitania), Pays de la Loire (Lands of the Loire), Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Réunion note: France is divided into 13 metropolitan regions (including the "collectivity" of Corse, or Corsica) and 5 overseas regions (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Réunion) and is subdivided into 96 metropolitan departments and 5 overseas departments (which are the same as the overseas regions) **Dependent areas:** Clipperton Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna (8) note: the US Government does not recognize claims to Antarctica; New Caledonia has been considered a "sui generis" collectivity of France since 1998, a unique status falling between that of an independent country and a French overseas department **Legal system:** civil law; review of administrative but not legislative acts **Constitution:** history: many previous; latest effective 4 October 1958 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic (upon recommendation of the prime minister and Parliament) or by Parliament; proposals submitted by Parliament members require passage by both houses followed by approval in a referendum; passage of proposals submitted by the government can bypass a referendum if submitted by the president to Parliament and passed by at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament’s National Assembly **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of France dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017) head of government: Sébastien LECORNU (since 10 September 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president at the suggestion of the prime minister election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 10 April 2022, with a runoff held on 24 April 2022 election results: 2022: Emmanuel MACRON reelected in second round; percent of vote in first round - Emmanuel MACRON (LREM) 27.8%, Marine LE PEN (RN) 23.2%, Jean-Luc MELENCHON (LFI) 22%, Eric ZEMMOUR (Reconquête) 7.1%, Valerie PECRESSE (LR) 4.8%, Yannick JADOT (EELV) 4.6%, other 10.6%; percent of vote in second round - MACRON 58.5%, LE PEN 41.5% 2017: Emmanuel MACRON elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Emmanuel MACRON (EM) 24%, Marine LE PEN (FN) 21.3%, Francois FILLON (LR) 20%, Jean-Luc MELENCHON (FI) 19.6%, Benoit HAMON (PS) 6.4%, other 8.7%; percent of vote in second round - MACRON 66.1%, LE PEN 33.9% expected date of next election: April 2027 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Parlement) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) number of seats: 577 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/24/2023 parties elected and seats per party: New Popular Front (NFP)/UG (178); Ensemble (presidential majority) (150); National Rally (RN) (125); The Republicans (LR) (39); Other (85) percentage of women in chamber: 36.2% expected date of next election: June 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Sénat) number of seats: 348 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 6/30/2024 to 7/7/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 37.1% expected date of next election: September 2026 note 1: of the 348 Senate seats, 328 seats are for metropolitan France, overseas departments, and regions of Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion, and Mayotte; the remainder of the seats include 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for French Polynesia, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 1 for Saint-Barthelemy, 1 for Saint-Martin, 1 for Wallis and Futuna, and 12 for French nationals abroad note 2: Senate members are indirectly elected by departmental electoral colleges, using absolute majority vote in two rounds if needed for departments with 1-3 members, and proportional representation vote in departments with 4 or more members **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions -- 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal); Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members) judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council has 3 members appointed by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents; members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one third of the membership renewed every 3 years subordinate courts: appellate courts or cours d'appel; regional courts or tribunaux judiciaires; first instance courts or tribunaux de proximité; administrative courts **Political parties:** Citizen and Republican Movement or MRC Debout la France or DLF Democratic Movement or MoDem Ensemble or ENS (electoral coalition including RE, MoDem, Horizons, PRV, UDI) The Ecologists - the Greens or EELV French Communist Party or PCF Horizons La France Insoumise or FI Liberties, Independents, Overseas and Territories or LIOT Movement of Progressives or MDP National Rally or RN (formerly National Front or FN) New Democrats or LND (formerly Ecology Democracy Solidarity or EDS) New Popular Front or NFP (electoral coalition including FI, EELV, PS, PCF) Radical Party of the Left or PRV Reconquete or REC Renaissance or RE Résistons! Socialist Party or PS The Republicans or LR Union of Democrats and Independents or UDI Union of Far Right or UXD (electoral coalition of LR, RN) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Laurent BILI (since 19 April 2023) chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166 email address and website: info@ambafrance-us.org https://franceintheus.org/ consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Charles KUSHNER (since 11 July 2025); note - also accredited to Monaco embassy: 2 avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris mailing address: 9200 Paris Place, Washington DC 20521-9200 telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22, [33] (1) 42-66-97-83 FAX: [33] (1) 42-66-97-83 email address and website: Citizeninfo@state.gov https://fr.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg consulate(s): Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, FZ, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (permanent), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** no official date of independence: 486 (Frankish tribes unified under Merovingian kingship); 10 August 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 14 July 1789 (French monarchy overthrown); 22 September 1792 (First French Republic established); 4 October 1958 (Fifth French Republic established) **National holiday:** Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790) note: often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on 14 July 1789 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are la Fête nationale (National Holiday) and le Quatorze Juillet (14th of July) **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of blue (left side), white, and red history: known as the le tricolore (tricolor), the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution, when the traditional color of white was combined with the blue and red of the Paris militia; for the first four years of the flag's use (1790-94), the order of colors was reversed (red-white-blue) note 1: serves as the official flag for all French dependencies note 2: the design and colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Netherlands **National symbol(s):** Gallic rooster, fleur-de-lis, Marianne (female personification of the country) **National color(s):** blue, white, red **National anthem(s):** title: "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille) lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle history: adopted 1795, restored 1870; acquired its name when the National Guard of Marseille sang the song while marching into Paris in 1792 during the French Revolution; one of the most recognized anthems in the world **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 54 (46 cultural, 7 natural, 1 mixed); note - includes one site in New Caledonia and one site in French Polynesia selected World Heritage Site locales: Chartres Cathedral (c); Palace and Park of Versailles (c); Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay (c); Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley (c); Pyrénées - Mont Perdu (m); Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay (c); Paris, Banks of the Seine (c); The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes (c); Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct) (c); Amiens Cathedral (c); Palace and Park of Fontainebleau (c); Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne (c); The Maison Carrée of Nîmes (c); Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve (Corsica) (n); Megaliths of Carnac and of the shores of Morbihan (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, advanced EU economy and eurozone member; strong tourism, aircraft manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and industrial sectors; high public debt; ongoing pension reform efforts; transitioning to a green economy via "France 2030" strategy **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $3.732 trillion (2024 est.) $3.689 trillion (2023 est.) $3.655 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.2% (2024 est.) 0.9% (2023 est.) 2.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $54,500 (2024 est.) $54,000 (2023 est.) $53,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $3.162 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2% (2024 est.) 4.9% (2023 est.) 5.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.4% (2024 est.) industry: 17.5% (2024 est.) services: 70.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 53.4% (2023 est.) government consumption: 23.1% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.1% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.1% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 34.3% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -36.3% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, sugar beets, milk, maize, barley, potatoes, grapes, rapeseed, pork, sunflower seeds (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics, textiles, food processing, tourism **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 31.725 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 7.4% (2024 est.) 7.4% (2023 est.) 7.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 16.6% (2024 est.) male: 17.1% (2024 est.) female: 16% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 15.6% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 31.2 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 12.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 24.6% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.29 trillion (2023 est.) expenditures: $1.447 trillion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 98.5% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 23.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $12.382 billion (2024 est.) -$30.334 billion (2023 est.) -$33.069 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.071 trillion (2024 est.) $1.05 trillion (2023 est.) $1.021 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 11%, Italy 9%, USA 8%, Belgium 8%, Spain 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** aircraft, cars, packaged medicine, gas turbines, vehicle parts/accessories (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $1.074 trillion (2024 est.) $1.094 trillion (2023 est.) $1.092 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 15%, Belgium 11%, Netherlands 9%, Spain 8%, Italy 8% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, natural gas, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $282.857 billion (2024 est.) $240.792 billion (2023 est.) $242.416 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 151.463 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 415.542 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 76.207 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 25.107 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 35.282 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 7.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 63.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 4.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 10.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 10.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) tide and wave: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 2.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 57 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 61.37GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 64.8% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 14 (2025) **Coal:** production: 2.157 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 12.57 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 64,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 10.347 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 160 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 80,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 1.536 million bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 61.719 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 17.928 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 33.238 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 13.584 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 46.909 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 7.787 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 123.526 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 37.3 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 56 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 77.5 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 117 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** a mix of both publicly operated and privately owned TV stations; state-owned TV stations operate 4 networks and have part-interest in several thematic cable/satellite channels and international channels; large number of privately owned regional and local TV stations; multi-channel satellite and cable services; public broadcaster Radio France operates 7 national networks, a series of regional networks, and services for overseas territories and foreign audiences; Radio France Internationale, under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is a leading international broadcaster; large number of commercial FM stations **Internet country code:** metropolitan France - .fr; French Guiana - .gf; Guadeloupe - .gp; Martinique - .mq; Mayotte - .yt; Reunion - .re **Internet users:** percent of population: 87% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 32.3 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** F **Airports:** 1,218 (2025) note: Includes 29 airports in French overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion) **Heliports:** 405 (2025) note: Includes 11 heliports in French overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion) **Railways:** total: 27,860 km (2020) 16,660 km electrified narrow gauge: -5 km **Merchant marine:** total: 553 (2023) by type: container ship 32, general cargo 48, oil tanker 25, other 448 note: includes Monaco **Ports:** total ports: 66 (2024) large: 6 medium: 12 small: 22 very small: 26 ports with oil terminals: 31 key ports: Bayonne, Bordeaux, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Dunkerque Port Est, Dunkerque Port Ouest, La Pallice, La Rochelle, Les Sables d'Olonne, Lorient, Montoir, Nantes, Le Havre, Rouen, Rade de Brest, Rade de Cherbourg, Rochefort, St. Nazaire, Toulon **Transportation - note:** begun in 1988 and completed in 1994, the Channel Tunnel (nicknamed the Chunnel) is a 50.5-km (31.4-mi) rail tunnel under the English Channel at the Strait of Dover; it runs from Folkestone, Kent, in England to Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais, in northern France and is the only fixed link between the island of Great Britain and mainland Europe ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** French Armed Forces (Forces Armées Françaises): Army (l'Armee de Terre; includes Foreign Legion), Navy (Marine Nationale), Air and Space Force (l'Armee de l’Air et de l’Espace); includes Air Defense), National Guard (Garde Nationale), National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale) (2025) note 1: under the direction of the Ministry of the Interior, the civilian National Police and the National Gendarmerie maintain internal security; the National Gendarmerie is a paramilitary police force that is a branch of the Armed Forces and therefore part of the Ministry of Defense but under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior; it also has additional duties to the Ministry of Justice note 2: the National Guard is composed of operational reservists belonging to the Ministry of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior note 3: the French Foreign Legion, established in 1831, is a military force that is open to foreign recruits willing to serve in the French military for service in France and abroad; the Foreign Legion is an integrated part of the French Army; its combat units are a mix of armored cavalry and airborne, light, mechanized, and motorized infantry regiments **Military expenditures:** 2.1% of GDP (2025 est.) 2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 200,000 active duty Armed Forces; approximately 150,000 National Gendarmerie; approximately 80,000 National Guard (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the French military's inventory consists mostly of domestically produced weapons systems, including some jointly produced with other European countries; there is a smaller mix of armaments from other Western countries, particularly the US; France has a large and sophisticated defense industry capable of manufacturing the full spectrum of air, land, and naval military weapons systems (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** generally 17-30 years of age for both men and women with some variations by service, position, and enlisted versus officer; 17-40 for National Gendarmerie; basic service contract is for 12 months; no conscription (abolished 2001) (2025) note 1: a 10-month voluntary military service program for French citizens 18-19 is scheduled to start accepting recruits in September 2026; afterwards, the volunteers can integrate into civilian life, become a reservist, or stay in the armed forces note 2: in 2024, women comprised about 17% of the uniformed armed forces note 3: men between the ages of 17.5 and 39.5 years of age, of any nationality, may join the French Foreign Legion; those volunteers selected for service sign five-year contracts **Military deployments:** France typically has up to 30,000 total air, ground, and naval forces deployed on permanent or temporary foreign missions; up to 10,000 are permanently deployed, including Djibouti (1,500); French Guyana (2,600); French Polynesia (1,000); French West Indies (1,000); Reunion Island (2,100); UAE (800) other non-permanent deployments include military missions under NATO, the EU, and the UN, as well as some unilateral operations, in such places as Europe, Africa, and the Middle East and adjacent waters (2025) **Military - note:** the French military has a global footprint and a wide range of missions and responsibilities, to include protecting French territory, population, and interests, and fulfilling France’s commitments to NATO, European security, and international peacekeeping operations under the UN; it is the largest military in the EU and has a leading role in the EU security framework, as well as in NATO; in recent years, it has actively participated in coalition peacekeeping and other security operations in regions such as Africa, the Middle East, and the Balkans, often in a lead role; the military regularly conducts large-scale exercises and participates in a variety of bi-lateral and multinational exercises; it also has a domestic security mission, including providing enhanced security at sensitive sites and large events and support during national crises or disasters, such as fighting forest fires; in recent years, defense responsibilities have expanded to include cyber and space domains in 2010, France and the UK signed a declaration on defense and security cooperation that included greater military interoperability and a Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF), a deployable, combined Anglo-French military force for use in a wide range of crisis scenarios, including high intensity operations, peacekeeping, disaster relief, and humanitarian assistance; the CJEF has no standing forces, but would be available at short notice for French-UK bilateral, NATO, EU, UN, or other operations (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** National Center for Space Studies (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales, CNES; established 1961) (2025) **Space launch site(s):** Guiana Space Center (Kourou, French Guiana; also serves as the spaceport for the ESA); note – prior to the completion of the Guiana Space Center in 1969, France launched rockets from Algeria (2025) **Space program overview:** has one of Europe’s largest space programs and is one of the top contributors to the ESA; has independent capabilities in all areas, except for autonomous manned space flight; can build, launch, and operate a range of space/satellite launch vehicles (SLVs) and spacecraft, including exploratory probes and a full spectrum of satellites; shifted astronaut training to ESA in 2001; hosts the ESA headquarters and its space launch facility; participates in international space programs such as the Square Kilometer Array radio telescope and International Space Station; works with a broad range of space agencies and commercial space companies, including those of China, Egypt, individual ESA and EU member countries, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Russia, the UAE, the US, and several African countries; has a large commercial space sector involved in satellite construction and payloads, launch capabilities, and a range of other space-related capabilities and technologies (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** early 1960s - began rocket program and launched animals into space 1965 - launched first domestically produced satellite (Asterix) into space on a French Diamant rocket (third country to do so after the Soviet Union and US) 1973 - began development of Ariane heavy-lift satellite launch vehicle (SLV) along with other European states, particularly Germany and the UK; Ariane would become the ESA's SLV 1970s-1990s - development of a space plane/shuttle program (Hermes) 1982 - first French astronaut into space on a Soviet rocket 1986 - launched first joint European Earth observation/remote sensing program (SPOT) 2018 - launched project (Spaceship FR) to lay the groundwork for robotic and crewed missions to the Moon and Mars 2024 - debut launch of Ariane-6 SLV; claimed world's first satellite to ground communications via laser ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa'ida note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 810,325 (2024 est.) IDPs: 59 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 2,634 (2024 est.) --- ## French Polynesia **Slug:** french-polynesia **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇵🇫 **Codes:** cek: fp, iso2: PF, iso3: PYF, iso_num: 258, genc: PYF, stanag: PYF, internet: .pf ### Introduction **Background:** French Polynesia consists of five archipelagos -- the Austral Islands, the Gambier Islands, the Marquesas Islands, the Society Islands, and the Tuamotu Archipelago. The Marquesas were first settled around 200 B.C. and the Society Islands around A.D. 300. Raiatea in the Society Islands became a center for religion and culture. Exploration of the other islands emanated from Raiatea, and by 1000, there were small permanent settlements in all the island groups. Ferdinand MAGELLAN was the first European to see the islands of French Polynesia in 1520. In 1767, British explorer Samuel WALLIS was the first European to visit Tahiti, followed by French navigator Louis Antoine de BOUGAINVILLE in 1768 and British explorer James COOK in 1769. King POMARE I united Tahiti and surrounding islands into the Kingdom of Tahiti in 1788. Protestant missionaries arrived in 1797, and POMARE I’s successor converted in the 1810s, along with most Tahitians. In the 1830s, Queen POMARE IV refused to allow French Catholic missionaries to operate, leading France to declare a protectorate over Tahiti and fight the French-Tahitian War of the 1840s in an attempt to annex the islands. In 1880, King POMARE V ceded Tahiti and its possessions to France, changing its status into a colony. France then claimed the Gambier Islands and Tuamotu Archipelago and by 1901 had incorporated all five island groups into its establishments in Oceania. A Tahitian nationalist movement formed in 1940, leading France to grant French citizenship to the islanders in 1946 and change it to an overseas territory. In 1957, the islands’ name was changed to French Polynesia, and the following year, 64% of voters chose to stay part of France when they approved a new constitution. Uninhabited Mururoa Atoll was established as a French nuclear test site in 1962, and tests were conducted between 1966 and 1992 (underground beginning in 1975). France also conducted tests at Fangataufa Atoll, including its last nuclear test in 1996. France granted French Polynesia partial internal autonomy in 1977 and expanded autonomy in 1984. French Polynesia was converted into an overseas collectivity in 2003 and renamed an overseas territory in 2004. Pro-independence politicians won a surprise majority in local elections that same year, but in subsequent elections, they have been relegated to a vocal minority. In 2013, French Polynesia was relisted on the UN List of Non-Self-Governing Territories. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, five archipelagoes (Archipel des Tuamotu, Iles Gambier, Iles Marquises, Iles Tubuai, Society Islands) in the South Pacific Ocean about halfway between South America and Australia **Geographic coordinates:** 15 00 S, 140 00 W **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls; 67 are inhabited) land: 3,827 sq km water: 340 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 2,525 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical, but moderate **Terrain:** mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs **Elevation:** highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 8.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 7.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.5% (2023 est.) forest: 43.1% (2023 est.) other: 48.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 10 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** the majority of the population lives in the Society Islands, one of five archipelagos that includes the most populous island, Tahiti, with approximately 70% of the nation's population **Natural hazards:** occasional cyclonic storms in January **Geography - note:** includes five archipelagoes: four volcanic (Iles Gambier, Iles Marquises, Iles Tubuai, Society Islands) and one coral (Archipel des Tuamotu); the Tuamotu Archipelago forms the largest group of atolls in the world -- 78 in total, 48 inhabited; Makatea in the Tuamotu Archipelago is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean -- the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru ### People and Society **Population:** total: 305,507 (2025 est.) male: 156,084 female: 149,423 **Nationality:** noun: French Polynesian(s) adjective: French Polynesian **Ethnic groups:** Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% **Languages:** French (official) 73.5%, Tahitian 20.1%, Marquesan 2.6%, Austral languages 1.2%, Paumotu 1%, other 1.6% (2017 est.) major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 20.3% (male 31,659/female 30,006) 15-64 years: 68.7% (male 107,162/female 101,228) 65 years and over: 11% (2024 est.) (male 16,317/female 17,168) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 46 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 29.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 16.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 35.8 years (2025 est.) male: 35 years female: 35.6 years **Population growth rate:** 0.63% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 12.7 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.84 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the majority of the population lives in the Society Islands, one of five archipelagos that includes the most populous island, Tahiti, with approximately 70% of the nation's population **Urbanization:** urban population: 62.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.65% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 136,000 PAPEETE (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 78.9 years (2024 est.) male: 76.6 years female: 81.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.78 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.87 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.02 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 97% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 3% of population (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 66.8% (2017 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** sea-level rise; cyclones, storms, and tsunamis producing floods, landslides, erosion, and reef damage; droughts; fresh water scarcity **Climate:** tropical, but moderate **Land use:** agricultural land: 8.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 7.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.5% (2023 est.) forest: 43.1% (2023 est.) other: 48.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 62.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.65% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 1.01 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.01 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 147,000 tons (2024 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynésie française local short form: Polynésie Française former: Establishments in Oceania, French Establishments in Oceania etymology: the term "Polynesia" is an 18th-century construct composed of two Greek words, poly (many) and nesoi (islands), and refers to the more than 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (Assembly of French Polynesia); an overseas collectivity of France **Dependency status:** overseas country of France note: overseas territory of France from 1946-2003; overseas collectivity of France since 2003, but it is often referred to as an overseas country due to its degree of autonomy **Capital:** name: Papeete (located on Tahiti) geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name derives from the Tahitian words pape (water) and ete (basket), referring to a place where people came to get water **Administrative divisions:** 5 administrative subdivisions (subdivisions administratives, singular - subdivision administrative): Iles Australes (Austral Islands), Iles du Vent (Windward Islands), Iles Marquises (Marquesas Islands), Iles Sous-le-Vent (Leeward Islands), Iles Tuamotu-Gambier note: the Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands together make up the Society Islands (Iles de la Société) **Legal system:** the laws of France apply **Constitution:** history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) amendment process: French constitution amendment procedures apply **Citizenship:** see France **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Alexander ROCHATTE (since 1 September 2025) head of government: President of French Polynesia Moetai BROTHERSON (since 12 May 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers approved by the Assembly from a list of its members submitted by the president election/appointment process: French president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; French Polynesia president indirectly elected by Assembly of French Polynesia for a 5-year term (no term limits) **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Assembly of French Polynesia (Assemblée de la Polynésie française) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 57 (directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 4/30/2023 parties elected and seats per party: People's Servant People (38); List of the People (15); I Love Polynesia (3); Rally of the Mahoi People (1) percentage of women in chamber: 49.1% expected date of next election: 2028 note 1: elections held in two rounds; in the second round, 38 members are directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by a closed-list proportional representation vote; the party receiving the most votes gets an additional 19 seats note 2: French Polynesia indirectly elects 2 senators to the French Senate for 6-year terms with one-half the membership renewed every 3 years and directly elects 3 deputies to the French National Assembly for 5-year terms **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel (composition NA) judge selection and term of office: judges assigned from France for 3 years subordinate courts: Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Première Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif note: appeals beyond the French Polynesia Court of Appeal are heard by the Court of Cassation (in Paris) **Political parties:** I Love Polynesia (A here la Porinetia) List of the People (Tapura Huiraatira) People's Servant Party (Tavini Huiraatira) Rally of the Maohi People (Amuitahiraʻa o te Nunaʻa Maohi) (formerly known as Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira)) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas lands of France) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (overseas lands of France) **International organization participation:** ITUC (NGOs), PIF, SPC, UPU, WMO **Independence:** none (overseas land of France) **National holiday:** Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790) note 1: the local holiday is Internal Autonomy Day, 29 June (1880) note 2: often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, France's national celebration commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on 14 July 1789 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are la Fête nationale (National Holiday) and le Quatorze Juillet (14th of July) **Flag:** description: two horizontal red bands flank a wide white band in a 1:2:1 ratio; centered on the white band is a disk with a blue-and-white wave pattern depicting the sea on the lower half and a gold-and-white ray pattern depicting the sun on the upper half; a stylized red Polynesian canoe on the disk has a crew of five, represented by five stars meaning: the stars symbolize the five island groups; red and white are traditional Polynesian colors note 1: similar to the red-white-red flag of Tahiti, the largest and most populous of the French Polynesian islands, but the Tahitian flag has no emblem on the white band note 2: the flag of France is used for official occasions **National symbol(s):** outrigger canoe, Tahitian gardenia flower (Gardenia taitensis) **National color(s):** red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" (Long Live Tahiti Nui) lyrics/music: Maeva BOUGES, Irmine TEHEI, Angele TEROROTUA, Johanna NOUVEAU, Patrick AMARU, Louis MAMATUI, and Jean-Pierre CELESTIN (created both the lyrics and music) history: adopted 1993; serves as a local anthem _____ title: "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille) lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle history: official anthem, as a French territory **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 cultural, 1 mixed); note - excerpted from the France entry selected World Heritage Site locales: Taputapuātea (c); Te Henua Enata – The Marquesas Islands (m) **Government - note:** French Polynesia has acquired autonomy from France in all areas except those relating to police, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and foreign affairs; the duties of its president are similar to those of the French prime minister ### Economy **Economic overview:** small, territorial-island tourism-based economy; large French financing; lower EU import duties; Pacific Islands Forum member; fairly resilient from COVID-19; oil-dependent infrastructure **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $6.007 billion (2024 est.) $5.935 billion (2023 est.) $5.892 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3% (2023 est.) 4.5% (2022 est.) 2.1% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $23,300 (2024 est.) $22,800 (2023 est.) $20,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $6.563 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 6.4% (2022 est.) 0.5% (2021 est.) -0.1% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2.2% (2020 est.) industry: 10.6% (2020 est.) services: 75.9% (2020 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 70.4% (2023 est.) government consumption: 30.5% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.7% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 23.1% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -45.6% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** coconuts, fruits, cassava, sugarcane, pineapples, eggs, tropical fruits, watermelons, tomatoes, pork (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates **Labor force:** 119,100 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 11.8% (2024 est.) 11.8% (2023 est.) 11.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 36.9% (2024 est.) male: 33.5% (2024 est.) female: 41.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 9.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 10% of GDP (2022 est.) 9.5% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Current account balance:** $411.963 million (2016 est.) $291.182 million (2015 est.) $264.32 million (2014 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $162 million (2021 est.) $94.4 million (2020 est.) $184 million (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Japan 44%, USA 15%, France 12%, Netherlands 9%, China 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** pearls, fish, aircraft parts, gas turbines, vanilla (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $1.66 billion (2021 est.) $1.75 billion (2020 est.) $2.24 billion (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** France 26%, China 11%, USA 10%, NZ 7%, Malaysia 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, packaged medicine, refined petroleum, poultry, broadcasting equipment (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 110.306 (2024 est.) 110.347 (2023 est.) 113.474 (2022 est.) 100.88 (2021 est.) 104.711 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 345,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 669.5 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 42.663 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 66% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 27% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 7,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 66,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 334,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 119 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** French public overseas broadcaster Réseau Outre-Mer provides 2 TV channels and 1 radio station; 1 government-owned TV station; a small number of privately owned radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .pf **Internet users:** percent of population: 73% (2017 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 78,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** F-OH **Airports:** 54 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 24 (2023) by type: general cargo 14 **Ports:** total ports: 6 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 5 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Atuona, Baie Taiohae, Papeete, Port Rikitea, Uturoa, Vaitape ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of France, and it maintains a military garrison in French Polynesia (Forces Armées en Polynésie Française, FAPF) --- ## French Southern and Antarctic Lands **Slug:** french-southern-and-antarctic-lands **Region:** Antarctica **Flag:** 🇹🇫 **Codes:** cek: fs, iso2: TF, iso3: ATF, iso_num: 260, genc: ATF, stanag: ATF, internet: .tf, comment: GENC does not include the French-claimed portion of Antarctica (Terre Adelie) ### Introduction **Background:** In 2007, the Iles Eparses became an integral part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF). The Southern Lands are now divided into five administrative districts, two of which are archipelagos, the Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen; the third is a district composed of two volcanic islands, Ile Saint-Paul and Ile Amsterdam; the fourth, Iles Eparses, consists of five scattered tropical islands around Madagascar. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna, scientists at the various scientific stations, fishermen, and military personnel. The fifth district is the Antarctic portion, which consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840. Ile Amsterdam: Discovered but not named in 1522 by the Spanish, the island subsequently received the appellation of Nieuw Amsterdam from a Dutchman; it was claimed by France in 1843. A short-lived attempt at cattle farming began in 1871. A French meteorological station established on the island in 1949 is still in use. Ile Saint Paul: Claimed by France since 1893, the island was a fishing industry center from 1843 to 1914. In 1928, a spiny lobster cannery was established, but when the company went bankrupt in 1931, seven workers were abandoned. Only two survived until 1934 when rescue finally arrived. Iles Crozet: A large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau, Iles Crozet is divided into two main groups: L'Occidental (the West), which includes Ile aux Cochons, Ilots des Apotres, Ile des Pingouins, and the reefs Brisants de l'Heroine; and L'Oriental (the East), which includes Ile d'Est and Ile de la Possession, the largest island of the Crozets. Discovered and claimed by France in 1772, the islands were used for seal hunting and as a base for whaling. Originally administered as a dependency of Madagascar, they became part of the TAAF in 1955. Iles Kerguelen: This island group, discovered in 1772, consists of one large island (Ile Kerguelen) and about 300 smaller islands. A permanent group of 50 to 100 scientists resides at the main base at Port-aux-Francais. Adelie Land: The only non-insular district of the TAAF is the Antarctic claim known as "Adelie Land." The US Government does not recognize it as a French dependency. Bassas da India: A French possession since 1897, this atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at high tide. Europa Island: This heavily wooded island has been a French possession since 1897; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station. Glorioso Islands: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse. Juan de Nova Island: Named after a famous 15th-century Spanish navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological station. Tromelin Island: First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological station. ### Geography **Location:** southeast and east of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, some near Madagascar and others about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land" **Geographic coordinates:** Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 37 50 S, 77 32 E Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 38 72 S, 77 53 E Iles Crozet: 46 25 S, 51 00 E Iles Kerguelen: 49 15 S, 69 35 E Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 21 30 S, 39 50 E Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22 20 S, 40 22 E Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 11 30 S, 47 20 E Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 17 03 S, 42 45 E Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 15 52 S, 54 25 E **Map references:** Antarctic Region Africa **Area:** Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): total - 55 sq km; land - 55 sq km; water - 0 sq km Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): total - 7 sq km; land - 7 sq km; water - 0 sq km Iles Crozet: total - 352 sq km; land - 352 sq km; water - 0 sq km Iles Kerguelen: total - 7,215 sq km; land - 7,215 sq km; water - 0 sq km Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): total - 80 sq km; land - 0.2 sq km; water - 79.8 sq km (lagoon) Europa Island (Iles Eparses): total - 28 sq km; land - 28 sq km; water - 0 sq km Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): total - 5 sq km; land - 5 sq km; water - 0 sq km Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): total - 4.4 sq km; land - 4.4 sq km; water - 0 sq km Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): total - 1 sq km; land - 1 sq km; water - 0 sq km note: excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US **Area - comparative:** Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): less than one-half the size of Washington, D.C. Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): more than 10 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Iles Crozet: about twice the size of Washington, D.C. Iles Kerguelen: slightly larger than Delaware Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): land area about one-third the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Europa Island (Iles Eparses): about one-sixth the size of Washington, D.C. Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): about eight times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): about seven times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): about 1.7 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 28 km Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): Iles Kerguelen: 2,800 km Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 35.2 km Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22.2 km Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 35.2 km Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 24.1 km Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 3.7 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen and Iles Eparses (does not include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands); Juan de Nova Island and Tromelin Island claim a continental shelf of 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul: oceanic with persistent westerly winds and high humidity Iles Crozet: windy, cold, wet, and cloudy Iles Kerguelen: oceanic, cold, overcast, windy Iles Eparses: tropical **Terrain:** Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): a volcanic island with steep coastal cliffs; the center floor of the volcano is a large plateau Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): triangular in shape, the island is the top of a volcano, rocky with steep cliffs on the eastern side; has active thermal springs Iles Crozet: a large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau is divided into two groups of islands Iles Kerguelen: the interior of the large island of Ile Kerguelen is composed of high mountains, hills, valleys, and plains with peninsulas stretching off its coasts Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15 m) lagoon Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and sandy Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamount **Elevation:** highest point: Mont de la Dives on Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) 867 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest points throughout the French Southern and Antarctic Lands: Crête de la Novara on Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) 284 m; Pic Marion-Dufresne in Iles Crozet 1090 m; Mont Ross in Iles Kerguelen 1850 m; unnamed location on Bassas de India (Iles Eparses) 2.4 m; 24 unnamed location on Europa Island (Iles Eparses) 6 m; unnamed location on Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses) 12 m; unnamed location on Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses) 10 m; unnamed location on Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) 7 m **Natural resources:** fish, crayfish, note, Glorioso Islands and Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) have guano, phosphates, and coconuts note: in the 1950's and 1960's, several species of trout were introduced to Iles Kerguelen of which two, brown trout and brook trout, survived to establish wild populations; reindeer were also introduced to Iles Kerguelen in 1956 as a source of fresh meat for whaling crews -- the herd today, one of two in the Southern Hemisphere, is estimated to number around 4,000 **Natural hazards:** Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are inactive volcanoes; Iles Éparses are subject to periodic cyclones; Bassas da India is a maritime hazard because it is under water for three hours before and after high tide volcanism: Reunion Island - Piton de la Fournaise (2,632 m), which has erupted many times in recent years, is one of the world's most active volcanoes; although rare, eruptions outside the volcano's caldera could threaten nearby cities **Geography - note:** islands are widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean Bassas da India (Iles Éparses): atoll is a circular reef on top of a long-extinct, submerged volcano Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island (Iles Éparses): wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and sea turtles Glorioso Island (Iles Éparses): an extensive reef system surrounds the island Tromelin Island (Iles Éparses): climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises) ### People and Society **Population:** total: no permanent inhabitants Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): uninhabited but has a meteorological station Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): uninhabited but is visited by fishermen and researchers Iles Crozet: uninhabited except for staff of the Alfred Faure research station on Ile del la Possession Iles Kerguelen: researchers are located at the main base at Port-aux-Francais on Ile Kerguelen Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): uninhabitable Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): a small French military garrison and a few meteorologists on each possession; visited by researchers Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): uninhabited, visited by researchers ### Environment **Environmental issues:** problems from introduction of foreign species on Iles Crozet; overfishing of Patagonian toothfish around Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen **Climate:** Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul: oceanic with persistent westerly winds and high humidity Iles Crozet: windy, cold, wet, and cloudy Iles Kerguelen: oceanic, cold, overcast, windy Iles Eparses: tropical ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands local long form: Terres australes et antarctiques françaises local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises abbreviation: TAAF etymology: self-descriptive name specifying the territories' affiliation and location in the Southern Hemisphere **Dependency status:** overseas territory of France since 1955 **Administrative divisions:** no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but the 5 administrative districts are Iles Crozet, Iles Éparses, Iles Kerguelen, Ile Saint-Paul et Ile Amsterdam, and "Adelie Land," a claim in Antarctica that the US does not recognize **Legal system:** the laws of France apply **Citizenship:** see France **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017), represented by Prefect Florence JEANBLANC-RISLER (since 5 October 2022) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas territory of France) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (overseas territory of France) **International organization participation:** UPU **Flag:** the flag of France is used **National anthem(s):** title: "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille) lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle history: official anthem, as a French territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** very small, fishing-based, domestic economic activity; military base servicing **Exports - partners:** France 47%, USA 34%, Poland 9%, Singapore 3%, Saudi Arabia 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fish (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports - partners:** France 41%, Ireland 15%, Germany 11%, Poland 7%, Netherlands 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** scented mixtures, industrial acids/oils/alcohols, surveying equipment, fish, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars ### Communications **Internet country code:** .tf ### Transportation **Airports:** 4 (2025) **Heliports:** 3 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 2 (2023) by type: other 2 ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of France; the French military maintains a Foreign Legion detachment on Mayotte to maintain France’s presence in the region and support French forces operating in the southern zone of the Indian Ocean and the east coast of Africa; the detachment regularly deploys to the outlying Glorioso Islands --- ## Gabon **Slug:** gabon **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇬🇦 **Codes:** cek: gb, iso2: GA, iso3: GAB, iso_num: 266, genc: GAB, stanag: GAB, internet: .ga ### Introduction **Background:** Gabon, a sparsely populated country known for its dense rainforests and vast petroleum reserves, is one of the most prosperous and stable countries in central Africa. Approximately 40 ethnic groups are represented, the largest of which is the Fang, a group that covers the northern third of Gabon and expands north into Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. From about the early 1300s, various kingdoms emerged in present-day Gabon and the surrounding area, including the Kingdoms of Loango and Orungu. Because most early Bantu languages spoken in these kingdoms did not have a written form, much of Gabon's early history was lost over time. Portuguese traders who arrived in the mid-1400s gave the area its name of Gabon. At that time, indigenous trade networks began to engage with European traders, exchanging goods such as ivory and wood. For a century beginning in the 1760s, trade came to focus mostly on enslaved people. While many groups in Gabon participated in the slave trade, the Fang were a notable exception. As the slave trade declined in the late 1800s, France colonized the country and directed a widespread extraction of Gabonese resources. Anti-colonial rhetoric by Gabon’s educated elites increased significantly in the early 1900s, but no widespread rebellion materialized. French decolonization after World War II led to the country’s independence in 1960. Within a year of independence, the government changed from a parliamentary to a presidential system, and Leon M’BA won the first presidential election in 1961. El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba was M’BA’s vice president and assumed the presidency after M’BA’s death in 1967. BONGO went on to dominate the country's political scene for four decades (1967-2009). In 1968, he declared Gabon a single-party state and created the still-dominant Parti Democratique Gabonais (PDG). In the early 1990s, he reintroduced a multiparty system under a new constitution in response to growing political opposition. He was reelected by wide margins in 1995, 1998, 2002, and 2005 against a divided opposition and amidst allegations of fraud. After BONGO's death in 2009, a new election brought his son, Ali BONGO Ondimba, to power, and he was reelected in 2016. He won a third term in the August 2023 election but was overthrown in a military coup a few days later. Gen. Brice OLIGUI Nguema led a military group called the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions that arrested BONGO, canceled the election results, and dissolved state institutions. In September 2023, OLIGUI was sworn in as transitional president of Gabon. ### Geography **Location:** Central Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea **Geographic coordinates:** 1 00 S, 11 45 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 267,667 sq km land: 257,667 sq km water: 10,000 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Colorado **Land boundaries:** total: 3,261 km border countries (3): Cameroon 349 km; Republic of the Congo 2,567 km; Equatorial Guinea 345 km **Coastline:** 885 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; always hot, humid **Terrain:** narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south **Elevation:** highest point: Mont Bengoue 1,050 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 377 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 8.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.4% (2023 est.) forest: 91.5% (2023 est.) other: 0.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 40 sq km (2012) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Congo Basin **Population distribution:** the relatively small population is spread in pockets throughout the country; the largest urban center is the capital of Libreville, located along the Atlantic coast in the northwest, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** none **Geography - note:** the country has maintained its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,513,738 (2025 est.) male: 1,299,085 female: 1,214,653 **Nationality:** noun: Gabonese (singular and plural) adjective: Gabonese **Ethnic groups:** Fang 23.5%, Shira-Punu'Vii 20.6%, Nzabi-Duma 11.2%, Mbede-Teke 5.6%, Myene 4.4%, Kota-Kele 4.3%, Okande-Tsogho 1.6%, other 12.6%, foreigner 16.2% (2021 est.) **Languages:** French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi **Religions:** Protestant 46.4% (Revival Church 37%, other Protestant 9.4%), Roman Catholic 29.8%, other Christian 4%, Muslim 10.8%, traditional/animist 1.1%, other 0.9%, none 7% (2019-21 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 34.6% (male 429,133/female 421,120) 15-64 years: 61.1% (male 787,480/female 711,913) 65 years and over: 4.3% (2024 est.) (male 53,410/female 52,049) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 63 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 55.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 7.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 13.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 22.3 years (2025 est.) male: 22.5 years female: 21.5 years **Population growth rate:** 2.35% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 25.51 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.44 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 3.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the relatively small population is spread in pockets throughout the country; the largest urban center is the capital of Libreville, located along the Atlantic coast in the northwest, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 91% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 870,000 LIBREVILLE (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.6 years (2012 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 233 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 26 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 29.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 24 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 70.4 years (2024 est.) male: 68.6 years female: 72.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.16 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.56 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 90.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 54.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 86.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 9.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 45.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 13.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 2.7% of GDP (2021) 9.6% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.52 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 81.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 55.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 78.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 18.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 44.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 21.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 15% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 6.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 5.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 5.4% (2020 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 48.5% (2020 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 2.9% (2021) women married by age 18: 13.3% (2021) men married by age 18: 4.8% (2021) **Education expenditure:** 2.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 13.6% national budget (2023 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 88.9% (2021 est.) male: 90.8% (2021 est.) female: 87.1% (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation from logging; solid-waste disposal; water pollution from oil industry; wildlife poaching **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; always hot, humid **Land use:** agricultural land: 8.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.4% (2023 est.) forest: 91.5% (2023 est.) other: 0.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 91% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 3.144 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 230,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.005 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 908,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 29.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 272.4 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 4.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 18.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 5.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 238,100 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 22.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 84.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 14.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 40.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 166 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Gabonese Republic conventional short form: Gabon local long form: République Gabonaise local short form: Gabon etymology: name originates from the Portuguese word gabão, meaning "cloak," possibly used by early explorers to describe the shape of the Komo River estuary **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Libreville geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the city was founded in 1849 by freed slaves, and the name means "free town" in French **Administrative divisions:** 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem **Legal system:** mixed system of French civil law and customary law **Constitution:** history: previous 1961, 1991; latest approved in November 2024 referendum amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic, by the Council of Ministers, or by one third of either house of Parliament; passage requires Constitutional Court evaluation, at least two-thirds majority vote of two thirds of the Parliament membership convened in joint session, and approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on Gabon’s democratic form of government cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Gabon dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Brice OLIGUI Nguema (since 3 May 2025) head of government: President Brice OLIGUI Nguema (since 3 May 2025) cabinet: cabinet appointed by president election/appointment process: the president directly elected by plurality vote to a 7-year term (no term limits) most recent election date: 12 April 2025 election results: 2025: Brice OLIGUI Nguema elected president; percent of vote - Brice OLIGUI Nguema (Ind.) 90.35%, Alain Claude Bilie By Nze (EPG) 3.02%, other 6.63% 2016: Ali BONGO Ondimba reelected president; percent of vote - Ali BONGO Ondimba (PDG) 49.8%, Jean PING (UFC) 48.2%, other 2.0% **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) number of seats: 145 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 10/6/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 21.6% expected date of next election: November 2030 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Senate) number of seats: 70 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/27/2025 to 10/11/2025 percentage of women in chamber: 20.3% expected date of next election: November 2025 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 4 permanent specialized supreme courts - Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation, Administrative Supreme Court or Conseil d'Etat, Accounting Supreme Court or Cour des Comptes, Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle, and the non-permanent Court of State Security, initiated only for cases of high treason by the president and criminal activity by executive branch officials) judge selection and term of office: appointment and tenure of Supreme, Administrative, Accounting, and State Security courts NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed - 3 by the national president, 3 by the president of the Senate, and 3 by the president of the National Assembly; judges serve single renewable 7-year terms subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; county courts; military courts **Political parties:** Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG Restoration of Republican Values or RV The Democrats or LD Paul Mba Abessole **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Noël Nelson MESSONE (12 December 2022) chancery: 2034 20th Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000 FAX: [1] (301) 332-0668 email address and website: info@gaboneembassyusa.org https://gabonembassyusa.org/en/ consulate(s) general: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Vernelle Trim FITZPATRICK (since 26 January 2024); note - also accredited to Sao Tome and Principe embassy: Sabliere, B.P. 4000, Libreville mailing address: 2270 Libreville Place, Washington, DC 20521-2270 telephone: [241] 011-45-71-00 FAX: [241] 011-45-71-05 email address and website: ACSLibreville@state.gov https://ga.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU (suspended), BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSCA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 17 August 1960 (from France) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 17 August (1960) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue meaning: green stands for the country's forests and natural resources, gold for the equator and the sun, and blue for the sea **National symbol(s):** black panther **National color(s):** green, yellow, blue **National coat of arms:** the panthers represent vigilance and courage, and they support a shield with a ship and an okoume tree, which is a symbol of the timber trade; the ribbon below the shield has the national motto in French, Union, Travail, Justice ("Union, Work, Justice"), and the ribbon above the shield has the Latin phrase Uniti Progrediemur ("We shall go forward united") **National anthem(s):** title: "La Concorde" (The Concorde) lyrics/music: Georges Aleka DAMAS history: adopted 1960 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 natural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Ecosystem and Relict Cultural Landscape of Lopé-Okanda (m); Ivindo National Park (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** natural-resource-rich, upper-middle-income, Central African economy; significant reliance on oil and mineral exports; highly urbanized population; high levels of poverty and unemployment; uncertainty on institutional and development reform progress following 2023 military coup **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $48.045 billion (2024 est.) $46.472 billion (2023 est.) $45.363 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.4% (2024 est.) 2.4% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $18,900 (2024 est.) $18,700 (2023 est.) $18,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $20.867 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.2% (2024 est.) 3.6% (2023 est.) 4.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 6.2% (2024 est.) industry: 50.9% (2024 est.) services: 37.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 33.7% (2024 est.) government consumption: 12.2% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 18.1% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 65.3% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -29.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** oil palm fruit, plantains, cassava, sugarcane, yams, taro, vegetables, maize, groundnuts, game meat (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.8% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 824,400 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 20.1% (2024 est.) 20.3% (2023 est.) 20.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 36% (2024 est.) male: 31.1% (2024 est.) female: 42.3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 33.4% (2017 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 38 (2017 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.2% (2017 est.) highest 10%: 27.7% (2017 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $2.939 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $3.226 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 9.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $140.996 million (2015 est.) $1.112 billion (2014 est.) $1.463 billion (2013 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $13.622 billion (2024 est.) $12.869 billion (2023 est.) $13.814 billion (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 26%, Indonesia 8%, Spain 7%, Israel 6%, Congo, Republic of the 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, ships, manganese ore, refined petroleum, wood (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $6.094 billion (2024 est.) $5.38 billion (2023 est.) $5.005 billion (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** France 14%, China 13%, S. Korea 13%, USA 7%, India 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum, iron pipes, cars, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.447 billion (2023 est.) $1.415 billion (2022 est.) $1.304 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $6.442 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Coopération Financière en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 93.5% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 98.5% electrification - rural areas: 29% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 785,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 3.173 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 584.039 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 604 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 51.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 47.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 75,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 204,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 14,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 2 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 463 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 463 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 25.995 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 22.101 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 67,100 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 3.18 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 2 state-run TV stations and 2 state-run radio stations; a few private radio and TV stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible; satellite service subscriptions are available **Internet country code:** .ga **Internet users:** percent of population: 72% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 80,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** TR **Airports:** 42 (2025) **Railways:** total: 649 km (2014) standard gauge: 649 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 87 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1, general cargo 19, oil tanker 30, other 37 **Ports:** total ports: 9 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 2 very small: 5 ports with oil terminals: 7 key ports: Libreville, Oguendjo Terminal, Port Gentil, Port Owendo ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Gabonese Armed Forces (Force Armées Gabonaise or FAG; aka National Defense and Security Forces of Gabon or des Forces Nationales de Défense et de Sécurité (FNDS) du Gabon): Army, Navy, Air Force, Light Aviation, Fire Brigade; Gabon National Gendarmerie (GENA); Republican Guard (GR); Military Health Service; Military Engineering (2025) note: the National Police Forces, under the Ministry of Interior, and the National Gendarmerie (GENA), under the Ministry of Defense, are responsible for law enforcement and public security; elements of the armed forces and the Republican Guard, an elite unit that protects the president under his direct authority, sometimes perform internal security functions; the GENA is organized into regionally-based “legions,” mobile forces, a national parks security unit, and a special intervention group **Military expenditures:** 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 7,000 active-duty Armed Forces including the Republican Guard and Gendarmerie (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Gabonese military has a mix of older and limited quantities of more modern armaments; suppliers include Brazil, China, France, Germany, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Africa, and Spain (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2025) **Military - note:** the Gabonese military is a small and lightly armed force that is responsible for both external and internal security; the military may also participate in the economic and social development work of the nation; key defense priorities include securing the country's borders and maritime domain; it has contributed to regional peacekeeping and joint security operations; in August 2023, officers from the Republican Guard seized control of the government and placed the president under arrest (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Gabonese Studies and Space Observations Agency (Agence Gabonaise d’Etudes et d’Observations Spatiales or AGEOS; established 2015) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a small space program focused on using data from remote sensing (RS) satellites for environmental and natural-resource management, mapping, land-use planning, maritime surveillance, and research; member of the African Space Agency; has relationships with Brazil, China, the ESA, individual ESA member states (particularly France), and the US, as well as African countries such as Kenya, Niger, Rwanda, and South Africa; shares RS satellite data with neighboring countries (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1986 - ESA established a ground station in Gabon 2018 - completed mapping Gabon’s forests 2019 - founding member of the Space Climate Observatory 2021 - began acquisition process for first satellite in joint project with Japan, known as BIRDs 2025 - became member of new African Space Agency ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 261 (2024 est.) --- ## Gambia, The **Slug:** gambia-the **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇬🇲 **Codes:** cek: ga, iso2: GM, iso3: GMB, iso_num: 270, genc: GMB, stanag: GMB, internet: .gm ### Introduction **Background:** In the 10th century, Muslim merchants established some of The Gambia’s earliest large settlements as trans-Saharan trade hubs. These settlements eventually grew into major export centers sending slaves, gold, and ivory across the Sahara. Between the 16th and 17th centuries, European colonial powers began establishing trade with The Gambia. In 1664, the United Kingdom established a colony in The Gambia focused on exporting enslaved people across the Atlantic. During the roughly 300 years of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the UK and other European powers may have exported as many as 3 million people from The Gambia. The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed the short-lived confederation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1994, Yahya JAMMEH led a military coup overthrowing the president and banning political activity. He subsequently won every presidential election until 2016, when he lost to Adama BARROW, who headed an opposition coalition during free and fair elections. BARROW won reelection in 2021. The Gambia is the only member of the Economic Community of West African States that does not have presidential term limits. Since the 2016 election, The Gambia and the US have enjoyed improved relations. US assistance to the country has supported democracy-strengthening activities, capacity building, economic development, and security sector education and training programs. ### Geography **Location:** Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal **Geographic coordinates:** 13 28 N, 16 34 W **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 11,300 sq km land: 10,120 sq km water: 1,180 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than twice the size of Delaware **Land boundaries:** total: 749 km border countries (1): Senegal 749 km **Coastline:** 80 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: extent not specified exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May) **Terrain:** flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills **Elevation:** highest point: unnamed elevation 63 m; 3 km southeast of the town of Sabi lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 34 m **Natural resources:** fish, clay, silica sand, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon **Land use:** agricultural land: 62.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 43.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 18.5% (2023 est.) forest: 22% (2023 est.) other: 15.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 50 sq km (2012) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Gambia river mouth (shared with Senegal and Guinea [s]) - 1,094 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major aquifers:** Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin **Population distribution:** settlements are found scattered along the Gambia River; the largest communities, including the capital of Banjul and the country's largest city, Serekunda, are found at the mouth of the Gambia River along the Atlantic coast, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** droughts **Geography - note:** almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the African mainland ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,577,553 (2025 est.) male: 1,277,624 female: 1,299,929 **Nationality:** noun: Gambian(s) adjective: Gambian **Ethnic groups:** Mandinka/Jahanka 33.3%, Fulani/Tukulur/Lorobo 18.2%, Wolof 12.9%, Jola/Karoninka 11%, Serahuleh 7.2%, Serer 3.5%, other 4%, non-Gambian 9.9% (2019-20 est.) **Languages:** English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars **Religions:** Muslim 96.4%, Christian 3.5%, other or none 0.1% (2019-20 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 38.2% (male 486,472/female 477,309) 15-64 years: 58.1% (male 723,360/female 743,127) 65 years and over: 3.7% (2024 est.) (male 40,658/female 52,401) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 70.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 63.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 15.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 20.5 years (2025 est.) male: 19.8 years female: 20.6 years **Population growth rate:** 2.09% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 26.49 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.53 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** settlements are found scattered along the Gambia River; the largest communities, including the capital of Banjul and the country's largest city, Serekunda, are found at the mouth of the Gambia River along the Atlantic coast, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 64.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 481,000 BANJUL (capital) (2023) note: includes the local government areas of Banjul and Kanifing **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 20.7 years (2019/20 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 354 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 35 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 39.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 32.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 68.4 years (2024 est.) male: 66.7 years female: 70.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.39 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.67 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 90.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 76.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 85.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 9.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 23.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 14.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.2% of GDP (2021) 7.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 1.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 74.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 32% of population (2022 est.) total: 59.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 25.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 68% of population (2022 est.) total: 40.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 10.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 2.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 2.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 8.6% (2025 est.) male: 17% (2025 est.) female: 0.5% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 11.6% (2020 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 63% (2020 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 5.6% (2020) women married by age 18: 23.1% (2020) men married by age 18: 0.2% (2020) **Education expenditure:** 2.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 14.2% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 51.6% (2021 est.) male: 65.3% (2021 est.) female: 40.5% (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation due to slash-and-burn agriculture; desertification; water pollution; water-borne diseases **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May) **Land use:** agricultural land: 62.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 43.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 18.5% (2023 est.) forest: 22% (2023 est.) other: 15.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 64.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 537,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 537,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 34.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 193,400 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 41.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 21.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 39.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia conventional short form: The Gambia etymology: named for the Gambia River that flows through the country; Portuguese explorers in the 15th century derived the name for the river from its local name, Ba-Dimma, meaning "the river" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Banjul geographic coordinates: 13 27 N, 16 34 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name derives from a misunderstanding between Portuguese colonists and inhabitants in the 15th century; when asked what the area was called, the inhabitants thought they were being asked what they were doing and replied, "bangjulo," or "rope making" **Administrative divisions:** 5 regions, 1 city*, and 1 municipality**; Banjul*, Central River, Kanifing**, Lower River, North Bank, Upper River, West Coast **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law **Constitution:** history: previous 1965 (Independence Act), 1970; latest adopted 8 April 1996, approved by referendum 8 August 1996, effective 16 January 1997 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote by the Assembly membership in each of several readings and approval by the president of the republic; a referendum is required for amendments affecting national sovereignty, fundamental rights and freedoms, government structures and authorities, taxation, and public funding; passage by referendum requires participation of at least 50% of eligible voters and approval by at least 75% of votes cast note: in 2024, The Gambian government announced its commitment to adopting a new constitution **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Adama BARROW (since 19 January 2022) head of government: Vice President Mohammed JALLOW (since 23 February 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 5-year term (no term limits); vice president appointed by the president most recent election date: 4 December 2021 election results: 2021: Adama BARROW reelected president; percent of vote - Adama BARROW (NPP) 53.2%, Ousainou DARBOE (UDP) 27.7%, Mamma KANDEH (GDC) 12.3%, other 6.8% 2016: Adama BARROW elected president; percent of vote - Adama BARROW (Coalition 2016) 43.3%, Yahya JAMMEH (APRC) 39.6%, Mamma KANDEH (GDC) 17.1% expected date of next election: 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 58 (53 directly elected; 5 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 4/9/2022 parties elected and seats per party: National People's Party (NPP) (18); United Democratic Party (UDP) (15); National Reconciliation Party (NRP) (4); Independents (12); Other (4) percentage of women in chamber: 8.6% expected date of next election: April 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of The Gambia (consists of the chief justice and 6 justices; court sessions held with 5 justices) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the president after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission, a 6-member independent body of high-level judicial officials, a presidential appointee, and a National Assembly appointee; justices appointed for life or until mandatory retirement at age 75 subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Special Criminal Court; Khadis or Muslim courts; district tribunals; magistrates courts; cadi courts **Political parties:** Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC Gambia Democratic Congress or GDC Gambia Moral Congress or GMC National People's Party or NPP People's Progressive Party or PPP United Democratic Party or UDP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Momodou Lamin BAH (12 December 2022) chancery: 5630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1399 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430 email address and website: info@gambiaembassydc.us https://www.gambiaembassydc.us/home **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Eugene S. YOUNG (since 14 October 2025) embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, P.M.B. 19, Banjul mailing address: 2070 Banjul Place, Washington DC 20521-2070 telephone: [220] 439-2856 FAX: [220] 439-2475 email address and website: ConsularBanjul@state.gov https://gm.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 18 February 1965 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 18 February (1965) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green meaning: red stands for the sun and the savannah, blue for the Gambia River, and green for forests and agriculture; the white stripes denote unity and peace **National symbol(s):** lion **National color(s):** red, blue, green, white **National anthem(s):** title: "For The Gambia, Our Homeland" lyrics/music: Virginia Julie HOWE/adapted by Jeremy Frederick HOWE history: adopted 1965; the music is an adaptation of the traditional Mandinka song "Foday Kaba Dumbuya" **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites; Stone Circles of Senegambia ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income West African economy; agriculture-dominant; high poverty rate; heightened inflation; dependent on foreign assistance and remittances; structural reforms conditioned by IMF Extended Credit Facility program **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $8.365 billion (2024 est.) $7.911 billion (2023 est.) $7.549 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5.7% (2024 est.) 4.8% (2023 est.) 5.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $3,000 (2024 est.) $2,900 (2023 est.) $2,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $2.508 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 11.6% (2024 est.) 17% (2023 est.) 11.5% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 24.1% (2024 est.) industry: 14.7% (2024 est.) services: 53.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 83.2% (2024 est.) government consumption: 8.5% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 39% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 6.6% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -37.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** rice, groundnuts, milk, millet, oil palm fruit, maize, vegetables, cassava, fruits, sorghum (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** peanuts, fish, hides, tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 783,100 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 6.5% (2024 est.) 6.5% (2023 est.) 6.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 10.9% (2024 est.) male: 10.9% (2024 est.) female: 10.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 53.4% (2020 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 38.8 (2020 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.6% (2020 est.) highest 10%: 30.5% (2020 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 21.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 21.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 22.8% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $308.887 million (2018 est.) expenditures: $221.137 million (2018 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Current account balance:** -$74.374 million (2024 est.) -$120.064 million (2023 est.) -$90.251 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $838.409 million (2024 est.) $717.774 million (2023 est.) $267.377 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Kazakhstan 92%, Guinea-Bissau 2%, China 1%, India 1%, Greece 1% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** packaged medicine, cars, harvesting machinery, refined petroleum, trailers (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $1.549 billion (2024 est.) $1.353 billion (2023 est.) $829.516 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Kazakhstan 26%, China 18%, Senegal 8%, India 7%, Brazil 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, refined petroleum, cotton fabric, iron alloys, rice (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $577.028 million (2023 est.) $568.244 million (2022 est.) $652.671 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $902.421 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** dalasis (GMD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 61.096 (2023 est.) 54.923 (2022 est.) 51.484 (2021 est.) 51.502 (2020 est.) 50.062 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 65.4% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 82.8% electrification - rural areas: 31.2% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 162,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 410.824 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 104.176 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 99% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 2.731 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 44,100 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 3.48 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 state-run TV-channel; one privately owned TV station; 1 online TV station; 3 state-owned and 31 privately owned radio stations; 8 community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available; cable and satellite TV subscription services in some parts of the country (2019) **Internet country code:** .gm **Internet users:** percent of population: 46% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 6,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** C5 **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 15 (2023) by type: general cargo 5, other 10 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Banjul ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Gambian Armed Forces (GAF; aka Armed Forces of the Gambia): the Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambia Navy, Gambia Air Force, Republican National Guard (RNG) Ministry of Interior: Gambia Police Force (GPF) (2025) note: the RNG is responsible for VIP protection, riot control, and presidential security, while the GPF maintains internal security **Military expenditures:** 0.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 3,000-4,000 active Gambian Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military of Gambia has a limited inventory of mostly older, obsolescent, or donated equipment originating from several suppliers, including Taiwan, Turkey, the UK, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-28 years of age for men and women depending on enlisted, officer, or specialized positions (2025) **Military - note:** the Gambian Armed Forces (GAF) are responsible for external defense and aiding civil authorities in internal emergencies and natural disaster relief; they participate in multinational peacekeeping missions, as well as domestic support activities such as agricultural development, construction, education, and health services; the Gambian security forces have a history of involvement in domestic politics, including multiple coup attempts and mutinies, with the latest being an attempted coup in 2022 since January 2017, several members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have provided security forces for Gambia's stability, plus assistance and training for the GAF and other Gambian security forces through the ECOWAS Mission in the Gambia (ECOMIG); as of 2025, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal were providing military and gendarmerie personnel for ECOMIG (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 4,411 (2024 est.) IDPs: 7,462 (2024 est.) --- ## Gaza Strip **Slug:** gaza-strip **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇵🇸 **Codes:** cek: gz, iso2: PS, iso3: PSE, iso_num: 275, genc: XGZ, stanag: PSE, internet: .ps, comment: ISO identifies as Occupied Palestinian Territory ### Introduction **Background:** The Gaza Strip has been under the de facto governing authority of the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) since 2007 and has faced years of conflict, poverty, and humanitarian crises. Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., the Gaza Strip area has been dominated by many different peoples and empires throughout its history; it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century. The Gaza Strip fell to British forces during World War I, becoming a part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Egypt administered the newly formed Gaza Strip; Israel captured it in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under a series of agreements known as the Oslo Accords signed between 1993 and 1999, Israel transferred to the newly-created Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for many Palestinian-populated areas of the Gaza Strip, as well as the West Bank. In 2000, a violent intifada or uprising began in response to perceived Israeli provocations, and in 2001, negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip stalled. Subsequent attempts to re-start negotiations have not resulted in progress toward determining final status and resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel in 2005 unilaterally withdrew all of its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip, but it continues to control the Gaza Strip’s land borders, maritime territorial waters, cyberspace, telecommunications, and airspace. In 2006, HAMAS won a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council election. Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political faction in the West Bank, and HAMAS failed to maintain a unity government, leading to violent clashes between their respective supporters and HAMAS's violent seizure of all PA military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in 2007. Since HAMAS's takeover, Israel and Egypt have enforced tight restrictions on movement and access of goods and individuals into and out of the territory. Fatah and HAMAS have since negotiated a series of agreements aimed at restoring political unity between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank but have struggled to enact them. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip and the Israel Defense Forces periodically exchange projectiles and air strikes, respectively, threatening broader conflict. In 2021, HAMAS launched rockets into Israel, sparking an 11-day conflict that also involved other Gaza-based militant groups. Egypt, Qatar, and the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process negotiated ceasefires, averting a broader conflict. Since 2018, HAMAS has coordinated demonstrations along the Gaza-Israel security fence. HAMAS has also stood by while other militant groups, such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad, fought brief conflicts with Israel, most recently in August 2022 and May 2023. On 7 October 2023, HAMAS militants inside the Gaza Strip launched a combined unguided rocket and ground attack into Israel. The attack began with a barrage of more than 3,000 rockets fired toward Israel from Gaza, and included thousands of terrorists infiltrating Israel by land, sea, and air via paragliders. Militants attacked military bases, clashed with security forces mostly in southern Israel, and simultaneously infiltrated civilian communities. During the attack, terrorists carried out massacres and murdered civilians, including torture, acts of abuse and rape, a massacre at the Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re'im, as well as kidnapping approximately 240 civilians, including men, women, children, and soldiers. These attacks were followed soon after by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) air strikes inside Gaza. The next day, Israeli Prime Minister NETANYAHU formally declared war on Gaza. The IDF on 28 October launched a large-scale ground assault inside Gaza that is ongoing as of April 2024. ### Geography **Location:** Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel **Geographic coordinates:** 31 25 N, 34 20 E **Map references:** Middle East **Area:** total : 360 sq km land: 360 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly more than twice the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 72 km border countries (2): Egypt 13 km; Israel 59 km **Coastline:** 40 km **Maritime claims:** see entry for Israel **Climate:** temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers **Terrain:** flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain **Elevation:** highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Awdah) 105 m lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** arable land, natural gas **Land use:** agricultural land: 64.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 46.1% (2023 est.) forest: 1.8% (2023 est.) other: 32.1% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** (2013) 151 sq km; note - includes the West Bank **Population distribution:** population concentrated in major cities, particularly Gaza City in the north **Natural hazards:** droughts **Geography - note:** once a strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,184,652 (2025 est.) male: 1,108,222 female: 1,076,430 **Ethnic groups:** Palestinian Arab **Languages:** Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely understood) major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 98.0 - 99.0% (predominantly Sunni), Christian <1.0%, other, unaffiliated, unspecified <1.0% (2012 est.) note: Israel dismantled its settlements in September 2005; Gaza has had no Jewish population since then **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 38.8% (male 427,450/female 404,288) 15-64 years: 58.3% (male 627,235/female 620,903) 65 years and over: 2.9% (2024 est.) (male 31,655/female 30,112) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 69.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 64.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 19.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 19.9 years (2025 est.) male: 19.3 years female: 19.8 years **Population growth rate:** 1.96% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 26.05 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 2.77 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -3.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population concentrated in major cities, particularly Gaza City in the north **Urbanization:** urban population: 77.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Major urban areas - population:** 778,000 Gaza (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 16 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Infant mortality rate:** total: 14.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 16.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 75.5 years (2024 est.) male: 73.7 years female: 77.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.14 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.52 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 98.9% of population unimproved: total: 1.1% of population (2022 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Health expenditure:** 13.5% of national budget (2022 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Physician density:** 2.17 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Hospital bed density:** 1.3 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.8% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.1% (2020 est.) note: estimate is for Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 62.4% (2020 est.) note: data includes Gaza and the West Bank **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.7% (2020) women married by age 18: 13.4% (2020) note: includes both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Education expenditure:** 5.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Literacy:** total population: 98% (2022 est.) male: 99% (2022 est.) female: 97% (2022 est.) note: estimates are for Gaza Strip and the West Bank **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2023 est.) male: 12 years (2023 est.) female: 14 years (2023 est.) note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank ### Environment **Environmental issues:** soil degradation; desertification; water pollution from chemicals and pesticides; salination of fresh water; improper sewage treatment; depletion and contamination of underground water resources **Climate:** temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 64.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 46.1% (2023 est.) forest: 1.8% (2023 est.) other: 32.1% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 77.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 3.913 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 3.913 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Particulate matter emissions:** 31.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.387 million tons (2024 est.) note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 251 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 37 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 158 million cubic meters (2022) note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. **Total renewable water resources:** 837 million cubic meters (2022 est.) note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gaza, Gaza Strip local long form: none local short form: Qita' Ghazzah etymology: named for the largest city in the enclave, Gaza, whose settlement can be traced back to at least the 15th century B.C. (as "Ghazzat"); "Strip" refers to its elongated shape along the Mediterranean ### Economy **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $20.339 billion (2024 est.) $27.694 billion (2023 est.) $29.016 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Real GDP growth rate:** -26.6% (2024 est.) -4.6% (2023 est.) 4.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Real GDP per capita:** $3,800 (2024 est.) $5,400 (2023 est.) $5,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **GDP (official exchange rate):** $13.711 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 53.7% (2024 est.) 5.9% (2023 est.) 3.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 5.7% (2022 est.) industry: 17.4% (2022 est.) services: 58.3% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 95.5% (2024 est.) government consumption: 20.7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.8% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 1.7% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 21% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -60.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** tomatoes, milk, cucumbers/gherkins, olives, potatoes, sheep milk, eggplants, pumpkins/squash, grapes, goat milk (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** textiles, food processing, furniture **Industrial production growth rate:** -32.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Labor force:** 1.391 million (2022 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Unemployment rate:** 24.5% (2022 est.) 26.4% (2021 est.) 25.9% (2020 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 36.1% (2022 est.) male: 31.6% (2022 est.) female: 56.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 29.2% (2016 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 36.4 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.5% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 27.1% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Remittances:** 5.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 18.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 24% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Budget:** see entry for the West Bank **Taxes and other revenues:** 21.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Current account balance:** -$2.899 billion (2024 est.) -$2.895 billion (2023 est.) -$2.037 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Exports:** $2.885 billion (2024 est.) $3.413 billion (2023 est.) $3.533 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Exports - partners:** Jordan 51%, Turkey 12%, UAE 8%, Saudi Arabia 5%, UK 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Exports - commodities:** scrap iron, tropical fruits, olive oil, building stone, prepared meat (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Imports:** $8.264 billion (2024 est.) $11.637 billion (2023 est.) $12.257 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Imports - partners:** Egypt 25%, Jordan 17%, China 8%, Germany 7%, UAE 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Imports - commodities:** cement, raw sugar, cars, baked goods, perfumes (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.328 billion (2024 est.) $1.323 billion (2023 est.) $896.9 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Exchange rates:** see entry for the West Bank ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 352,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 6.956 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 6.925 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 988 million kWh (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 66.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 33.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Coal:** exports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 29,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Energy consumption per capita:** 14.991 million Btu/person (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 383,653 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.) note: entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 4,148,420 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 77 (2023 est.) note: entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Broadcast media:** 1 TV station and about 10 radio stations; satellite TV accessible **Internet country code:** .ps note: IANA has designated .ps for the Gaza Strip, same as the West Bank **Internet users:** percent of population: 87% (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 431,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** HAMAS maintains security forces inside Gaza in addition to its military wing, the 'Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades; the military wing ostensibly reports to the HAMAS Political Bureau but operates with considerable autonomy; there are several other militant groups operating in the Gaza Strip, most notably the Al-Quds Brigades of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which are usually but not always beholden to HAMAS's authority (2025) note: HAMAS is a US designated Foreign Terrorist Organization; see Terrorist Organizations under References **Military expenditures:** not available **Military and security service personnel strengths:** prior to the start of the 2023-2025 conflict with Israel, the military wing of HAMAS was estimated to have 20-30,000 fighters (2024) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Army of Islam; Abdallah Azzam Brigades; al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade; HAMAS; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ); Palestine Liberation Front; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); PFLP-General Command note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** IDPs: 2,032,011 (2024 est.) --- ## Georgia **Slug:** georgia **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇬🇪 **Codes:** cek: gg, iso2: GE, iso3: GEO, iso_num: 268, genc: GEO, stanag: GEO, internet: .ge ### Introduction **Background:** The region of present-day Georgia once contained the ancient kingdoms of Colchis (known as Egrisi locally) and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence in the first centuries A.D., and Christianity became the state religion in the 330s. Persian, Arab, and Turk domination was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th-13th centuries) that was cut short when the Mongols invaded in 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman and Persian empires competed for influence in the region. Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1921 and regained its independence when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. In 2003, mounting public discontent over rampant corruption, ineffective government services, and a government attempt to manipulate parliamentary elections touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, who had been president since 1995. In the aftermath of this "Rose Revolution," new elections in 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI and his United National Movement (UNM) party into power. SAAKASHVILI made progress on market reforms and governance, but he faced accusations of abuse of office. Progress was further complicated when Russian support for the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia led to a five-day conflict between Russia and Georgia in August 2008, which included Russia invading large portions of Georgian territory. Russia initially pledged to pull back from most Georgian territory but then unilaterally recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and Russian military forces have remained in those regions. Billionaire Bidzina IVANISHVILI's unexpected entry into politics in 2011 brought the divided opposition together under his Georgian Dream coalition, which won a majority of seats in the 2012 parliamentary elections and removed UNM from power. Conceding defeat, SAAKASHVILI named IVANISHVILI as prime minister and left the country after his presidential term ended in 2013. IVANISHVILI voluntarily resigned from office after the presidential succession, and in the years since, the prime minister position has seen frequent turnover. In 2021, SAAKASHVILI returned to Georgia, where he was immediately arrested to serve six years in prison on outstanding abuse-of-office convictions. Popular support for integration with the West is high in Georgia. Joining the EU and NATO are among the country's top foreign policy goals, and Georgia applied for EU membership in 2022, becoming a candidate country in December 2023. Georgia and the EU have a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, and since 2017, Georgian citizens have been able to travel to the Schengen area without a visa. ### Geography **Location:** Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia, with a sliver of land north of the Caucasus extending into Europe; note - Georgia views itself as part of Europe; geopolitically, it can be classified as falling within Europe, the Middle East, or both **Geographic coordinates:** 42 00 N, 43 30 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 69,700 sq km land: 69,700 sq km water: 0 sq km note: approximately 12,560 sq km, or about 18% of Georgia's area, is Russian-occupied; the seized area includes all of Abkhazia and the breakaway region of South Ossetia, which consists of the northern part of Shida Kartli, eastern slivers of the Imereti region, Racha-Lechkhumi, Kvemo Svaneti, and part of western Mtskheta-Mtianeti **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than South Carolina; slightly larger than West Virginia **Land boundaries:** total: 1,814 km border countries (4): Armenia 219 km; Azerbaijan 428 km; Russia 894 km; Turkey 273 km **Coastline:** 310 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast **Terrain:** largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east; fertile soils in river valley flood plains and foothills of Kolkhida Lowland **Elevation:** highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,193 m lowest point: Black Sea 0 m mean elevation: 1,432 m **Natural resources:** timber, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth **Land use:** agricultural land: 34.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 27.9% (2023 est.) forest: 44.6% (2023 est.) other: 21.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 4,330 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** settlement concentrated in the central valley, particularly in the capital city of Tbilisi in the east; smaller urban agglomerations dot the Black Sea coast, with Bat'umi being the largest **Natural hazards:** earthquakes **Geography - note:** note 1: strategically located east of the Black Sea, Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them note 2: the world's four deepest caves are all in Georgia, including two that are the only known caves on earth deeper than 2,000 m: Krubera Cave at -2,197 m (-7,208 ft; reached in 2012) and Veryovkina Cave at -2,212 (-7,257 ft; reached in 2018) ### People and Society **Population:** total: 4,877,662 (2025 est.) male: 2,327,882 female: 2,549,780 **Nationality:** noun: Georgian(s) adjective: Georgian **Ethnic groups:** Georgian 86.8%, Azeri 6.3%, Armenian 4.5%, other 2.3% (includes Russian, Ossetian, Yazidi, Ukrainian, Kist, Greek) (2014 est.) **Languages:** Georgian (official) 87.6%, Azeri 6.2%, Armenian 3.9%, Russian 1.2%, other 1% (including Abkhaz, the official language in Abkhazia) (2014 est.) major-language sample(s): მსოფლიო ფაქტების წიგნი, ძირითადი ინფორმაციის აუცილებელი წყარო. (Georgian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Eastern Orthodox Christian (official) 83.4%, Muslim 10.7%, Armenian Apostolic Christian 2.9%, other 1.2% (includes Roman Catholic Christian, Jehovah's Witness, Yazidi, Protestant Christian, Jewish), none 0.5%, unspecified/no answer 1.2% (2014 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 20.6% (male 520,091/female 489,882) 15-64 years: 62.7% (male 1,500,036/female 1,572,637) 65 years and over: 16.7% (2024 est.) (male 322,941/female 495,374) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 59.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 32.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 27.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 38.6 years (2025 est.) male: 35.9 years female: 40.6 years **Population growth rate:** -0.45% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 11.74 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 12.89 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -3.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** settlement concentrated in the central valley, particularly in the capital city of Tbilisi in the east; smaller urban agglomerations dot the Black Sea coast, with Bat'umi being the largest **Urbanization:** urban population: 60.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Abkhazia and South Ossetia **Major urban areas - population:** 1.082 million TBILISI (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 25.9 years (2019 est.) note: data does not cover Abkhazia and South Ossetia **Maternal mortality ratio:** 20 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 20.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 23.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 72.8 years (2024 est.) male: 68.7 years female: 77.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.94 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.94 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 88.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 95% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 11.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 5% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.4% of GDP (2022) 10.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 5.64 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 4.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 96.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 72.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 87.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 3.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 27.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 12.9% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 21.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 7.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.71 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 28.7% (2025 est.) male: 53.9% (2025 est.) female: 7.5% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.1% (2018 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 65.3% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.3% (2018) women married by age 18: 13.9% (2018) men married by age 18: 0.5% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 4% of GDP (2024 est.) 12.2% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 99.7% (2024 est.) male: 99.8% (2024 est.) female: 99.6% (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2023 est.) male: 16 years (2023 est.) female: 17 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy water pollution of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals; land and forest degradation; biodiversity loss; waste management **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast **Land use:** agricultural land: 34.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 27.9% (2023 est.) forest: 44.6% (2023 est.) other: 21.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 60.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Abkhazia and South Ossetia **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 10.7 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 812,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 4.469 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 5.419 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 18.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 800,000 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 19.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 504.96 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 354.46 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 433.96 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 63.33 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Georgia local long form: Republic of Georgia local short form: Sak'art'velo former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the Western name probably derives from the name of the local people, the Gurz, whose name origin is uncertain; the native name "Sak'art'velo" means "Land of the Kartvelians" and refers to the core central Georgian region of Kartli **Government type:** semi-presidential republic **Capital:** name: Tbilisi geographic coordinates: 41 41 N, 44 50 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name comes from the Georgian word tbili, meaning "warm" and referring to the hot sulfur springs in the area **Administrative divisions:** 9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 1 city (kalaki), and 2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika) regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta Mtianeti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli; note - the breakaway region of South Ossetia consists of the northern part of Shida Kartli, eastern slivers of the Imereti region and Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, and part of western Mtskheta-Mtianeti city: Tbilisi autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika (Bat'umi) note 1: the administrative centers of the two autonomous republics are shown in parentheses note 2: the United States recognizes the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as part of Georgia **Legal system:** civil law system **Constitution:** history: previous 1921, 1978 (based on 1977 Soviet Union constitution); latest approved 24 August 1995, effective 17 October 1995 amendment process: proposed as a draft law supported by more than one half of the Parliament membership or by petition of at least 200,000 voters; passage requires support by at least three fourths of the Parliament membership in two successive sessions three months apart and the signature and promulgation by the president of Georgia **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Georgia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Mikheil KAVELASHVILI (since 29 December 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Irakli KOBAKHIDZE (since 8 February 2024) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers election/appointment process: president elected by a 300-member College of Electors; prime minister nominated by Parliament, appointed by the president most recent election date: 14 December 2024 election results: 2024: Mikheil KAVELASHVILI (Georgian Dream Party) was formally inaugurated on 29 December 2024 2024: Irakli KOBAKHIDZE approved as prime minister by Parliamentary vote 84-10 2018: Salome ZOURABICHVILI elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - Salome ZOURABICHVILI (independent, backed by Georgian Dream) 59.5%, Grigol VASHADZE (UNM) 40.5%; Irakli GARIBASHVILI approved as prime minister by Parliamentary vote 89-2 expected date of next election: 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Sakartvelos Parlamenti) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 150 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/26/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Georgian Dream (89); Coalition for Changes (19); Unity - National Movement (16); Strong Georgia – Lelo, For people, For Liberty! (14); For Georgia (12) percentage of women in chamber: 16.8% expected date of next election: October 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 28 judges organized into several specialized judicial chambers; number of judges determined by the president of Georgia); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the High Council of Justice (a 14-member body consisting of the Supreme Court chairperson, common court judges, and appointees of the president of Georgia) and appointed by Parliament; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court judges appointed 3 each by the president, by Parliament, and by the Supreme Court judges; judges appointed for 10-year terms subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; regional (town) and district courts note: the Abkhazian and Ajarian Autonomous republics each have a supreme court and a hierarchy of lower courts **Political parties:** Ahali Citizens Conservative Party Droa European Georgia - Movement for Liberty For Georgia For the People Freedom Square Georgian Dream Girchi - More Freedom Law and Justice Lelo for Georgia National Democratic Party People's Power Progress and Freedom Republican Party State for the People Strategy Aghmashenebeli United National Movement or UNM **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Tamar TALIASHVILI (since 24 July 2025) chancery: 1824 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390 FAX: [1] (202) 387-0864 email address and website: embgeo.usa@mfa.gov.ge https://georgiaembassyusa.org/contact/ consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Alan S. PURCELL (since 16 July 2025) embassy: 29 Georgian-American Friendship Avenue, Didi Dighomi, Tbilisi, 0131 mailing address: 7060 Tbilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060 telephone: [995] (32) 227-70-00 FAX: [995] (32) 253-23-10 email address and website: askconsultbilisi@state.gov https://ge.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CPLP (associate), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-11, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 9 April 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier date: A.D. 1008 (Georgia unified under King BAGRAT III) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 26 May (1918) note: 26 May 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia; 9 April 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union **Flag:** description: white rectangle with a central red cross extending to all four sides of the flag; each of the four quadrants displays a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross (also known as Bolnisi cross), which has equal-length arms that are slightly wider at the end than in the center history: sometimes referred to as the Five-Cross Flag, the design is based on a 14th-century banner of the Kingdom of Georgia **National symbol(s):** Saint George, lion **National color(s):** red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Tavisupleba" (Liberty) lyrics/music: Davit MAGRADSE/Zakaria PALIASHVILI (adapted by Joseb KETSCHAKMADSE) history: adopted 2004, after the Rose Revolution; based on music from the operas "Abesalom da Eteri" and "Daisi" **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Gelati Monastery (c); Historical Monuments of Mtskheta (c); Upper Svaneti (c); Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle income, fast-growing South Caucasus economy; regionally focused exporter of cars, metal ores, and energy; financial and migrant inflows resulting from Ukraine conflict; EU accession talks suspended over disputed election and foreign influence law; low inflation but persistent high unemployment **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $91.849 billion (2024 est.) $83.935 billion (2023 est.) $77.838 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 9.4% (2024 est.) 7.8% (2023 est.) 11% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $25,000 (2024 est.) $22,600 (2023 est.) $21,000 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $33.776 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.1% (2024 est.) 2.5% (2023 est.) 11.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 5.4% (2024 est.) industry: 19.1% (2024 est.) services: 62.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 71.3% (2024 est.) government consumption: 13.4% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.8% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 48.4% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -56% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, grapes, potatoes, maize, wheat, tangerines/mandarins, tomatoes, barley, apples, eggs (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** steel, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese, copper, gold), chemicals, wood products, wine **Industrial production growth rate:** 5.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 1.833 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 11.5% (2024 est.) 11.6% (2023 est.) 11.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 29.9% (2024 est.) male: 28.4% (2024 est.) female: 32.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 11.8% (2023 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 34.8 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 39% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.7% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 26.9% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 11.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 13.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 15.4% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $8.686 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $9.307 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 43.4% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 23.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$1.491 billion (2024 est.) -$1.709 billion (2023 est.) -$1.105 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $16.321 billion (2024 est.) $15.173 billion (2023 est.) $13.24 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Azerbaijan 13%, Turkey 11%, Armenia 11%, Russia 10%, Kyrgyzstan 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** cars, copper ore, electricity, garments, wine (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $18.915 billion (2024 est.) $17.816 billion (2023 est.) $15.665 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Turkey 16%, USA 13%, Russia 11%, China 8%, Germany 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, natural gas, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $4.447 billion (2024 est.) $5.002 billion (2023 est.) $4.886 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $9.085 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** laris (GEL) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2.721 (2024 est.) 2.628 (2023 est.) 2.916 (2022 est.) 3.222 (2021 est.) 3.109 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 4.526 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 12.569 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 4.913 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 4.234 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.148 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 23.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 75.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 148,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 384,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 80 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 223,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 900.999 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 300 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 34,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 35 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 10.77 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 2.775 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 2.764 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 8.495 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 56.076 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 258,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 6.14 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 161 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) includes Channel 1, Channel 2, and Adjara TV; independent commercial TV broadcasters include Imedi, Rustavi 2, Pirveli TV, Maestro, Kavkasia, Georgian Dream Studios (GDS), Obiektivi, Mtavari Arkhi, and TOK TV (Russian language); Tabula and Post TV are web-based TV outlets; Georgian Orthodox Church operates a satellite-based television station called Unanimity; 26 regional TV broadcasters; TV shifted to digital in 2015; several dozen private radio stations; GPB operates 2 radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .ge **Internet users:** percent of population: 82% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.1 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 4L **Airports:** 21 (2025) **Heliports:** 4 (2025) **Railways:** total: 1,363 km (2014) narrow gauge: 37 km (2014) 0.912-m gauge (37 km electrified) broad gauge: 1,326 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge (1,251 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 26 (2023) by type: general cargo 3, other 23 **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Batumi, Sokhumi, Supsa Marine Terminal ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Georgian Defense Forces (GDF; aka Defense Forces of Georgia, DFG): Ground Forces, Air Force, Special Operations Forces, National Guard Ministry of Internal Affairs: Police, Border Police of Georgia, Coast Guard of Georgia (includes naval forces, which were merged with the Coast Guard in 2009) (2025) **Military expenditures:** 1.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** the Georgia Defense Forces are authorized up to 37,000 personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the majority of the military's inventory consists of Soviet-era weapons and equipment, some of which has been upgraded; it has smaller quantities of mostly secondhand material from such countries as Israel, Poland, Türkiye, and the US, as well as some domestically produced equipment; Georgia has a small defense industry which produces such items as small arms and light armored vehicles (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-35 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription was abolished in 2016, but reinstated in 2017 for men 18-27 years of age; conscript service obligation is up to 11 months depending on the assigned ministry, job specialty, and if the service is carried out in a combat unit (2025) note: conscripts serve in the Defense Forces, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, or the Ministry of Corrections **Military - note:** the Defense Forces of Georgia (DFG) are responsible for protecting the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country; the DFG also provides units for multinational military operations abroad and supports the Border Police in border protection and civil authorities in counter-terrorist operations, if requested; it is focused primarily on Russia, which maintains military bases and troops in occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia; a five-day conflict with Russian forces in 2008 resulted in the defeat and expulsion of Georgian forces from the breakaway regions Georgia is not a member of NATO but has had a relationship with the Alliance since 1992 and declared its aspiration to join in 2002; the military is working to make itself more compatible with NATO and has participated in multinational exercises and security operations abroad with NATO, such as Afghanistan, where it was one of the top non-NATO contributors, and Kosovo; the DFG has also contributed troops to EU and UN missions (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 31,791 (2024 est.) IDPs: 347,754 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 488 (2024 est.) --- ## Germany **Slug:** germany **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇩🇪 **Codes:** cek: gm, iso2: DE, iso3: DEU, iso_num: 276, genc: DEU, stanag: DEU, internet: .de ### Introduction **Background:** As Europe's largest economy and second most-populous nation (after Russia), Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating world wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key western economic and security organizations, including the EC (now the EU) and NATO, while the communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War allowed German reunification to occur in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring eastern productivity and wages up to western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro. ### Geography **Location:** Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark **Geographic coordinates:** 51 00 N, 9 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 357,022 sq km land: 348,672 sq km water: 8,350 sq km **Area - comparative:** three times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Montana **Land boundaries:** total: 3,694 km border countries (9): Austria 801 km; Belgium 133 km; Czechia 704 km; Denmark 140 km; France 418 km; Luxembourg 128 km; Netherlands 575 km; Poland 447 km; Switzerland 348 km **Coastline:** 2,389 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind **Terrain:** lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south **Elevation:** highest point: Zugspitze 2,963 m lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.5 m mean elevation: 263 m **Natural resources:** coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 47.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 33.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 13.5% (2023 est.) forest: 32.8% (2023 est.) other: 15% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 5,065 sq km (2020) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Constance (shared with Switzerland and Austria) - 540 sq km salt water lake(s): Stettiner Haff/Zalew Szczecinski (shared with Poland) - 900 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Donau (Danube) river source (shared with Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km; Elbe river mouth (shared with Czechia [s]) - 1,252 km; Rhein (Rhine) (shared with Switzerland [s], France, and Netherlands [m]) - 1,233 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** second most populous country in Europe; a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations, particularly in the far-western part of the industrial state of North Rhine-Westphalia **Natural hazards:** flooding **Geography - note:** strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the Baltic Sea; most major rivers in Germany -- the Rhine, Weser, Oder, Elbe -- flow northward; the Danube, which originates in the Black Forest, flows eastward ### People and Society **Population:** total: 84,012,284 (2025 est.) male: 41,517,301 female: 42,494,983 **Nationality:** noun: German(s) adjective: German **Ethnic groups:** German 85.4%, Turkish 1.8%, Ukrainian 1.4%, Syrian 1.1%, Romanian 1%, Poland 1%, other/stateless/unspecified 8.3% (2022 est.) note: data represent population by nationality **Languages:** German (official); note - Danish, Frisian, Sorbian, and Romani are official minority languages; Low German, Danish, North Frisian, Sater Frisian, Lower Sorbian, Upper Sorbian, and Romani are recognized as regional languages major-language sample(s): Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 24.8%, Protestant 22.6%, Muslim 3.7%, other 5.1%, none 43.8% (2022 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 13.8% (male 5,925,800/female 5,688,603) 15-64 years: 62.5% (male 26,705,657/female 25,875,865) 65 years and over: 23.7% (2024 est.) (male 8,941,245/female 10,981,930) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 61.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 22.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 38.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 46.9 years (2025 est.) male: 45.5 years female: 48.3 years **Population growth rate:** -0.13% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 8.87 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 11.96 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 1.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** second most populous country in Europe; a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations, particularly in the far-western part of the industrial state of North Rhine-Westphalia **Urbanization:** urban population: 77.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.13% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.574 million BERLIN (capital), 1.788 million Hamburg, 1.576 million Munich, 1.144 million Cologne, 796,000 Frankfurt (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 29.9 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 81.9 years (2024 est.) male: 79.6 years female: 84.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.59 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.77 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 12.7% of GDP (2022) 20.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.53 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 7.8 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 22.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 10.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 5.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 17.2% (2025 est.) male: 19.4% (2025 est.) female: 15% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 0.6% (2016 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 54.4% (2023 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 10.7% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 17 years (2023 est.) male: 17 years (2023 est.) female: 17 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution and acid rain from coal-burning utilities and industries; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial effluents; hazardous waste disposal **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind **Land use:** agricultural land: 47.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 33.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 13.5% (2023 est.) forest: 32.8% (2023 est.) other: 15% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 77.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.13% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 600.192 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 163.407 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 277.688 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 159.097 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 10.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 476.2 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,197.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 459 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 110 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 50.628 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 49.8% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 10.713 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 14.005 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.075 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 154 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 8 global geoparks and regional networks: Bergstraße-Odenwald ; Harz, Braunschweiger Land; Swabian Alb; TERRA.vita; Vulkaneifel; Thuringia Inselsberg -Drei Gleichen; Muskauer Faltenbogen / Łuk Mużakowa (includes Poland); Ries (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany conventional short form: Germany local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland local short form: Deutschland former: German Reich etymology: the origin of the name is unclear; it may come from Celtic words meaning "neighboring people," or it may derive from Germanic words meaning either "spear man" or "head man;" the native designation "Deutsch" comes from the Old High German "diutisc" meaning "national" **Government type:** federal parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Berlin geographic coordinates: 52 31 N, 13 24 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the origin of the name is unclear but may be related to the Old Slavic (Polabian) word berl or birl, meaning "swamp" and referring to the original settlement site by the Spree River **Administrative divisions:** 16 states (Laender, singular - Land); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern (Bavaria), Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen (Hesse), Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia), Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate), Saarland, Sachsen (Saxony), Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt), Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen (Thuringia) note: Bayern, Sachsen, and Thueringen refer to themselves as free states (Freistaaten, singular - Freistaat), while Bremen calls itself a Free Hanseatic City (Freie Hansestadt) and Hamburg considers itself a Free and Hanseatic City (Freie und Hansestadt) **Legal system:** civil law system **Constitution:** history: previous 1919 (Weimar Constitution); latest drafted 10-23 August 1948, approved 12 May 1949, promulgated 23 May 1949, entered into force 24 May 1949 amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage and enactment into law require two-thirds majority vote by both the Bundesrat (upper house) and the Bundestag (lower house) of Parliament; articles including those on basic human rights and freedoms cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a German citizen or a resident alien who has lived in Germany at least 8 years dual citizenship recognized: yes, but requires prior permission from government residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal; age 16 for some state and municipal elections **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Frank-Walter STEINMEIER (since 19 March 2017) head of government: Chancellor Friedrich MERZ (since 6 May 2025) cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) recommended by the chancellor, appointed by the president election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by a Federal Convention consisting of all members of the Federal Parliament (Bundestag) and an equivalent number of delegates indirectly elected by the state parliaments; president serves a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); following the most recent Federal Parliament election, the party or coalition with the most representatives usually elects the chancellor, who is appointed by the president to serve a renewable 4-year term most recent election date: president: 13 February 2022 chancellor: 6 May 2025 election results: 2025: Friedrich MERZ (CDU) elected chancellor in second round; Federal Parliament vote - 325 to 289 2022: Frank-Walter STEINMEIER reelected president; Federal Convention vote count - Frank-Walter STEINMEIER (SPD) 1,045, Max OTTE (CDU) 140, Gerhard TRABERT (The Left) 96, Stefanie GEBAUER (Free Voters) 58, abstentions 86 expected date of next election: president: February 2027 **Legislative branch:** legislative structure: bicameral note: due to Germany's recognition of the concepts of "overhang" (when a party's share of the nationwide votes would entitle it to fewer seats than the number of individual constituency seats won in an election under Germany's mixed member proportional system) and "leveling" (whereby additional seats are elected to supplement the members directly elected by each constituency in order to ensure that each party's share of the total seats is roughly proportional to the party's overall shares of votes at the national level), the 20th Bundestag is the largest to date **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: German Bundestag (Deutscher Bundestag) number of seats: 630 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 2/23/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Christian Democratic Union (CDU) (164); Alternative for Germany (AfD) (152); Social Democratic Party (SPD) (120); Green Party (85); Left Party (Die Linke) (64); Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU) (44); Other (1) percentage of women in chamber: 32.4% expected date of next election: February 2029 note 1: total seats can vary each electoral term; currently includes 4 seats for independent members; approximately one-half of members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and approximately one-half directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members' terms vary depending on the states they represent note 2: the 20th Bundestag is the largest to date, due to Germany's recognition of "overhang" (when a party's share of the nationwide votes would entitle it to fewer seats than the number of individual constituency seats won in an election) and "leveling" (when additional seats are elected to supplement the members directly elected in order to ensure that each party's share of the total seats is roughly proportional to its overall share of votes at the national level) **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Federal Council (Bundesrat) number of seats: 69 (all appointed) parties elected and seats per party: SPD 23; CDU 17; Green Party 15; Left Party 4; CSU 3; FW 3; FDP 2; other 2 percentage of women in chamber: 34.8% **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Federal Court of Justice (court consists of 127 judges, including the court president, vice presidents, presiding judges, other judges; organized into 25 Senates subdivided into 12 civil panels, 5 criminal panels, and 8 special panels); Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (consists of 2 Senates each subdivided into 3 chambers, each with a chairman and 8 members) judge selection and term of office: Federal Court of Justice judges selected by the Judges Election Committee, which consists of the Secretaries of Justice from each of the 16 federated states and 16 members appointed by the Federal Parliament; judges appointed by the president; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 65; half of Federal Constitutional Court judges are elected by the House of Representatives and half by the Senate; judges appointed for 12-year terms with mandatory retirement at age 68 subordinate courts: Federal Administrative Court; Federal Finance Court; Federal Labor Court; Federal Social Court; each of the 16 federated states or Land has its own constitutional court and a hierarchy of ordinary (civil, criminal, family) and specialized (administrative, finance, labor, social) courts; two English-speaking commercial courts opened in 2020 in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg -- the Stuttgart Commercial Court and the Mannheim Commercial Court **Political parties:** Alliance '90/Greens Alternative for Germany or AfD Christian Democratic Union or CDU Christian Social Union or CSU Free Democratic Party or FDP Free Voters or FW The Left or Die Linke Social Democratic Party or SPD **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Jens HANEFELD (since 5 September 2025) chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 298-4000 FAX: [1] (202) 298-4261 email address and website: info@washington.diplo.de https://www.germany.info/us-en consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Alan MELTZER (since July 2024) embassy: Pariser Platz 2, 10117 Berlin Clayallee 170, 14191 Berlin (administrative services) mailing address: 5090 Berlin Place, Washington DC 20521-5090 telephone: [49] (30) 8305-0 FAX: [49] (30) 8305-1215 email address and website: BerlinPCO@state.gov https://de.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Dusseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CD, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 18 January 1871 (establishment of the German Empire); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and France) in 1945 after World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed on 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed on 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; West Germany and East Germany unified on 3 October 1990, with all four powers formally relinquishing rights on 15 March 1991; notable earlier dates: 10 August 843 (Eastern Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 2 February 962 (crowning of OTTO I, recognized as the first Holy Roman Emperor) **National holiday:** German Unity Day, 3 October (1990) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold history: the colors can be traced back to the medieval banner of the Holy Roman Emperor -- a black eagle with red claws and beak on a gold field **National symbol(s):** eagle **National color(s):** black, red, yellow **National coat of arms:** Germany’s coat of arms is the world’s oldest, said to date back to 1200, and uses the country’s national colors; it features the oldest European national symbol, an eagle known as the Bundesadler (Federal Eagle); the coat of arms has varied over time for military or political reasons, but the eagle has always been part of the design; the Federal Republic of Germany adopted this version in 1950 **National anthem(s):** title: “Lied der Deutschen”(Song of the Germans) lyrics/music: August Heinrich HOFFMANN VON FALLERSLEBEN/Franz Joseph HAYDN history: first adopted 1922; the anthem, also known as "Deutschlandlied" (Song of Germany), was originally adopted for its connection to the March 1848 liberal revolution; the Nazis later appropriated the first verse -- specifically the phrase "Deutschland, Deutschland ueber alles" (Germany, Germany above all) -- to promote nationalism, and the anthem was banned after 1945; in 1952, West Germany adopted the third verse as its national anthem; in 1990, it became the national anthem for the reunited Germany **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 56 (54 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin (c); Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin (c); Speyer Cathedral (c); Aachen Cathedral (c); Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau, and Bernau (c); Caves and Ice Age Art in the Swabian Jura (c); Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St. Peter, and Church of Our Lady in Trier (c); Hanseatic City of Lübeck (c); Old Town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof (c); Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square (c); Pilgrimage Church of Wies (c); Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brühl (c); St Mary's Cathedral and St Michael's Church at Hildesheim (c); Abbey and Altenmünster of Lorsch (c); Maulbronn Monastery Complex (c); Collegiate Church, Castle and Old Town of Quedlinburg (c); Cologne Cathedral (c); Castle Church in Wittenberg (c); Classical Weimar (c); Wartburg Castle (c); Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz (c); Monastic Island of Reichenau (c); Berlin Modernism Housing Estates (c); Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps (c); Moravian Church Settlements (c); Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus District with Chilehaus (c); The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (c); Archaeological Border complex of Hedeby and the Danevirke (c); Naumburg Cathedral (c); Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt (c); ShUM Sites of Speyer, Worms and Mainz (c); The Great Spa Towns of Europe (c); Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt (c); Schwerin Residence Ensemble (c); The Palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria: Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Schachen and Herrenchiemsee (c); The Palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria: Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Schachen and Herrenchiemsee (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** leading export-driven, core EU and eurozone economy; key automotive, chemical, engineering, finance, and green energy industries; growth stalled by energy crisis and declining exports; tight labor market with falling working-age population; fiscal rebalancing with phaseout of energy price supports **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $5.247 trillion (2024 est.) $5.26 trillion (2023 est.) $5.274 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -0.2% (2024 est.) -0.3% (2023 est.) 1.4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $62,800 (2024 est.) $62,700 (2023 est.) $62,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $4.66 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.3% (2024 est.) 5.9% (2023 est.) 6.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.8% (2024 est.) industry: 25.8% (2024 est.) services: 63.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 49.9% (2023 est.) government consumption: 21.2% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.5% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.2% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 43.4% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -39.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, sugar beets, wheat, potatoes, barley, maize, rapeseed, pork, rye, triticale (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics, automobiles, food and beverages, shipbuilding, textiles **Industrial production growth rate:** -3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 43.772 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.5% (2024 est.) 3.1% (2023 est.) 3.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 6.7% (2024 est.) male: 7.4% (2024 est.) female: 5.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 14.8% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 32.4 (2020 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 11.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.9% (2020 est.) highest 10%: 25% (2020 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.279 trillion (2023 est.) expenditures: $1.369 trillion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 63.9% of GDP (2017 est.) note: general government gross debt is defined in the Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year in the following categories of government liabilities (as defined in ESA95): currency and deposits (AF.2), securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives (AF.3, excluding AF.34), and loans (AF.4); the general government sector comprises the sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government and social security funds; the series are presented as a percentage of GDP and in millions of euros; GDP used as a denominator is the gross domestic product at current market prices; data expressed in national currency are converted into euro using end-of-year exchange rates provided by the European Central Bank **Taxes and other revenues:** 11% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $267.056 billion (2024 est.) $251.479 billion (2023 est.) $161.759 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.949 trillion (2024 est.) $1.958 trillion (2023 est.) $1.917 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 10%, France 8%, Netherlands 7%, China 7%, Italy 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** cars, vehicle parts/accessories, packaged medicine, plastic products, vaccines (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $1.774 trillion (2024 est.) $1.781 trillion (2023 est.) $1.808 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 12%, Netherlands 7%, USA 7%, Poland 6%, France 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, vehicle parts/accessories, garments, natural gas, vaccines (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $377.936 billion (2024 est.) $322.7 billion (2023 est.) $293.914 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 275.658 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 519.691 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 60.316 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 69.353 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 25.774 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 49% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 11.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 25.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 9.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Percent of total electricity production: 1.4% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 33 (2025) **Coal:** production: 109.741 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 140.994 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1.68 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 32.933 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 35.4 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 131,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 2.062 million bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 115.2 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 4.337 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 82.371 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 74.989 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 23.39 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 120.457 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 38.4 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 45 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 109 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 129 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** a mix of publicly operated and privately owned TV and radio stations; 70 national and regional public broadcasters compete with nearly 400 privately owned national and regional TV stations; more than 90% of households have cable or satellite TV; hundreds of radio stations, including national and regional networks and a large number of local stations **Internet country code:** .de **Internet users:** percent of population: 94% (2024 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 38.4 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 45 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** D **Airports:** 840 (2025) **Heliports:** 449 (2025) **Railways:** total: 39,379 km (2020) 20,942 km electrified 15 km 0.900-mm gauge, 24 km 0.750-mm gauge (2015) **Merchant marine:** total: 595 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 69, general cargo 82, oil tanker 32, other 411 **Ports:** total ports: 35 (2024) large: 5 medium: 4 small: 11 very small: 15 ports with oil terminals: 12 key ports: Brake, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, Emden, Hamburg, Kiel, Lubeck, Rostock ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr): German Army (Deutsche Heer), German Navy (Deutsche Marine, includes naval air arm), German Air Force (Deutsche Luftwaffe, includes air defense), Cyber and Information Space (Cyber und Informationsraum) (2025) note: responsibility for internal and border security is shared by the police forces of the 16 states, the Federal Criminal Police Office, and the Federal Police; the states’ police forces report to their respective interior ministries while the Federal Police forces report to the Federal Ministry of the Interior **Military expenditures:** 2.4% of GDP (2025 est.) 2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 185,000 active-duty military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the inventory of Federal Armed Forces is comprised of weapons systems produced domestically or jointly with other European countries and Western imports, particularly from the US; Germany's defense industry is capable of manufacturing the full spectrum of air, land, and naval military weapons systems; it also participates in joint defense production projects with European partners and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 17-23 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (must have completed compulsory full-time education and have German citizenship); service obligation 7-23 months or 12 years (2025) note 1: conscription ended in 2011; in 2020, the German Government launched a new voluntary conscript initiative focused on homeland security tasks, with the volunteers serving for 7 months plus 5 months as reservists over a 6-year period note 2: in December 2025, Germany passed a law reforming military service; from 2026, the new regulations require German males residing in Germany who have reached the age of 18 to complete a questionnaire, including questions about their willingness to serve; participation will remain voluntary for women note 3: women have been eligible for voluntary service in all military branches and positions since 2001; in 2025, they accounted for more than 13% of the active-duty German military **Military deployments:** up to 500 Iraq (NATO); 300 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR), Lebanon 170 (UNIFIL); up to 1,700 Lithuania (NATO) (2025) note: the German military also has air and naval contingents deployed to support NATO missions **Military - note:** the Bundeswehr’s core mission is the defense of Germany and its NATO partners; it has a wide range of peacetime duties, including crisis management, cyber security, deterrence, homeland security, humanitarian and disaster relief, and international peacekeeping and stability operations; as a key member of NATO and the EU, the Bundeswehr typically operates in a coalition environment, and its capabilities are largely based on NATO and EU planning goals and needs; it has participated in a range of NATO and EU missions in Europe, Africa, and Asia, as well as global maritime operations; the Bundeswehr has close bilateral defense ties with a number of EU countries, including the Czechia, France, the Netherlands, and Romania, as well as the UK and the US; it also contributes forces to UN peacekeeping missions the Bundeswehr was established in 1955; at the height of the Cold War in the 1980s, it had nearly 600,000 personnel, over 7,000 tanks, and 1,000 combat aircraft; in addition, over 400,000 soldiers from other NATO countries—including about 200,000 US military personnel—were stationed in West Germany; in the years following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the Bundeswehr shrank by more than 60% in size (over 90% in tanks and about 80% in aircraft), while funding fell from nearly 3% of GDP and over 4% of government spending in the mid-1980s to 1.2% and 1.6% respectively; by the 2010s, the Bundeswehr’s ability to fulfill its regional security commitments had deteriorated; the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 and full-scale assault on Ukraine in 2022 led to renewed emphasis on Germany’s leadership role in European defense and NATO and efforts to boost funding for the Bundeswehr to improve readiness, modernize, and expand (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, DLR; established 1997) (2025) note: DLR's predecessor organization, the German Test and Research Institute for Aviation and Space Flight, was established in 1969; the Federal Republic of Germany was allowed to research space flight after gaining sovereignty in 1955 **Space launch site(s):** a commercial offshore launch platform that will operate from the North Sea is under development with both government and private funding (2025) **Space program overview:** has one of Europe’s largest space programs and is a top contributor to the ESA; builds and operates satellites, satellite/space launch vehicles (SLVs), probes, and unmanned orbiters; researches and develops a range of capabilities and technologies, including reusable space planes, satellite payloads, rockets, propulsion-assisted landing technologies, and aeronautics; participates in EU and ESA programs, including the Cassini-Huygens research mission to Saturn, Mars and Venus exploration missions, and the Galileo global navigation satellite system; participates in ESA’s astronaut training program and human space flight operations; hosts the European Astronaut Center; participates in international programs such as the International Space Station (ISS) and the James Webb Space Telescope; hosts mission control centers for the ISS, the ESA, and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT); has ties to foreign space programs, including those of China, Japan, Russia, and the US; has a robust commercial space sector (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1969 - first German scientific satellite (Azur) launched by US 1973 - participated with other European states, particularly France and the UK, in development of Ariane satellite launch vehicle 1978 - first German in space on Soviet Salyut space station 1980s-1990s - participated in US Space Shuttle program, including providing astronauts 1999 - launched a space-based X-ray telescope (ABRAXIS) on Russian rocket 2005 - began development of reusable space plane/shuttle/transporter 2019 - launched first space-based X-ray telescope (eROSITA) capable of imaging the entire sky (joint project with Russia) 2023 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for the exploration of space and the Moon; adopted a new national space strategy ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa'ida note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 3,098,169 (2024 est.) IDPs: 100 (2023 est.) stateless persons: 28,813 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Ghana **Slug:** ghana **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇬🇭 **Codes:** cek: gh, iso2: GH, iso3: GHA, iso_num: 288, genc: GHA, stanag: GHA, internet: .gh ### Introduction **Background:** Ghana is a multiethnic country rich in natural resources and is one of the most stable and democratic countries in West Africa. Ghana has been inhabited for at least several thousand years, but little is known about its early inhabitants. By the 12th century, the gold trade started to boom in Bono (Bonoman) state in what is today southern Ghana, and it became the genesis of the Akan people's power and wealth in the region. Beginning in the 15th century, the Portuguese, followed by other European powers, arrived and competed for trading rights. Numerous kingdoms and empires emerged in the area, among the most powerful were the Kingdom of Dagbon in the north and the Asante (Ashanti) Empire in the south. By the mid-18th century, Asante was a highly organized state with immense wealth; it provided enslaved people for the Atlantic slave trade, and in return received firearms that facilitated its territorial expansion. The Asante resisted increasing British influence in the coastal areas, engaging in a series of wars during the 19th century before ultimately falling under British control. Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first Sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence, with Kwame NKRUMAH as its first leader. Ghana endured a series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996 but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. John Atta MILLS of the National Democratic Congress won the 2008 presidential election and took over as head of state. MILLS died in 2012 and was constitutionally succeeded by his vice president, John Dramani MAHAMA, who subsequently won the 2012 presidential election. In 2016, Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO of the NPP defeated MAHAMA, marking the third time that Ghana’s presidency had changed parties since the return to democracy. AKUFO-ADDO was reelected in 2020. In recent years, Ghana has taken an active role in promoting regional stability and is highly integrated in international affairs. ### Geography **Location:** Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo **Geographic coordinates:** 8 00 N, 2 00 W **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 238,533 sq km land: 227,533 sq km water: 11,000 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Oregon **Land boundaries:** total: 2,420 km border countries (3): Burkina Faso 602 km; Cote d'Ivoire 720 km; Togo 1098 km **Coastline:** 539 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north **Terrain:** mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Afadjato 885 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 190 m **Natural resources:** gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone **Land use:** agricultural land: 55.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 20.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 22.8% (2023 est.) forest: 30.7% (2023 est.) other: 13.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 360 sq km (2013) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Volta river mouth (shared with Burkina Faso [s]) - 1,600 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Volta (410,991 sq km) **Population distribution:** population is concentrated in the southern half of the country, with the highest concentrations on or near the Atlantic coast, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds from January to March; droughts **Geography - note:** Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake (manmade reservoir) by surface area (8,482 sq km; 3,275 sq mi); the lake was created after the Akosombo Dam was completed in 1965 ### People and Society **Population:** total: 35,336,133 (2025 est.) male: 17,278,776 female: 18,057,357 **Nationality:** noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian **Ethnic groups:** Akan 45.7%, Mole-Dagbani 18.5%, Ewe 12.8%, Ga-Dangme 7.1%, Gurma 6.4%, Guan 3.2%, Grusi 2.7%, Mande 2%, other 1.6% (2021 est.) **Languages:** Asante 16%, Ewe 14%, Fante 11.6%, Boron (Brong) 4.9%, Dagomba 4.4%, Dangme 4.2%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.9%, Kokomba 3.5%, Akyem 3.2%, Ga 3.1%, other 31.2% (2010 est.) note: English is the official language **Religions:** Christian 71.3% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 31.6%, Protestant 17.4%, Catholic 10%, other 12.3%), Muslim 19.9%, traditionalist 3.2%, other 4.5%, none 1.1% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 37.4% (male 6,527,386/female 6,400,245) 15-64 years: 58.2% (male 9,690,498/female 10,444,197) 65 years and over: 4.4% (2024 est.) (male 684,189/female 842,577) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 70.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 63.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 7.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 13.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 21.6 years (2025 est.) male: 20.6 years female: 22.3 years **Population growth rate:** 2.12% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 27.09 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.73 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population is concentrated in the southern half of the country, with the highest concentrations on or near the Atlantic coast, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 59.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.768 million Kumasi, 2.660 million ACCRA (capital), 1.078 million Sekondi Takoradi (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 22.1 years (2022 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 234 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 30.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 34.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 70.1 years (2024 est.) male: 68.4 years female: 71.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.51 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.73 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 74.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 88.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 25.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 11.6% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.2% of GDP (2021) 7.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.27 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 0.7 beds/1,000 population (2015 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 85.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 55.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 73.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 14.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 44.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 26.9% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 10.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.61 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 2.8% (2025 est.) male: 5.4% (2025 est.) female: 0.3% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 12% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 53.4% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 3.3% (2022) women married by age 18: 16.1% (2022) men married by age 18: 2.4% (2022) **Education expenditure:** 2.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 13.2% national budget (2022 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 76.5% (2021 est.) male: 81.3% (2021 est.) female: 72.1% (2021 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 12 years (2022 est.) male: 12 years (2022 est.) female: 12 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** drought in north; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction; water pollution; inadequate potable water **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north **Land use:** agricultural land: 55.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 20.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 22.8% (2023 est.) forest: 30.7% (2023 est.) other: 13.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 59.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 20.822 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 107,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 13.349 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 7.366 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 43.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 164.9 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 166.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 134 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 28.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.538 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 299.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 95 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.07 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 56.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast etymology: named for a tribal chieftain who ruled a large part of the region prior to the 13th century, even though his territory was northwest of modern-day Ghana; the former name, Gold Coast, came from the gold that Portuguese explorers discovered in the region in the late 15th century **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Accra geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name derives from the Akan word nkran, meaning "ant," and may refer to the nickname local forest dwellers gave to the Nigerian tribes who settled in the area in the 16th century **Administrative divisions:** 16 regions; Ahafo, Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, North East, Northern, Oti, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western, Western North **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law and customary law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest drafted 31 March 1992, approved and promulgated 28 April 1992, entered into force 7 January 1993 amendment process: proposed by Parliament; consideration requires prior referral to the Council of State, a body of prominent citizens who advise the president of the republic; passage of amendments to "entrenched" constitutional articles (including those on national sovereignty, fundamental rights and freedoms, the structure and authorities of the branches of government, and amendment procedures) requires approval in a referendum by at least 40% participation of eligible voters and at least 75% of votes cast, followed by at least two-thirds majority vote in Parliament, and assent of the president; amendments to non-entrenched articles do not require referenda **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Ghana dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President John Dramani MAHAMA (since 7 January 2025) head of government: President John Dramani MAHAMA (since 7 January 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers; nominated by the president, approved by Parliament election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); the president is both chief of state and head of government most recent election date: 7 December 2024 election results: 2024: John Dramani MAHAMA elected president in the first round; percent of vote- John Dramani MAHAMA (NDC) 56.5%, Mahamudu BAWUMIA (NPC) 41%, other 2.5% 2020: Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO (NPP) 51.3%, John Dramani MAHAMA (NDC) 47.4%, other 1.3% (2020) expected date of next election: 7 December 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 276 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 12/7/2024 parties elected and seats per party: National Democratic Congress (NDC) (183); New Patriotic Party (NPP) (88); Other (4) percentage of women in chamber: 14.5% expected date of next election: December 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 13 justices) judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president in consultation with the Council of State (a small advisory body of prominent citizens) and with the approval of Parliament; other justices appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Council (an 18-member independent body of judicial, military and police officials, and presidential nominees) and on the advice of the Council of State; justices can retire at age 60, with compulsory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Circuit Court; District Court; regional tribunals **Political parties:** All Peoples Congress or APC Convention People's Party or CPP Ghana Freedom Party or GFP Ghana Union Movement or GUM Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP Liberal Party of Ghana or LPG National Democratic Congress or NDC National Democratic Party or NDP New Patriotic Party or NPP People's National Convention or PNC Progressive People's Party or PPP United Front Party or UFP United Progressive Party or UPP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Victor Emmanuel SMITH (since 19 September 2025) chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520 FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527 email address and website: info.washington@mfa.gov.gh https://washington.mfa.gov.gh/ consulate(s) general: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Rolf OLSON (since 29 May 2025) embassy: No. 24, Fourth Circular Road, Cantonments, Accra, P.O. Box 2288, Accra mailing address: 2020 Accra Place, Washington DC 20521-2020 telephone: [233] (0) 30-274-1000 email address and website: ACSAccra@state.gov https://gh.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, C, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 6 March 1957 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 6 March (1957) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green, with a large five-pointed black star centered in the yellow band meaning: red stands for the blood shed for independence, yellow for the country's mineral wealth, and green for its forests and natural wealth; the black star is said to be the lodestar of African freedom history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement note: similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band **National symbol(s):** black star, golden eagle **National color(s):** red, yellow, green, black **National anthem(s):** title: "God Bless Our Homeland Ghana" lyrics/music: unknown/Philip GBEHO history: music adopted 1957, lyrics adopted 1966; the lyrics were changed twice, in 1960 when a republic was declared and after a 1966 coup **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions; Asante Traditional Buildings ### Economy **Economic overview:** West African lower-middle income economy; major gold, oil and cocoa exporter; macroeconomic challenges following nearly four decades of sustained growth; recent progress in debt restructuring, fiscal reforms, financial stability, and curbing runaway inflation under 2023-26 IMF credit facility program **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $243.124 billion (2024 est.) $230.046 billion (2023 est.) $223.043 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5.7% (2024 est.) 3.1% (2023 est.) 3.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $7,100 (2024 est.) $6,800 (2023 est.) $6,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $82.825 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 22.8% (2024 est.) 38.1% (2023 est.) 31.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 20.7% (2024 est.) industry: 28.8% (2024 est.) services: 43.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 84.1% (2024 est.) government consumption: 4.8% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 9.8% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.2% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 35.3% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -34.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** cassava, yams, plantains, maize, oil palm fruit, taro, rice, oranges, pineapples, cocoa beans (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building, petroleum **Industrial production growth rate:** 7.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 13.928 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.1% (2024 est.) 3.1% (2023 est.) 3.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 5.4% (2024 est.) male: 5.5% (2024 est.) female: 5.3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 23.4% (2016 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 43.5 (2016 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 39.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.6% (2016 est.) highest 10%: 32.2% (2016 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 3% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $11.684 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $19.102 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 12.3% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $1.407 billion (2023 est.) -$1.741 billion (2022 est.) -$2.541 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $25.365 billion (2023 est.) $25.52 billion (2022 est.) $23.901 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Switzerland 24%, UAE 18%, India 8%, South Africa 7%, China 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, crude petroleum, cocoa beans, manganese ore, cocoa paste (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $26.024 billion (2023 est.) $26.329 billion (2022 est.) $25.967 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 30%, Netherlands 8%, India 5%, USA 5%, Russia 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, plastics, plastic products, footwear (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $3.624 billion (2023 est.) $5.205 billion (2022 est.) $9.917 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $29.241 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** cedis (GHC) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 11.02 (2023 est.) 8.272 (2022 est.) 5.806 (2021 est.) 5.596 (2020 est.) 5.217 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 85.1% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 95% electrification - rural areas: 71.6% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 5.519 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 19.534 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 2 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 48.449 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.796 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 61.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 37.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 51,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 21 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 52,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 176,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 96,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 660 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 3.116 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 3.755 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 639.204 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 22.653 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 10.493 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 269,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 39.1 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 114 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned TV station, 2 state-owned radio networks; several privately owned TV stations and a large number of privately owned radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are accessible; several cable and satellite TV subscription services are obtainable **Internet country code:** .gh **Internet users:** percent of population: 70% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 223,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 9G **Airports:** 11 (2025) **Heliports:** 7 (2025) **Railways:** total: 947 km (2022) narrow gauge: 947 km (2022) 1.067-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 52 (2023) by type: general cargo 8, oil tanker 3, other 41 **Ports:** total ports: 4 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 1 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Saltpond, Sekondi, Takoradi, Tema ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Ghana Armed Forces (GAF): Army, Air Force, Ghana Navy Ministry of Interior: Ghana Police Service (2025) note: the GAF also has a Medical Service/Corps **Military expenditures:** 0.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 15-20,000 active Armed Forces (2025) note: over the past decade, Ghana has sought to increase the size of the GAF, particularly the Army, which has added a number of new units **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is a mix of older (mostly Soviet-era) and some newer armaments from such suppliers as China, Japan, Jordan, Türkiye, the UK, and the US; the government has committed to an increase in funding for equipment acquisitions, including armor, mechanized, and special forces capabilities for the Army, light attack aircraft for the Air Force, and more modern coastal patrol vessels for the Navy (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2025) note: as of 2024, women comprised approximately 15% of the military; Ghanaian women first began serving in the late 1950s **Military deployments:** 875 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 725 (plus about 275 police) South Sudan (UNMISS); 670 Sudan (UNISFA) (2025) note: since sending a contingent of troops to the Congo in 1960, the military has been a regular contributor to African- and UN-sponsored peacekeeping missions **Military - note:** the military’s primary missions are border defense, assisting with internal security, peacekeeping, and protecting the country’s territorial waters, particularly its offshore oil and gas infrastructure; it has benefited from cooperation with foreign partners, such as the UK and the US, and experience gained from participation in multiple international peacekeeping missions in recent years, Ghana has expanded the Army and reinforced its presence in the northern part of the country to shore up porous borders, interdict smuggling routes, and counter threats from the terrorist organization Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), a coalition of al-Qa'ida linked militant groups which has a considerable presence in Burkina Faso and has conducted attacks in Cote d'Ivoire and Togo; Ghana has also made efforts to increase the Navy's capabilities to protect its maritime claims and counter threats such as piracy and illegal fishing (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI; established 2011) (2025) note: the GSSTI is eventually slated to become the Ghana Space Agency **Space program overview:** has nascent space program focused on Earth observation, space science education, and telecommunications; seeks to exploit remote sensing (RS) technology for agriculture, natural-resource management, weather forecasting, and national security; relies on foreign imagery for analysis but seeks to develop its own RS satellite capabilities; has established cooperative relationships with China, Japan, and a number of regional states, particularly South Africa; working with Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan, and Uganda on a satellite to monitor climate changes in the African continent; member of the African Space Agency; partner in the Square Kilometer Array radio telescope (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2017 - first satellite (GhanaSat-1), a technology demonstration/remote sensing nanosatellite built by a Gabonese university with assistance from Japan and released from the International Space Station; established Ghana Radio Astronomy Observatory 2024 - released a national space policy ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 17,334 (2024 est.) IDPs: 4,937 (2024 est.) --- ## Gibraltar **Slug:** gibraltar **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇬🇮 **Codes:** cek: gi, iso2: GI, iso3: GIB, iso_num: 292, genc: GIB, stanag: GIB, internet: .gi ### Introduction **Background:** Spain reluctantly ceded the strategically important Gibraltar to Great Britain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, and the British garrison at Gibraltar was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum held in 1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. After the UK granted Gibraltar autonomy in 1969, Spain closed the border and severed all communication links. Between 1997 and 2002, the UK and Spain held a series of talks on establishing temporary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar. In response to these talks, the Gibraltar Government called a referendum in 2002 in which the majority of citizens voted overwhelmingly against sharing sovereignty with Spain. Since 2004, Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar have held tripartite talks to resolve problems that affect the local population, and work continues on cooperation agreements in areas such as taxation and financial services, communications and maritime security, legal and customs services, environmental protection, and education and visa services. A new noncolonial constitution came into force in 2007, and the European Court of First Instance recognized Gibraltar's right to regulate its own tax regime in 2008. The UK retains responsibility for defense, foreign relations, internal security, and financial stability. Spain and the UK continue to spar over the territory. In 2009, for example, a dispute over Gibraltar's claim to territorial waters extending out three miles gave rise to periodic non-violent maritime confrontations between Spanish and UK naval patrols. Spain renewed its demands for an eventual return of Gibraltar to Spanish control after the UK’s 2016 vote to leave the EU, but London has dismissed any connection between the vote and its sovereignty over Gibraltar. ### Geography **Location:** Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain **Geographic coordinates:** 36 08 N, 5 21 W **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 7 sq km land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** more than 10 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 1.2 km border countries (1): Spain 1.2 km **Coastline:** 12 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 3 nm **Climate:** Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers **Terrain:** a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar **Elevation:** highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** none **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 100% (2022 est.) **Irrigated land:** NA **Natural hazards:** occasional droughts; no streams or large bodies of water on the peninsula (all potable water comes from desalination) **Geography - note:** strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea ### People and Society **Population:** total: 29,733 (2025 est.) male: 14,923 female: 14,810 **Nationality:** noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar **Ethnic groups:** Gibraltarian 79%, other British 13.2%, Spanish 2.1%, Moroccan 1.6%, other EU 2.4%, other 1.6% (2012 est.) note: data represent population by nationality **Languages:** English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese **Religions:** Roman Catholic 72.1%, Church of England 7.7%, other Christian 3.8%, Muslim 3.6%, Jewish 2.4%, Hindu 2%, other 1.1%, none 7.1%, unspecified 0.1% (2012 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 20% (male 3,045/female 2,895) 15-64 years: 62.5% (male 9,383/female 9,179) 65 years and over: 17.5% (2024 est.) (male 2,491/female 2,690) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 60 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 32.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 28 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 37.1 years (2025 est.) male: 36.2 years female: 37.5 years **Population growth rate:** 0.16% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 13.55 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.71 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -3.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.45% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 35,000 GIBRALTAR (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 5.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 80.9 years (2024 est.) male: 78.1 years female: 83.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.88 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.92 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 8.6% national budget (2025 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited natural freshwater resources **Climate:** Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 100% (2022 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.45% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 15.608 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 15.458 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 150,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 17,000 tons (2024 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar etymology: from the Spanish derivation of the Arabic jabal tariq, which means "Mountain of Tariq" and refers to the Berber chief who captured the peninsula in A.D. 711 **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (Parliament); self-governing overseas territory of the UK **Dependency status:** overseas territory of the UK **Capital:** name: Gibraltar geographic coordinates: 36 08 N, 5 21 W time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: from the Spanish derivation of the Arabic jabal tariq, which means "Mountain of Tariq" and refers to the Berber chief who captured the peninsula in A.D. 711 **Legal system:** the laws of the UK apply **Constitution:** history: previous 1969; latest passed by referendum 30 November 2006, entered into effect 14 December 2006, entered into force 2 January 2007 amendment process: proposed by Parliament and requires prior consent of the British monarch (through the Secretary of State); passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote in Parliament followed by simple majority vote in a referendum; note – only sections 1 through 15 in Chapter 1 (Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms) can be amended by Parliament **Citizenship:** see United Kingdom **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal; and British citizens with six months residence or more **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Sir David STEEL (since 11 June 2020) head of government: Chief Minister Fabian PICARDO (since 9 December 2011) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 17 elected members of Parliament by the governor, in consultation with the chief minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as chief minister **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 18 (17 directly elected, 1 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/12/2023 parties elected and seats per party: GSLP-Liberal Alliance (9) (GSLP 7, LPG 2); GSD (8) percentage of women in chamber: 38.5% expected date of next election: October 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of at least 3 judges, including the court president); Supreme Court of Gibraltar (consists of the chief justice and 3 judges) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and Supreme Court judges appointed by the governor upon the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, a 7-member body of judges and appointees of the governor; tenure of the Court of Appeal president based on terms of appointment; Supreme Court chief justice and judges normally appointed until retirement at age 67, but tenure can be extended 3 years subordinate courts: Court of First Instance; Magistrates' Court; specialized tribunals for issues relating to social security, taxes, and employment note: appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) **Political parties:** Gibraltar Liberal Party or Liberal Party of Gibraltar or LPG Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP GSLP-Liberal Alliance Together Gibraltar or TG **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK) **International organization participation:** ICC (NGOs), Interpol (subbureau), UPU **Independence:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **National holiday:** National Day, 10 September (1967) note: day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or join Spain **Flag:** description: two horizontal bands of white (top, double-width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; a gold key hangs from the castle gate and is centered in the red band meaning: the castle symbolizes Gibraltar as a fortress, and the key represents Gibraltar's strategic importance -- the key to the Mediterranean history: the design comes from Gibraltar's coat of arms, which King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain granted on 10 July 1502 **National symbol(s):** Barbary partridge **National color(s):** red, white, yellow **National coat of arms:** King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain granted this coat of arms to Gibraltar in 1502; the castle in the center of the shield represents Gibraltar as a fortress, and the gold key represents its strategic position as the gateway to the Mediterranean; below the shield is the national motto, Montis Insignia Calpe (“Badge of the Rock of Gibraltar”); the coat of arms uses the national colors of red, white, and yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Gibraltar Anthem" lyrics/music: Peter EMBERLEY history: adopted 1994; serves as a local anthem _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as an overseas UK territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** British territorial high-income economy; Brexit caused significant economic disruption to longstanding financial services, shipping, and tourism industries; ongoing negotiations to rejoin EU Schengen Area; independent taxation authority **GDP (official exchange rate):** $2.044 billion (2014 est.) **Agricultural products:** none **Industries:** tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco **Exports - partners:** Netherlands 38%, France 26%, Cyprus 7%, Poland 7%, Sweden 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, natural gas, ships, cars, scrap iron (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports - partners:** Italy 26%, Greece 12%, Spain 10%, Netherlands 9%, India 9% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, crude petroleum, coal tar oil, natural gas, ships (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** Gibraltar pounds (GIP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.782 (2024 est.) 0.805 (2023 est.) 0.811 (2022 est.) 0.727 (2021 est.) 0.78 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 50,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 213.744 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 6.256 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 91,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 77.196 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 77.196 million cubic meters (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 17,200 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 46 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 36,700 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 98 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) provides TV and radio services via 1 TV station and 4 radio stations; British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) operates 1 radio station; broadcasts from Spanish radio and TV stations are accessible **Internet country code:** .gi **Internet users:** percent of population: 94% (2016 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 23,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 61 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** VP-G **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 129 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 8, container ship 5, general cargo 31, oil tanker 16, other 69 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Europa Point ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Royal Gibraltar Regiment (UK) (2025) **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the UK --- ## Greece **Slug:** greece **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇬🇷 **Codes:** cek: gr, iso2: GR, iso3: GRC, iso_num: 300, genc: GRC, stanag: GRC, internet: .gr, comment: For its internal communications, the European Union recommends the use of the code EL in lieu of the ISO 3166-2 code of GR ### Introduction **Background:** Greece won independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830 and became a kingdom. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between supporters of the king and other anti-communist and communist rebels. The communists were defeated in 1949, and Greece joined NATO in 1952. In 1967, a military coup forced the king to flee the country. The ensuing military dictatorship collapsed in 1974, and Greece abolished the monarchy to become a parliamentary republic. In 1981, Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European Economic and Monetary Union in 2001. From 2009 until 2019, Greece suffered a severe economic crisis due to nearly a decade of chronic overspending and structural rigidities. Beginning in 2010, Greece entered three bailout agreements -- the first two with the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the IMF; and the third in 2015 with the European Stability Mechanism -- worth in total about $300 billion. The Greek Government formally exited the third bailout in 2018, and Greece's economy has since improved significantly. In 2022, the country finalized its early repayment to the IMF and graduated on schedule from the EU's enhanced surveillance framework. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey **Geographic coordinates:** 39 00 N, 22 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 131,957 sq km land: 130,647 sq km water: 1,310 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Alabama **Land boundaries:** total: 1,110 km border countries (4): Albania 212 km; Bulgaria 472 km; North Macedonia 234 km; Turkey 192 km **Coastline:** 13,676 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 6 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers **Terrain:** mountainous with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 498 m note: Mount Olympus actually has 52 peaks but its highest point, Mytikas (meaning "nose"), rises to 2,917 meters; in Greek mythology, Olympus' Mytikas peak was the home of the Greek gods **Natural resources:** lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential **Land use:** agricultural land: 41.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 14.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 19.2% (2023 est.) forest: 36.9% (2023 est.) other: 21.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 12,191 sq km (2021) **Population distribution:** one third of the population lives in and around metropolitan Athens; the remainder of the country has moderate population density mixed with sizeable urban clusters **Natural hazards:** severe earthquakes volcanism: Santorini (367 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Methana and Nisyros in the Aegean are also classified as historically active **Geography - note:** strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, with an archipelago of about 2,000 islands ### People and Society **Population:** total: 10,424,536 (2025 est.) male: 5,105,879 female: 5,318,657 **Nationality:** noun: Greek(s) adjective: Greek **Ethnic groups:** Greek 91.6%, Albanian 4.4%, other 4% (2011 est.) note: data represent citizenship; Greece does not collect data on ethnicity **Languages:** Greek (official) 99%, other (includes English and French) 1% major-language sample(s): Το Παγκόσμιο Βιβλίο Δεδομένων, η απαραίτητη πηγή βασικών πληροφοριών. (Greek) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Greek Orthodox 81-90%, Muslim 2%, other 3%, none 4-15%, unspecified 1% (2015 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 13.8% (male 742,131/female 699,079) 15-64 years: 62.6% (male 3,278,906/female 3,267,140) 65 years and over: 23.6% (2024 est.) (male 1,096,825/female 1,377,010) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 60.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 21.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 38.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 46.8 years (2025 est.) male: 44.6 years female: 48.3 years **Population growth rate:** -0.35% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 7.38 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 11.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** one third of the population lives in and around metropolitan Athens; the remainder of the country has moderate population density mixed with sizeable urban clusters **Urbanization:** urban population: 80.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.154 million ATHENS (capital), 815,000 Thessaloniki (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 30.7 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 5 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 81.9 years (2024 est.) male: 79.4 years female: 84.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.42 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.69 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9.2% of GDP (2021) 8.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 6.58 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 4.2 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 24.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 6.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 27.3% (2025 est.) male: 30.3% (2025 est.) female: 24.6% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 52.4% (2023 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 6.4% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 21 years (2022 est.) male: 21 years (2022 est.) female: 21 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution; air emissions from transport and electricity power stations; water pollution; degradation of coastal zones; loss of biodiversity; municipal and industrial waste disposal **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds **Climate:** temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 41.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 14.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 19.2% (2023 est.) forest: 36.9% (2023 est.) other: 21.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 80.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 62.06 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 10.794 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 44.649 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 6.617 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 14.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 5.615 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 22.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 1.687 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 279.8 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 8.107 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 68 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 9 (2024) global geoparks and regional networks: Chelmos Vouraikos; Grevena - Kozani; Kefalonia-Ithaca; Lavreotiki; Lesvos Island; Meteora Pyli; Psiloritis; Sitia; Vikos - Aoos (2024) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Hellenic Republic conventional short form: Greece local long form: Elliniki Dimokratia local short form: Ellas or Ellada former: Hellenic State, Kingdom of Greece etymology: the English name derives from the Roman (Latin) designation Graecia, meaning "Land of the Greeks"; the Greeks call their country Ellas or Ellada, which is probably derived from Hellas, the name of the mythical son of Deucalian **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Athens geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the origin of the name is uncertain; according to tradition, the city is named after Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, but the name is probably pre-Hellenic **Administrative divisions:** 13 regions (perifereies, singular - perifereia) and 1 autonomous monastic state* (aftonomi monastiki politeia); Agion Oros* (Mount Athos), Anatoliki Makedonia kai Thraki (East Macedonia and Thrace), Attiki (Attica), Dytiki Ellada (West Greece), Dytiki Makedonia (West Macedonia), Ionia Nisia (Ionian Islands), Ipeiros (Epirus), Kentriki Makedonia (Central Macedonia), Kriti (Crete), Notio Aigaio (South Aegean), Peloponnisos (Peloponnese), Sterea Ellada (Central Greece), Thessalia (Thessaly), Voreio Aigaio (North Aegean) **Legal system:** civil legal system based on Roman law **Constitution:** history: many previous; latest entered into force 11 June 1975 amendment process: proposed by at least 50 members of Parliament and agreed by three-fifths majority vote in two separate ballots at least 30 days apart; passage requires absolute majority vote by the next elected Parliament; entry into force finalized through a "special parliamentary resolution"; articles on human rights and freedoms and the form of government cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Greece dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 17 years of age; universal and compulsory **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Konstantinos TASOULAS (since 13 March 2025) head of government: Prime Minister Kyriakos MITSOTAKIS (since 26 June 2023) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election/appointment process: president elected by Hellenic Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); president appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party or coalition in the Hellenic Parliament most recent election date: 12 February 2025 election results: 2025: Konstantinos TASOULAS (ND) elected president by Parliament - 160 of 300 votes 2020: Katerina SAKELLAROPOULOU (independent) elected president by Parliament - 261 of 300 votes expected date of next election: 2030 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Hellenic Parliament (Vouli Ton Ellinon) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 300 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 6/25/2023 parties elected and seats per party: New Democracy (ND) (158); Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) (47); Panhellenic Socialist Movement - Movement for Change (PASOK-KINAL) (32); Communist Party (KKE) (21); Other (42) percentage of women in chamber: 22.9% expected date of next election: June 2027 note: only parties surpassing a 3% vote threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats; parties need 10 seats to become formal parliamentary groups but can retain that status if the party participated in the last election and received the minimum 3% threshold **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Civil and Criminal Court or Areios Pagos (consists of 56 judges, including the court presidents); Council of State (supreme administrative court) consists of the president, 7 vice presidents, 42 privy councilors, 48 associate councilors and 50 reporting judges, organized into six 5- and 7-member chambers; Court of Audit (government audit and enforcement) consists of the president, 5 vice presidents, 20 councilors, and 90 associate and reporting judges judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by presidential decree on the advice of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), which includes the president of the Supreme Court, other judges, and the prosecutor of the Supreme Court; judges appointed for life after a 2-year probationary period; Council of State president appointed by the Greek Cabinet to serve a 4-year term; other judge appointments and tenure NA; Court of Audit president appointed by decree of the president of the republic on the advice of the SJC; court president serves a 4-year term or until age 67; tenure of vice presidents, councilors, and judges NA subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal and Courts of First Instance (district courts) **Political parties:** Coalition of the Radical Left-Progressive Alliance or SYRIZA-PS Communist Party of Greece or KKE Course of Freedom Democratic Patriotic Movement-Victory or NIKI Greek Solution New Democracy or ND PASOK - Movement for Change or PASOK-KINAL Spartans **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Ekaterini NASSIKA (since 27 February 2024) chancery: 2217 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300 FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324 email address and website: gremb.was@mfa.gr https://www.mfa.gr/usa/en/the-embassy/ consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Tampa (FL), San Francisco consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Kimberly Ann GUILFOYLE (since 4 November 2025) embassy: 91 Vasillisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens mailing address: 7100 Athens Place, Washington DC 20521-7100 telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (210) 724-5313 email address and website: athensamericancitizenservices@state.gov https://gr.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki **International organization participation:** Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 3 February 1830 (from the Ottoman Empire) note: the national revolt against the Ottomans began on 25 March 1821; the London Protocol recognizing Greek independence was signed on 3 February 1830 by Great Britain, France, and Russia **National holiday:** Independence Day, 25 March (1821) **Flag:** description: nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; a blue square with a white cross is in the upper-left corner meaning: the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion; there is no set meaning for the stripes and colors note: Greek legislation states that the flag colors are cyan and white, but cyan can mean "blue" in Greek, so the exact shade of blue has never been set and has varied from a light to a dark blue over time; the blue is now usually an azure **National symbol(s):** Greek cross (white cross on a blue field) **National color(s):** blue, white **National coat of arms:** the coat of arms was designed by Greek artist Kostas Grammatopoulos and has been in use since 1975; depicted in the national colors of blue and white; the white cross represents the country’s primary religion, Greek Orthodoxy, and the laurel branches symbolize victory **National anthem(s):** title: "Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian" (Hymn to Freedom) lyrics/music: Dionysios SOLOMOS/Nikolaos MANTZAROS history: adopted 1864; the anthem is based on a 158-stanza poem by the same name, which was inspired by the Greek Revolution of 1821 against the Ottomans (only the first two stanzas are used); Cyprus also uses "Hymn to Freedom" as its anthem **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 20 (18 cultural, 2 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Acropolis, Athens (c); Archaeological site of Delphi (c); Meteora (m); Medieval City of Rhodes (c); Archaeological site of Olympia (c); Archaeological site of Mycenae and Tiryns (c); Old Town of Corfu (c); Mount Athos (m); Delos (c); Archaeological Site of Philippi (c); Minoan Palatial Centres (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income EU and eurozone economy; growth above euro average, supported by private consumption and EU fund investments; structural reforms strengthening public finances and enhancing resilience within banking system; declining unemployment but low labor productivity and skill shortages **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $392.205 billion (2024 est.) $383.493 billion (2023 est.) $374.753 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.3% (2024 est.) 2.3% (2023 est.) 5.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $37,800 (2024 est.) $36,900 (2023 est.) $35,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $257.145 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.7% (2024 est.) 3.5% (2023 est.) 9.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 3.3% (2024 est.) industry: 15.4% (2024 est.) services: 68% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 66.9% (2023 est.) government consumption: 19.3% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 15.2% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 1.5% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 43.7% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -48.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** maize, wheat, sheep milk, oranges, tomatoes, milk, peaches/nectarines, grapes, watermelons, barley (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum **Industrial production growth rate:** 6.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 4.655 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 10.2% (2024 est.) 11.1% (2023 est.) 12.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 24.7% (2024 est.) male: 23.2% (2024 est.) female: 26.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 18.8% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 33.4 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 16.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.7% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 25.7% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $111.938 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $114.497 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 190.6% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 26.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$16.399 billion (2024 est.) -$15.008 billion (2023 est.) -$22.623 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $108.424 billion (2024 est.) $107.218 billion (2023 est.) $106.189 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Italy 12%, Germany 6%, Cyprus 6%, Bulgaria 4%, USA 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, packaged medicine, aluminum, olive oil, tobacco (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $122.408 billion (2024 est.) $119.234 billion (2023 est.) $127.82 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 10%, China 10%, Italy 8%, Iraq 7%, Netherlands 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, cars, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $15.222 billion (2024 est.) $13.608 billion (2023 est.) $12.061 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 24.169 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 46.929 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 3.24 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 8.152 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 5.346 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 48.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 17.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 23.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 9.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 10.469 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 10.091 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 5 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 49,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2.876 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 308,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 10 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 1.323 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 3.344 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 8.362 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 11.619 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 991.09 million cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 92.693 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 4.69 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 11.4 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 114 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** broadcast media dominated by the private sector; roughly 150 private TV channels, about 10 of which broadcast nationwide; 1 state-owned terrestrial TV channel with national coverage; 3 privately owned satellite channels; multi-channel satellite and cable TV services available; over 1,500 radio stations, all privately owned; state-owned broadcaster has 2 national radio stations **Internet country code:** .gr **Internet users:** percent of population: 85% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 4.48 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** SX **Airports:** 82 (2025) **Heliports:** 59 (2025) **Railways:** total: 2,345 km (2020) 731 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 1,215 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 132, container ship 4, general cargo 79, oil tanker 299, other 701 **Ports:** total ports: 57 (2024) large: 1 medium: 7 small: 7 very small: 42 ports with oil terminals: 13 key ports: Alexandroupoli, Iraklion, Kerkira, Ormos Aliveriou, Piraievs, Soudha, Thessaloniki, Volos ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Hellenic Armed Forces (HAF; Ellinikes Enoples Dynamis, EED): Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES; includes National Guard), Hellenic Navy (Elliniko Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia, EPA; includes air defense) (2025) note 1: the police (under the Ministry of Citizen Protection) and the armed forces (Ministry of National Defense) share law enforcement duties in certain border areas; the Greek Coast Guard is under the Ministry of Shipping Affairs and Island Policy note 2: the National Guard was established in 1982 as an official part of the Army to help protect Greece and provide reinforcements and support to the Army in peacetime and in times of mobilization and war **Military expenditures:** 2.9% of GDP (2025 est.) 2.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.7% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 112,000 active-duty military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory consists of a mix of domestically produced and imported armaments from Europe and the US; in recent years, France, Germany, the UK, and the US have been major suppliers of weapons systems; Greece's defense industry is capable of producing a range of military hardware, including naval vessels and associated subsystems (2025) note: Greece is in the midst of a military modernization program which includes acquisitions of fighter aircraft and naval ships from France and armored vehicles and tanks from Germany; it has also boosted purchases of US equipment, including fighter aircraft upgrades, helicopters, and naval patrol craft **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; all Greek men 19-45 are subject to compulsory military service; 12-month obligation for all services (note - as an exception, the duration of the full military service is 9 instead of 12 months if conscripts, after the initial training, serve the entire remaining time in certain areas of the eastern borders, in Cyprus, or in certain military units) (2026) note 1: in July 2025, the Greek Government unveiled several defense reforms which went into effect on 1 January 2026, including abolishing mandatory military service for the Air Force and Navy, with exceptions only for specialized roles such as aircraft engineers and ship captains; all conscripts are to be classified exclusively into the Army; ground forces will also take over facility security duties previously managed by the other branches note 2: as of 2025, women comprised about 17% of the military's full-time personnel **Military deployments:** approximately 1,000 Cyprus; 120 Kosovo (NATO); 130 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025) note: Greece also has air and naval units deployed in support of NATO missions **Military - note:** the Hellenic Armed Forces (HAF) are responsible for protecting Greece’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; the HAF also maintains a presence on Cyprus (the Hellenic Force in Cyprus or ELDYK) to assist and support the Cypriot National Guard; as a member of the EU, NATO, and other international organizations, the HAF participates in multinational peacekeeping and other security missions abroad, taking a particular interest in missions occurring in the near regions, such as the Balkans, the Mediterranean and Aegean seas, the Middle East, and North Africa; areas of focus for the HAF include instability in the Balkans, territorial disputes with Turkey, and support to European security through the EU and NATO Greece’s NATO membership is a key component of its security; it became a NATO member in 1952 and occupies a strategic location in the Eastern Mediterranean on NATO’s southern flank; Greece is host to several NATO facilities, including the Deployable Corps Greece (NDC-GR) headquarters in Thessaloniki, the Combined Air Operations Center in Larissa, the Multinational Peace Support Operations Training Center in Kilkis, the Multinational Sealift Coordination Center in Athens, and the Naval Base, Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre, and NATO Missile Firing Installation at Souda, Crete (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Hellenic Space Center (HSC; aka Hellenic Space Agency; established 2018) (2025) **Space program overview:** focuses on building and operating satellites for communications and remote sensing (RS); researches and develops space-related technologies in a variety of sectors, including agriculture, defense, environmental studies, RS, and telecommunications; contributes to and participates in ESA capabilities and programs; also participates in EU space programs and cooperates bilaterally with European and US space agencies and commercial space sectors; has a commercial space sector that researches, develops, and produces a variety of space technologies and capabilities (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1994 - signed first cooperation agreement with the ESA 2005 - first satellite (Hellas-Sat) for a domestic telecommunications satellite network launched by US; joined ESA (became member state in 2011) 2017 - first domestically manufactured communications satellite (UPSat) released from International Space Station 2019 - began participating in ESA’s quantum communications infrastructure (EuroQCI or “fiber in the sky”) and the US Gateway Lunar orbital/landing programs 2021 - launched ESA-assisted national program to develop, manufacture, launch, and operate small satellites 2024 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and Moon exploration 2025 - launched demonstrator/experimental RS cube satellite (DUTHSat-2) under ESA-assisted national small satellite program ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Revolutionary Struggle (RS); Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 144,694 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 3,743 (2024 est.) --- ## Greenland **Slug:** greenland **Region:** North America **Flag:** 🇬🇱 **Codes:** cek: gl, iso2: GL, iso3: GRL, iso_num: 304, genc: GRL, stanag: GRL, internet: .gl ### Introduction **Background:** Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 80% ice capped. The Inuit came to Greenland from North America in a series of migrations that stretched from 2500 BC to the11th century. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland became part of the Kingdom of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community (now the EU) with Denmark in 1973 but withdrew in 1985 over a dispute centered on stringent fishing quotas. Greenland remains a member of the EU's Overseas Countries and Territories Association. The Danish parliament granted Greenland home rule in 1979; the law went into effect the following year. Greenland voted in favor of self-government in 2008 and acquired greater responsibility for internal affairs when the Act on Greenland Self-Government was signed into law in 2009. The Kingdom of Denmark, however, continues to exercise control over several policy areas on behalf of Greenland, including foreign affairs, security, and financial policy, in consultation with Greenland's Self-Rule Government. ### Geography **Location:** Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada **Geographic coordinates:** 72 00 N, 40 00 W **Map references:** Arctic Region **Area:** total : 2,166,086 sq km land: 2,166,086 sq km (approximately 1,710,000 sq km ice-covered) **Area - comparative:** slightly more than three times the size of Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 44,087 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 3 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line **Climate:** arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters **Terrain:** flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast **Elevation:** highest point: Gunnbjorn Fjeld 3,694 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 1,792 m **Natural resources:** coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas **Land use:** agricultural land: 0.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 0% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.) forest: 0% (2023 est.) other: 99.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** NA **Population distribution:** settlement concentrated on the southwest shoreline, with limited settlements scattered along the remaining coast; interior is uninhabited **Natural hazards:** continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island **Geography - note:** dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast; close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice sheet after that of Antarctica, covering an area of 1.71 million sq km (660,000 sq mi), or about 79% of the island, and containing 2.85 million cu km (684 thousand cu mi) of ice (almost 7% of the world's fresh water) ### People and Society **Population:** total: 57,713 (2025 est.) male: 29,775 female: 27,938 **Nationality:** noun: Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenlandic **Ethnic groups:** Greenlandic 88.1%, Danish 7.1%, Filipino 1.6%, other Nordic peoples 0.9%, and other 2.3% (2024 est.) note: data represent population by country of birth **Languages:** Greenlandic, Danish, English note: West Greenlandic or Kalaallisut is the official language; Tunumiisut (East Greenlandic) and Inuktun (Polar Inuit Greenlandic) are considered dialects of Kalaallisut and spoken by about 10% of Greenlanders **Religions:** Evangelical Lutheran, traditional Inuit spiritual beliefs **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 20.4% (male 5,964/female 5,798) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 20,050/female 18,711) 65 years and over: 12.5% (2024 est.) (male 3,829/female 3,399) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 50.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 19.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 5 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 35.6 years (2025 est.) male: 35.9 years female: 34.7 years **Population growth rate:** -0.08% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 13.32 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.29 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -4.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** settlement concentrated on the southwest shoreline, with limited settlements scattered along the remaining coast; interior is uninhabited **Urbanization:** urban population: 87.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 18,000 NUUK (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 74.5 years (2024 est.) male: 71.8 years female: 77.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.87 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.91 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.87 physicians/1,000 population (2016) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 62.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 37.5% of population (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 38.8% (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 10.2% of GDP (2019 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** changes in sea levels and other disruptions in the Arctic environment **Climate:** arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters **Land use:** agricultural land: 0.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 0% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.) forest: 0% (2023 est.) other: 99.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 87.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 527,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 12 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 527,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 50,000 tons (2024 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Greenland local long form: none local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat etymology: named by Norse navigator Erik THORVALDSSON (Erik the Red) in A.D. 985 to attract settlers to the island; the original Greenlandic name, Kalaallit Nunaat, means "land of the people" **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (Parliament of Greenland or Inatsisartut) **Dependency status:** part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979 **Capital:** name: Nuuk geographic coordinates: 64 11 N, 51 45 W time difference: UTC-2 (3 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October time zone note: Greenland has three time zones etymology: nuuk is the Inuit word for "cape;" until 1979, the name was Godthab, from the Danish words meaning "good hope" **Administrative divisions:** 5 municipalities (kommuner, singular - kommune); Avannaata, Kujalleq, Qeqertalik, Qeqqata, Sermersooq note: Northeast Greenland National Park (Kalaallit Nunaanni Nuna Eqqissisimatitaq) and the Pituffik Space Base (formerly known as Thule Air Base) in northwest Greenland are two unincorporated areas; the national park's 972,000 sq km -- about 46% of the island -- makes it the largest national park in the world and also the most northerly **Legal system:** Denmark's laws apply in some areas, and Greenland's law for the remainder **Constitution:** history: previous 1953 (Greenland established as a constituency in the Danish constitution), 1979 (Greenland Home Rule Act); latest 21 June 2009 (Greenland Self-Government Act) **Citizenship:** see Denmark **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King FREDERIK X of Denmark (since 14 January 2024), represented by High Commissioner Julie Praest WILCHE (since May 2022) (2024) head of government: Prime Minister Jens-Frederik NIELSEN (since 28 March 2025) cabinet: Self-rule Government (Naalakkersuisut) elected by the Parliament (Inatsisartut) election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; premier indirectly elected by Parliament for a 4-year term election results: 2025: Jens-Frederik NIELSEN (D) elected premier 2021: Mute B. EGEDE elected premier; Parliament vote - Mute B. EGEDE (Inuit Ataqatigiit) unanimous 2014: Kim KIELSEN elected premier; Parliament vote - Kim KIELSEN (S) 27.2%, Sara OLSVIG (IA) 25.5%, Randi Vestergaard EVALDSEN (D) 19.5%, other 27.8% **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Inatsisartut) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 31 (directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 4/6/2021 parties elected and seats per party: IA (12); S (10); N (4); D (3); A (2) percentage of women in chamber: 35% expected date of next election: 2025 note: Greenland elects 2 members to the Danish Parliament to serve 4-year terms **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): High Court of Greenland (consists of the presiding professional judge and 2 lay assessors) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Council, a 6-member independent body of judges and lawyers; judges appointed for life with retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Greenland; 18 district or magistrates' courts note: appeals beyond the High Court of Greenland can be heard by the Supreme Court (in Copenhagen) **Political parties:** Democrats Party (Demokraatit) or D Fellowship Party (Atassut) or A Forward Party (Siumut) or S Inuit Community (Inuit Ataqatigiit) or IA Signpost Party (Naleraq) or N (formerly Partii Naleraq) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Kenneth HØEGH, Head of Representation (since 1 August 2021) chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street, NW Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470 email address and website: washington@nanoq.gl All Greenlandic Representations | Grønlands Repræsentation (grl-rep.dk); https://naalakkersuisut.gl/en/Naalakkersuisut/Groenlands-repraesentation-Washington note: Greenland also has offices in the Danish consulates in Chicago and New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Consul Susan A. "Suzi" WILSON (since August 2025) embassy: Aalisartut Aqqutaa 47 Nuuk 3900 Greenland telephone: (+299) 384100 email address and website: USConsulateNuuk@state.gov Homepage - U.S. Embassy & Consulate in the Kingdom of Denmark (usembassy.gov) **International organization participation:** Arctic Council, ICC, NC, NIB, UPU **Independence:** none (extensive self-rule as part of the Kingdom of Denmark) **National holiday:** National Day, June 21 note: marks the summer solstice and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red, with a large disk set slightly to the left; the top half of the disk is red, and the bottom is white meaning: the design represents the sun reflecting off a field of ice; the colors are the same as the Danish flag and symbolize Greenland's links to the Kingdom of Denmark **National symbol(s):** polar bear **National color(s):** red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Nunarput utoqqarsuanngoravit" (Our Country, Who's Become So Old) lyrics/music: Henrik LUND/Jonathan PETERSEN history: adopted 1916 _____ title: "Nuna asiilasooq" (The Land of Great Length) lyrics/music: unknown history: adopted 1979, when home rule was granted; the Greenlandic government recognizes this local Kalaallit song as a secondary anthem **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural); note - excerpted from the Denmark entry selected World Heritage Site locales: Ilulissat Icefjord (n); Kujataa, Norse, and Inuit Farming (c); Aasivissuit–Nipisat, Inuit Hunting Ground (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, self-governing Danish territorial economy; non-EU member but preferential market access; dependent on Danish financial support; exports led by fishing industry; growing tourism and interest in untapped mineral deposits; relies on hydropower for fuel **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $4.04 billion (2023 est.) $4.005 billion (2022 est.) $3.926 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 0.9% (2023 est.) 2% (2022 est.) 1.6% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $71,000 (2023 est.) $70,700 (2022 est.) $69,300 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $3.327 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.2% (2022 est.) 0% (2021 est.) 2.1% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 16.6% (2023 est.) industry: 18.4% (2023 est.) services: 61% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 32.6% (2023 est.) government consumption: 41.7% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 34.7% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 1.3% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 40.8% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -51.1% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sheep, cattle, reindeer, fish, shellfish **Industries:** fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), anorthosite and ruby mining, handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards **Industrial production growth rate:** -1.3% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Budget:** revenues: $1.719 billion (2016 est.) expenditures: $1.594 billion (2016 est.) **Exports:** $1.357 billion (2023 est.) $1.286 billion (2022 est.) $1.122 billion (2021 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Denmark 50%, China 23%, UK 5%, Japan 5%, Germany 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fish, shellfish, processed crustaceans, ships, precious stones (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $1.7 billion (2023 est.) $1.657 billion (2022 est.) $1.635 billion (2021 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Denmark 58%, Sweden 19%, Spain 8%, Iceland 7%, Canada 2% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, ships, garments, plastic products, furniture (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 6.894 (2024 est.) 6.89 (2023 est.) 7.076 (2022 est.) 6.287 (2021 est.) 6.542 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 190,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 534.5 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 10 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 13.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 85.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 5 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 383 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 5,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 66,400 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 119 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** Greenland Broadcasting Company provides public radio and TV, with a broadcast station and a series of repeaters; a few private local TV and radio stations; Danish public radio rebroadcasts are available (2019) **Internet country code:** .gl **Internet users:** percent of population: 70% (2017 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 18,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** OY-H **Airports:** 25 (2025) **Heliports:** 54 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 10 (2023) by type: other 10 **Ports:** total ports: 23 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 7 very small: 10 size unknown: 6 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Aasiaat, Illulissat (Jakobshavn), Kusanartoq, Nuuk, Paamuit (Frederikshab), Qeqertarsuaq, Sisimiut ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces **Military - note:** the Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk is responsible for coordinating Denmark's defense of Greenland the US Space Force maintains a base on Greenland’s northwest coast, about 750 miles from the North Pole --- ## Grenada **Slug:** grenada **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇬🇩 **Codes:** cek: gj, iso2: GD, iso3: GRD, iso_num: 308, genc: GRD, stanag: GRD, internet: .gd ### Introduction **Background:** The indigenous Carib people inhabited Grenada when Christopher COLUMBUS landed on the island in 1498, but it remained uncolonized for more than a century. The French settled Grenada in the 17th century, established sugar estates, and imported large numbers of African slaves. Britain took the island in 1762 and vigorously expanded sugar production. In the 19th century, cacao eventually surpassed sugar as the main export crop; in the 20th century, nutmeg became the leading export. In 1967, Britain gave Grenada autonomy over its internal affairs. Full independence was attained in 1974, making Grenada one of the smallest independent countries in the Western Hemisphere. In 1979, a leftist New Jewel Movement seized power under Maurice BISHOP, ushering in the Grenada Revolution. On 19 October 1983, factions within the revolutionary government overthrew and killed BISHOP and members of his party. Six days later, US forces and those of six other Caribbean nations intervened, quickly capturing the ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Rule of law was restored, and democratic elections were reinstituted the following year and have continued since. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago **Geographic coordinates:** 12 07 N, 61 40 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 344 sq km land: 344 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** twice the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 121 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds **Terrain:** volcanic in origin with central mountains **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** timber, tropical fruit **Land use:** agricultural land: 23.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 8.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.9% (2023 est.) forest: 52.1% (2023 est.) other: 24.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 20 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** approximately one third of the population is found in the capital of St. George's; the island's population is concentrated along the coast **Natural hazards:** lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November volcanism: Mount Saint Catherine (840 m) is on the island of Grenada; Kick 'em Jenny, an active submarine volcano (seamount) on the Caribbean Sea floor, lies about 8 km (5 mi) north of Grenada; these two volcanoes are at the southern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends to the Dutch dependency of Saba in the north ### People and Society **Population:** total: 114,915 (2025 est.) male: 58,317 female: 56,598 **Nationality:** noun: Grenadian(s) adjective: Grenadian **Ethnic groups:** African descent 82.4%, mixed 13.3%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.) **Languages:** English (official), French patois **Religions:** Protestant 49.2% (includes Pentecostal 17.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 13.2%, Anglican 8.5%, Baptist 3.2%, Church of God 2.4%, Evangelical 1.9%, Methodist 1.6%, other 1.2%), Roman Catholic 36%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, Rastafarian 1.2%, other 5.5%, none 5.7%, unspecified 1.3% (2011 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 21.9% (male 13,095/female 12,003) 15-64 years: 65.3% (male 38,129/female 36,726) 65 years and over: 12.8% (2024 est.) (male 6,944/female 7,724) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 53.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 33.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 20.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 35.9 years (2025 est.) male: 35.2 years female: 35.7 years **Population growth rate:** 0.24% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 13 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.41 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** approximately one third of the population is found in the capital of St. George's; the island's population is concentrated along the coast **Urbanization:** urban population: 37.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.86% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 39,000 SAINT GEORGE'S (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 48 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 8.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.3 years (2024 est.) male: 73.7 years female: 79.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.89 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.9 (2025 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.7% of GDP (2021) 6.3% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.38 physicians/1,000 population (2018) **Hospital bed density:** 3.2 beds/1,000 population (2018 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 21.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 8.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 11.4% national budget (2025 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 18 years (2018 est.) male: 17 years (2018 est.) female: 18 years (2018 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation causing habitat and species loss; coastal erosion and contamination; pollution and sedimentation; inadequate solid waste management **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds **Land use:** agricultural land: 23.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 8.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.9% (2023 est.) forest: 52.1% (2023 est.) other: 24.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 37.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.86% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 348,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 348,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 10.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 29,500 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 12 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 0 cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 2.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 200 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Grenada etymology: origin of the name remains obscure; some sources attribute the designation to Spanish influence (most likely named for the Spanish city of Granada); in Spanish granada means "pomegranate" **Government type:** parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm **Capital:** name: Saint George's geographic coordinates: 12 03 N, 61 45 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: originally named Ville de Fort Royal (Fort Royal Town), the name was changed to Saint George's Town in 1764, in honor of the patron saint of England, when the English took over Grenada from the French; the name was eventually shortened to Saint George's **Administrative divisions:** 6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petite Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick **Legal system:** common law based on English model **Constitution:** history: previous 1967; latest presented 19 December 1973, effective 7 February 1974, suspended 1979 following a revolution but restored in 1983 amendment process: proposed by either house of Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership in both houses and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments to constitutional sections, such as personal rights and freedoms, the structure, authorities, and procedures of the branches of government, the delimitation of electoral constituencies, or the procedure for amending the constitution, also requires two-thirds majority approval in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years for persons from a non-Caribbean state and 4 years for a person from a Caribbean state **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Cecile LA GRENADE (since 7 May 2013) head of government: Prime Minister Dickon MITCHELL (since 24 June 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor general usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives number of seats: 15 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 6/23/2022 parties elected and seats per party: National Democratic Congress (NDC) (9); New National Party (NNP) (6) percentage of women in chamber: 31.3% expected date of next election: June 2027 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 13 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 8/31/2022 percentage of women in chamber: 30.8% expected date of next election: August 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): regionally, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, and independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62 subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; Court of Magisterial Appeals note: appeals beyond the ECSC in civil and criminal matters are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) **Political parties:** National Democratic Congress or NDC New National Party or NNP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Tarlie FRANCIS (since 15 September 2023) chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561 FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468 email address and website: embassy@grenadaembassyusa.org https://grenadaembassyusa.org/ consulate(s) general: Miami, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: the US does not have an official embassy in Grenada; the Chargé d’Affaires to Barbados, Karin B. SULLIVAN, is accredited to Grenada embassy: Lance-aux-Epines, Saint George's mailing address: 3180 Grenada Place, Washington DC 20521-3180 telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820 email address and website: StgeorgesACS@state.gov https://bb.usembassy.gov/embassy/grenada/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ACS, AOSIS, CARIFORUM, CARIBCAN, Caricom, CBI, CDB, CELAC, CSME, ECCU, EPA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO **Independence:** 7 February 1974 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 7 February (1974) **Flag:** description: a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (left and right), with a wide red border around the flag; three five-pointed yellow stars are centered on the top and bottom of the red border, with one larger yellow star on a red disk at the center of the flag; a small yellow-and-red nutmeg pod is on the left triangle meaning: the seven stars stand for the country's administrative divisions, with the central star symbolizing the capital, St. George's; yellow stands for the sun and the warmth of the people, green for vegetation and agriculture, and red for harmony, unity, and courage **National symbol(s):** Grenada dove, bougainvillea flower **National color(s):** red, yellow, green **National coat of arms:** Grenada’s coat of arms shows Grand Etang Lake, a crater lake on the volcano that formed Grenada; in the center of the shield is Christopher Columbus’s ship, the Santa Maria, which landed on the island in 1498; the gold cross dividing the shield, the two Madonna lilies, and the national motto signal the importance of religion; two lions symbolize past UK rule (1762-1974), as well as Grenada’s current status as a Commonwealth country; the corn stalk and banana plant represent agriculture; the armadillo and Grenada dove next to the shield are native to the island, and the roses in the bougainvillea flower garland represent Grenada’s seven communities **National anthem(s):** title: "Hail Grenada" lyrics/music: Irva Merle BAPTISTE/Louis Arnold MASANTO history: adopted 1974 _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: royal anthem, as a Commonwealth country ### Economy **Economic overview:** small OECS service-based economy; large tourism, construction, transportation, and education sectors; major spice exporter; shrinking but still high public debt; vulnerable to hurricanes; emerging blue economy incentives **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $2.08 billion (2024 est.) $2.005 billion (2023 est.) $1.916 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.7% (2024 est.) 4.7% (2023 est.) 7.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $17,700 (2024 est.) $17,100 (2023 est.) $16,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.391 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.1% (2024 est.) 2.7% (2023 est.) 2.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2.7% (2024 est.) industry: 14.8% (2024 est.) services: 65.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, coconuts, eggs, vegetables, fruits, bananas, plantains, grapefruits, avocados, mangoes/guavas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction, education, call-center operations **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.9% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Population below poverty line:** 25% (2018 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 43.8 (2018 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.1% (2018 est.) highest 10%: 33.7% (2018 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 5% of GDP (2024 est.) 5.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $288.404 million (2017 est.) expenditures: $222.475 million (2017 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Current account balance:** -$270.771 million (2024 est.) -$243.473 million (2023 est.) -$148.445 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $858.949 million (2024 est.) $828.529 million (2023 est.) $706.195 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 24%, Antigua & Barbuda 13%, St. Vincent & the Grenadines 8%, Dominica 6%, Trinidad & Tobago 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** nutmeg/cardamons, fish, wheat flours, frozen fruits and nuts, aqueous paints (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $990.587 million (2024 est.) $924.688 million (2023 est.) $785.022 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 37%, Trinidad & Tobago 13%, Cayman Islands 10%, China 4%, UK 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, poultry, ships, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $423.263 million (2024 est.) $404.13 million (2023 est.) $371.767 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $501.371 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2.7 (2024 est.) 2.7 (2023 est.) 2.7 (2022 est.) 2.7 (2021 est.) 2.7 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 94.2% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 60,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 221.453 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 18 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 98.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 41.703 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 17,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 112,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 96 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** multiple publicly and privately owned TV and radio stations; state-owned Grenada Information Service (GIS) provides TV and radio; the Grenada Broadcasting Network, jointly owned by the government and the Caribbean Communications Network of Trinidad and Tobago, operates a TV station and 2 radio stations; multi-channel cable TV subscription service is provided by Columbus Communications Grenada (FLOW GRENADA); approximately 25 private radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .gd **Internet users:** percent of population: 74% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 35,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** J3 **Airports:** 2 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 6 (2023) by type: general cargo 3, other 3 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: St. George's ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; the Royal Grenada Police Force (under the Ministry of National Security) includes a Coast Guard and a paramilitary Special Services Unit (2025) **Military - note:** Grenada joined the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) in 1985; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** IDPs: 383 (2024 est.) --- ## Guam **Slug:** guam **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇬🇺 **Codes:** cek: gq, iso2: GU, iso3: GUM, iso_num: 316, genc: GUM, stanag: GUM, internet: .gu ### Introduction **Background:** Guam was settled by Austronesian people around 1500 B.C. These people became the indigenous Chamorro and were influenced by later migrations, including the Micronesians in the first millennium A.D., and island Southeast Asians around 900. Society was stratified, with higher classes living along the coast and lower classes living inland. Spanish explorer Ferdinand MAGELLAN was the first European to see Guam in 1521, and Spain claimed the island in 1565 because it served as a refueling stop for ships between Mexico and the Philippines. Spain formally colonized Guam in 1668. Spain’s brutal repression of the Chamorro, along with new diseases and intermittent warfare, reduced the indigenous population from more than 100,000 to less than 5,000 by the 1700s. Spain tried to repopulate the island by forcing people from nearby islands to settle on Guam and preventing them from escaping. Guam became a hub for whalers and traders in the western Pacific in the early 1800s. During the 1898 Spanish-American War, the US Navy occupied Guam and set up a military administration. The US Navy opposed local control of government despite repeated petitions from the Chamorro. Japan invaded Guam in 1941 and instituted a repressive regime. During the US recapture of Guam in 1944, the island’s two largest villages were destroyed. After World War II, political pressure from local Chamorro leaders led to Guam being established as an unincorporated organized US territory in 1950, with US citizenship granted to all Chamorro. In a referendum in 1982, more than 75% of voters chose closer relations with the US over independence, although no change in status was made because of disagreements on the future right of Chamorro self-determination. The US military holds about 29% of Guam’s land and stations several thousand troops on the island. The installations are some of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific; they also constitute the island’s most important source of income and economic stability. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines **Geographic coordinates:** 13 28 N, 144 47 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 544 sq km land: 544 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** three times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 125.5 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season (January to June), rainy season (July to December); little seasonal temperature variation **Terrain:** volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in center, mountains in south **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** aquatic wildlife (supporting tourism), fishing (largely undeveloped) **Land use:** agricultural land: 29.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 13% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 14.8% (2023 est.) forest: 52.4% (2023 est.) other: 18% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 2 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** no large cities exist on the island; large villages (municipalities) attract much of the population; the largest of these is Dededo **Natural hazards:** frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare but potentially destructive typhoons (June to December) **Geography - note:** largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago and the largest island in Micronesia; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean ### People and Society **Population:** total: 169,691 (2025 est.) male: 87,448 female: 82,243 **Nationality:** noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens) adjective: Guamanian **Ethnic groups:** Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 46.1% (Chamorro 32.8%, Chuukese 6.7%, Palauan 1.4%, Pohnpeian 1.4%, Yapese 1%, other Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 2.8%), Asian 35.5% (Filipino 29.1%, Korean 2.2%, Japanese 1.4%, Chinese (except Taiwanese) 1.3%, other Asian 1.5%), White 6.8%, African descent or African-American 0.9%, Indigenous 0.1%, other 0.6%, mixed 10% (2020 est.) **Languages:** English 43.3%, Filipino 24.9%, Chamorro 16%, other Pacific Island languages 9.4%, Asian languages 6.5% (2020 est.) **Religions:** Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) 94.2%, folk religions 1.5%, Buddhist 1.1%, other 1.6%, unaffiliated 1.7% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 26.4% (male 23,139/female 21,632) 15-64 years: 62.7% (male 55,591/female 50,741) 65 years and over: 10.9% (2024 est.) (male 8,615/female 9,814) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 59.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 41.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 18.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 5.5 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 30.5 years (2025 est.) male: 29.6 years female: 31.1 years **Population growth rate:** 0.08% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 17.9 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.18 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -10.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** no large cities exist on the island; large villages (municipalities) attract much of the population; the largest of these is Dededo **Urbanization:** urban population: 95.2% of total population (2022) rate of urbanization: 0.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 147,000 HAGATNA (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 11 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 78 years (2024 est.) male: 75.6 years female: 80.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.7 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.31 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 99.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.8% of population (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 40.4% (2020 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** freshwater scarcity; reef damage; inadequate sewage treatment; rapid proliferation of the non-native brown tree snake **Climate:** tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season (January to June), rainy season (July to December); little seasonal temperature variation **Land use:** agricultural land: 29.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 13% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 14.8% (2023 est.) forest: 52.4% (2023 est.) other: 18% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 95.2% of total population (2022) rate of urbanization: 0.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 1.819 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.819 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 141,500 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 17.9% (2011 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Guam local long form: none local short form: Guahan abbreviation: GU etymology: the native Chamorro name for the island, Guahan (meaning "we have"), was changed to Guam in the 1898 Treaty of Paris, when Spain relinquished Guam, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines to the US **Government type:** unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches **Dependency status:** unincorporated, organized territory of the US, with policy relations between Guam and the Federal government under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior **Capital:** name: Hagatna (Agana) geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 44 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name Hagatna is derived from the Chamorro word haga, meaning "life's blood" and referring to the town's role as the center of government for the island **Legal system:** common law modeled on US system; US federal laws apply **Constitution:** history: effective 1 July 1950 (Guam Act of 1950 serves as a constitution) **Citizenship:** see United States **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal note: Guamanians are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025) head of government: Governor Lourdes LEON GUERRERO (since 7 January 2019) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the Legislature election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of electors chosen from each state to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president, but they can vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ballot by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for 2 consecutive terms) most recent election date: gubernatorial: 8 November 2022 election results: 2022: Lourdes LEON GUERRERO reelected governor; percent of vote - Lourdes LEON GUERRERO (Democratic Party) 55%, Felix CAMACHO (Republican Party) 44%; Josh TENORIO (Democratic Party) elected lieutenant governor 2018: Lourdes LEON GUERRERO elected governor; percent of vote - Lourdes LEON GUERRERO (Democratic Party) 50.7%, Ray TENORIO (Republican Party) 26.4%; Josh TENORIO (Democratic Party) elected lieutenant governor expected date of next election: gubernatorial: 3 November 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Legislature of Guam (Liheslaturan Guahan) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 15 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 2 years most recent election date: 11/8/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Democratic Party (9); Republican Party (6) percentage of women in chamber: 40% expected date of next election: November 2024 note: Guam directly elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term as delegate to the US House of Representatives; the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Guam (consists of 3 justices) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Guam legislature; justices appointed for life but subject to retention election every 10 years subordinate courts: Superior Court of Guam (includes several divisions); US Federal District Court for the District of Guam (a US territorial court; appeals beyond this court are heard before the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit) note: appeals beyond the Supreme Court of Guam are referred to the US Supreme Court **Political parties:** Democratic Party Republican Party **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (territory of the US) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (territory of the US) **International organization participation:** AOSIS (observer), IOC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU **Independence:** none (territory of the US) **National holiday:** Discovery Day (or Magellan Day), first Monday in March (1521) **Flag:** description: territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, a proa (outrigger canoe with sail), and a palm tree; the word GUAM in red is centered in the ellipse; the proa is sailing in Agana Bay with the promontory of Puntan Dos Amantes in the background meaning: blue stands for the sea and red for the blood shed in the fight against oppression; the central emblem is shaped like a Chamorro sling stone (a weapon for defense or hunting) note: the US flag is the national flag **National symbol(s):** coconut tree **National color(s):** deep blue, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Fanohge Chamoru" (Stand, Ye Guamanians) lyrics/music: Ramon Manalisay SABLAN [English], Lagrimas UNTALAN [Chamoru]/Ramon Manalisay SABLAN history: adopted 1919; the local anthem is also known as "Guam Hymn" _____ title: "The Star-Spangled Banner" lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH history: official anthem, as a US territory; played before "Stand, Ye Guamanians" ### Economy **Economic overview:** small Pacific island US territorial economy; upper income, tourism-based economy; hard-hit by COVID-19 disruptions; relaunched many industries via vaccination tourism; domestic economy relies on multiple military bases; environmentally fragile economy **Real GDP growth rate:** 5.1% (2022 est.) 2.1% (2021 est.) -10.5% (2020 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $35,600 (2016 est.) $35,200 (2015 est.) $34,400 (2014 est.) **GDP (official exchange rate):** $6.91 billion (2022 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Agricultural products:** fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef **Industries:** national defense, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles **Labor force:** 77,700 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.6% (2024 est.) 5.4% (2023 est.) 5.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 13.7% (2024 est.) male: 13.3% (2024 est.) female: 14.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Average household expenditures:** on food: 34.6% of household expenditures (2021 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.3% of household expenditures (2021 est.) **Budget:** revenues: $1.24 billion (2016 est.) expenditures: $1.299 billion (2016 est.) **Exports:** $545 million (2022 est.) $193 million (2021 est.) $379 million (2020 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Taiwan 42%, Hong Kong 12%, Philippines 11%, Italy 8%, Australia 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** scrap iron, scrap copper, trunks and cases (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports:** $4.421 billion (2022 est.) $3.662 billion (2021 est.) $3.388 billion (2020 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Singapore 52%, Japan 15%, Malaysia 6%, Taiwan 4%, Greece 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, trunks and cases, gas turbines, flavored water (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** the US dollar is used ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 525,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.715 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 90.023 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 92.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 7.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 150.555 million Btu/person (2019 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 71,300 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 98,000 (2004 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 60 (2004 est.) **Broadcast media:** about a dozen TV channels, including digital; multi-channel cable TV services are available; roughly 20 radio stations **Internet country code:** .gu **Internet users:** percent of population: 81% (2017 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 3,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** N **Airports:** 3 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 3 (2023) by type: other 3 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Apra Harbor ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Guam Police Department (GPD); Guam (US) National Guard **Military - note:** the US military maintains thousands of active-duty uniformed personnel and several bases and installations on the island --- ## Guatemala **Slug:** guatemala **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇬🇹 **Codes:** cek: gt, iso2: GT, iso3: GTM, iso_num: 320, genc: GTM, stanag: GTM, internet: .gt ### Introduction **Background:** The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments, as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the internal conflict. ### Geography **Location:** Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize **Geographic coordinates:** 15 30 N, 90 15 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 108,889 sq km land: 107,159 sq km water: 1,730 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Pennsylvania **Land boundaries:** total: 1,667 km border countries (4): Belize 266 km; El Salvador 199 km; Honduras 244 km; Mexico 958 km **Coastline:** 400 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands **Terrain:** two east-west trending mountain chains divide the country into three regions: the mountainous highlands, the Pacific coast south of mountains, and the vast northern Peten lowlands **Elevation:** highest point: Volcan Tajumulco (highest point in Central America) 4,220 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 759 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 43% (2023 est.) arable land: 14.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 17.5% (2023 est.) forest: 33.2% (2023 est.) other: 23.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 3,375 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lago de Izabal - 590 sq km **Population distribution:** the vast majority of the populace resides in the southern half of the country, particularly in the mountainous regions; more than half of the population lives in rural areas **Natural hazards:** numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms volcanism: significant volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (3,772 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pacaya (2,552 m) is one of the country's most active volcanoes, with frequent eruptions since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana; see note 2 under "Geography - note" **Geography - note:** note 1: despite having both eastern and western coastlines (Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean), there are no natural harbors on the west coast note 2: Guatemala is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes ### People and Society **Population:** total: 17,148,610 (2025 est.) male: 8,473,085 female: 8,675,525 **Nationality:** noun: Guatemalan(s) adjective: Guatemalan **Ethnic groups:** Mestizo (mixed Indigenous-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) 56%, Maya 41.7%, Xinca (Indigenous, non-Maya) 1.8%, African descent 0.2%, Garifuna (mixed West and Central African, Island Carib, and Arawak) 0.1%, foreign 0.2% (2018 est.) **Languages:** Spanish (official) 69.9%, Maya languages 29.7% (Q'eqchi' 8.3%, K'iche 7.8%, Mam 4.4%, Kaqchikel 3%, Q'anjob'al 1.2%, Poqomchi' 1%, other 4%), other 0.4% (includes Xinca and Garifuna) (2018 est.) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: the 2003 Law of National Languages officially recognized 23 indigenous languages, including 21 Maya languages, Xinca, and Garifuna **Religions:** Evangelical 45.7%, Roman Catholic 42.4%, none 11%, unspecified 0.9% (2023 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 31.5% (male 2,925,079/female 2,819,927) 15-64 years: 63.2% (male 5,688,500/female 5,839,958) 65 years and over: 5.4% (2024 est.) (male 437,105/female 544,647) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 51.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 41.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 9.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 10.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 26.7 years (2025 est.) male: 24.2 years female: 25.4 years **Population growth rate:** 0.99% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 17.12 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the vast majority of the populace resides in the southern half of the country, particularly in the mountainous regions; more than half of the population lives in rural areas **Urbanization:** urban population: 53.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.095 million GUATEMALA CITY (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 20.6 years (2014/15 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 94 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 23.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 28.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 73.5 years (2024 est.) male: 71.5 years female: 75.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.97 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.96 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 97.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 91% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 9% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.9% of GDP (2021) 16.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.28 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Hospital bed density:** 0.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 91.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 68.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 80.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 8.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 31.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 19.2% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 21.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 11.8% (2025 est.) male: 22.5% (2025 est.) female: 1.5% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 14.4% (2021 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 56.2% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 6.2% (2015) women married by age 18: 29.5% (2015) men married by age 18: 9.6% (2015) **Education expenditure:** 3.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 17.3% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 82.1% (2024 est.) male: 86.9% (2024 est.) female: 78.5% (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 11 years (2023 est.) male: 10 years (2023 est.) female: 11 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands **Land use:** agricultural land: 43% (2023 est.) arable land: 14.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 17.5% (2023 est.) forest: 33.2% (2023 est.) other: 23.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 53.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 18.546 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.31 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 16.232 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 4,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 21.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.757 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 835 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 603.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.886 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 127.91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala conventional short form: Guatemala local long form: República de Guatemala local short form: Guatemala etymology: the Spanish conquistadors' first capital (established in 1524) was a former Mayan settlement called "Quauhtemallan" by their Nahuatl-speaking Mexican allies, a name that means "land of the eagle" but that the Spanish probably pronounced "Guatemala" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Guatemala City geographic coordinates: 14 37 N, 90 31 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the Spanish conquistadors' first capital (established in 1524) was a former Mayan settlement called "Quauhtemallan" by their Nahuatl-speaking Mexican allies, a name that means "land of the eagle" but that the Spanish probably pronounced "Guatemala" **Administrative divisions:** 22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepéquez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Sololá, Suchitepéquez, Totonicapán, Zacapa **Legal system:** civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; suspended and reinstated in 1994 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic, by agreement of 10 or more deputies of Congress, by the Constitutional Court, or by public petition of at least 5,000 citizens; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Congress membership and approval by public referendum, referred to as "popular consultation"; constitutional articles such as national sovereignty, the republican form of government, limitations on those seeking the presidency, or presidential tenure cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years with no absences of six consecutive months or longer or absences totaling more than a year **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal note: active-duty members of the armed forces and police by law cannot vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Bernardo ARÉVALO de León (since 15 January 2024) head of government: President Bernardo ARÉVALO de León (since 15 January 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (not eligible for consecutive terms) most recent election date: 25 June 2023, with a runoff on 20 August 2023 election results: 2023: Bernardo ARÉVALO de León elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Sandra TORRES (UNE) 21%; Bernardo ARÉVALO de León (SEMILLA) 15.6%, Manuel CONDE Orellana (VAMOS) 10.4%; Armando CASTILLO Alvarado (VIVA) 9.6%, other 43.4%; percent of vote in second round - Bernardo ARÉVALO de León 60.9%, Sandra TORRES 39.1% 2019: Alejandro GIAMMATTEI elected president; percent of vote in first round - Sandra TORRES (UNE) 25.5%, Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (VAMOS) 14%, Edmond MULET (PHG) 11.2%, Thelma CABRERA (MLP) 10.4%, Roberto ARZU (PAN-PODEMOS) 6.1%, other 32.8%; percent of vote in second round - Alejandro GIAMMATTEI 58%, Sandra TORRES 42% expected date of next election: June 2027 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la República) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 160 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 6/25/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Let’s Go for a Different Guatemala (Vamos) (39); National Unity of Hope Party (UNE) (28); Seed Movement (Semilla) (23); Cabal (18); Vision with Values (VIVA) (11); Other (41) percentage of women in chamber: 20% expected date of next election: June 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 13 magistrates, including the court president and organized into 3 chambers) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court magistrates elected by the Congress of the Republic from candidates proposed by the Postulation Committee, an independent body of deans of the country's university law schools, representatives of the country's law associations, and representatives of the Courts of Appeal; magistrates elected for concurrent, renewable 5-year terms; Constitutional Court judges - 1 elected by the Congress of the Republic, 1 by the Supreme Court, 1 by the president of the republic, 1 by the (public) University of San Carlos, and 1 by the Assembly of the College of Attorneys and Notaries; judges elected for renewable, consecutive 5-year terms; the presidency of the court rotates among the magistrates for a single 1-year term subordinate courts: Appellate Courts of Accounts, Contentious Administrative Tribunal, courts of appeal, first instance courts, child and adolescence courts, minor or peace courts note 1: the Supreme Court of Justice president also supervises trial judges countrywide note 2: the Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad of Guatemala resides outside the country's judicial system; its sole purpose is the interpretation of the constitution and to see that the laws and regulations are not superior to the constitution (consists of 5 titular magistrates and 5 substitute magistrates) **Political parties:** Bienestar Nacional or BIEN Blue Party (Partido Azul) or Blue CABAL Cambio Citizen Prosperity or PC Commitment, Renewal, and Order or CREO Elephant Community (Comunidad Elefante) or Elephant Everyone Together for Guatemala or TODOS Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG-MAIZ or URNG Humanist Party of Guatemala or PHG Movement for the Liberation of Peoples or MLP Movimiento Semilla or SEMILLA National Advancement Party or PAN National Convergence Front or FCN-NACION National Unity for Hope or UNE Nationalist Change Union or UCN (dissolved 16 December 2021) Nosotros or PPN PODEMOS Political Movement Winaq or Winaq TODOS Value or VALOR Vamos por una Guatemala Diferente or VAMOS Victory or VICTORIA Vision with Values or VIVA Will, Opportunity and Solidarity (Voluntad, Oportunidad y Solidaridad) or VOS **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo Eduardo BETETA (since 17 June 2024) chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4953 FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 email address and website: embestadosunidos@minex.gob.gt https://estadosunidos.minex.gob.gt/home/home.aspx consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus (OH), Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville (TN), New York, Oklahoma City, Omaha (NE), Philadelphia, Phoenix, Providence (RI), Raleigh (NC), Rockville (MD), San Francisco, Seattle consulate(s): Dallas, Del Rio (TX), Lake Worth (FL), McAllen (TX), Riverhead (NY), San Bernardino (CA), Tucson (AZ) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Tobin BRADLEY (since 12 February 2024) embassy: Boulevard Austriaco 11-51, Zone 16, Guatemala City mailing address: 3190 Guatemala Place, Washington DC 20521-3190 telephone: [502] 2354-0000 FAX: [502] 2326-4654 email address and website: AmCitsGuatemala@state.gov https://gt.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACS, BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 15 September 1821 (from Spain) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 15 September (1821) **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of light blue (left side), white, and light blue, with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green-and-red quetzal (the national bird), a scroll with the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain), a pair of crossed rifles, and a pair of crossed swords; a laurel wreath frames the objects meaning: the rifles stand for Guatemala's willingness to defend itself, the swords for honor, and the laurel wreath for victory; blue stands for the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, and white for peace and purity note: one of two national flags featuring a firearm -- the other is Mozambique **National symbol(s):** quetzal (bird) **National color(s):** blue, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Himno Nacional de Guatemala" (National Anthem of Guatemala) lyrics/music: Jose Joaquin PALMA/Rafael Alvarez OVALLE history: adopted 1897, modified lyrics adopted 1934; Cuban poet Jose Joaquin PALMA anonymously submitted lyrics to a public contest calling for a national anthem and it was not discovered until 1911; anthem has four verses with four separate choruses at the end of each verse -- all are official, and the anthem is sung in its entirety when performed in Guatemala **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Antigua Guatemala (c); Tikal National Park (m); Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quirigua (c); National Archaeological Park Tak'alik Ab'aj (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** developing Central American economy; steady economic growth fueled by remittances; high poverty and income inequality; limited government services, lack of employment opportunities, and frequent natural disasters impede human development efforts and drive emigration **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $232.673 billion (2024 est.) $224.475 billion (2023 est.) $216.815 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.7% (2024 est.) 3.5% (2023 est.) 4.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $12,600 (2024 est.) $12,400 (2023 est.) $12,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $113.2 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.9% (2024 est.) 6.2% (2023 est.) 6.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 9.8% (2024 est.) industry: 21.7% (2024 est.) services: 61.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 88% (2024 est.) government consumption: 10.9% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 16.1% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.6% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 15.9% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -31.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, bananas, oil palm fruit, maize, cantaloupes/melons, potatoes, milk, tomatoes, chicken, pineapples (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism **Industrial production growth rate:** 2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 7.575 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.3% (2024 est.) 2.4% (2023 est.) 3.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 4.2% (2024 est.) male: 4% (2024 est.) female: 4.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 56% (2023 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 45.2 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 35.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.6% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 34.1% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 19.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 19.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 19% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $16.603 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $17.349 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 31.56% of GDP (2020 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 11.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $3.333 billion (2024 est.) $3.212 billion (2023 est.) $1.116 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $17.997 billion (2024 est.) $17.342 billion (2023 est.) $18.141 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 33%, El Salvador 11%, Honduras 9%, Nicaragua 6%, Mexico 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** garments, bananas, coffee, palm oil, raw sugar (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $35.576 billion (2024 est.) $33.056 billion (2023 est.) $33.943 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 30%, China 19%, Mexico 11%, El Salvador 4%, Costa Rica 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, video displays, cars, trucks, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $24.412 billion (2024 est.) $21.311 billion (2023 est.) $20.415 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $11.862 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 7.759 (2024 est.) 7.832 (2023 est.) 7.748 (2022 est.) 7.734 (2021 est.) 7.722 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 99.1% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 97.7% electrification - rural areas: 98.2% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 4.995 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 12.222 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 1.104 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 1.573 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.716 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 25.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 42% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 2.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 25.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 1.012 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 20 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 808,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 117,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 86.11 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 2.016 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 1.991 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 17.096 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.98 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 20.7 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 113 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 4 privately owned national terrestrial TV channels dominate TV broadcasting; multi-channel satellite and cable services are available; 1 government-owned radio station and hundreds of privately owned radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .gt **Internet users:** percent of population: 56% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 921,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** TG **Airports:** 58 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Railways:** total: 800 km (2018) narrow gauge: 800 km (2018) 0.914-m gauge note: despite the existence of a railway network, all rail service was suspended in 2007 and no passenger or freight train currently runs in the country (2018) **Merchant marine:** total: 9 (2023) by type: oil tanker 1, other 8 **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Army of Guatemala (Ejercito de Guatemala; aka Armed Forces of Guatemala or Fuerzas Armadas de Guatemala): Land Forces (Fuerzas de Tierra), Naval Forces (Fuerzas de Mar), and Air Force (Fuerza de Aire) (2025) note: the National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil or PNC) are under the Ministry of Government (Interior) **Military expenditures:** 0.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 20,000 active Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military is lightly armed with an inventory mostly comprised of ageing US equipment; in recent years, the US has provided additional secondhand equipment (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-28 for voluntary service for men and women (17-21 for military schools); all Guatemalan men 18-49 are subject to selective compulsory service; service obligation is 12-24 months (2025) **Military deployments:** 180 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2025) **Military - note:** the military is responsible for maintaining the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the honor of Guatemala, but has long focused on internal security; since the 2000s, the Guatemalan Government has used the military to support the National Civil Police in internal security operations (as permitted by the constitution) to combat organized crime, gang violence, and narco-trafficking; other responsibilities include border security, cybersecurity, and providing humanitarian assistance; it also participates in UN missions on a small scale and has a peacekeeping operations training command that offers training to regional countries; the military has security ties with regional partners such as Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, and Honduras; cooperation with El Salvador and Honduras has included a combined police-military anti-gang task force to patrol border areas; it also has ties with the US, including joint training exercises and material assistance the military held power during most of Guatemala’s 36-year civil war (1960-1996) and conducted a campaign of widespread violence and repression, particularly against the country’s majority indigenous population; more than 200,000 people were estimated to have been killed or disappeared during the conflict (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 4,676 (2024 est.) IDPs: 572,813 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Guernsey **Slug:** guernsey **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇬🇬 **Codes:** cek: gk, iso2: GG, iso3: GGY, iso_num: 831, genc: GGY, stanag: UK, internet: .gg ### Introduction **Background:** Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Duchy of Normandy, which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil that Germany occupied in World War II. The Bailiwick of Guernsey consists of the main island of Guernsey and a number of smaller islands, including Alderney, Sark, Herm, Jethou, Brecqhou, and Lihou. The Bailiwick is a self-governing British Crown dependency that is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation. ### Geography **Location:** Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France **Geographic coordinates:** 49 28 N, 2 35 W **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 78 sq km land: 78 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands **Area - comparative:** about one-half the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 50 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm **Climate:** temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast **Terrain:** mostly flat with low hills in southwest **Elevation:** highest point: Le Moulin on Sark 114 m lowest point: English Channel 0 m **Natural resources:** cropland **Land use:** agricultural land: 43.3% (2022 est.) arable land: 18.3% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 24.9% (2022 est.) forest: 5.2% (2022 est.) other: 51.6% (2022 est.) **Irrigated land:** NA **Natural hazards:** very large tidal variation and fast currents can make local waters dangerous **Geography - note:** large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port ### People and Society **Population:** total: 67,923 (2025 est.) male: 33,760 female: 34,163 **Nationality:** noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander **Ethnic groups:** Guernsey 53.5%, UK and Ireland 23.8%, Portugal 2.1%, Latvia 1.4%, other Europe 2.7%, other Crown Dependencies 0.7%, other 5.3%, unspecified 10.5% (2022 est.) note: data represent population by country of birth; the native population is of British and Norman-French descent **Languages:** English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts **Religions:** Protestant (Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist), Roman Catholic **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 14.3% (male 4,999/female 4,717) 15-64 years: 64.1% (male 21,937/female 21,547) 65 years and over: 21.5% (2024 est.) (male 6,776/female 7,811) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 56.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 22.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 34.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 45.1 years (2025 est.) male: 43.8 years female: 46.2 years **Population growth rate:** 0.19% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 9.64 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.19 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 1.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 31.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Guernsey and Jersey **Major urban areas - population:** 16,000 SAINT PETER PORT (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 83.6 years (2024 est.) male: 80.9 years female: 86.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.59 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.78 (2025 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** coastal erosion, coastal flooding; declining biodiversity **Climate:** temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast **Land use:** agricultural land: 43.3% (2022 est.) arable land: 18.3% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 24.9% (2022 est.) forest: 5.2% (2022 est.) other: 51.6% (2022 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 31.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Guernsey and Jersey **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 178,900 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 28.4% (2016 est.) note: data include combined totals for Guernsey and Jersey. ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Guernsey former: Norman Isles etymology: the name is of Old Norse origin; the meaning of the root "Guern(s)" is unclear but may refer to a person's name, Grani, or to the color green; the "-ey" ending means "island" **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (States of Deliberation) **Dependency status:** British crown dependency **Capital:** name: Saint Peter Port geographic coordinates: 49 27 N, 2 32 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: named for the patron saint of fishermen; "port" distinguishes it from the Saint Peter (sometimes called Saint Peter in the Wood) on the other side of the island **Administrative divisions:** no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 10 parishes: Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint Saviour, Torteval, Vale note: two additional parishes for Guernsey are sometimes listed -- Saint Anne on the island of Alderney and Saint Peter on the island of Sark **Legal system:** customary system based on Norman customary law; includes elements of the French civil code and English common law **Constitution:** history: unwritten; includes royal charters, statutes, and common law and practice amendment process: new laws or changes to existing laws are initiated by the States of Deliberation; passage requires majority vote **Citizenship:** see United Kingdom **Suffrage:** 16 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant-Governor Richard CRIPWELL (since 15 February 2022) head of government: Chief Minister Lindsay de SAUSMAREZ (since 1 July 2025) cabinet: none election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch; chief minister, who is the president of the Policy and Resources Committee, indirectly elected by the States of Deliberation for a 4-year term most recent election date: 7/1/2025 election results: 2025: Lindsay de SAUSMAREZ (independent) elected president of the Policy and Resources Committee and chief minister 2020: Peter FERBRACHE (independent) elected president of the Policy and Resources Committee and chief minister: percent of States of Guernsey vote - 57.5% 2016: Gavin ST. PIER (independent) elected president of the Policy and Resources Committee and chief minister expected date of next election: 2029 note: the chief minister is the president of the Policy and Resources Committee and is the de facto head of government; the Policy and Resources Committee, elected by the States of Deliberation, functions as the executive; the 5 members all have equal voting rights **Legislative branch:** legislature name: States of Deliberation legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 38 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 7/1/2025 parties elected and seats per party: independent (35); Forward Guernsey (3) percentage of women in chamber: 20% expected date of next election: 2030 note: non-voting members include the bailiff (presiding officer), attorney-general, and solicitor-general **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Guernsey Court of Appeal (consists of the Bailiff of Guernsey, who is the ex-officio president of the Guernsey Court of Appeal, and at least 12 judges); Royal Court (organized into 3 divisions - Full Court sits with 1 judge and 7 to 12 jurats acting as judges of fact, Ordinary Court sits with 1 judge and normally 3 jurats, and Matrimonial Causes Division sits with 1 judge and 4 jurats) judge selection and term of office: Royal Court Bailiff, Deputy Bailiff, and Court of Appeal justices appointed by the British Crown and hold office at Her Majesty's pleasure; jurats elected by the States of Election, a body chaired by the Bailiff and a number of jurats subordinate courts: Court of Alderney; Court of the Seneschal of Sark; Magistrates' Court (includes Juvenile Court); Contracts Court; Ecclesiastical Court; Court of Chief Pleas note: appeals beyond Guernsey courts are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) **Political parties:** Forward Guernsey **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (British crown dependency) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (British crown dependency) **International organization participation:** UPU **Independence:** none (British Crown dependency) **National holiday:** Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) **Flag:** description: white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of William the Conqueror on top of the Saint George cross meaning: the red cross represents Guernsey's status as a British Crown dependency history: the gold cross is a replica of the one William the Conqueror carried at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 **National symbol(s):** Guernsey cow, donkey **National color(s):** red, white, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Sarnia Cherie" (Guernsey Dear) lyrics/music: George DEIGHTON/Domencio SANTANGELO history: adopted 1911; serves as a local anthem _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as a British crown dependency ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income English Channel island economy; strong financial sector but stressed due to COVID-19 disruptions; manufacturing, tourism, and construction industries suffered but expected to recover; stable inflation; maintains independent taxation authority **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.7% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) 9.9% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey **GDP (official exchange rate):** $12.508 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.6% (2023 est.) industry: 8.2% (2023 est.) services: 91.2% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle **Industries:** tourism, banking **Industrial production growth rate:** 1.3% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey **Labor force:** 82,400 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work;entry includes Jersey and Guernsey **Unemployment rate:** 6.3% (2024 est.) 6.2% (2023 est.) 6.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 14.1% (2024 est.) male: 14.2% (2024 est.) female: 13.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Exports - partners:** almost entirely United Kingdom (2022) **Exports - commodities:** aircraft, photo lab equipment, clocks, ships, paintings (2022) top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports - partners:** almost entirely United Kingdom (2022) **Imports - commodities:** ships, aircraft, refined petroleum, mineral manufactures, beverages (2022) **Exchange rates:** Guernsey pound per US dollar Exchange rates: 0.782 (2024 est.) 0.805 (2023 est.) 0.811 (2022 est.) 0.727 (2021 est.) 0.78 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) note: includes Guernsey and Jersey ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 32,637 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 51 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 75,126 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 117 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** multiple UK terrestrial TV broadcasts are received via a transmitter in Jersey with relays in Jersey, Guernsey, and Alderney; satellite packages are available; BBC Radio Guernsey and 1 other radio station **Internet country code:** .gg **Internet users:** percent of population: 86.6% (2021 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 25,336 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 40 (2020 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 2 **Airports:** 2 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Alderney Harbour, Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the UK --- ## Guinea **Slug:** guinea **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇬🇳 **Codes:** cek: gv, iso2: GN, iso3: GIN, iso_num: 324, genc: GIN, stanag: GIN, internet: .gn ### Introduction **Background:** Guinea's deep Muslim heritage arrived via the neighboring Almoravid Empire in the 11th century. Following Almoravid decline, Guinea existed on the fringe of several African kingdoms, all competing for regional dominance. In the 13th century, the Mali Empire took control of Guinea and encouraged its already growing Muslim faith. After the fall of the West African empires, various smaller kingdoms controlled Guinea. In the 18th century, Fulani Muslims established an Islamic state in central Guinea that provided one of the earliest examples of a written constitution and alternating leadership. European traders first arrived in the 16th century, and the French secured colonial rule in the 19th century. In 1958, Guinea achieved independence from France. Sekou TOURE became Guinea’s first post-independence president; he established a dictatorial regime and ruled until his death in 1984, after which General Lansana CONTE staged a coup and seized the government. He too established an authoritarian regime and manipulated presidential elections until his death in 2008, when Captain Moussa Dadis CAMARA led a military coup, seized power, and suspended the constitution. In 2009, CAMARA was wounded in an assassination attempt and was exiled to Burkina Faso. In 2010 and 2013 respectively, the country held its first free and fair presidential and legislative elections. Alpha CONDE won the 2010 and 2015 presidential elections, and his first cabinet was the first all-civilian government in Guinean history. CONDE won a third term in 2020 after a constitutional change to term limits. In 2021, Col Mamady DOUMBOUYA led another successful military coup, establishing the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD), suspending the constitution, and dissolving the government and the legislature. DOUMBOUYA was sworn in as transition president and appointed Mohamed BEAVOGUI as transition prime minister. The National Transition Council (CNT), which acts as the legislative body for the transition, was formed in 2022 and consists of appointed members representing a broad swath of Guinean society. ### Geography **Location:** Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone **Geographic coordinates:** 11 00 N, 10 00 W **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 245,857 sq km land: 245,717 sq km water: 140 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Oregon; slightly larger than twice the size of Pennsylvania **Land boundaries:** total: 4,046 km border countries (6): Cote d'Ivoire 816 km; Guinea-Bissau 421 km; Liberia 590 km; Mali 1062 km; Senegal 363 km; Sierra Leone 794 km **Coastline:** 320 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds **Terrain:** generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior **Elevation:** highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 472 m **Natural resources:** bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt **Land use:** agricultural land: 73.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 24.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 43.5% (2023 est.) forest: 20.3% (2023 est.) other: 6.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 949 sq km (2017) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Niger river source (shared with Mali, and Nigeria [m]) - 4,200 km; Gambie (Gambia) river source (shared with Senegal and The Gambia [m]) - 1,094 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km) **Population distribution:** areas of highest density are in the west and south; interior is sparsely populated, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season **Geography - note:** the Niger and its important tributary, the Milo River, have their sources in the Guinean highlands ### People and Society **Population:** total: 14,374,590 (2025 est.) male: 7,179,661 female: 7,194,929 **Nationality:** noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean **Ethnic groups:** Fulani (Peuhl) 33.4%, Malinke 29.4%, Susu 21.2%, Guerze 7.8%, Kissi 6.2%, Toma 1.6%, other/foreign 0.4% (2018 est.) **Languages:** French (official), Pular, Maninka, Susu, other native languages note: about 40 languages are spoken; each ethnic group has its own language **Religions:** Muslim 85.2%, Christian 13.4%, animist 0.2%, none 1.2% (2018 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 40.9% (male 2,884,146/female 2,835,794) 15-64 years: 55.1% (male 3,846,852/female 3,856,366) 65 years and over: 4% (2024 est.) (male 254,608/female 308,413) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 81.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 74.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 7.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 13.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 19.5 years (2025 est.) male: 19.2 years female: 19.6 years **Population growth rate:** 2.74% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 35.04 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.69 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** areas of highest density are in the west and south; interior is sparsely populated, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 38.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.111 million CONAKRY (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.9 years (2018 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 494 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 45.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 51.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 42.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 64.6 years (2024 est.) male: 62.7 years female: 66.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 4.75 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 2.34 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 92% of population (2022 est.) rural: 59% of population (2022 est.) total: 71.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 41% of population (2022 est.) total: 28.5% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.8% of GDP (2021) 5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 95.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 39.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 60.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 60.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 39.4% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 7.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 15% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 70.9% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 17% (2018) women married by age 18: 46.5% (2018) men married by age 18: 1.9% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 9.2% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 39.6% (2018 est.) male: 54.4% (2018 est.) female: 27.7% (2018 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 9 years (2021 est.) male: 9 years (2021 est.) female: 8 years (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; inadequate potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices; water pollution; improper waste disposal **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds **Land use:** agricultural land: 73.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 24.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 43.5% (2023 est.) forest: 20.3% (2023 est.) other: 6.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 38.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 4.505 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 4.504 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 34.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 596,900 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 23.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 230 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 60 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 600 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 226 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Guinea conventional short form: Guinea local long form: République de Guinée local short form: Guinée former: French Guinea etymology: the country is named after the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea, but the name itself derives from the Tuareg word aginaw, meaning "black people" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Conakry geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 13 42 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name derives from konakri, a Susu word meaning "over the water" and referring to the city's location on a peninsula; it was originally the name of a local village **Administrative divisions:** 7 administrative regions (régions administratives, singular - région administrative) and 1 governorate (gouvenorat)*; Boke, Conakry*, Faranah, Kankan, Kindia, Labe, Mamou, N'Zerekore **Legal system:** civil law system based on the French model **Constitution:** history: previous 1958, 1990; 2010 and a referendum in 2020, which was suspended on 5 September 2021 via a coup d'état; on 27 September, the Transitional Charter was released, which supersedes the constitution until a new constitution is promulgated **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Guinea dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: na **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Col. Mamady DOUMBOUYA (since 17 January 2026) head of government: Prime Minister Amadou Oury BAH (since 27 February 2024) cabinet: formerly the Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: the president is directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 7-year single term, and the prime minister is appointed by the president most recent election date: 28 December 2025 election results: 2025: Mamady DOUMBOUYA elected president in the first round; percent of vote -Mamady DOUMBOUYA (Independent) 86.7%, Abdoulaye Yero BALDE (DFG) 6.5%, other 7% 2020: Alpha CONDE reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Alpha CONDE (RPG) 59.5%, Cellou Dalein DIALLO (UFDG) 33.5%, other 7% note 1: in 2021, the military arrested and detained the president, suspended the constitution, and dissolved the government and legislature note 2: the transitional government has not announced a new election timetable note 3: new constitution approved in 2025 with presidential term changed to a single seven-year term note 4: elections held 28 December 2025, transitional president wins and is sworn in 17 January 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Transitional National Council (Conseil national de transition) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 81 (all appointed) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal most recent election date: 1/22/2022 percentage of women in chamber: 29.6% expected date of next election: December 2025 note: on 5 September 2021, Col. Mamady DOUMBOUYA led a military coup in which President CONDE was arrested and detained, the constitution suspended, and the government and People's National Assembly dissolved; in January 2022, an 81-member Transitional National Council was installed; in February 2024, Guinea's military leaders dissolved the government **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Suprême (organized into Administrative Chamber and Civil, Penal, and Social Chamber; court consists of the first president, 2 chamber presidents, 10 councilors, the solicitor general, and NA deputies); Constitutional Court - suspended on 5 September 2021 judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court first president appointed by the national president after consultation with the National Assembly; other members appointed by presidential decree; members serve 9-year terms until age 65 subordinate courts: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; High Court of Justice or Cour d'Assises; Court of Account (Court of Auditors); Courts of First Instance (Tribunal de Première Instance); labor court; military tribunal; justices of the peace; specialized courts **Political parties:** African Congress for Democracy and Renewal or CADRE Alliance for National Renewal or ARN Alliance for National Renewal or ARENA Bloc Liberal or BL Citizen Generation or GECI Citizen Party for the Defense of Collective Interests or PCDIC Democratic Alliance for Renewal or ADR Democratic National Movement or MND Democratic Union for Renewal and Progress or UDRP Democratic Union of Guinea or UDG Democratic People's Movement of Guinea or MPDG Democratic Workers' Party of Guinea or PDTG Front for the National Alliance or FAN Generation for Reconciliation Union and Prosperity or GRUP Guinea for Democracy and Balance or GDE Guinean Party for Peaceful Coexistence and Development or PGCD Guinean Party for Solidarity and Democracy or PGSD Guinean Union for Democracy and Development or UGDD Guinean Rally for Development or RGD Guinean Rally for Unity and Development or RGUD Guinean Renaissance Party or PGR Modern Guinea Movement for Solidarity and Development or MSD National Committee for Reconciliation and Development National Front for Development or FND National Union for Prosperity or UNP National Party for Hope and Development or PEDN New Democratic Forces or NFD New Generation for the Republic or NGR New Guinea or NG New Political Generation or NGP Party for Progress and Change or PPC Party of Citizen Action through Labor or PACT Party of Democrats for Hope or PADES Party of Freedom and Progress or PLP Party of Hope for National Development or PEDN Rally for Renaissance and Development or RRD Rally for the Guinean People or RPG Rally for the Integrated Development of Guinea or RDIG Rally for the Republic or RPR Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR Union for the Defense of Republican Interests or UDIR Union for the Progress of Guinea or UPG Union of Democratic Forces or UFD a or UFDG Union of Democrats for the Renaissance of Guinea or UDRG Union of Republican Forces or UFR Unity and Progress Party or PUP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Fatoumata KABA (since 19 April 2023) chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 986-3800 email address and website: http://guineaembassyusa.org/en/welcome-to-the-embassy-of-guinea-washington-usa/ consulate(s): Los Angelos **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Mary E. DASCHBACH (since 15 July 2025) embassy: Transversale No. 2, Centre Administratif de Koloma, Commune de Ratoma, Conakry mailing address: 2110 Conakry Place, Washington DC 20521-2110 telephone: [224] 65-10-40-00 FAX: [224] 65-10-42-97 email address and website: ConakryACS@state.gov https://gn.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 2 October 1958 (from France) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 2 October (1958) **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of red (left side), yellow, and green meaning: red stands for the people's sacrifice for liberation and work; yellow for the sun, the riches of the earth, and justice; green for the country's vegetation and unity history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement note: the colors from left to right are the reverse of those on the flags of neighboring Mali and Senegal **National symbol(s):** elephant **National color(s):** red, yellow, green **National anthem(s):** title: "Liberté" (Liberty) lyrics/music: unknown/Fodeba KEITA history: adopted 1958 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve ### Economy **Economic overview:** growing but primarily agrarian West African economy; major mining sector; improving fiscal and debt balances prior to COVID-19; economy increasingly vulnerable to climate change; slow infrastructure improvements; gender wealth and human capital gaps **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $59.439 billion (2024 est.) $56.251 billion (2023 est.) $53.297 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5.7% (2024 est.) 5.5% (2023 est.) 4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $4,000 (2024 est.) $3,900 (2023 est.) $3,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $25.334 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 8.1% (2024 est.) 7.8% (2023 est.) 10.5% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 29.6% (2024 est.) industry: 25.3% (2024 est.) services: 37.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 67.4% (2024 est.) government consumption: 13.4% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 32.1% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -0.9% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 44% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -56.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** rice, cassava, maize, groundnuts, oil palm fruit, plantains, potatoes, fonio, yams, sweet potatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** bauxite, gold, diamonds, iron ore; light manufacturing, agricultural processing **Industrial production growth rate:** 7.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 4.534 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.3% (2024 est.) 5.3% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 7.1% (2024 est.) male: 6.2% (2024 est.) female: 8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 43.7% (2018 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 29.6 (2018 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.5% (2018 est.) highest 10%: 23.1% (2018 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 2.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.949 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $2.014 billion (2019 est.) **Current account balance:** $2.288 billion (2023 est.) $3.35 billion (2022 est.) $4.639 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $12.008 billion (2023 est.) $8.898 billion (2022 est.) $10.266 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UAE 50%, China 36%, India 8%, Switzerland 1%, Spain 1% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, aluminum ore, cocoa beans, crude petroleum, coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $8.365 billion (2023 est.) $5.749 billion (2022 est.) $5.353 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 39%, India 9%, Netherlands 7%, Belgium 6%, UAE 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, rice, garments, construction vehicles, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.887 billion (2023 est.) $2.11 billion (2022 est.) $2.183 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $3.764 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Guinean francs (GNF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 9,565.082 (2020 est.) 9,183.876 (2019 est.) 9,011.134 (2018 est.) 9,088.319 (2017 est.) 8,967.927 (2016 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 47.7% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 91% electrification - rural areas: 21.3% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 1.06 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 3.624 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 424.356 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 25.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 74.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 400 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 32,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 5.235 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 0 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 15.3 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 109 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** government maintains control over broadcast media; single state-run TV station; state-run radio also operates several stations in rural areas; a dozen private TV stations; many privately owned radio stations, nearly all in Conakry, and about a dozen community radio stations; foreign TV programming available via satellite and cable subscription services (2022) **Internet country code:** .gn **Internet users:** percent of population: 27% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 3X **Airports:** 16 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 1,086 km (2017) standard gauge: 279 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 807 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 2 (2023) by type: other 2 **Ports:** total ports: 4 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Benti, Conakry, Kamsar, Victoria ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Guinean (or National) Armed Forces (Forces Armées Guinéennes): Army, Air Force, Navy, National Gendarmerie Ministry of Security: National Police (2025) note: the Gendarmerie and National Police share responsibility for internal security; Guinea's military and security forces are sometimes collectively referred to as the Defense and Security Forces **Military expenditures:** 2.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 10-12,000 active Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Guinean military's inventory consists almost entirely of ageing Soviet-era weapons and equipment along with small amounts of secondhand arms from China, France, Russia, and South Africa (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary and selective conscripted service; 9-12 months of service (2025) **Military - note:** the Guinean military is responsible for territorial defense, but also has some domestic security responsibilities and has historically been involved in suppressing public protests; in 2021 the Army’s special forces led a military overthrow of the government; the military-led government has since been accused of cracking down on dissent, the media, and political opposition; border security is a key focus for the Guinean military, particularly a territorial dispute with Sierra Leone that dates back to 2001 (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 2,343 (2024 est.) IDPs: 5,160 (2024 est.) --- ## Guinea-Bissau **Slug:** guinea-bissau **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇬🇼 **Codes:** cek: pu, iso2: GW, iso3: GNB, iso_num: 624, genc: GNB, stanag: GNB, internet: .gw ### Introduction **Background:** For much of its history, Guinea-Bissau was under the control of the Mali Empire and the Kaabu Kingdom. In the 16th century, Portugal began establishing trading posts along Guinea-Bissau’s shoreline. Initially, the Portuguese were restricted to the coastline and islands. However, the slave and gold trades were lucrative to local African leaders, and the Portuguese were slowly able to expand their power and influence inland. Starting in the 18th century, the Mali Empire and Kingdom of Kaabu slowly disintegrated into smaller local entities. By the 19th century, Portugal had fully incorporated Guinea-Bissau into its empire. Since gaining independence in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established General Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. VIEIRA's regime suppressed political opposition and purged political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him, but a military mutiny and civil war in 1999 led to VIEIRA's ouster. In 2000, a transitional government turned over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA. In 2003, a bloodless military coup overthrew YALA and installed businessman Henrique ROSA as interim president. In 2005, VIEIRA was reelected, pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation; he was assassinated in 2009. Malam Bacai SANHA was then elected president, but he passed away in 2012 from a long-term illness. A military coup blocked the second round of the election to replace him, but after mediation from the Economic Community of Western African States, a civilian transitional government assumed power. In 2014, Jose Mario VAZ was elected president in a free and fair election, and in 2019, he became the first president in Guinea-Bissau’s history to complete a full term. Umaro Sissoco EMBALO was elected president in 2019, but he did not take office until 2020 because of a prolonged challenge to the election results. ### Geography **Location:** Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal **Geographic coordinates:** 12 00 N, 15 00 W **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 36,125 sq km land: 28,120 sq km water: 8,005 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut **Land boundaries:** total: 762 km border countries (2): Guinea 421 km; Senegal 341 km **Coastline:** 350 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds **Terrain:** mostly low-lying coastal plain with a deeply indented estuarine coastline rising to savanna in east; numerous off-shore islands including the Arquipelago Dos Bijagos consisting of 18 main islands and many small islets **Elevation:** highest point: Dongol Ronde 277 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 70 m **Natural resources:** fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum **Land use:** agricultural land: 29.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 14.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 8.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.9% (2023 est.) forest: 75% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 250 sq km (2012) **Major aquifers:** Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin **Population distribution:** approximately one fifth of the population lives in the capital city of Bissau along the Atlantic coast; the remainder is distributed among the eight mainly rural regions, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires **Geography - note:** this small country is swampy along its western coast and is low-lying inland ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,187,293 (2025 est.) male: 1,070,326 female: 1,116,967 **Nationality:** noun: Bissau-Guinean(s) adjective: Bissau-Guinean **Ethnic groups:** Balanta 30%, Fulani 30%, Manjaco 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%, unspecified smaller ethnic groups 6% (2015 est.) **Languages:** Portuguese-based Creole, Portuguese (official; largely used as a second or third language), Pular (a Fula language), Mandingo **Religions:** Muslim 46.1%, folk religions 30.6%, Christian 18.9%, other or unaffiliated 4.4% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 42.3% (male 453,513/female 448,514) 15-64 years: 54.6% (male 561,868/female 602,280) 65 years and over: 3.1% (2024 est.) (male 27,529/female 38,621) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 82.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 76.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 17.8 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 18.5 years (2025 est.) male: 17.8 years female: 18.9 years **Population growth rate:** 2.55% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 35.82 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -3.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** approximately one fifth of the population lives in the capital city of Bissau along the Atlantic coast; the remainder is distributed among the eight mainly rural regions, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 45.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 664,000 BISSAU (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 505 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 45.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 52 deaths/1,000 live births female: 40.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 64.5 years (2024 est.) male: 62.2 years female: 66.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 4.59 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 2.26 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 73.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 52.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 61.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 26.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 47.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 38.2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8.2% of GDP (2021) 5.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.25 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 72.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 23.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 45.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 27.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 76.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 54.4% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 9.5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 1.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 6.7% (2025 est.) male: 13.2% (2025 est.) female: 0.5% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 18.8% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 59% (2019 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 8.1% (2019) women married by age 18: 25.7% (2019) men married by age 18: 2.2% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 2.7% of GDP (2020 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 63.9% (2022 est.) male: 77.3% (2022 est.) female: 52.2% (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation (overharvesting of trees for timber and agricultural purposes); soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds **Land use:** agricultural land: 29.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 14.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 8.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.9% (2023 est.) forest: 75% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 45.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 366,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 366,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 42.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 289,500 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 34.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 11.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 144 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 31.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau local short form: Guine-Bissau former: Portuguese Guinea etymology: the country is partly named after the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea; the name itself is derived from the Tuareg word aginaw, meaning "black people;" Bissau, the name of the capital city, distinguishes the country from neighboring Guinea and is derived from the local Bijuga people **Government type:** semi-presidential republic **Capital:** name: Bissau geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is derived from the local Bijuga people and is used to distinguish the country from neighboring Guinea **Administrative divisions:** 9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama/Bijagos, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali **Legal system:** mixed system of civil law, which incorporated Portuguese law at independence; influenced by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), African Francophone Public Law, and customary law **Constitution:** history: promulgated 16 May 1984 amendment process: proposed by the National People’s Assembly if supported by at least one third of its members, by the Council of State (a presidential consultant body), or by the government; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; constitutional articles on the republican and secular form of government and national sovereignty cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Interim President Gen. Horta Nta Na MAN (since 27 November 2025) head of government: Interim Prime Minister Ilídio Vieira TE (since 28 November 2025) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for up to 2 consecutive 5-year terms; prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the National People's Assembly most recent election date: 23 November 2025 election results: 2025: Umaro Sissoco EMBALO (Madem G15) and Fernando DIAS da Costa (PRS) both claimed victory in first round; a coup prevented the release of election results after ballots were destroyed 2019: Umaro Sissoco EMBALO elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Domingos Simoes PEREIRA (PAIGC) 40.1%, Umaro Sissoco EMBALO (Madem G15) 27.7%, Nuno Gomez NABIAM (APU-PDGB) 13.2%, Jose Mario VAZ (independent) 12.4%, other 6.6%; percent of vote in second round - Umaro Sissoco EMBALO 53.6%, Domingos Simoes PEREIRA 46.5% (2019) expected date of next election: 2025 note: elections were held on 23 November 2025; a military coup on 26 November suspended the election process, arrested the sitting president, swore in a transitional president, and appointed a cabinet for one year **Legislative branch:** legislature name: People's National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 102 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/23/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Inclusive Alliance Platform/Terra Coalition (54); Movement for Democratic Alternation (MADEM G.15) (29); Party for Social Renewal (PRS) (12); Bissau-Guinean Workers’ Party (6); Other (1) percentage of women in chamber: 9.8% expected date of next election: November 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (consists of 9 judges and organized into Civil, Criminal, and Social and Administrative Disputes Chambers) judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Higher Council of the Magistrate, a major government organ responsible for judge appointments, dismissals, and judiciary discipline; judges appointed by the president for life subordinate courts: Appeals Court; regional (first instance) courts; military court note: the Supreme Court has both appellate and constitutional jurisdiction **Political parties:** African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde or PAIGC Democratic Convergence Party or PCD Movement for Democratic Alternation Group of 15 or MADEM-G15 National People’s Assembly – Democratic Party of Guinea Bissau or APU-PDGB New Democracy Party or PND Party for Social Renewal or PRS Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID Union for Change or UM **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Maria Da Conceição NOBRE CABRAL (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 918 16th Street, NW (Mezzanine Suite) Washington DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 872-4222 FAX: [1] (202) 872-4226 **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RAYNOR (since 20 April 2022) mailing address: 2080 Bissau Place, Washington DC 20521-2080 email address and website: dakarACS@state.gov https://gw.usmission.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (from Portugal) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 24 September (1973) **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green, with a vertical red band on the left side; a five-pointed black star is centered in the red band meaning: yellow stands for the sun, green for hope, red for blood shed during the struggle for independence; the black star stands for African unity history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement; the Ghanaian flag heavily influenced the design **National symbol(s):** black star **National color(s):** red, yellow, green, black **National anthem(s):** title: "Esta e a Nossa Patria Bem Amada" (This is Our Beloved Country) lyrics/music: Amilcar Lopes CABRAL/XIAO He history: adopted 1974; a delegation from Portuguese Guinea visited China in 1963 and heard music by XIAO He; Amilcar Lopes CABRAL, the leader of Guinea-Bissau's independence movement, asked the composer to create a piece that would inspire his people to fight for independence **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Coastal and Marine Ecosystems of the Bijagós Archipelago – Omatí Minhô (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** extremely poor West African economy; ethnically diverse labor force; increasing government expenditures; slight inflation due to food supply disruptions; major cashew exporter; systemic banking instabilities and corruption; vulnerable to oil price shocks **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $5.912 billion (2024 est.) $5.64 billion (2023 est.) $5.399 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.8% (2024 est.) 4.5% (2023 est.) 5.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $2,700 (2024 est.) $2,600 (2023 est.) $2,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $2.12 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.8% (2024 est.) 7.1% (2023 est.) 9.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 36.8% (2024 est.) industry: 16.6% (2024 est.) services: 42.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 77% (2024 est.) government consumption: 17.8% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.8% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -1.9% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 12.5% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -28.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** rice, groundnuts, cashews, root vegetables, oil palm fruit, plantains, cassava, coconuts, vegetables, sweet potatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks **Industrial production growth rate:** 8% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 845,300 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.7% (2024 est.) 2.7% (2023 est.) 2.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 2.8% (2024 est.) male: 3.4% (2024 est.) female: 2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 50.5% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 33.4 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.4% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 26.1% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 9.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 11% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $269.794 million (2023 est.) expenditures: $450.953 million (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 8.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$160.169 million (2023 est.) -$146.64 million (2022 est.) -$14.128 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $284.5 million (2023 est.) $280.065 million (2022 est.) $334.904 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** India 66%, Chile 9%, Cote d'Ivoire 5%, Ghana 4%, Netherlands 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews, fish, fish oil, processed crustaceans, malt extract (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $592.095 million (2023 est.) $577.899 million (2022 est.) $518.162 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Senegal 28%, Portugal 24%, China 11%, Gambia, The 10%, Pakistan 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, iron bars, rice, plastics, flavored water (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Debt - external:** $896.812 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 37.4% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 61% electrification - rural areas: 15.8% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 29,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 79.8 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 6 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 96.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 3.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 2.351 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 0 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 3.24 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 147 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 state-owned TV station, Televisao da Guine-Bissau (TGB) and a second station, Radio e Televisao de Portugal (RTP) Africa, operated by Portuguese public broadcaster (RTP); 1 state-owned radio station, several private radio stations, and some community radio stations; multiple international broadcasters are available (2019) **Internet country code:** .gw **Internet users:** percent of population: 33% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 7,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** J5 **Airports:** 7 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 20 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 3, general cargo 12, other 5 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Bissau, Rio Cacheu ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** People's Revolutionary Armed Force (Forcas Armadas Revolucionarias do Povo or FARP): Army, Navy, Air Force Ministry of Internal Administration: National Guard (a gendarmerie force), Public Order Police, Border Police, Rapid Intervention Police, Maritime Police (2025) note: the Public Order Police is responsible for maintaining law and order, while the Judicial Police, under the Ministry of Justice, has primary responsibility for investigating drug trafficking, terrorism, and other transnational crimes **Military expenditures:** 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 4,000 active FARP (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the FARP is outfitted mostly with Soviet-era weapons and equipment (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military service for men and women (Air Force service is voluntary) (2025) **Military - note:** the Armed Forces (FARP) are focused on external security, but also has some internal security duties; the FARP and the paramilitary National Guard have been influential in the country’s politics since independence and have attempted several coups; since the 2000s, the FARP has undergone various attempts at defense and security sector reforms under the auspices of the African Union, the EU, the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), and the UN (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 54 (2024 est.) --- ## Guyana **Slug:** guyana **Region:** South America **Flag:** 🇬🇾 **Codes:** cek: gy, iso2: GY, iso3: GUY, iso_num: 328, genc: GUY, stanag: GUY, internet: .gy ### Introduction **Background:** Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to former slaves settling urban areas and indentured servants being imported from India to work the sugar plantations. The resulting ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then primarily socialist-oriented governments have ruled the country. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is considered the country's first free and fair election since independence. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was elected in 2001 and again in 2006. Donald RAMOTAR won in 2011, but early elections held in 2015 resulted in the first change in governing party, and David GRANGER took office. After a 2018 no-confidence vote against the GRANGER government, the administration ignored a constitutional requirement to hold elections and remained in place until the 2020 elections, when Irfaan ALI became president. The discovery of massive offshore oil reserves in 2015 has been Guyana's primary economic and political focus, with many hoping the reserves will transform one of the poorest countries in the region. Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America and shares cultural and historical bonds with the Anglophone Caribbean. ### Geography **Location:** Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela **Geographic coordinates:** 5 00 N, 59 00 W **Map references:** South America **Area:** total : 214,969 sq km land: 196,849 sq km water: 18,120 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Idaho; almost twice the size of Tennessee **Land boundaries:** total: 2,933 km border countries (3): Brazil 1,308 km; Suriname 836 km; Venezuela 789 km **Coastline:** 459 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January) **Terrain:** mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south **Elevation:** highest point: Laberintos del Norte on Mount Roraima 2,775 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 207 m **Natural resources:** bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 3.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.8% (2023 est.) forest: 87.1% (2023 est.) other: 9.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,430 sq km (2012) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km) **Population distribution:** population is heavily concentrated in the northeast in and around Georgetown, with notable concentrations along the Berbice River to the east; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated **Natural hazards:** flash flood threat during rainy seasons **Geography - note:** the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay; contains some of the largest unspoiled rainforests on the continent ### People and Society **Population:** total: 796,742 (2025 est.) male: 406,599 female: 390,143 **Nationality:** noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese **Ethnic groups:** East Indian 39.8%, African descent 29.3%, mixed 19.9%, Indigenous 10.5%, other 0.5% (includes Portuguese, Chinese, White) (2012 est.) **Languages:** English (official), Guyanese Creole, Amerindian languages (including Caribbean and Arawak languages), Indian languages (including Caribbean Hindustani, a dialect of Hindi), Chinese (2014 est.) **Religions:** Protestant 34.8% (Pentecostal 22.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.4%, Anglican 5.2%, Methodist 1.4%), Hindu 24.8%, other Christian 20.8%, Roman Catholic 7.1%, Muslim 6.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, Rastafarian 0.5%, other 0.9%, none 3.1% (2012 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 23.5% (male 95,223/female 91,272) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 281,669/female 261,261) 65 years and over: 8.1% (2024 est.) (male 28,352/female 36,322) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 46.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 34.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 12.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 28.7 years (2025 est.) male: 28.2 years female: 28.4 years **Population growth rate:** 0.35% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 16.68 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.05 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -6.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population is heavily concentrated in the northeast in and around Georgetown, with notable concentrations along the Berbice River to the east; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 27.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 110,000 GEORGETOWN (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 20.8 years (2009 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 75 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 20.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 23.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 72.4 years (2024 est.) male: 70.6 years female: 74.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.04 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 96% of population (2022 est.) rural: 95.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 95.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 4.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 4.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.9% of GDP (2021) 10.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.39 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Hospital bed density:** 2.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 98.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 20.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 5.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 9.2% (2025 est.) male: 16.9% (2025 est.) female: 1.9% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 9.4% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 59% (2020 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 6.3% (2020) women married by age 18: 32.3% (2020) men married by age 18: 11.9% (2020) **Education expenditure:** 4.5% of GDP (2018 est.) 7.2% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 85.6% (2020 est.) male: 84.2% (2020 est.) female: 86.9% (2020 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution from sewage and agricultural/industrial chemicals; deforestation **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January) **Land use:** agricultural land: 3.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.8% (2023 est.) forest: 87.1% (2023 est.) other: 9.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 27.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 2.639 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.635 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 4,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 11.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 103 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 51.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 7.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 2.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 179,300 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 23% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 61.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 20.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.363 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 271 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana etymology: the name is derived from Guiana, the original name for the region that included British Guiana, Dutch Guiana, and French Guiana; the name Guiana may be derived from a local term meaning "Land of Water" (referring to the area's multitude of rivers and streams) **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Georgetown geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 09 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the British founded the town in 1781 and named it in honor of King GEORGE III (1738-1820) **Administrative divisions:** 10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo **Legal system:** common law system, based on the English model, with some Roman-Dutch civil law influence **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest promulgated 6 October 1980 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles, such as national sovereignty, government structure and powers, and constitutional amendment procedures, requires approval by the Assembly membership, approval in a referendum, and assent of the president; other amendments only require Assembly approval **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: na **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Mohammed Irfaan ALI (since 2 August 2020) head of government: President Mohammed Irfaan ALI (since 2 August 2020) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly election/appointment process: the predesignated candidate of the winning party in the last National Assembly election becomes president for a 5-year term (no term limits); prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 1 September 2025 election results: 2025: Mohammed Irfaan ALI (PPP/C) reelected president by the majority party in the National Assembly 2020: Mohammed Irfaan ALI (PPP/C) designated president by the majority party in the National Assembly 2015: David GRANGER (APNU-AFC) designated president by the majority party in the National Assembly expected date of next election: August 2030 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: National Assembly number of seats: 72 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/1/2025 parties elected and seats per party: People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) (36); We Invest in Nationhood (W.I.N.) (16); A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) (12); Other (1) percentage of women in chamber: 36.1% expected date of next election: August 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Judicature (consists of the Court of Appeal with a chief justice and 3 justices, and the High Court with a chief justice and 10 justices organized into 3- or 5-judge panels); Caribbean Court of Justice is the final court of appeal in civil and criminal cases judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and High Court chief justices appointed by the president; other judges of both courts appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, a body appointed by the president; judges appointed for life with retirement at age 65 subordinate courts: Land Court; magistrates' courts **Political parties:** A New and United Guyana or ANUG A Partnership for National Unity or APNU Alliance for Change or AFC Justice for All Party Liberty and Justice Party or LJP National Independent Party or NIP People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C The New Movement or TNM The United Force or TUF United Republican Party or URP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel Archibald HINDS (since 7 July 2021) chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297 email address and website: guyanaembassydc@verizon.net http://www.guyanaembassydc.org/ consulate(s) general: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Nicole THERIOT (since 14 October 2023) embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown mailing address: 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170 telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909 FAX: [592] 225-8497 email address and website: acsgeorge@state.gov https://gy.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, PROSUR, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 26 May 1966 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Republic Day, 23 February (1970) **Flag:** description: green with a red isosceles triangle (based on the left side) on top of a long yellow arrowhead shape that extends to the opposite side of the flag; a narrow black border sits between the red and yellow, and a narrow white border between the yellow and green meaning: green stands for forest and foliage, yellow for mineral resources and a bright future, white for the rivers, red for zeal and the people's sacrifice, and black for perseverance **National symbol(s):** Canje pheasant (hoatzin), jaguar, Victoria Regia water lily **National color(s):** red, yellow, green, black, white **National coat of arms:** Guyana’s coat of arms was adopted in 1966, the year of the country’s independence from the United Kingdom; the jaguars signify strength and resilience, with one holding a pickaxe that stands for labor and the other holding stalks of rice and sugarcane for agriculture; two national symbols, the Canje pheasant and the Victorian lily, are on the shield, with the national motto underneath; three wavy blue lines stand for the Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice rivers, the headdress for the country’s ethnic groups, and the diamonds for the mining industry; the helmet is a symbol of past UK rule in Guyana **National anthem(s):** title: "Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains" lyrics/music: Archibald Leonard LUKERL/Robert Cyril Gladstone POTTER history: adopted 1966 ### Economy **Economic overview:** small, hydrocarbon-driven South American export economy; major forest coverage being leveraged in carbon credit offsets to encourage preservation; strengthening financial sector; large bauxite and gold resources **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $58.423 billion (2024 est.) $40.749 billion (2023 est.) $30.457 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 43.4% (2024 est.) 33.8% (2023 est.) 63.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $70,300 (2024 est.) $49,300 (2023 est.) $37,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $24.836 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.9% (2024 est.) 2.8% (2023 est.) 6.1% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 8% (2024 est.) industry: 74.3% (2024 est.) services: 15.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** rice, sugarcane, plantains, cassava, papayas, pumpkins/squash, chicken, milk, ginger, eggplants (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining **Industrial production growth rate:** 53.3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 292,200 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 10.2% (2024 est.) 12.1% (2023 est.) 12.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 22.3% (2024 est.) male: 17.4% (2024 est.) female: 28.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 3.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 6.9% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.333 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $1.467 billion (2019 est.) **Current account balance:** $2.352 billion (2023 est.) $4.242 billion (2022 est.) -$1.36 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $13.739 billion (2023 est.) $11.517 billion (2022 est.) $4.594 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 20%, Trinidad & Tobago 11%, Netherlands 10%, Singapore 10%, Germany 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, railway cargo containers, gold, ships, rice (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $10.956 billion (2023 est.) $7.033 billion (2022 est.) $6.588 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 28%, China 13%, Trinidad & Tobago 11%, Brazil 5%, Bahamas, The 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, ships, construction vehicles, excavation machinery, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.01 billion (2024 est.) $895.275 million (2023 est.) $917.877 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $1.805 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Guyanese dollars (GYD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 208.5 (2024 est.) 208.5 (2023 est.) 208.5 (2022 est.) 208.5 (2021 est.) 208.5 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 93% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 98% electrification - rural areas: 91.6% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 259,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.07 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 268.803 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 92.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 5.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 391,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 18,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 1.991 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 1.991 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 46.045 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 124,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 925,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 113 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** government-dominated broadcast media; the National Communications Network (NCN) TV is state-owned; a few private TV stations relay satellite services; the state owns and operates 2 radio stations broadcasting on multiple frequencies; government limits on licensing of new private radio stations has constrained competition **Internet country code:** .gy **Internet users:** percent of population: 82% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 106,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 8R **Airports:** 55 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 80 (2023) by type: general cargo 45, oil tanker 10, other 25 **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) is a unified force with ground, air, and coast guard components, as well as the Guyana National Reserve (2026) note: the Guyana Police Force under the Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible for internal security **Military expenditures:** 0.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 3,500 active-duty Guyana Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military has a limited inventory comprised mostly of older or secondhand platforms imported from a variety of foreign suppliers, including Brazil, China, India, the former Soviet Union, the UK, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age or older for voluntary military service; no conscription (2026) **Military - note:** the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) was established in 1965; its primary missions are territorial defense, maritime security, search and rescue, medical evacuation, aviation and engineering support, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, peace support operations, and community engagement; key areas of concern include illegal fishing, narcotics trafficking, piracy, porous borders, and threats from Venezuela over disputed territory; the GDF participates in both bilateral and multinational exercises and has relationships with Brazil, China, France, the UK, and the US Guyana joined the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) in 2022; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 79 (2024 est.) --- ## Haiti **Slug:** haiti **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇭🇹 **Codes:** cek: ha, iso2: HT, iso3: HTI, iso_num: 332, genc: HTI, stanag: HTI, internet: .ht ### Introduction **Background:** The native Taino -- who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when Christopher COLUMBUS first landed in 1492 -- were virtually wiped out by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola. In 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean but relied heavily on the forced labor of enslaved Africans and environmentally degrading practices. In the late 18th century, Toussaint L'OUVERTURE led a revolution of Haiti's nearly half a million slaves that ended France's rule on the island. After a prolonged struggle, and under the leadership of Jean-Jacques DESSALINES, Haiti became the first country in the world led by former slaves after declaring its independence in 1804, but it was forced to pay an indemnity of 100 million francs (equivalent to $22 billion USD in March 2023) to France for more than a century and was shunned by other countries for nearly 40 years. In 1862, the US officially recognized Haiti, but foreign economic influence and internal political instability induced the US to occupy Haiti from 1915 to 1934. Francois "Papa Doc" DUVALIER and then his son Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" DUVALIER led repressive and corrupt regimes that ruled Haiti in 1957-1971 and 1971-1986, respectively. Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE was Haiti's first democratically elected president in 1991 and was elected a second time in 2000, but coups interrupted his first term after only a few months and ended his second term in 2004. President Jovenel MOÏSE was assassinated in 2021, leading the country further into an extra-constitutional governance structure and contributing to the country’s growing fragility. The Government of Haiti then installed Ariel HENRY -- whom President MOÏSE had nominated shortly before his death -- as prime minister. On 29 February 2024, a significant escalation of gang violence occurred on the 20th anniversary of ARISTIDE's second overthrow, after the announcement that HENRY would not hold elections until August 2025. HENRY’s return from an overseas trip was diverted to Puerto Rico when the airport closed due to gang violence. With control of much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, gang leaders called for the ouster of HENRY’S government. By mid-March, Haiti’s continued violence, HENRY’S inability to return to the country, and increasing pressure from the international community led HENRY to pledge to resign. On 25 April 2024, HENRY formally submitted his resignation as a nine-member Transitional Presidential Council assumed control, tasked with returning stability to the country and preparing elections. Since January 2023, Haiti has had no sitting elected officials. The country has long been plagued by natural disasters. In 2010, a major 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti with an epicenter about 25 km (15 mi) west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. An estimated 300,000 people were killed, and some 1.5 million left homeless. The earthquake was assessed as the worst in this region in 200 years. A 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti’s southern peninsula in 2021, causing well over 2,000 deaths; an estimated 500,000 required emergency humanitarian aid. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, as well as one of the most unequal in wealth distribution. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic **Geographic coordinates:** 19 00 N, 72 25 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 27,750 sq km land: 27,560 sq km water: 190 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Maryland **Land boundaries:** total: 376 km border countries (1): Dominican Republic 376 km **Coastline:** 1,771 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation **Climate:** tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds **Terrain:** mostly rough and mountainous **Elevation:** highest point: Pic la Selle 2,674 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 470 m **Natural resources:** bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 65.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 36.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 10.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 17.8% (2023 est.) forest: 13.4% (2023 est.) other: 21.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 800 sq km (2013) **Population distribution:** fairly even distribution; largest concentrations located near coastal areas **Natural hazards:** lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts **Geography - note:** shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic); it is the most mountainous nation in the Caribbean ### People and Society **Population:** total: 11,898,812 (2025 est.) male: 5,863,438 female: 6,035,374 **Nationality:** noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian **Ethnic groups:** Black 95%, mixed and White 5% **Languages:** French (official), Creole (official) major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, sous endispansab pou enfomasyon debaz. (Haitian Creole) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Catholic 55%, Protestant 29%, Vodou 2.1%, other 4.6%, none 10% (2018 est.) note: 50-80% of Haitians incorporate some elements of Vodou culture or practice in addition to another religion, most often Roman Catholicism; Vodou was recognized as an official religion in 2003 **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 30.5% (male 1,790,061/female 1,794,210) 15-64 years: 65.3% (male 3,787,782/female 3,887,791) 65 years and over: 4.2% (2024 est.) (male 214,600/female 279,499) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 52.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 45.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 15.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 25.3 years (2025 est.) male: 24.7 years female: 25.3 years **Population growth rate:** 1.22% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 20.76 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** fairly even distribution; largest concentrations located near coastal areas **Urbanization:** urban population: 59.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.987 million PORT-AU-PRINCE (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 22.4 years (2016/7 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 328 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 35 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 40.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 33.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 65.6 years (2024 est.) male: 63.8 years female: 67.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.39 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.19 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 84.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 42.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 67.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 15.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 57.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 32.6% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.5% of GDP (2021) 4.1% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.29 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 4.8 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 82.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 42.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 66.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 17.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 57.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 33.7% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 22.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 2.85 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.55 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 7.1% (2025 est.) male: 12.4% (2025 est.) female: 2.1% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 10.7% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 53.6% (2017 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 2.1% (2017) women married by age 18: 14.9% (2017) men married by age 18: 1.6% (2017) **Education expenditure:** 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 13.2% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 68% (2017 est.) male: 72.9% (2017 est.) female: 63.9% (2017 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation (trees cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; inadequate potable water and lack of sanitation; natural disasters **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds **Land use:** agricultural land: 65.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 36.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 10.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 17.8% (2023 est.) forest: 13.4% (2023 est.) other: 21.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 59.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 2.854 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.848 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 6,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 9.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.31 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 9.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 190 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 51 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.209 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 14.022 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Haiti conventional short form: Haiti local long form: République d'Haïti (French)/Repiblik d Ayiti (Haitian Creole) local short form: Haïti (French)/ Ayiti (Haitian Creole) etymology: derived from the Arawak name Ayti, meaning "Land of Mountains," that was originally applied to the entire island of Hispaniola **Government type:** semi-presidential republic **Capital:** name: Port-au-Prince geographic coordinates: 18 32 N, 72 20 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November etymology: the name means "the port of the prince" and probably came from a ship called The Prince that anchored in the bay in the early 18th century **Administrative divisions:** 10 departments (départements, singular - département); Artibonite, Centre, Grand'Anse, Nippes, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est **Legal system:** civil law system strongly influenced by Napoleonic Code **Constitution:** history: many previous; latest adopted 10 March 1987, with substantial revisions in June 2012 amendment process: proposed by the executive branch or by either the Senate or the Chamber of Deputies; consideration of proposed amendments requires support by at least two-thirds majority of both houses; passage requires at least two-thirds majority of the membership present and at least two-thirds majority of the votes cast; approved amendments enter into force after installation of the next president of the republic; constitutional articles on the democratic and republican form of government cannot be amended note: the constitution is commonly referred to as the “amended 1987 constitution” **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Haiti dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President (vacant) head of government: Prime Minister Alix Didier FILS-AIMÉ (since 10 November 2024) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president; parliament must ratify the Cabinet and prime minister's governing policy election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a single non-consecutive term) most recent election date: 20 November 2016 election results: 2016: Jovenel MOÏSE elected president in first round; percent of vote - Jovenel MOÏSE (PHTK) 55.6%, Jude CELESTIN (LAPEH) 19.6%, Jean-Charles MOÏSE (PPD) 11%, Maryse NARCISSE (FL) 9%; other 4.8% 2011: Michel MARTELLY elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - Michel MARTELLY (Peasant's Response) 68%, Mirlande MANIGAT (RDNP) 32% expected date of next election: 30 August 2026 note: former Prime Minister Ariel HENRY, who had assumed executive responsibilities following the assassination of President MOÏSE on 7 July 2021, resigned on 24 April 2024; a nine-member Presidential Transitional Council, equipped with presidential powers, was sworn in on 25 April 2024 and will remain in place until 7 February 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) legislative structure: bicameral note 1: when the two chambers meet collectively, it is known as the National Assembly (or L'Assemblée nationale) and is convened for specific purposes spelled out in the constitution note 2: as of October 2024, the Senate and Chamber of Deputies were not functional **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Députés) number of seats: 119 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 8/9/2015 to 10/25/2015 parties elected and seats per party: Haitian Tet Kale Party (PHTK) (9); Konvansyon Inite Demokratik (KID) (7); Ayiti an aksyon (AAA) (6); Fanmi Lavalas (6); Patriotic Unity Party (Inite Patriyotik) (4); People's Struggle Party (OPL) (7); Other (24) percentage of women in chamber: 0% expected date of next election: August 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Sénat) number of seats: 30 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 11/20/2016 to 1/29/2017 parties elected and seats per party: Haitian Tet Kale Party (PHTK) (9); Truth (Vérité) (3); Konvansyon Inite Demokratik (KID) (2); Bouclier (2); Ayiti an aksyon (AAA) (2); Other (10) expected date of next election: August 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour de cassation (consists of 12 judges) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president from candidate lists submitted by the Senate of the National Assembly subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; magistrate's courts; land, labor, and children's courts note: the Superior Council of the Judiciary or Conseil Supérieur du Pouvoir Judiciaire is a 9-member body charged with the administration and oversight of the judicial branch of government note: Haiti is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice, the Constitutional Court (called for in the 1987 constitution but not yet established), and the High Court of Justice, for trying high government officials (currently not functional) note: Article 174 of Haiti's constitution states that judges of the Supreme Court are appointed for 10 years, whereas Article 177 states that judges of the Supreme Court are appointed for life **Political parties:** Alternative League for Haitian Progress and Emancipation (Ligue Alternative pour le Progrès et l’Emancipation Haïtienne) or LAPEH Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MCNH or Mochrenha Christian National Movement for the Reconstruction of Haiti or UNCRH Combat of Peasant Workers to Liberate Haiti (Konbit Travaye Peyizan Pou Libere Ayiti) or Kontra Pep La Convention for Democratic Unity or KID Cooperative Action to Rebuild Haiti or KONBA December 16 Platform or Platfom 16 Desanm Democratic Alliance Party or ALYANS (coalition includes KID and PPRH) Democratic Centers' National Council or CONACED Democratic and Popular Sector (Secteur Démocratique et Populaire) or SDP Democratic Unity Convention (Konvansyon Inite Demokratik) or KID Dessalinian Patriotic and Popular Movement or MOPOD Effort and Solidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMP Fanmi Lavalas or FL Forward (En Avant) Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats (Fusion Des Sociaux-Démocrates Haïtiens) or FHSD G18 Policy Platform (Plateforme Politique G18) Haiti in Action (Ayiti An Aksyon Haiti's Action) or AAA Haitian Tet Kale Party (Parti Haitien Tet Kale) or PHTK Independent Movement for National Reconciliation or MIRN Lavni Organization or LAVNI Lod Demokratik Love Haiti (Renmen Ayiti) or RA MTV Ayiti National Consortium of Haitian Political Parties (Consortium National des Partis Politiques Haitiens) or CNPPH National Shield Network (Reseau Bouclier National) Organization of the People's Struggle (Oganizasyon Pep Kap Lite) or OPL Patriotic Unity (Inite Patriyotik) or Inite Platform Pitit Desalin (Politik Pitit Dessalines) or PPD Political Party for Us All or Bridge (Pont) or Pou Nou Tout Popular Patriotic Dessalinien Movement (Mouvement Patriotique Populaire Dessalinien) or MOPOD Rally of Progressive National Democrats (Rassemblement des Démocrates Nationaux Progressistes) or RDNP Respe (Respect) Women and Families Political Parties (Defile Pati Politik Fanm Ak Fanmi) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Lionel DELATOUR (since 11 June 2025) chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090 FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215 email address and website: amb.washington@diplomatie.ht https://www.haiti.org/ consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Orlando (FL), New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Henry T. WOOSTER (since 12 June 2025) embassy: Tabarre 41, Route de Tabarre, Port-au-Prince mailing address: 3400 Port-au-Prince Place, Washington, DC 20521-3400 telephone: [011] (509) 2229-8000 FAX: [011] (509) 2229-8027 email address and website: acspap@state.gov https://ht.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ACS, AOSIS, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 1 January 1804 (from France) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 1 January (1804) **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red; a centered white rectangle bears the coat of arms, which has a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll with the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength) meaning: the colors are taken from the French flag and represent the union of ethnic groups **National symbol(s):** Hispaniolan trogon (bird), hibiscus flower **National color(s):** blue, red **National anthem(s):** title: "La Dessalinienne" (The Dessalines Song) lyrics/music: Justin LHERISSON/Nicolas GEFFRARD history: adopted 1904; named for Jean-Jacques DESSALINES, founder of Haiti **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: National History Park – Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers ### Economy **Economic overview:** small Caribbean island economy and OECS-member state; extreme poverty and inflation; enormous income inequality; ongoing civil unrest due to recent presidential assassination; US preferential market access; very open to foreign direct investment **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $32.971 billion (2024 est.) $34.406 billion (2023 est.) $35.059 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -4.2% (2024 est.) -1.9% (2023 est.) -1.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $2,800 (2024 est.) $3,000 (2023 est.) $3,000 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $25.224 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 26.9% (2024 est.) 36.8% (2023 est.) 34% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 15.9% (2024 est.) industry: 33.4% (2024 est.) services: 48.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 99.8% (2024 est.) government consumption: 5.7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 9.9% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 3.4% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -18.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, cassava, plantains, bananas, mangoes/guavas, avocados, maize, tropical fruits, rice, vegetables (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** textiles, sugar refining, flour milling, cement, light assembly using imported parts **Industrial production growth rate:** -4.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 5.281 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 15.1% (2024 est.) 14.6% (2023 est.) 14.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 37.5% (2024 est.) male: 30% (2024 est.) female: 47.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 18.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 18.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 19.1% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.179 billion (2020 est.) expenditures: $1.527 billion (2020 est.) **Current account balance:** -$682.57 million (2023 est.) -$491.954 million (2022 est.) $87.656 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.095 billion (2023 est.) $1.355 billion (2022 est.) $1.272 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 82%, Canada 4%, Mexico 2%, France 2%, India 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** garments, essential oils, scrap iron, industrial acids/oils/alcohols, bedding (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $5.303 billion (2023 est.) $5.451 billion (2022 est.) $5.048 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 31%, Dominican Republic 23%, China 14%, Indonesia 4%, India 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, rice, garments, cotton fabric, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $2.718 billion (2024 est.) $2.586 billion (2023 est.) $2.173 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $1.865 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** gourdes (HTG) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 131.811 (2024 est.) 141.036 (2023 est.) 115.631 (2022 est.) 89.227 (2021 est.) 93.51 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 49.3% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 83% electrification - rural areas: 1.2% (2019 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 472,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 861 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 152 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 81.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 18.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 5.7 metric tons (2022 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 19,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 3.2 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 3.2 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 3.486 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1,360 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 7.5 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 65 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** 398 legal broadcasting stations, including about 60 community radio stations; 105 TV stations, including 36 in Port-au-Prince, 41 others in the provinces, and more than 40 radio-television stations; large number of stations operate irregularly or flout regulations; VOA Creole Service broadcasts daily on 30 affiliate stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .ht **Internet users:** percent of population: 39% (2019 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 35,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** HH **Airports:** 17 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 4 (2023) by type: general cargo 3, other 1 **Ports:** total ports: 5 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 4 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Cap Haitien, Jacmel, Miragoane, Petit Goave, Port au Prince ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** the Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH): Army Ministry of Justice and Public Security: Haitian National Police (Police Nationale d'Haïti or PNH) (2025) note: the PNH is responsible for maintaining public security; it includes police, corrections, fire, emergency response, airport security, port security, and coast guard functions; its units include a presidential guard and a paramilitary rapid-response Motorized Intervention Unit (BIM) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimates vary; up to 2,000 trained military personnel (the force is planned to eventually have around 5,000 personnel); estimates for the National Police range from a low of 9,000 to a high of about 13,000 (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** in recent years, Canada, Taiwan, UAE, and the US have provided some equipment to the Haitian security forces, including vehicles (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** men and women 18-25 may volunteer for the FAdH (2023) **Military - note:** Haiti's military was disbanded in 1995 after it participated in multiple coups and was accused of other political interference and human rights violations; the military was reinstated by former President MOISE in 2017 after the UN ended its peacekeeping operation in Haiti; the reconstituted military established an Army command in 2018 and has received some training assistance from Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, France, and Mexico; the military’s stated mission is to assist with natural disaster relief, border security, and combating transnational crime; in 2023, Prime Minister HENRY called upon the military to assist the National Police (PNH) in combating armed gangs, which have overwhelmed the PNH, killed hundreds of Haitians, and seized control of swaths of territory, including much of the capital Port-au-Prince, since the assassination of President MOISE in 2021 in 2023, the UN Security Council approved the deployment of a Kenya-led multinational security support mission (MSS) to help bring gang violence under control; the first contingent of MSS personnel from the Kenya National Police Service arrived in mid-2024; other countries pledging forces included the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Chad, and Jamaica; the mission is slated to have a total of 2,500 personnel (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Gran Grif; Viv Ansanm note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 5 (2024 est.) IDPs: 1,041,229 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Special Case; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/haiti/ **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025) --- ## Heard Island and McDonald Islands **Slug:** heard-island-and-mcdonald-islands **Region:** Antarctica **Flag:** 🇭🇲 **Codes:** cek: hm, iso2: HM, iso3: HMD, iso_num: 334, genc: HMD, stanag: HMD, internet: .hm ### Introduction **Background:** American sailor John HEARD discovered Heard Island in 1853 while fellow American William MCDONALD discovered the McDonald Islands the following year. Starting in 1855, sealers lived on the islands and harvested elephant seal oil; by the time the practice was ended in 1877, most of the islands’ seals were killed. The UK formally claimed the islands in 1910, and Australian explorer Douglas MAWSON visited Heard Island in 1929. In 1947, the UK transferred the islands to Australia for its Antarctica research, but Australia closed the research station on Heard Island in 1954 when it opened a new research station on the Antarctic continent. McDonald Island has been an active volcano since it emerged from dormancy in 1992, and the island doubled in size after an eruption in 1996. In 1997, the islands were named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Populated by a large number of bird species, seals, and penguins, the islands are primarily used for research, with limited fishing permitted in the surrounding waters. ### Geography **Location:** islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica **Geographic coordinates:** 53 06 S, 72 31 E **Map references:** Antarctic Region **Area:** total : 412 sq km land: 412 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly more than two times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 101.9 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** antarctic **Terrain:** Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rocky **Elevation:** highest point: Mawson Peak on Big Ben volcano 2,745 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2011 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) **Natural hazards:** Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island **Geography - note:** Mawson Peak on Heard Island is the highest Australian mountain; at 2,745 m (9,006 ft), Mawson is taller than Mt. Kosciuszko in mainland Australia), and one of only two active volcanoes located in Australian territory; in 1992, McDonald Island, the other active volcano, broke its dormancy and began erupting; it has erupted several times since ### People and Society **Population:** total: uninhabited note: limited scientific research and expeditions ### Environment **Climate:** antarctic **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2011 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands abbreviation: HIMI etymology: named after US Captain John HEARD, who sighted the island on 25 November 1853, and US Captain William McDONALD, who discovered the islands on 4 January 1854 **Dependency status:** territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment (Australian Antarctic Division) **Legal system:** the laws of Australia apply **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (territory of Australia) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (territory of Australia) **Flag:** the flag of Australia is used **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural); note - excerpted from the Australia entry selected World Heritage Site locales: Heard Island and McDonald Islands ### Communications **Internet country code:** .hm ### Transportation **Heliports:** 2 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of Australia --- ## Holy See (Vatican City) **Slug:** holy-see-vatican-city **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇻🇦 **Codes:** cek: vt, iso2: VA, iso3: VAT, iso_num: 336, genc: VAT, stanag: VAT, internet: .va ### Introduction **Background:** Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid-19th century, when the newly established Kingdom of Italy seized many of the Papal States. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between Italy and a series of "prisoner" popes were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified some of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include religious freedom, threats against minority Christian communities in Africa and the Middle East, the plight of refugees and migrants, climate change and the environment, conflict and war, nuclear weapons, artificial intelligence, sexual misconduct by clergy, humanitarian issues, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1.3 billion people worldwide profess Catholicism, the world's largest Christian faith. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy) **Geographic coordinates:** 41 54 N, 12 27 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 0 sq km land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about 0.7 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 3.4 km border countries (1): Italy 3.4 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to May) with hot, dry summers (May to September) **Terrain:** urban; low hill **Elevation:** highest point: Vatican Gardens (Vatican Hill) 78 m lowest point: Saint Peter's Square 19 m **Natural resources:** none **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 100% (2022 est.) **Natural hazards:** occasional earthquakes **Geography - note:** landlocked; an enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,000 (2024) **Nationality:** noun: none adjective: none **Ethnic groups:** Italian, Swiss, Argentinian, and other nationalities from around the world (2017) **Languages:** Italian, Latin, French, various other languages major-language sample(s): L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic **Population growth rate:** 0% (2014 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1,000 VATICAN CITY (capital) (2018) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** some air pollution from the surrounding city of Rome **International environmental agreements:** party to: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification **Climate:** temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to May) with hot, dry summers (May to September) **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 100% (2022 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: The Holy See (Vatican City State) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: La Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano) etymology: "holy" comes from the Greek word hera, meaning "sacred"; "see" comes from the Latin word sedes, meaning "seat," and refers to the episcopal chair; the name Vatican derives from the hill Mons Vaticanus on which the Vatican is located and which comes from the Latin vates (prophet), referring to the fortune tellers and soothsayers who frequented the area in Roman times **Government type:** ecclesiastical elective monarchy; self-described as an "absolute monarchy" **Capital:** name: Vatican City geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name derives from the hill called Mons Vaticanus, on which the Vatican is located and which comes from the Latin vates (prophet), referring to the fortune tellers and soothsayers who frequented the area in Roman times **Legal system:** religious system based on canon (religious) law **Constitution:** history: previous 1929, 2000; latest issued by Pope FRANCIS 13 May 2023, effective 7 June 2023 (Fundamental Law of Vatican City State, the main governing document of the Vatican's civil entities); the Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus – the departments and ministries – used by the pontiff in governing the church amendment process: although the Fundamental Law of Vatican City State makes no mention of amendments, Article Four (drafting laws), states that this legislative responsibility resides with the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State; draft legislation is submitted through the Secretariat of State and considered by the pope **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: no dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: not applicable note: in the Holy See, citizenship is acquired by law, ex iure, or by adminstrative decision; in the first instance, citizenship is a function of holding office within the Holy See as in the case of cardinals resident in Vatican City or diplomats of the Holy See; in the second instance, citizenship may be requested in a limited set of circumstances for those who reside within Vatican City under papal authorization, as a function of their office or service, or as the spouses and children of current citizens; citizenship is lost once an individual no longer permanently resides in Vatican City, normally reverting to the citizenship previously held **Suffrage:** election of the pope is limited to cardinals under 80 years old **Executive branch:** chief of state: Pope LEO XIV (since 8 May 2025) head of government: President of the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City and President of the Governorate of the Vatican City State Fernando VERGEZ ALZAGA (since 1 October 2021) cabinet: Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City appointed by the pope election/appointment process: pope elected by the College of Cardinals, usually for life or until voluntary resignation; Secretary of State appointed by the pope election results: 2025: Robert PREVOST elected Pope LEO XIV **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City (Pontificia Commissione per lo Stato della Citta del Vaticano) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 7 term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 22 September 2018 percentage of women in chamber: 0% **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura (consists of the cardinal prefect, who serves as ex-officio president of the court, and 2 other cardinals of the Prefect Signatura) judge selection and term of office: cardinal prefect appointed by the pope; the other 2 cardinals of the court appointed by the cardinal prefect on a yearly basis subordinate courts: Appellate Court of Vatican City; Tribunal of Vatican City note: the Motu Proprio (papal directive) of Pope PIUS XII established judicial duties on 1 May 1946; most Vatican City criminal matters are handled by the Republic of Italy courts **Political parties:** none **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Cardinal Christophe PIERRE (since 27 June 2016) chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036 email address and website: nuntiususa@nuntiususa.org http://www.nuntiususa.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Brian Francis BURCH II (since 13 September 2025) embassy: Via Sallustiana, 49, 00187 Rome mailing address: 5660 Holy See Place, Washington DC 20521-5660 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-1 FAX: [39] (06) 4674-3411 email address and website: https://va.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** CE (observer), IAEA, Interpol, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Schengen Convention (de facto member), UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNWTO (observer), UPU, WIPO, WTO (observer) **Independence:** 11 February 1929 note: the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged the full sovereignty of the Holy See and established its territorial extent, but the origin of the Papal States, which over centuries varied considerably in extent, can be traced back to A.D. 754 **Flag:** description: two vertical bands of yellow (left side) and white, with the arms of the Holy See centered in the white band; the arms show the crossed keys of Saint Peter under the three-tiered papal tiara meaning: yellow stands for the pope's spiritual power, and white for his worldly power **National symbol(s):** crossed keys under a papal tiara **National color(s):** yellow, white **National anthem(s):** title: “Hymnus Pontificius" (Pontifical Anthem) lyrics/music: Raffaello LAVAGNA/Charles-Francois GOUNOD history: adopted 1949 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Center of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura; Vatican City ### Economy **Economic overview:** limited, tourism-based economy; euro user with own minted coins; produces commemorative stamps, coins, and publications to support museums and religious needs; residents pay no direct taxes; “zero deficit” plan to address budget shortfall **Industries:** printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; mosaics, staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) note: while not an EU member state, the Holy See has a 2000 monetary agreement with Italy and the EU to produce limited euro coinage—but not banknotes—that began enforcement in January 2002 ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2021) ### Communications **Broadcast media:** the Vatican Television Center (CTV) transmits live broadcasts of the Pope's weekly audiences, as well as his public celebrations; CTV also produces documentaries; Vatican Radio is the official broadcasting service via shortwave, AM, and FM frequencies, as well as satellite and web; Vatican News website partners with Vatican Radio and provides Catholic news from the Vatican (2021) **Internet country code:** .va **Internet users:** percent of population: 87% (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Heliports:** 1 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** the Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia) serves as the de facto military force of Vatican City; the Gendarmerie Corps of Vatican City (Corpo della Gendarmeriais) is a police force that helps augment the Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps during the Pope’s appearances, as well as providing general security, traffic direction, and investigative duties for the Vatican City State (2025) note: the Swiss Guard Corps has protected the Pope and his residence since 1506 **Military service age and obligation:** Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps: 19-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; must be a single Roman Catholic male with Swiss citizenship who has completed basic training with the Swiss military and can obtain a certificate of good conduct; qualified candidates must apply to serve; the service contract is between 2 and 25 years (2025) **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of Italy --- ## Honduras **Slug:** honduras **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇭🇳 **Codes:** cek: ho, iso2: HN, iso3: HND, iso_num: 340, genc: HND, stanag: HND, internet: .hn ### Introduction **Background:** Once part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became an independent nation in 1821. After two and a half decades of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting leftist guerrillas. Hurricane Mitch devastated the country in 1998, killing about 5,600 people and causing approximately $2 billion in damage. Since then, the economy has slowly rebounded, despite COVID-19 and severe storm-related setbacks in 2020 and 2021. ### Geography **Location:** Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua **Geographic coordinates:** 15 00 N, 86 30 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 112,090 sq km land: 111,890 sq km water: 200 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Tennessee **Land boundaries:** total: 1,575 km border countries (3): Guatemala 244 km; El Salvador 391 km; Nicaragua 940 km **Coastline:** 823 km (Caribbean Sea 669 km; Gulf of Fonseca 163 km) **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm **Climate:** subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains **Terrain:** mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains **Elevation:** highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 684 m **Natural resources:** timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 32% (2023 est.) arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 17.5% (2023 est.) forest: 53.3% (2023 est.) other: 14.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 900 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Laguna de Caratasca - 1,110 sq km **Population distribution:** most residents live in the mountainous western half of the country; Honduras is the only Central American nation with an urban population that is distributed between two large centers, the capital of Tegucigalpa and the city of San Pedro Sula; the Rio Ulua valley in the north is the only densely populated lowland area **Natural hazards:** frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast **Geography - note:** has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast ### People and Society **Population:** total: 9,652,170 (2025 est.) male: 4,649,294 female: 5,002,876 **Nationality:** noun: Honduran(s) adjective: Honduran **Ethnic groups:** Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and European) 90%, Indigenous 7%, African descent 2%, White 1% **Languages:** Spanish (official), Amerindian dialects major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Evangelical 55%, Roman Catholic 33.4%, none 10.1%, unspecified 1.5% (2023 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 28.7% (male 1,378,026/female 1,353,238) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,980,393/female 3,282,159) 65 years and over: 5.6% (2024 est.) (male 232,828/female 302,544) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 51.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 42.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 8.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 11.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 26.1 years (2025 est.) male: 24.8 years female: 26.6 years **Population growth rate:** 1.28% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 19.7 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most residents live in the mountainous western half of the country; Honduras is the only Central American nation with an urban population that is distributed between two large centers, the capital of Tegucigalpa and the city of San Pedro Sula; the Rio Ulua valley in the north is the only densely populated lowland area **Urbanization:** urban population: 60.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.48% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.568 million TEGUCIGALPA (capital), 982,000 San Pedro Sula (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 20.3 years (2011/12 est.) note: data represents median age a first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 47 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 17.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 73.1 years (2024 est.) male: 69.6 years female: 76.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.29 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.13 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 90.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 95.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 9.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 4.2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9.2% of GDP (2021) 14.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.49 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Hospital bed density:** 0.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 96.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 88.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 93.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 3.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 11.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 6.8% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 21.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 2.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 11.9% (2025 est.) male: 22.2% (2025 est.) female: 1.6% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 7.1% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 54.4% (2019 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 9.2% (2019) women married by age 18: 34% (2019) men married by age 18: 10% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 4.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 23.2% national budget (2018 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 88.2% (2024 est.) male: 87.6% (2024 est.) female: 88.8% (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 10 years (2019 est.) male: 9 years (2019 est.) female: 10 years (2019 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation from logging and agricultural clearing; land degradation and soil erosion from overdevelopment and improper land use practices; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest source of fresh water) and other rivers and streams **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains **Land use:** agricultural land: 32% (2023 est.) arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 17.5% (2023 est.) forest: 53.3% (2023 est.) other: 14.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 60.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.48% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 10.534 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 324,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 10.21 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 19.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.162 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 315 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 114 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.178 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 92.164 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Honduras conventional short form: Honduras local long form: República de Honduras local short form: Honduras etymology: the name means "depths" in Spanish and refers to the deep anchorage in the northern Bay of Trujillo **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Tegucigalpa geographic coordinates: 14 06 N, 87 13 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) etymology: the name is a Nahuatl word meaning "silver mountain," probably referring to nearby silver mines note: the Honduran constitution states that Tegucigalpa and Comayaguela jointly constitute the capital of Honduras, but virtually all governmental institutions are on the Tegucigalpa side **Administrative divisions:** 18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Atlántida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco Morazán, Gracias a Dios, Intibucá, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro **Legal system:** civil law system **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest approved 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982 amendment process: proposed by the National Congress with at least two-thirds majority vote of the membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of Congress in its next annual session; constitutional articles, such as the form of government, national sovereignty, the presidential term, and the procedure for amending the constitution, cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 1 to 3 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal and compulsory **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (since 27 January 2022) head of government: President Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (since 27 January 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term most recent election date: 30 November 2025 election results: 2025: Nasry Juan ASFURA Zablah elected president; percent of vote - Nasry Juan ASFURA Zablah (PNH) 40.3%, Salvador NASRALLA (PL) 39.5%, Rixi Ramona MONCADA Godoy (LIBRE) 19.2%; note - ASFURA will take office 27 January 2026 2021: Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya elected president; percent of vote - Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (LIBRE) 51.1%, Nasry Juan ASFURA Zablah (PNH) 36.9%, Yani Benjamin ROSENTHAL Hidalgo (PL) 10%, other 2% 2017: Juan Orlando HERNANDEZ Alvarado reelected president; percent of vote - Juan Orlando HERNANDEZ Alvarado (PNH) 43%, Salvador NASRALLA (Alianza de Oposicion contra la Dictadura) 41.4%, Luis Orlando ZELAYA Medrano (PL) 14.7%, other 0.9% expected date of next election: 25 November 2029 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Congress (Congreso Nacional) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 128 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/30/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Liberty and Refoundation Party (LIBRE) (50); National Party (PN) (44); Liberal Party (PL) (22); Salvador de Honduras Party (PSH) (10); Other (2) percentage of women in chamber: 27.3% expected date of next election: November 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (15 principal judges, including the court president, and 6 alternates; court organized into civil, criminal, constitutional, and labor chambers) judge selection and term of office: court president elected by his peers; judges elected by the National Congress from candidates proposed by the Nominating Board, a diverse 7-member group of judicial officials and other government and non-government officials nominated by each of their organizations; judges elected by Congress for renewable, 7-year terms subordinate courts: courts of appeal; courts of first instance; justices of the peace note: the Supreme Court has both judicial and constitutional jurisdiction **Political parties:** Anti-Corruption Party or PAC Christian Democratic Party or DC Democratic Liberation of Honduras or Liderh Democratic Unification Party or UD The Front or El Frente Honduran Patriotic Alliance or AP Innovation and Unity Party or PINU Liberal Party or PL Liberty and Refoundation Party or LIBRE National Party of Honduras or PNH New Route or NR Opposition Alliance against the Dictatorship or Alianza de Oposicion contra la Dictadura (electoral coalition) Savior Party of Honduras or PSH Vamos or Let’s Go We Are All Honduras (Todos Somos Honduras) or TSH **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Leonardo VALENZUELA NEDA (since 10 June 2025) chancery: 1220 19th Street NW, Suite #320, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751 email address and website: info@wadchn.com https://hondurasembusa.org/ consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte (NC), Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, McAllen (TX), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Seattle **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Colleen Anne HOEY (since 23 June 2025) embassy: Avenida La Paz, Tegucigalpa M.D.C. mailing address: 3480 Tegucigalpa Place, Washington DC 20521-3480 telephone: [504] 2236-9320, FAX: [504] 2236-9037 email address and website: usahonduras@state.gov https://hn.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACS, BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC (suspended), IOM, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNHRC, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO (suspended), WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 15 September 1821 (from Spain) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 15 September (1821) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of cerulean blue (top), white, and cerulean blue, with five five-pointed cerulean stars arranged in an "X" pattern and centered in the white band meaning: the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of Central America: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; blue stands for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and white for the land and the people's peace and prosperity note: similar to the flag of El Salvador, which has a round emblem surrounded by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a triangle with the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA above and AMERICA CENTRAL below **National symbol(s):** scarlet macaw, white-tailed deer **National color(s):** blue, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Himno Nacional de Honduras" (National Anthem of Honduras) lyrics/music: Augusto Constancio COELLO/Carlos HARTLING history: adopted 1915; the anthem's seven verses chronicle Honduran history; on official occasions, only the chorus and last verse are sung **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Maya Site of Copan (c); Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** second-fastest-growing Central American economy; COVID-19 and two hurricanes crippled activity; high poverty and inequality; declining-but-still-high violent crime disruption; systemic corruption; coffee and banana exporter; enormous remittances **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $71.297 billion (2024 est.) $68.85 billion (2023 est.) $66.473 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.6% (2024 est.) 3.6% (2023 est.) 4.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $6,600 (2024 est.) $6,500 (2023 est.) $6,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $37.094 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.6% (2024 est.) 6.7% (2023 est.) 9.1% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 11.2% (2024 est.) industry: 26.1% (2024 est.) services: 58.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 86% (2024 est.) government consumption: 15.5% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.9% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -1.4% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 33.5% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -57.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, oil palm fruit, maize, milk, bananas, coffee, cantaloupes/melons, oranges, chicken, beans (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** sugar processing, coffee, woven and knit apparel, wood products, cigars **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.8% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 4.296 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 6.1% (2024 est.) 6.1% (2023 est.) 8.8% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 10.5% (2024 est.) male: 7.9% (2024 est.) female: 15.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 64.1% (2023 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 46.8 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 31.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.1% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 33% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 25.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 26.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 27% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $5.333 billion (2020 est.) expenditures: $6.391 billion (2020 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 15.1% (of GDP) (2020 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$1.711 billion (2024 est.) -$1.368 billion (2023 est.) -$2.157 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $9.352 billion (2024 est.) $9.805 billion (2023 est.) $9.51 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 49%, Nicaragua 8%, El Salvador 7%, Guatemala 5%, Mexico 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** garments, coffee, insulated wire, palm oil, shellfish (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $18.235 billion (2024 est.) $17.926 billion (2023 est.) $18.101 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 36%, China 14%, Guatemala 8%, Mexico 6%, El Salvador 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cotton yarn, garments, trucks, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $8.036 billion (2024 est.) $7.543 billion (2023 est.) $8.41 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $7.785 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** lempiras (HNL) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 24.799 (2024 est.) 24.602 (2023 est.) 24.486 (2022 est.) 24.017 (2021 est.) 24.582 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 94.4% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 86.8% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 3.334 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 8.303 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 4 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 214.601 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.617 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 38.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 8.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 5.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 33.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 10.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 144,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 148,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 20 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 71,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 16.642 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 458,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 7.68 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 71 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** multiple privately owned terrestrial TV networks, supplemented by multiple cable TV networks; Radio Honduras is the state-owned radio network; roughly 300 privately owned radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .hn **Internet users:** percent of population: 58% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 476,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** HR **Airports:** 129 (2025) **Heliports:** 6 (2025) **Railways:** total: 699 km (2014) narrow gauge: 164 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge 115 km 1.057-mm gauge 420 km 0.914-mm gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 489 (2023) by type: general cargo 233, oil tanker 82, other 174 **Ports:** total ports: 8 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 7 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Coxen Hole, La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, Puerto de Hencan, Puerto Este, Tela, Trujillo ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Honduran Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de Honduras, FFAA): Army (Ejercito), Honduran Naval Force (Fuerza Naval Hondurena, FNH; includes marines), Honduran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Hondurena, FAH), Honduran Military Police of Public Order (Policía Militar del Orden Público or PMOP) (2025) note 1: the National Police of Honduras (Policía Nacional de Honduras, PNH) are under the Secretariat of Security and responsible for internal security; some larger cities have police forces that operate independently of the national police and report to municipal authorities note 2: the PMOP supports the PNH against narcotics trafficking and organized crime; it is subordinate to the Secretariat of Defense/FFAA, but conducts operations sanctioned by civilian security officials as well as by military leaders note 3: the National Interinstitutional Security Force is an interagency command that coordinates the overlapping responsibilities of the HNP, PMOP, and other security organizations such as the National Intelligence Directorate and the Public Ministry (public prosecutor), but exercises coordination, command, and control responsibilities only during interagency operations involving those forces **Military expenditures:** 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 15,000 active Honduran Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the FFAA's inventory is comprised of a mix of older or secondhand and limited amounts of more modern equipment; its main supplier is the US; other suppliers include Colombia, Israel, the Netherlands, and the UK (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-22 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 24–36 month service obligation; no conscription (2026) **Military - note:** the Honduran Armed Forces (FFAA) are responsible for maintaining the country’s territory, defending its sovereignty, providing emergency/humanitarian assistance, and supporting the National Police (PNH); the FFAA’s primary focus is internal and border security, and since 2011 a considerable portion of it has been deployed to support the PNH in combating narcotics trafficking and organized crime; military support to domestic security included the creation of the Military Police of Public Order (PMOP) in 2013 to provide security in areas controlled by street gangs to combat crime and make arrests; the FFAA, including the PMOP, cooperates with the militaries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua on border security the FFAA has received military equipment, training, humanitarian, and technical assistance from the US military; the US military maintains a joint service task force co-located with the FFAA at Soto Cano Air Base (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 341 (2024 est.) IDPs: 100,637 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Hong Kong **Slug:** hong-kong **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇭🇰 **Codes:** cek: hk, iso2: HK, iso3: HKG, iso_num: 344, genc: HKG, stanag: HKG, internet: .hk ### Introduction **Background:** The UK seized Hong Kong in 1841, and China formally ceded it the following year at the end of the First Opium War. The Kowloon Peninsula was added in 1860 at the end of the Second Opium War, and the UK obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898. Pursuant to a UK-China agreement in 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China as of 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic and strict political system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years. After the handover, Hong Kong continued to enjoy success as an international financial center. However, growing Chinese political influence and dissatisfaction with the Hong Kong Government in the 2010s became central issues and led to considerable civil unrest, including large-scale pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019 after the HKSAR attempted to revise a local ordinance to allow extraditions to mainland China. In response to the protests, the governments of the HKSAR and China reduced the city's autonomy and placed new restrictions on the rights of Hong Kong residents, moves that were widely criticized as contravening obligations under the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Democratic lawmakers and political figures were arrested in a widespread crackdown, while others fled abroad. At the same time, dozens of civil society groups and several independent media outlets were closed or disbanded. In 2021, Beijing imposed a more restrictive electoral system, restructuring the Legislative Council (LegCo) and allowing only government-approved candidates to run for office. The changes ensured that virtually all seats in the 2021 LegCo election went to pro-establishment candidates and effectively ended political opposition to Beijing. In 2024, the LegCo passed a new national security law (Article 23 of the Basic Law) further expanding the Hong Kong Government's power to curb dissent. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China **Geographic coordinates:** 22 15 N, 114 10 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 1,108 sq km land: 1,073 sq km water: 35 sq km **Area - comparative:** six times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 33 km regional borders (1): China 33 km **Coastline:** 733 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm **Climate:** subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall **Terrain:** hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north **Elevation:** highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m lowest point: South China Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar **Land use:** agricultural land: 3.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 1% (2023 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 96.2% (2022 est.) **Irrigated land:** 10 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** population fairly evenly distributed **Natural hazards:** occasional typhoons **Geography - note:** consists of a mainland area (the New Territories) and over 200 islands ### People and Society **Population:** total: 7,305,556 (2025 est.) male: 3,367,222 female: 3,938,334 **Nationality:** noun: Chinese/Hong Konger adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong **Ethnic groups:** Chinese 91.6%, Filipino 2.7%, Indonesian 1.9%, other 3.7% (2021 est.) **Languages:** Cantonese (official) 85.4%, English (official) 4.5%, Putonghua (official) 2.2%, other Chinese dialects 2.8%, other 2%, persons under 5 or mute 3.2% (2021 est.) major-language sample(s): 世界概况, 必須擁有的基本資料参考书 (Cantonese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: data represent population by usual spoken language **Religions:** Buddhist or Taoist 27.9%, Protestant 6.7%, Roman Catholic 5.3%, Muslim 4.2%, Hindu 1.4%, Sikh 0.2%, other or none 54.3% (2016 est.) note: many people practice Confucianism, regardless of their religion or not having a religious affiliation **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 13.2% (male 505,718/female 459,956) 15-64 years: 64.8% (male 2,123,216/female 2,609,102) 65 years and over: 21.9% (2024 est.) (male 738,878/female 860,951) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 56.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 20.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 35.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.8 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 47.6 years (2025 est.) male: 45.3 years female: 48.6 years **Population growth rate:** 0.09% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 7.45 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.16 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 1.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population fairly evenly distributed **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.58% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 7.685 million Hong Kong (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.81 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 29.8 years (2008 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 2.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 84 years (2024 est.) male: 81.3 years female: 86.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.24 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.6 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: NA total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: NA total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.04 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Hospital bed density:** 4.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 96.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 96.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 3.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 3.5% of population (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 49.8% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 15.7% national budget (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 17 years (2023 est.) male: 17 years (2023 est.) female: 17 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air and water pollution from rapid urbanization; urban waste pollution; industrial pollution **Climate:** subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall **Land use:** agricultural land: 3.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 1% (2023 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 96.2% (2022 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.58% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 58.433 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 12.935 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 35.453 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 10.045 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 5.68 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 34% (2016 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Hong Kong local long form: Heung Kong Takpit Hangching Ku (Eitel/Dyer-Ball) local short form: Heung Kong (Eitel/Dyer-Ball) abbreviation: HK etymology: probably an imprecise phonetic rendering of the Cantonese name meaning "fragrant harbor" **Government type:** presidential limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China **Dependency status:** special administrative region of the People's Republic of China **Legal system:** mixed system of common law based on the English model and Chinese customary law (in matters of family and land tenure); China's imposition of National Security Law incorporates elements of Chinese civil law **Constitution:** history: several previous (governance documents while under British authority); latest drafted April 1988 to February 1989, approved March 1990, effective 1 July 1997 (Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as the constitution) amendment process: proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the People’s Republic of China State Council, or the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong; submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, approval by two thirds of Hong Kong’s deputies to the NPC, and approval by the Hong Kong chief executive; final passage requires approval by the NPC note: since 1990, China's National People's Congress has interpreted specific articles of the Basic Law **Citizenship:** see China **Suffrage:** 18 years of age in direct elections for 20 of the 90 Legislative Council seats and all of the seats in 18 district councils; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past 7 years note: in indirect elections, suffrage is limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies for the other 70 legislature seats and a 1,500-member election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad sectoral groupings, central government bodies, municipal organizations, and elected Hong Kong officials **Executive branch:** chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013) head of government: Chief Executive John LEE Ka-chiu (since 1 July 2022) cabinet: Executive Council or ExCo appointed by the chief executive election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); chief executive indirectly elected by the Election Committee and appointed by the PRC Government for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: president: 10 March 2023 chief executive: 8 May 2022 election results: 2022: John LEE was the only candidate and won with over 99% of the vote by the Election Committee 2017: Carrie LAM elected; Election Committee vote - Carrie LAM (non-partisan) 777, John TSANG (non-partisan) 365, WOO Kwok-hing (non-partisan) 21, 23 ballots rejected (1,186 votes cast) expected date of next election: president: March 2028 chief executive: 2027 note: electoral changes that Beijing imposed in March 2021 expanded the Election Committee to 1,500 members **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Legislative Council or LegCo legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 90 electoral system: 20 members directly elected; 70 members indirectly elected scope of elections: full most recent election date: 7 December 2025 parties elected and seats per party: Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) 20, Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Unions (HKFTU) 8, Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong (BPA) 7, Liberal (LP) 4, New People's Party (NPP) 3, Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers (HKFEW) 2, Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions (HKFLU) 2, Professional Power (PP) 1, Roundtable (RT) 1, New Territories Association of Societies (NTAS) 1, Kowloon West New Dynamic (KWND) 1, Independents 40 expected date of next election: December 2029 note: all political candidates are evaluated by the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee (CERC), which was established in April 2022; CERC members are all appointed by the chief executive **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Final Appeal (consists of the chief justice, 3 permanent judges, and 20 non-permanent judges) judge selection and term of office: all judges appointed by the Hong Kong Chief Executive on the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission, an independent body consisting of the Secretary for Justice, other judges, and judicial and legal professionals; permanent judges serve until normal retirement at age 65, but term can be extended; non-permanent judges appointed for renewable 3-year terms without age limit subordinate courts: High Court (consists of the Court of Appeal and Court of First Instance); District Courts (includes Family and Land Courts); magistrates' courts; specialized tribunals **Political parties:** Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong or BPA Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions or HKFLU Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers or HKFEW Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions or HKFTU Kowloon West New Dynamic or KWND Liberal Party or LP New People's Party or NPP New Prospect for Hong Kong or NPHK New Territories Association of Societies or NTAS Professional Power or PP Roundtable or RT note 1: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies note 2: by the end of 2021, the leading pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong had been effectively removed from the political arena under the provisions of Beijing's 2021 electoral changes or via charges under the 2020 national security law; in addition, dozens of pro-democracy organizations, including political parties, unions, churches, civil rights groups, and media organizations have disbanded or closed; as of 2023, nearly all politically active groups were pro-Beijing **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: none (Special Administrative Region of China) HKETO offices: New York, San Francisco, Washington DC note: Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China and does not have a diplomatic presence; the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) carries out normal liaison activities and communication with the US government and other US entities; the position of the Hong Kong Commissioner to the US Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is vacant; address: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; telephone: [1] (202) 331-8947; FAX: [1] (202) 331-8958; email: hketo@hketowashington.gov.hk; website: https://www.hketowashington.gov.hk/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Consul General Julie EADEH (since August 2025); note - also accredited to Macau embassy: 26 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong mailing address: 8000 Hong Kong Place, Washington DC 20521-8000 telephone: [852] 2523-9011 FAX: [852] 2845-1598 email address and website: acshk@state.gov https://hk.usconsulate.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, APEC, BIS, FATF, ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC (NGOs), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** none (special administrative region of China) **National holiday:** National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949) note: 1 July (1997) is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day **Flag:** description: red with a stylized white Bauhinia flower with five petals in the center of the flag; each petal has a tiny five-pointed red star with a fine red line curving toward the center of the flower meaning: the red color is the same as the Chinese flag and represents the motherland, and the five stars also echo the Chinese flag; the Bauhinia flower was developed in Hong Kong the late 19th century and has come to symbolize the region **National symbol(s):** bauhinia flower **National color(s):** red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" (The March of the Volunteers) lyrics/music: TIAN Han/NIE Er history: official anthem, as a Special Administrative Region of China ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income tourism- and services-based economy; global financial hub; COVID-19 and political protests fueled recent recession; ongoing recovery but lower-skilled unemployment remains high; investing in job-reskilling programs **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $497.88 billion (2024 est.) $485.541 billion (2023 est.) $470.42 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.5% (2024 est.) 3.2% (2023 est.) -3.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $66,200 (2024 est.) $64,400 (2023 est.) $64,000 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $407.107 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.7% (2024 est.) 2.1% (2023 est.) 1.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0% (2023 est.) industry: 6.3% (2023 est.) services: 91.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 67.4% (2024 est.) government consumption: 12.8% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 16.2% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -0.5% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 181.7% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -177.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** pork, chicken, spinach, vegetables, pork offal, game meat, beef, fruits, onions, pork fat (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** trading and logistics, financial services, professional services, tourism, cultural and creative, clothing and textiles, shipping, electronics, toys, clocks and watches **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 3.836 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.8% (2024 est.) 3% (2023 est.) 4.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 8.4% (2024 est.) male: 10.5% (2024 est.) female: 6.3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Average household expenditures:** on food: 11.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Remittances:** 0.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $70.124 billion (2020 est.) expenditures: $105.849 billion (2020 est.) **Current account balance:** $52.475 billion (2024 est.) $32.338 billion (2023 est.) $36.525 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $739.915 billion (2024 est.) $673.738 billion (2023 est.) $697.583 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 22%, Vietnam 12%, S. Korea 8%, Netherlands 5%, Switzerland 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, integrated circuits, gas turbines, broadcasting equipment, jewelry (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $723.397 billion (2024 est.) $671.492 billion (2023 est.) $682.881 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 40%, Taiwan 10%, Singapore 7%, Japan 5%, S. Korea 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment, gold, machine parts, jewelry (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $425.554 billion (2023 est.) $424.03 billion (2022 est.) $496.867 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 7.804 (2024 est.) 7.83 (2023 est.) 7.831 (2022 est.) 7.773 (2021 est.) 7.757 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 13.3 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 45.54 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 11.593 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.684 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 99.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 5.567 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 16,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 5.884 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 96 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 233,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 5.12 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 5.12 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 116.811 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 3.31 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 45 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 27.1 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 365 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 34 commercial terrestrial TV networks, each with multiple stations; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; 3 licensed broadcasters, one of which is government-funded, operate about 12 radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .hk **Internet users:** percent of population: 96% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2.97 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 40 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** B-H **Airports:** 2 (2025) **Heliports:** 142 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 2,537 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1,047, container ship 560, general cargo 144, oil tanker 394, other 392 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 1 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Hong Kong ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Hong Kong Police Force (specialized units include the Police Counterterrorism Response Unit, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau, the Special Duties Unit, the Airport Security Unit, and the VIP Protection Unit) China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Hong Kong Garrison is responsible for defense duties; the garrison includes elements of the PLA Army, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force and are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Southern Theater Command (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 260 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Hong Kong remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/hong-kong/ **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Hungary **Slug:** hungary **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇭🇺 **Codes:** cek: hu, iso2: HU, iso3: HUN, iso_num: 348, genc: HUN, stanag: HUN, internet: .hu ### Introduction **Background:** Hungary became a Christian kingdom in A.D. 1000 and for many centuries served as a bulwark against Ottoman Turkish expansion in Europe. The kingdom eventually became part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which collapsed during World War I. The country fell under communist rule after World War II. In 1956, Moscow responded to a Hungarian revolt and announcement of its withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact with a massive military intervention. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "Goulash Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU five years later. ### Geography **Location:** Central Europe, northwest of Romania **Geographic coordinates:** 47 00 N, 20 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 93,028 sq km land: 89,608 sq km water: 3,420 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Virginia; about the same size as Indiana **Land boundaries:** total: 2,106 km border countries (7): Austria 321 km; Croatia 348 km; Romania 424 km; Serbia 164 km; Slovakia 627 km; Slovenia 94 km; Ukraine 128 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers **Terrain:** mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the Slovakian border **Elevation:** highest point: Kekes 1,014 m lowest point: Tisza River 78 m mean elevation: 143 m **Natural resources:** bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 55.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 45.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 8.6% (2023 est.) forest: 22.7% (2023 est.) other: 20.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,331 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Balaton - 590 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Duna (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations **Geography - note:** landlocked; strategic location on main land routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula, as well as between Ukraine and the Mediterranean basin; the Duna (Danube) and Tisza Rivers divide the country into three large regions ### People and Society **Population:** total: 9,827,455 (2025 est.) male: 4,799,238 female: 5,028,217 **Nationality:** noun: Hungarian(s) adjective: Hungarian **Ethnic groups:** Hungarian 84.3%, Romani 2.1%, German 1%, other 1.2%, unspecified 13.7% (2022 est.) note: percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one ethnic group; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 5–10% of Hungary's population **Languages:** Hungarian (official) 98.8%, English 25.3%, German 12.6%, Russian 2.1%, French 1.5%, Romanian 1.4%, other 5.1% (2022 est.) major-language sample(s): A World Factbook nélkülözhetetlen forrása az alapvető információnak. (Hungarian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one spoken language **Religions:** Catholic 30.1% (Roman Catholic 27.5%, Greek Catholic 1.7%, other Catholic 0.9%), Calvinist 9.8%, Lutheran 1.8%, other Christian (includes Orthodox) 1.6%, other 0.4%, none 16.1%, no answer 40.1% (2022 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 14.6% (male 753,955/female 683,943) 15-64 years: 63.9% (male 3,195,761/female 3,104,750) 65 years and over: 21.5% (2024 est.) (male 862,952/female 1,254,384) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 56.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 22.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 33.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 45.1 years (2025 est.) male: 42.8 years female: 46.7 years **Population growth rate:** -0.29% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 9.03 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 14.41 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 2.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations **Urbanization:** urban population: 72.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.778 million BUDAPEST (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 28.4 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 12 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76 years (2024 est.) male: 72.9 years female: 79.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.6 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.78 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.4% of GDP (2021) 9.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.46 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 6.8 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 26.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 10.79 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 3.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 28.5% (2025 est.) male: 33.7% (2025 est.) female: 23.8% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 52.3% (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 7.8% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 16 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air and soil pollution; water pollution from industry and large-scale agriculture **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protection **Climate:** temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 55.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 45.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 8.6% (2023 est.) forest: 22.7% (2023 est.) other: 20.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 72.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 40.161 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 3.373 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 20.887 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 15.901 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 14.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.781 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 31% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 660 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 3.758 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 548.613 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 104 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 4 (2024) global geoparks and regional networks: Bakony-Balaton; Bukk Region; Hungary; Novohrad-Nógrád (includes Slovakia) (2024) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Hungary local long form: none local short form: Magyarorszag former: Kingdom of Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic, Hungarian Soviet Republic, Hungarian Republic etymology: the Byzantine Greeks referred to the tribes that arrived on the steppes of Eastern Europe in the 9th century as the "Oungroi," a name that later became "Hungari," which originally meant an "[alliance of] ten tribes;" the Hungarian name Magyarorszag means "Country of the Magyars," which may be derived from the name of the most prominent of the Hungarian tribes **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Budapest geographic coordinates: 47 30 N, 19 05 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: Buda on the western shore of the Danube and Pest on the eastern shore merged in 1873 to form Budapest; Buda's name may derive from the name of its founder or from a local word meaning "water;" Pest derives from a Slavic word meaning "furnace" or "oven" **Administrative divisions:** 19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 25 cities with county rights (megyei jogu varosok, singular - megyei jogu varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros) counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Csongrad-Csanad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala cities with county rights: Baja, Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Erd, Esztergom, Gyor, Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa, Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Salgotarjan, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szekszard, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg capital city: Budapest **Legal system:** civil system influenced by the German model **Constitution:** history: previous 1949 (heavily amended in 1989 following the collapse of communism); latest approved 18 April 2011, signed 25 April 2011, effective 1 January 2012 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic, by the government, by parliamentary committee, or by Parliament members; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament members and approval by the president **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICC jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Hungary dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age, 16 if married and marriage is registered in Hungary; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Tamas SULYOK (since 5 March 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Viktor ORBAN (since 29 May 2010) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers proposed by the prime minister and appointed by the president election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly with two-thirds majority vote in first round or simple majority vote in second round for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president most recent election date: president: 26 February 2024 prime minister: 3 April 2022 election results: 2024: Tamas SULYOK elected president; National Assembly vote - 134 to 5 2022: Katalin NOVAK (Fidesz) elected president; National Assembly vote - 137 to 51 expected date of next election: president: spring 2029 prime minister: April or May 2027 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Országgyülés) legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: National Assembly (Orszaggyules) number of seats: 199 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 4/3/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Hungarian Civic Union-Christian Democratic People's Party (FIDESZ-KDNP) (135); Democratic Coalition (DK) (15); Movement for a Better Hungary (Jobbik) (10); Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) (10); Momentum (10); Other (19) percentage of women in chamber: 15.6% expected date of next election: April 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Curia or Supreme Judicial Court (consists of the president, vice president, department heads, and has a maximum of 113 judges, and is organized into civil, criminal, and administrative-labor departments; Constitutional Court (consists of 15 judges, including the court president and vice president) judge selection and term of office: Curia president elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president of the republic; other Curia judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, a separate 15-member administrative body; judge tenure based on interim evaluations until normal retirement at age 62; Constitutional Court judges, including the president of the court, elected by the National Assembly; court vice president elected by the court itself; members serve 12-year terms with mandatory retirement at age 62 subordinate courts: 5 regional courts of appeal; 19 regional or county courts (including Budapest Metropolitan Court); 20 administrative-labor courts; 111 district or local courts **Political parties:** Christian Democratic People's Party or KDNP Democratic Coalition or DK Dialogue for Hungary or Párbeszéd Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz Hungarian Socialist Party or MSZP Jobbik - Conservatives or Jobbik LMP-Hungary's Green Party or LMP Mi Hazank (Our Homeland Movement) or MHM Momentum Movement or Momentum Movement for a Better Hungary or Jobbik National Self-Government of Germans in Hungary or MNOÖ On the People's Side or A Nép Pártján Our Homeland Movement or Mi Hazánk TISZA – Respect and Freedom Party or TISZA **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Szabolcs Ferenc TAKÁCS (since 23 December 2020) chancery: 1500 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135 email address and website: info.was@mfa.gov.hu https://washington.mfa.gov.hu/eng consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York consulate(s): Houston, Miami **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Caroline SAVAGE (since November 2025) embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest mailing address: 5270 Budapest Place, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270 telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400 FAX: [36] (1) 475-4248 email address and website: acs.budapest@state.gov https://hu.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 16 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 25 December 1000 (crowning of King STEPHEN I, traditional founding date); 30 March 1867 (Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy established) **National holiday:** Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August (1083) note: commemorates the saint's canonization and the transfer of his remains to Buda (now Budapest) in 1083 **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green meaning: folklore attributes virtues to the colors: red for strength, white for faithfulness, and green for hope; alternatively, the red can stand for the blood spilled in defense of the land, white for freedom, and green for pasturelands history: the flag dates to the national movement of the 18th and 19th centuries and fuses the medieval colors of the Hungarian coat of arms with the revolutionary tricolor of the French flag **National symbol(s):** Holy Crown of Hungary (Crown of Saint Stephen) **National color(s):** red, white, green **National anthem(s):** title: "Himnusz" (Hymn) lyrics/music: Ferenc KOLCSEY/Ferenc ERKEL history: adopted 1844 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 8 (7 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter, and Andrássy Avenue (c); Old Village of Hollókő and its Surroundings (c); Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst (n); Millenary Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma and its Natural Environment (c); Hortobágy National Park - the Puszta (c); Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs (Sopianae) (c); Fertö / Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape (c); Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income EU and OECD economy; modest recovery from 2024 recession driven by private consumption and moderated inflation; challenges include high fiscal deficits, frozen access to EU funds, and risks from export reliance; implementing tax exemptions, price controls, and mortgage interest caps ahead of 2026 elections **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $389.207 billion (2024 est.) $387.223 billion (2023 est.) $390.513 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 0.5% (2024 est.) -0.8% (2023 est.) 4.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $40,700 (2024 est.) $40,400 (2023 est.) $40,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $222.905 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.7% (2024 est.) 17.1% (2023 est.) 14.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2.4% (2024 est.) industry: 23.9% (2024 est.) services: 59.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 49.1% (2023 est.) government consumption: 19.9% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 25.6% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.3% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 80.8% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -76.3% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** maize, wheat, barley, milk, sunflower seeds, sugar beets, rapeseed, apples, pork, grapes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles **Industrial production growth rate:** -2.5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 4.954 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.5% (2024 est.) 4.2% (2023 est.) 3.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 14.1% (2024 est.) male: 14.8% (2024 est.) female: 13.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 12.1% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 30.2 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 16.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.8% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 24.4% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 2.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $69.793 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $80.429 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 75.3% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 23.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $5.074 billion (2024 est.) $751.071 million (2023 est.) -$14.699 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $166.503 billion (2024 est.) $173.034 billion (2023 est.) $158.98 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 25%, Italy 6%, Romania 6%, USA 5%, Slovakia 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** cars, vehicle parts/accessories, electric batteries, packaged medicine, computers (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $154.077 billion (2024 est.) $163.192 billion (2023 est.) $167.262 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 23%, China 7%, Austria 6%, Poland 6%, S. Korea 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** vehicle parts/accessories, natural gas, integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment, industrial acids/oils/alcohols (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $46.422 billion (2024 est.) $45.719 billion (2023 est.) $41.219 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** forints (HUF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 365.691 (2024 est.) 353.088 (2023 est.) 372.596 (2022 est.) 303.141 (2021 est.) 307.997 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 14.829 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 42.739 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 8.863 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 19.963 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.454 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 28.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 44.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 19.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 1.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 4.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 4 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 1.92GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 48.8% (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 4.293 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 4.694 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 115,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 452,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2.633 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 36,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 179,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 12.1 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 1.612 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 8.293 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 8.216 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 3.738 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 96.152 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 2.52 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 10.1 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 105 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** mixed system of state-supported media and private broadcasters; the 5 publicly owned TV channels and the 2 main privately owned TV stations are the major national broadcasters; large number of special-interest channels; highly developed market for satellite and cable TV with about two-thirds of viewers utilizing the services; 4 state-supported radio networks; large number of local stations, including commercial, public service, nonprofit, and community radio stations; digital transition completed in 2013 (2019) **Internet country code:** .hu **Internet users:** percent of population: 92% (2024 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 3.56 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** HA **Airports:** 109 (2025) **Heliports:** 15 (2025) **Railways:** total: 7,687 km (2020) 3,111 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 1 (2023) by type: other 1 ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Hungarian Defense Forces (HDF or Magyar Honvédség): the HDF is organized as a joint force under a general staff with commands for land, air, cyber, special operations, territorial defense, and support forces (2025) note: the National Police are under the Ministry of Interior and responsible for maintaining order nationwide; the Ministry of Interior also has the Counterterrorism Center, a special police force responsible for protecting the president and the prime minister and for preventing, uncovering, and detecting terrorist acts **Military expenditures:** 2.1% of GDP (2025 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 30,000 active-duty military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the HDF has a mix of Soviet-era and more modern, NATO-compatible arms from such countries as Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Türkiye, and the US; in 2017, Budapest launched a modernization program aimed at replacing its Soviet-era weaponry with modern systems; Hungary has also placed emphasis on building up its defense industrial capacity (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (abolished 2005) (2026) **Military deployments:** 250 Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR stabilization force); 200 Chad; 470 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2025) **Military - note:** the Hungarian Defense Forces (HDF) are responsible for ensuring the defense of the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and citizens, and fulfilling Hungary’s commitments to the EU and NATO, as well as contributing to other international peacekeeping efforts under the UN; key areas of concern for the HDF the HDF is also responsible for some aspects of domestic security, crisis management, disaster response, and assisting law enforcement forces in border security Hungary has been a member of NATO since 1999 and considers the collective defense ensured within the Alliance as a cornerstone of the country’s security; NATO membership is complemented by Hungary’s ties to the EU under its Common Security and Defense Policy; the HDF has participated in multiple NATO-led security missions, including in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo, as well as EU-led missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Mali; it hosts a NATO battlegroup comprised of troops from Croatia, Hungary, Italy, and the US, and NATO’s Multinational Division Center, a headquarters capable of commanding a division-sized force (typically 15-20,000 troops) in a crisis; both organizations were established as a result of Russian aggression against Ukraine; Hungary is a member of the Visegrad Group, a regional platform that brings together Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia to discuss cultural, defense, and political cooperation (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 72,359 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 101 (2024 est.) --- ## Iceland **Slug:** iceland **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇮🇸 **Codes:** cek: ic, iso2: IS, iso3: ISL, iso_num: 352, genc: ISL, stanag: ISL, internet: .is ### Introduction **Background:** Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althingi, which was established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter-century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Denmark granted limited home rule in 1874 and complete independence in 1944. The second half of the 20th century saw substantial economic growth driven primarily by the fishing industry. The economy diversified greatly after the country joined the European Economic Area in 1994, but the global financial crisis hit Iceland especially hard in the years after 2008. The economy is now on an upward trajectory, primarily thanks to a tourism and construction boom. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are first-rate by world standards. ### Geography **Location:** Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom **Geographic coordinates:** 65 00 N, 18 00 W **Map references:** Arctic Region **Area:** total : 103,000 sq km land: 100,250 sq km water: 2,750 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Pennsylvania; about the same size as Kentucky **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 4,970 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers **Terrain:** mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords **Elevation:** highest point: Hvannadalshnukur (at Vatnajokull Glacier) 2,110 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 557 m **Natural resources:** fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite **Land use:** agricultural land: 16.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 15% (2023 est.) forest: 0.6% (2023 est.) other: 82.6% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0.5 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** Iceland is almost entirely urban, with half of the population located in and around the capital of Reykjavik; smaller clusters are primarily found along the coast in the north and west **Natural hazards:** earthquakes and volcanic activity volcanism: Iceland is situated on top of a hotspot and experiences severe volcanic activity; Eyjafjallajokull (1,666 m) erupted in 2010, sending ash high into the atmosphere and seriously disrupting European air traffic; scientists continue to monitor nearby Katla (1,512 m), which has a high probability of eruption; Grimsvoetn and Hekla are Iceland's most active volcanoes; other historically active volcanoes include Askja, Bardarbunga, Brennisteinsfjoll, Esjufjoll, Hengill, Krafla, Krisuvik, Kverkfjoll, Oraefajokull, Reykjanes, Torfajokull, and Vestmannaeyjar **Geography - note:** strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe ### People and Society **Population:** total: 367,086 (2025 est.) male: 183,746 female: 183,340 **Nationality:** noun: Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic **Ethnic groups:** Icelandic 78.7%, Polish 5.8%, Danish 1%, Ukrainian 1%, other 13.5% (2024 est.) note: data represent population by country of birth **Languages:** Icelandic, English, Polish, Nordic languages, German **Religions:** Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland (official) 58.6% Roman Catholic 3.8%, Independent Congregation of Reykjavik 2.6%, Independent Congregation of Hafnarfjordur 1.9%, pagan worship 1.5%, Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association 1.4%, other (includes Zuist and Pentecostal) or unspecified 18.7%, none 7.7% (2024 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 19.8% (male 36,692/female 35,239) 15-64 years: 63.2% (male 116,210/female 113,810) 65 years and over: 17.1% (2024 est.) (male 29,366/female 32,719) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 58.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 31 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 27.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 38.2 years (2025 est.) male: 37.4 years female: 38.6 years **Population growth rate:** 0.82% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 12.47 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.62 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** Iceland is almost entirely urban, with half of the population located in and around the capital of Reykjavik; smaller clusters are primarily found along the coast in the north and west **Urbanization:** urban population: 94% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 216,000 REYKJAVIK (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 28.7 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 1.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 1.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 1.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 84 years (2024 est.) male: 81.8 years female: 86.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.93 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.94 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8.6% of GDP (2022) 16.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.37 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 2.8 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 21.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 7.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 8% (2025 est.) male: 7.9% (2025 est.) female: 8% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 48.5% (2023 est.) **Education expenditure:** 7.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 15.7% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 19 years (2022 est.) male: 18 years (2022 est.) female: 20 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution from fertilizer runoff **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 16.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 15% (2023 est.) forest: 0.6% (2023 est.) other: 82.6% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 94% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 3.101 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 376,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.725 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 5.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 225,300 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 55.5% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 80 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 198 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 300,000 cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 170 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 2 global geoparks and regional networks: Katla; Reykjanes (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Iceland local long form: none local short form: Island etymology: Floki VILGERDARSON, an early Norse explorer of the island in the 10th century, applied the name "Land of Ice," from the local words ís (ice) and land (land) **Government type:** unitary parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Reykjavik geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "smoky bay" in Icelandic and refers to the steam from the hot springs in the area **Administrative divisions:** 64 municipalities (sveitarfelog, singular - sveitarfelagidh); Akranes, Akureyri, Arneshreppur, Asahreppur, Blaskogabyggdh, Bolungarvik, Borgarbyggdh, Dalabyggdh, Dalvikurbyggdh, Eyjafjardharsveit, Eyja-og Miklaholtshreppur, Fjallabyggdh, Fjardhabyggdh, Fljotsdalshreppur, Floahreppur, Gardhabaer, Grimsnes-og Grafningshreppur, Grindavikurbaer, Grundarfjardharbaer, Grytubakkahreppur, Hafnarfjordhur, Horgarsveit, Hrunamannahreppur, Hunathing Vestra, Hunabyggdh, Hvalfjardharsveit, Hveragerdhi, Isafjardharbaer, Kaldrananeshreppur, Kjosarhreppur, Kopavogur, Langanesbyggdh, Mosfellsbaer, Mulathing, Myrdalshreppur, Nordhurthing, Rangarthing Eystra, Rangarthing Ytra, Reykholahreppur, Reykjanesbaer, Reykjavik, Seltjarnarnes, Skaftarhreppur, Skagabyggdh, Skagafjordhur, Skeidha-og Gnupverjahreppur, Skorradalshreppur, Snaefellsbaer, Strandabyggdh, Stykkisholmur, Sudhavikurhreppur, Sudhurnesjabaer, Svalbardhsstrandarhreppur, Sveitarfelagidh Arborg, Sveitarfelagidh Hornafjordhur, Sveitarfelagidh Olfus, Sveitarfelagidh Skagastrond, Sveitarfelagidh Vogar, Talknafjardharhreppur, Thingeyjarsveit, Tjorneshreppur, Vestmannaeyjar, Vesturbyggdh, Vopnafjardharhreppur **Legal system:** civil law system influenced by the Danish model **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest ratified 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 (at independence) amendment process: proposed by the Althingi; passage requires approval by the Althingi and by the next elected Althingi, and confirmation by the president of the republic; proposed amendments to Article 62 of the constitution – that the Evangelical Lutheran Church shall be the state church of Iceland – also require passage by referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Iceland dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3 to 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Halla TOMASDOTTIR (since 1 August 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Kristrun FROSTADOTTIR (since 21 December 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the prime minister election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term (no term limits); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition becomes prime minister most recent election date: 1 June 2024 election results: 2024: Halla TOMASDOTTIR elected president; percent of vote - Halla TOMASDOTTIR (independent) 34.1%, Katrin JAKOBSDOTTIR (Left-Green Movement) 25.2%, Halla Hrund LOGADOTTIR (independent) 15.7%, Jon GNARR (Social Democratic Alliance) 10.1%, Baldur PORHALLSSON (independent) 8.4%, other 6.5% 2020: Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON reelected president; percent of vote - Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON (independent) 92.2%, Gudmundur Franklin JONSSON (independent) 7.8% expected date of next election: June 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Althingi) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 63 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/30/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Social Democratic Alliance (SDA) (15); Independence Party (IP) (14); Liberal Reform Party (11); People’s Party (10); Center Party (8); Progressive Party (PP) (5) percentage of women in chamber: 46% expected date of next election: November 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Haestirettur (consists of 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: judges proposed by Ministry of Interior selection committee and appointed by the president for an indefinite period subordinate courts: Appellate Court or Landsrettur; 8 district courts; Labor Court **Political parties:** Center Party or M Independence Party or D Liberal Reform Party or C People's Party or F Progressive Party or B Social Democratic Alliance or S **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Svanhildur Hólm VALSDÓTTIR (since 18 September 2024) chancery: House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW, #509, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653 FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656 email address and website: washington@mfa.is https://www.government.is/diplomatic-missions/embassy-of-iceland-in-washington-d.c/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Erin SAWYER (since January 2025) embassy: Engjateigur 7, 105 Reykjavik mailing address: 5640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-5640 telephone: [354] 595-2200 FAX: [354] 562-9118 email address and website: ReykjavikConsular@state.gov https://is.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark; birthday of Jon SIGURDSSON, leader of Iceland's 19th-century independence movement) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 17 June (1944) **Flag:** description: blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of the flag; the cross is shifted to the left in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) meaning: red stands for the island's volcanic fires, white for the snow and ice fields, and blue for the ocean **National symbol(s):** gyrfalcon **National color(s):** blue, white, red **National coat of arms:** Iceland’s coat of arms is derived from a 13th-century folktale about four guardians who protect the four corners of the nation; the bull protects the northwest, the eagle the northeast, the dragon the southeast, and the rock-giant the southwest; the shield displays the national flag, with red standing for Iceland’s volcanic fires, white for its snow and ice fields, and blue for the ocean **National anthem(s):** title: "Lofsongur" (Song of Praise) lyrics/music: Matthias JOCHUMSSON/Sveinbjorn SVEINBJORNSSON history: adopted 1918 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (1 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Thingvellir National Park (c); Surtsey (n); Vatnajökull National Park - Dynamic Nature of Fire and Ice (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income North Atlantic island economy; not an EU member but market integration via European Economic Area (EEA); dominant tourism, fishing, and aluminum industries vulnerable to demand swings and disruption from volcanic activity; inflation remains above target rate; barriers to foreign business access and economic diversification **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $26.561 billion (2024 est.) $26.424 billion (2023 est.) $25.012 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 0.5% (2024 est.) 5.6% (2023 est.) 9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $65,600 (2024 est.) $67,200 (2023 est.) $65,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $33.463 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 5.9% (2024 est.) 8.7% (2023 est.) 8.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 4% (2024 est.) industry: 19.4% (2024 est.) services: 65.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 49.3% (2023 est.) government consumption: 25.3% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.8% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.7% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 43.4% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -43.3% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, chicken, lamb/mutton, barley, potatoes, pork, beef, eggs, other meats, cucumbers/gherkins (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, fish processing; aluminum smelting; geothermal power, hydropower; medical/pharmaceutical products **Industrial production growth rate:** -2.3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 248,400 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.2% (2024 est.) 3.6% (2023 est.) 3.8% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 7.6% (2024 est.) male: 8.3% (2024 est.) female: 7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 8.8% (2017 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 26.6 (2018 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.7% (2018 est.) highest 10%: 21.7% (2018 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $10.023 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $10.364 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 80.7% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 23.3% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$845.319 million (2024 est.) $290.603 million (2023 est.) -$698.165 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $13.916 billion (2024 est.) $13.702 billion (2023 est.) $13.114 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Netherlands 27%, Germany 11%, USA 10%, UK 8%, Norway 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** aluminum, fish, orthopedic appliances, animal meal, iron alloys (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $14.298 billion (2024 est.) $13.63 billion (2023 est.) $13.237 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Norway 11%, China 9%, Germany 9%, Netherlands 8%, USA 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, carbon-based electronics, aluminum oxide, computers (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $6.403 billion (2024 est.) $5.809 billion (2023 est.) $5.887 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Icelandic kronur (ISK) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 137.958 (2024 est.) 137.943 (2023 est.) 135.28 (2022 est.) 126.989 (2021 est.) 135.422 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 3.005 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 19.584 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 543 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** hydroelectricity: 70.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 29.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 137,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 81 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 106,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 19,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 68,500 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 476,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned public TV broadcaster (RUV) operates 21 TV channels nationally; every household is required to have RUV, which doubles as the emergency broadcast network; 3 privately owned TV stations; 100% of households have multi-channel services though digital and/or fiber-optic connections; RUV operates 3 national and 4 regional radio stations; 1 privately owned radio conglomerate, Syn (4 stations), broadcasts nationwide; over 20 regional radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .is **Internet users:** percent of population: 100% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 145,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** TF **Airports:** 82 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 39 (2023) by type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 2, other 32 **Ports:** total ports: 43 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 2 very small: 17 size unknown: 22 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Grundartangi, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Vestmannaeyjar ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; the Icelandic National Police, the regional police forces, and the Icelandic Coast Guard fall under the purview of the Ministry of Justice (2025) note: the Icelandic Coast Guard is responsible for operational defense tasks in Iceland including but not limited to operation of Keflavik Air Base, special security zones, and the Icelandic air defense system; it also coordinates with NATO in such areas as air surveillance and military defense exercises **Military - note:** Iceland was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949; Iceland is the only NATO member that has no standing military force; defense of Iceland is a NATO commitment, and NATO maintains an air policing presence in Icelandic airspace; Iceland participates in international peacekeeping missions with the civilian-manned Icelandic Crisis Response Unit (ICRU) Iceland also cooperates with the militaries of other regional countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) and the Joint Expeditionary Force (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK); in 1951, Iceland and the US concluded an agreement to make arrangements regarding the defense of Iceland and for the use of facilities in Iceland to that end (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 8,960 (2024 est.) IDPs: 3,700 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 31 (2024 est.) --- ## India **Slug:** india **Region:** South Asia **Flag:** 🇮🇳 **Codes:** cek: in, iso2: IN, iso3: IND, iso_num: 356, genc: IND, stanag: IND, internet: .in ### Introduction **Background:** The Indus Valley civilization, one of the world's oldest, flourished during the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. and extended into northwestern India. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. -- which reached its zenith under ASHOKA -- united much of South Asia. The Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) ushered in The Golden Age, which saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Islam spread across the subcontinent over a period of 700 years. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established the Delhi Sultanate. In the early 16th century, the Emperor BABUR established the Mughal Dynasty, which ruled large sections of India for more than three centuries. European explorers began establishing footholds in India during the 16th century. By the 19th century, Great Britain had become the dominant political power on the subcontinent, and India was seen as the "Jewel in the Crown" of the British Empire. The British Indian Army played a vital role in both World Wars. Years of nonviolent resistance to British rule, led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU, eventually resulted in Indian independence in 1947. Large-scale communal violence took place before and after the subcontinent partition into two separate states -- India and Pakistan. The neighboring countries have fought three wars since independence, the last of which was in 1971 and resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons tests in 1998 emboldened Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. In 2008, terrorists originating from Pakistan conducted a series of coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India's financial capital. India's economic growth after economic reforms in 1991, a massive youth population, and a strategic geographic location have contributed to the country's emergence as a regional and global power. However, India still faces pressing problems such as extensive poverty, widespread corruption, and environmental degradation, and its restrictive business climate challenges economic growth expectations. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan **Geographic coordinates:** 20 00 N, 77 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 3,287,263 sq km land: 2,973,193 sq km water: 314,070 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly more than one-third the size of the US **Land boundaries:** total: 13,888 km border countries (6): Bangladesh 4,142 km; Bhutan 659 km; Burma 1,468 km; China 2,659 km; Nepal 1,770 km; Pakistan 3,190 km **Coastline:** 7,000 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north **Terrain:** upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north **Elevation:** highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,586 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 160 m **Natural resources:** coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), antimony, iron ore, lead, manganese, mica, bauxite, rare earth elements, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 60.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 51.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 4.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 3.4% (2023 est.) forest: 24.4% (2023 est.) other: 15.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 754,562 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Chilika Lake - 1,170 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Brahmaputra (shared with China [s] and Bangladesh [m]) - 3,969 km; Indus (shared with China [s] and Pakistan [m]) - 3,610 km; Ganges river source (shared with Bangladesh [m]) - 2,704 km; Godavari - 1,465 km; Sutlej (shared with China [s] and Pakistan [m]) - 1,372 km; Yamuna - 1,370 km; Narmada - 1,289 km; Chenab river source (shared with Pakistan [m]) - 1,086 km ; Ghaghara river mouth (shared with China [s] and Nepal) - 1,080 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Indus (1,081,718 sq km), Irrawaddy (413,710 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin **Population distribution:** a very high population density exists throughout most of the country, with the notable exception of the deserts in the northwest and the mountain fringe in the north; the core of the population is in the north along the banks of the Ganges, with other river valleys and southern coastal areas also having large population concentrations **Natural hazards:** droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes volcanism: Barren Island (354 m) in the Andaman Sea has been active in recent years **Geography - note:** dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the world, lies on the border with Nepal ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,419,316,933 (2025 est.) male: 730,902,574 female: 688,414,359 **Nationality:** noun: Indian(s) adjective: Indian **Ethnic groups:** Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, and other 3% (2000) **Languages:** Hindi 43.6%, Bengali 8%, Marathi 6.9%, Telugu 6.7%, Tamil 5.7%, Gujarati 4.6%, Urdu 4.2%, Kannada 3.6%, Odia 3.1%, Malayalam 2.9%, Punjabi 2.7%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.1%, other 5.6%; English is the subsidiary official language but is the most important one for national, political, and commercial communication (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): विश्व फ़ैक्टबुक, आधारभूत जानकारी का एक अनिवार्य स्रोत (Hindi) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note 1: there are 22 other recognized languages -- Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu note 2: Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language **Religions:** Hindu 79.8%, Muslim 14.2%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.7%, other and unspecified 2% (2011 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 24.5% (male 181,115,052/female 163,647,028) 15-64 years: 68.7% (male 500,568,593/female 467,593,781) 65 years and over: 6.8% (2024 est.) (male 44,101,180/female 52,102,662) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 45 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 35 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 10 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 10 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 30.1 years (2025 est.) male: 29.1 years female: 30.5 years **Population growth rate:** 0.72% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 15.91 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.7 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** a very high population density exists throughout most of the country, with the notable exception of the deserts in the northwest and the mountain fringe in the north; the core of the population is in the north along the banks of the Ganges, with other river valleys and southern coastal areas also having large population concentrations **Urbanization:** urban population: 36.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 32.941 million NEW DELHI (capital), 21.297 million Mumbai, 15.333 million Kolkata, 13.608 million Bangalore, 11.776 million Chennai, 10.801 million Hyderabad (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 21.2 years (2019/21) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 80 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 30.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 30 deaths/1,000 live births female: 30.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 68.2 years (2024 est.) male: 66.5 years female: 70.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 2 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.95 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 95.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 91.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 93.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 8.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 6.7% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.3% of GDP (2021) 4.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.72 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Hospital bed density:** 1.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 83% of population (2022 est.) total: 88.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 17% of population (2022 est.) total: 11.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 3.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.85 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 21.8% (2025 est.) male: 34.1% (2025 est.) female: 8.9% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 31.5% (2020 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 72.3% (2020 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 4.8% (2021) women married by age 18: 23.3% (2021) men married by age 18: 2.6% (2021) **Education expenditure:** 4.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 14.2% national budget (2022 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 81.7% (2023 est.) male: 88.3% (2023 est.) female: 74.9% (2023 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2024 est.) male: 13 years (2024 est.) female: 13 years (2024 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and agricultural pesticides; tap water not potable; growing population overstraining natural resources; biodiversity loss **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north **Land use:** agricultural land: 60.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 51.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 4.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 3.4% (2023 est.) forest: 24.4% (2023 est.) other: 15.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 36.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 2.821 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.054 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 642.909 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 124.226 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 55.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 8,217.3 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 17,971 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 4,773.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 644.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 189.75 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 17.8% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 56 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 17 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 688 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 1.911 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of India conventional short form: India local long form: Republic of India (English)/ Bharatiya Ganarajya (Hindi) local short form: India (English)/ Bharat (Hindi) etymology: the English name derives from the Indus River; the Indian name, Bharat, may derive from the Bharatas tribe mentioned in the Sanskrit Vedas (Hindu religious texts); the name is also associated with Emperor Bharata, the legendary conqueror of India **Government type:** federal parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: New Delhi geographic coordinates: 28 36 N, 77 12 E time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is of unknown origin; one theory says it may come from the Hindi word dehli (threshold), because of the city's location between the Indus and the Ganges Rivers **Administrative divisions:** 28 states and 8 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir*, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh*, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Puducherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal note: the official name of Delhi is National Capital Territory of Delhi, even though it is considered a union territory **Legal system:** common law system based on the English model; separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus; judicial review of legislative acts **Constitution:** history: previous 1935 (pre-independence); latest draft completed 4 November 1949, adopted 26 November 1949, effective 26 January 1950 amendment process: proposed by either the Council of States or the House of the People; passage requires majority participation of the total membership in each house and at least two-thirds majority of voting members of each house, followed by assent of the president of India; proposed amendments to the constitutional amendment procedures also must be ratified by at least one half of the India state legislatures before presidential assent **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of India dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Droupadi MURMU (since 25 July 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Narendra MODI (since 26 May 2014) cabinet: Union Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister, appointed by the president election/appointment process: president indirectly elected for a 5-year term (no term limits) by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament most recent election date: 18 July 2022 election results: 2022: Droupadi MURMU elected president; percent of electoral college vote - Droupadi MURMU (BJP) 64%, Yashwant SINHA (AITC) 35.9%; Jagdeep DHANKHAR elected vice president; percent of electoral college vote - Jagdeep DHANKHAR (BJP) 74.4%, Margaret ALVA (INC) 25.6% expected date of next election: July 2027 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Sansad) legislative structure: bicameral note: in September 2023, both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha passed a bill that reserves one third of the House seats for women; implementation could begin for the House election in 2029 **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of the People (Lok Sabha) number of seats: 545 (543 directly elected; 2 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 4/19/2024 to 6/1/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) (240); Indian National Congress (INC) (99); Samajwadi Party (SP) (37); All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) (29); Other (138) percentage of women in chamber: 13.8% expected date of next election: April 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Council of States (Rajya Sabha) number of seats: 245 (233 indirectly elected; 12 appointed) scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 1/12/2024 to 6/30/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 16.7% expected date of next election: 31 January 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 28 judges, including the chief justice) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the president to serve until age 65 subordinate courts: High Courts; District Courts; Labour Court **Political parties:** Aam Aadmi Party or AAP All India Trinamool Congress or AITC Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP Biju Janata Dal or BJD Communist Party of India-Marxist or CPI(M) Dravida Munnetra Khazhagam Indian National Congress or INC Nationalist Congress Party or NCP Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD Samajwadi Party or SP Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD Shiv Sena or SS Telegana Rashtra Samithi or TRS Telugu Desam Party or TDP YSR Congress or YSRCP or YCP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Vinay Mohan KWATRA (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000 FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351 email address and website: hoc.washington@mea.gov.in https://www.indianembassyusa.gov.in/ consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Sergio GOR (since 11 October 2025) embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi - 110021 mailing address: 9000 New Delhi Place, Washington DC 20521-9000 telephone: [91] (11) 2419-8000 FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017 email address and website: acsnd@state.gov https://in.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Hyderabad, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay) **International organization participation:** ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIMSTEC, BIS, BRICS, C, CD, CERN (observer), CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-5, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, PIF (partner), Quad, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 15 August 1947 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Republic Day, 26 January (1950) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of saffron (top), white, and green, with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band meaning: saffron stands for courage, sacrifice, and the spirit of renunciation; white for purity and truth; green for faith and fertility; the chakra symbolizes the wheel of life in movement and death in stagnation note: similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band **National symbol(s):** the Lion Capital of Ashoka, which depicts four Asiatic lions standing back-to-back and mounted on a circular abacus (official); Bengal tiger and lotus flower (traditional) **National color(s):** saffron, white, green **National anthem(s):** title: "Jana-Gana-Mana" (Thou Art the Ruler of the Minds of All People) lyrics/music: Rabindranath TAGORE history: adopted 1950; Rabindranath TAGORE, a Nobel laureate, also wrote Bangladesh's national anthem **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 44 (36 cultural, 7 natural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Taj Mahal (c); Agra Fort (c); Elphanta Caves (c); Hill Forts of Rajasthan (c); Sundarbans National Park (n); Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (c); Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (c); Jaipur (c); Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (c); Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (n); Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (n); Khangchendzonga National Park (m); Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (c); Sun Temple, Konârak (c); Kaziranga National Park (n); Churches and Convents of Goa (c); Great Living Chola Temples (c); Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (c); Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (c); Humayun's Tomb, Delhi (c); Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi (c); Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (n); Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat (c); Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar (c); Historic City of Ahmadabad (c); Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai (c); Jaipur City, Rajasthan (c); Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana (c); Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty (c); Maratha Military Landscapes of India (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** largest South Asian economy; strong, sustained GDP growth led by technology and service sectors, foreign investment, and improved regulatory framework; high poverty rate and income inequality; initiatives on infrastructure development, digitization, manufacturing, and financial access **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $14.244 trillion (2024 est.) $13.377 trillion (2023 est.) $12.251 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 6.5% (2024 est.) 9.2% (2023 est.) 7.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $9,800 (2024 est.) $9,300 (2023 est.) $8,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $3.913 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 5% (2024 est.) 5.6% (2023 est.) 6.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 16.4% (2024 est.) industry: 24.5% (2024 est.) services: 49.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 61.5% (2024 est.) government consumption: 10.1% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 29.6% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 3% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 21.2% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -23.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, rice, milk, wheat, bison milk, potatoes, vegetables, maize, bananas, onions (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software, pharmaceuticals **Industrial production growth rate:** 5.6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 607.691 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.3% (2024 est.) 4.2% (2023 est.) 4.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 16% (2024 est.) male: 15.5% (2024 est.) female: 17.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 25.5 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 29.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 4.5% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 22.1% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 3.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 3.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.3% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $311.824 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $486.598 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 46.5% of GDP (2018 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 6.7% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$32.428 billion (2024 est.) -$31.962 billion (2023 est.) -$79.051 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $822.046 billion (2024 est.) $773.177 billion (2023 est.) $767.643 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 19%, UAE 7%, China 4%, Germany 3%, UK 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, packaged medicine, diamonds, broadcasting equipment, garments (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $923.081 billion (2024 est.) $859.507 billion (2023 est.) $902.304 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 19%, Russia 10%, USA 6%, UAE 6%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, gold, coal, natural gas, integrated circuits (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $643.043 billion (2024 est.) $627.793 billion (2023 est.) $567.298 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $212.728 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Indian rupees (INR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 83.669 (2024 est.) 82.599 (2023 est.) 78.604 (2022 est.) 73.918 (2021 est.) 74.1 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 99.2% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 99.3% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 499.136 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.5 trillion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 9.529 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 7.843 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 303.066 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 75.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 2.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 6.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 5.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 8.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 20 (2025) Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 7 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 6.92GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 3.1% (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 1.02 billion metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 1.262 billion metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1.632 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 243.488 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 127.727 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 822,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 5.271 million bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 4.605 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 35.168 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 62.196 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 91.921 million cubic meters (2019 est.) imports: 29.337 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.381 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 25.179 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 39.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 1.15 billion (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 79 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** Doordarshan, India's public TV network, has a monopoly on terrestrial broadcasting and operates about 20 national, regional, and local services; a large number of privately owned TV stations are distributed by cable and satellite service providers; cable and satellite TV offer over 850 TV channels; government controls AM radio, with All India Radio operating domestic and external networks; news broadcasts via radio are limited to the All India Radio Network; since 2000, privately owned FM stations have been permitted and have increased rapidly (2020) **Internet country code:** .in **Internet users:** percent of population: 56% (2022 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 39.3 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** VT **Airports:** 315 (2025) **Heliports:** 289 (2025) **Railways:** total: 65,554 km (2014) narrow gauge: 1,604 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge broad gauge: 63,950 km (2014) (39, 329 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 1,859 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 66, container ship 22, general cargo 607, oil tanker 144, other 1020 **Ports:** total ports: 56 (2024) large: 4 medium: 4 small: 13 very small: 30 size unknown: 5 ports with oil terminals: 18 key ports: Calcutta, Chennai (Madras), Jawaharlal Nehru Port (Nhava Shiva), Kattupalli Port, Kochi (Cochin), Mumbai (Bombay), New Mangalore, Vishakhapatnam ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Indian Armed Forces (IAF): Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard Ministry of Home Affairs: Central Police Organization, Central Armed Police Forces (includes Assam Rifles, Border Security Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Security Guards, Sashastra Seema Bal) (2025) note 1: the Border Security Force (BSF) is responsible for the Indo-Pakistan and Indo-Bangladesh borders; the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB or Armed Border Force) guards the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders note 2: the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) includes a Rapid Reaction Force (RAF) for riot control and the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) for counter-insurgency operations note 3: the Assam Rifles are under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs, while operational control falls under the Ministry of Defense (specifically the Indian Army) **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information varies; approximately 1.5 million active Indian Armed Forces, including about 1.25 million in the Army (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory consists of Russian- and Soviet-origin equipment along with a smaller mix of Western and domestically produced arms; Russia continues to be the leading provider of arms to India, although in recent years India has increased acquisitions from other suppliers, including France, Israel, the UK, and the US; India's defense industry is capable of producing a range of air, land, missile, and naval weapons systems for both domestic use and export; it also produces weapons systems under license (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** ages vary by branch of service and positions, but generally 17-27 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025) note 1: in 2022, the Indian Government began recruiting men aged 17.5-21 annually to serve on 4-year contracts; at the end of their tenure, 25% would be retained for longer terms of service, while the remainder would be forced to leave the military, although some of those leaving would be eligible to serve in the Coast Guard, the Merchant Navy, civilian positions in the Ministry of Defense, and in the paramilitary forces of the Ministry of Home Affairs note 2: the Indian military accepts citizens of Nepal and Bhutan; descendants of refugees from Tibet who arrived before 1962 and have resided permanently in India; peoples of Indian origin from nations such as Burma, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India; eligible candidates from “friendly foreign nations” may apply to the Armed Forces Medical Services note 3: the British began to recruit Nepalese citizens (Gurkhas) into the East India Company Army during the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816), and the Gurkhas subsequently were brought into the British Indian Army; following the partition of India in 1947, an agreement between Nepal, India, and Great Britain allowed for the transfer of the 10 regiments from the British Indian Army to the separate British and Indian armies; six regiments of Gurkhas (aka Gorkhas in India) regiments went to the new Indian Army; a seventh regiment was later added **Military deployments:** 1,100 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 200 Golan Heights (UNDOF); 900 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 2,400 South Sudan (UNMISS); 600 Sudan (UNISFA) (2025) note: India has over 6,000 total military and police personnel deployed on UN missions **Military - note:** the Indian military's primary mission is external/territorial defense while secondary missions include regional power projection, UN peacekeeping deployments, humanitarian operations, and support to internal security forces; it participates in multinational exercises and is one of the world's largest contributors to UN peacekeeping operations the military's chief external focuses are China and Pakistan; the short 1962 Sino-India War left in place one of the World’s longest disputed international borders--known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC)--resulting in occasional standoffs between Indian and Chinese security forces, including lethal clashes in 1975 and 2020; naval competition and influence in the Indian Ocean is also an area of interest India has fought four wars and several skirmishes with Pakistan; three of the wars have been over the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir, the status of which has been unsettled since the UK's 1947 withdrawal and the partition and independence of India and Pakistan; a fragile cease-fire in Kashmir was reached in 2003, revised in 2018, and reaffirmed in 2021, although the militarized Line of Control which serves as the border remains contested, and India has accused Pakistan of backing armed separatists and terrorist organizations in Jammu and Kashmir where Indian military and security forces have conducted counterinsurgency operations since the 1980s; in the Spring of 2025, India held Pakistan responsible for a terrorist attack in India-controlled Kashmir and retaliated, sparking a brief cross-border conflict involving aircraft, artillery, drone, and missile strikes the Kashmir dispute also includes the Siachen Glacier, located in the Karakoram Mountain Range, which was seized by India in 1984 with Pakistan attempting to retake the area several times between 1985 and 1995; despite the 2003 cease-fire, both sides continue to maintain a permanent military presence there with outposts at altitudes above 20,000 feet (over 6,000 meters) where most casualties are due to extreme weather and the hazards of operating in the high mountain terrain of the world’s highest conflict, including avalanches, exposure, and altitude sickness (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO; originally established in 1962 as the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR); renamed ISRO in 1969); Defense Space Agency (DSA; established 2019) (2025) note: the ISRO is subordinate to the Department of Space (DOS; established 1972) **Space launch site(s):** Satish Dhawan Space Center (aka Sriharikota Range; located in Andhra Pradesh); Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (Kerala) (2025) **Space program overview:** has one of the world’s largest space programs; designs, builds, launches, operates, and tracks the full spectrum of satellites, including communications, navigation, remote sensing (RS), and scientific/technology; designs, builds, and launches rockets, space/satellite launch vehicles (SLVs), and lunar/interplanetary probes; launches satellites for foreign partners; researching and developing additional technologies and capabilities; developing astronaut program and human flight capabilities (with assistance from Russia and the US); has space-related agreements with the ESA and more than 50 countries, including China, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, and the US; participates in international projects such as the Square Kilometer Array radio telescope; the Department of Space administers two government-controlled space industry corporations; has a growing private space sector (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1963 - first sounding (research) rocket launched 1975 - first domestically made scientific satellite (Aryabhata) launched by Soviet Union 1979 - first experimental remote sensing (RS) satellite (Bhaskara-I) launched by Soviet Union 1980 - first successful launch of satellite (Rohini) on Indian satellite launch vehicle (SLV) 1984 - first Indian in space on a Soviet rocket 1988 - first operational RS satellite (IRS-1A) launched by Soviet Union 1994 - first successful launch of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), India’s premier SLV 2008 - first lunar orbiter/probe (Chandrayaan-1) launched, reached lunar orbit, and sent a probe to the surface of the Moon 2014 - first interplanetary probe (Mangalyaan) reached orbit around Mars 2018 - Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (INRSS) became operational 2019 - launched lunar orbiter/probe (Chandrayaan-2) with lander and rover (lander lost when it crash-landed on Moon’s surface) 2023 - successfully landed uncrewed lander/rover mission (Chandrayaan-3) on Moon's surface 2024 - launched satellite (XPoSat) to study black holes and placed solar observatory spacecraft (Aditya-L1) in orbital position to study the Sun 2025 - first docking of two orbiting satellites and sent its first astronaut to the International Space Station ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): al-Qa’ida; al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS); Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HUJI); Hizbul Mujahideen; Indian Mujahedeen; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) – India (ISI); Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM); Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LeT); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; The Resistance Front (TRF) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 250,006 (2024 est.) IDPs: 642,610 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 23,262 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Indian Ocean **Slug:** indian-ocean **Region:** Oceans **Codes:** cek: xo ### Introduction **Background:** The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's five ocean basins (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The International Hydrographic Organization decided in 2000 to delimit a fifth world ocean basin, the Southern Ocean, which removed the portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude. ### Geography **Location:** body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and Australia **Geographic coordinates:** 20 00 S, 80 00 E **Area:** total : 70.56 million sq km note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies **Area - comparative:** almost seven times the size of the US **Coastline:** 66,526 km **Climate:** northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern Indian Ocean **Ocean volume:** ocean volume: 264 million cu km percent of World Ocean total volume: 19.8% **Major ocean currents:** the counterclockwise Indian Ocean Gyre comprised of the southward flowing warm Agulhas and East Madagascar Currents in the west, the eastward flowing South Indian Current in the south, the northward flowing cold West Australian Current in the east, and the westward flowing South Equatorial Current in the north; a distinctive annual reversal of surface currents occurs in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and clockwise currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and counterclockwise currents **Bathymetry:** continental shelf: the following are examples of features on the continental shelf of the Indian Ocean (see Figure 2): Exmouth Plateau Indus Canyon The Swatch of No Ground/Ganges Canyon (Bay of Bengal) Sunda Shelf continental slope: the following are examples of features on the continental slope of the Indian Ocean (see Figure 2): Bengal Fan Indus Fan abyssal plains: the following are examples of features on the abyssal plains of the Indian Ocean (see Figure 2): Arabian Basin Crozet Basin Madagascar Basin Mid-Indian Basin Mozambique Basin Wharton Basin mid-ocean ridge: the following are examples of mid-ocean ridges on the floor of the Indian Ocean (see Figure 2): Central Indian Ridge Davie Ridge Southeast Indian Ridge Southwest Indian Ridge undersea terrain features: the following are examples of undersea terrain features on the floor of the Indian Ocean (see Figure 2): Andaman-Nicobar Ridge Chagos-Laccadive Ridge Kerguelen Plateau Madagascar Plateau Mascarene Plateau Mozambique Plateau Ninetyeast Ridge ocean trenches: the following are examples of ocean trenches on the floor of the Indian Ocean (see Figure 2): Java/Sunda Trench (deepest point in the Indian Ocean) atolls: the following are examples of atolls in the Indian Ocean (see Figure 2): Bassas da India Chagos Archipelago/Diego Garcia Europa Island Juan de Nova Island Lakshadweep Islands Maldive Islands Seychelles **Elevation:** highest point: sea level lowest point: Java Trench -7,192 m unnamed deep mean depth: -3,741 m ocean zones: the ocean is divided into three zones based on depth and light level; sunlight entering the water may travel about 1,000 m into the oceans under the right conditions, but there is rarely any significant light below 200 m euphotic zone: the upper 200 m (656 ft) is also called "sunlight" zone; only a small amount of light penetrates beyond this depth dysphotic zone: between 200 m (656 ft) and 1,000 m (3,280 ft), and also called the twilight zone; the intensity of light rapidly dissipates as depth increases, and photosynthesis is no longer possible aphotic zone: below 1,000 m (3,280 ft) and also called the midnight zone; sunlight does not penetrate to these depths **Natural resources:** oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules **Natural hazards:** occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches **Geography - note:** major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait ### Environment **Environmental issues:** marine pollution from ocean dumping, improper waste disposal, and oil spills; oil pollution in Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea; threats to coral reefs; loss of biodiversity; endangered marine species **Climate:** northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern Indian Ocean **Marine fisheries:** the Indian Ocean fisheries are the third most important in the world, accounting for 15.5%, or 12,220,000 mt of the global catch in 2020; tuna, small pelagic fish, and shrimp are important species in these regions; the Food and Agriculture Organization delineated two fishing regions in the Indian Ocean: Eastern Indian Ocean region (Region 57) is the most important and the fifth-largest-producing region in the world with 8.4%, or 6,590,000 mt, of the global catch in 2020; the region encompasses the waters north of 55º South latitude and east of 80º East longitude, including the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, with the major producers including India (2,362,481 mt), Indonesia (1,940,558 mt), Burma (1,114,777 mt), Bangladesh (877,837 mt), and Sri Lanka (373,369 mt); the principal catches include shad, skipjack tuna, mackerel, shrimp, and sardinellas Western Indian Ocean region (Region 51) is the world’s sixth-largest-producing region with more than 7.1% or 5,630,000 mt of the global catch in 2020; this region encompasses the waters north of 40º South latitude and west of 80º East longitude, including the western Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea, as well as the waters along the east coast of Africa and Madagascar, the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and the west coast of India; major producers include India (2,207,125 mt), Oman (580,048 mt), Pakistan (341,730 mt), and Mozambique (274,791 mt); the principal catches include skipjack and yellowfin tuna, mackerel, sardines, shrimp, and cephalopods Regional fisheries bodies: Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna, Regional Commission for Fisheries (Persian Gulf/Gulf of Oman), Southeast Asia Fisheries Development Center, Southwest Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission, South Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement ### Government **Country name:** etymology: named for the country of India, which makes up much of its northern border --- ## Indonesia **Slug:** indonesia **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇮🇩 **Codes:** cek: id, iso2: ID, iso3: IDN, iso_num: 360, genc: IDN, stanag: IDN, internet: .id ### Introduction **Background:** The archipelago was once largely under the control of Buddhist and Hindu rulers. By around the 7th century, a Buddhist kingdom arose on Sumatra and expanded into Java and the Malay Peninsula until it was conquered in the late 13th century by the Hindu Majapahit Empire from Java. Majapahit (1290-1527) united most of modern-day Indonesia and Malaysia. Traders introduced Islam around the 11th century, and the religion gradually expanded over the next 500 years. The Portuguese conquered parts of Indonesia in the 16th century, but the Dutch ousted them (except in East Timor) and began colonizing the islands in the early 17th century. It would be the early 20th century before Dutch colonial rule was established across the entirety of what would become the boundaries of the modern Indonesian state. Japan occupied the islands from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its independence shortly before Japan's surrender, but it required four years of sometimes brutal fighting, intermittent negotiations, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to transfer sovereignty in 1949. A period of sometimes unruly parliamentary democracy ended in 1957 when President SOEKARNO declared martial law and instituted "Guided Democracy." After an abortive coup in 1965 by alleged communist sympathizers, SOEKARNO was gradually eased from power. From 1967 until 1998, President SUHARTO ruled Indonesia with his "New Order" government. After street protests toppled SUHARTO in 1998, free and fair legislative elections took place in 1999 while the country's first direct presidential election occurred in 2004. Indonesia has since become a robust democracy, holding four direct presidential elections, each considered by international observers to have been largely free and fair. Indonesia is now the world's third-most-populous democracy and the world's largest Muslim-majority nation. It has had strong economic growth since overcoming the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s. By the 2020s, it had the largest economy in Southeast Asia, and its economy ranked in the world's top 10 in terms of purchasing power parity. It has also made considerable gains in reducing poverty. Although relations amongst its diverse population--there are more than 300 ethnic groups--have been harmonious in the 2000s, there have been areas of sectarian discontent and violence, as well as instances of religious extremism and terrorism. A political settlement to an armed separatist conflict in Aceh was achieved in 2005, but a separatist group in Papua continued to conduct a low-intensity conflict as of 2024. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean **Geographic coordinates:** 5 00 S, 120 00 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 1,904,569 sq km land: 1,811,569 sq km water: 93,000 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than three times the size of Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 2,958 km border countries (3): Malaysia 1,881 km; Papua New Guinea 824 km; Timor-Leste 253 km **Coastline:** 54,716 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm note: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands **Terrain:** mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains **Elevation:** highest point: Puncak Jaya 4,884 m lowest point: Indian/Pacific Oceans 0 m mean elevation: 367 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver note: Indonesia is the World's leading producer of nickel with an output of 1.6 million mt in 2022 **Land use:** agricultural land: 29.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 9.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 13.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 5.8% (2023 est.) forest: 50.6% (2023 est.) other: 20.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 67,220 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Danau Toba - 1,150 sq km note - located in the caldera of a super volcano that erupted more than 70,000 years ago; it is the largest volcanic lake in the World **Major rivers (by length in km):** Sepik (shared with Papua New Guinea [s]) - 1,126 km; Fly (shared with Papua New Guinea [s]) - 1,050 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Population distribution:** major concentration on the island of Java, which is considered one of the most densely populated places on earth; of the outer islands, Sumatra contains some of the most significant clusters, particularly in the south near the Selat Sunda and along the northeastern coast near Medan; the cities of Makasar (Sulawesi), Banjarmasin (Kalimantan) are also heavily populated **Natural hazards:** occasional floods; severe droughts; tsunamis; earthquakes; volcanoes; forest fires volcanism: Indonesia contains the most volcanoes of any country in the world, with over 75 historically active; significant volcanic activity occurs on Java, Sumatra, the Sunda Islands, Halmahera Island, Sulawesi Island, Sangihe Island, and in the Banda Sea; Merapi (2,968 m), Indonesia's most active volcano, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; in 2018, a large explosion and flank collapse destroyed most of the island of Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatau) and generated a deadly tsunami that left more than 400 dead; other notable historically active volcanoes include Agung, Awu, Karangetang, Krakatau (Krakatoa), Makian, Raung, Sinabung, and Tambora; see note 2 under "Geography - note" **Geography - note:** note 1: 13,466 islands are in the archipelago, of which 922 are permanently inhabited; Indonesia is the world's largest country composed solely of islands; the country straddles the equator and occupies a strategic location along major sea lanes from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean note 2: Indonesia is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes, up to 90% of the world's earthquakes, and 80% of tsunamis note 3: despite having the fourth largest population in the world, Indonesia is the most heavily forested region on earth after the Amazon ### People and Society **Population:** total: 283,587,097 (2025 est.) male: 141,778,977 female: 141,808,120 **Nationality:** noun: Indonesian(s) adjective: Indonesian **Ethnic groups:** Javanese 40.1%, Sundanese 15.5%, Malay 3.7%, Batak 3.6%, Madurese 3%, Betawi 2.9%, Minangkabau 2.7%, Buginese 2.7%, Bantenese 2%, Banjarese 1.7%, Balinese 1.7%, Acehnese 1.4%, Dayak 1.4%, Sasak 1.3%, Chinese 1.2%, other 15% (2010 est.) **Languages:** Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects (of which the most widely spoken is Javanese); note - more than 700 languages are used in Indonesia major-language sample(s): Fakta Dunia, sumber informasi dasar yang sangat diperlukan. (Indonesian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 87.4%, Protestant 7.5%, Roman Catholic 3.1%, Hindu 1.7%, other 0.8% (includes Buddhist and Confucian) (2022 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 23.8% (male 34,247,218/female 32,701,367) 15-64 years: 68.3% (male 96,268,201/female 95,961,293) 65 years and over: 8% (2024 est.) (male 10,284,628/female 12,099,758) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 46.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 34.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 12 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 31.8 years (2025 est.) male: 30.8 years female: 32.3 years **Population growth rate:** 0.7% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 14.55 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.82 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** major concentration on the island of Java, which is considered one of the most densely populated places on earth; of the outer islands, Sumatra contains some of the most significant clusters, particularly in the south near the Selat Sunda and along the northeastern coast near Medan; the cities of Makasar (Sulawesi), Banjarmasin (Kalimantan) are also heavily populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 58.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 11.249 million JAKARTA (capital), 3.729 million Bekasi, 3.044 million Surabaya, 3.041 million Depok, 2.674 million Bandung, 2.514 million Tangerang (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 22.4 years (2017 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 140 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 18.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 21.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 73.6 years (2024 est.) male: 71.3 years female: 76 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.93 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.94 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 88.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 11.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.9% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.7% of GDP (2021) 8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.52 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 1.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 97.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 91.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 8.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.3% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 6.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 39% (2025 est.) male: 74.9% (2025 est.) female: 3.1% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 15.9% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 70.3% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 2% (2017) women married by age 18: 16.3% (2017) **Education expenditure:** 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.6% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 96% (2020 est.) male: 97.4% (2020 est.) female: 94.6% (2020 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2023 est.) male: 13 years (2023 est.) female: 13 years (2023 est.) **People - note:** Indonesia is the fourth most populous nation in the World after China, India, and the United States; more than half of the Indonesian population - roughly 150 million people or 55% - live on the island of Java (about the size of California) making it the most crowded island on earth ### Environment **Environmental issues:** large-scale deforestation (much of it illegal) and related wildfires cause heavy smog; over-exploitation of marine resources; air pollution from vehicle emissions; waste disposal; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands **Land use:** agricultural land: 29.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 9.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 13.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 5.8% (2023 est.) forest: 50.6% (2023 est.) other: 20.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 58.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 829.655 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 527.923 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 223.352 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 78.38 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 18.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 3,621.7 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 3,379.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 4,200.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 165.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 65.2 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.2% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 23.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 9.135 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 189.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 2.019 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 12 (2025) global geoparks and regional networks: Batur; Belitong; Ciletuh - Palabuhanratu; Gunung Sewu; Ijen; Kebumen; Maros Pangkep; Merangin Jambi; Meratus; Raja Ampat; Rinjani-Lombok; Toba Caldera (2025) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia conventional short form: Indonesia local long form: Republik Indonesia local short form: Indonesia former: Netherlands East Indies (Dutch East Indies), Netherlands New Guinea etymology: the name is an 18th-century construct of two Greek words, "Indos" (India) and "nesoi" (islands), meaning "Indian islands" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Jakarta geographic coordinates: 6 10 S, 106 49 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: Indonesia has three time zones etymology: derives from the Sanscrit name Jayakarta, meaning "victory and prosperity;" Prince FATILLAH conquered and renamed the city, formerly known as Sunda Kelapa, in 1527 note: in 2022, the relocation of the country’s capital was approved, from Jakarta to a site on the island of Borneo between Samarinda City and the port city of Balikpapan; Nusantara ("archipelago"), the new capital, was in development as of 2024 and is expected to be completed in 2045 **Administrative divisions:** 35 provinces (provinsi-provinsi, singular - provinsi), 1 autonomous province*, 1 special region** (daerah istimewa), and 1 national capital district*** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Jakarta***, Jambi, Jawa Barat (West Java), Jawa Tengah (Central Java), Jawa Timur (East Java), Kalimantan Barat (West Kalimantan), Kalimantan Selatan (South Kalimantan), Kalimantan Tengah (Central Kalimantan), Kalimantan Timur (East Kalimantan), Kalimantan Utara (North Kalimantan), Kepulauan Bangka Belitung (Bangka Belitung Islands), Kepulauan Riau (Riau Islands), Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara (North Maluku), Nusa Tenggara Barat (West Nusa Tenggara), Nusa Tenggara Timur (East Nusa Tenggara), Papua, Papua Barat (West Papua), Papua Barat Daya (Southwest Papua), Papua Pegunungan (Papua Highlands), Papua Selatan (South Papua), Papua Tengah (Central Papua), Riau, Sulawesi Barat (West Sulawesi), Sulawesi Selatan (South Sulawesi), Sulawesi Tengah (Central Sulawesi), Sulawesi Tenggara (Southeast Sulawesi), Sulawesi Utara (North Sulawesi), Sumatera Barat (West Sumatra), Sumatera Selatan (South Sumatra), Sumatera Utara (North Sumatra), Yogyakarta** **Legal system:** civil law system based on the Roman-Dutch model and influenced by customary law **Constitution:** history: drafted July to August 1945, effective 18 August 1945, abrogated by 1949 and 1950 constitutions; 1945 constitution restored 5 July 1959 amendment process: proposed by the People’s Consultative Assembly, with at least two thirds of its members present; passage requires simple majority vote by the Assembly membership; constitutional articles on the unitary form of the state cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Indonesia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 continuous years **Suffrage:** 17 years of age; universal; married persons regardless of age **Executive branch:** chief of state: President PRABOWO Subianto Djojohadikusumo (since 20 October 2024) head of government: President PRABOWO Subianto Djojohadikusumo (since 20 October 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 14 February 2024 election results: 2024: PRABOWO Subianto elected president (assumes office 20 October 2024); percent of vote - PRABOWO Subianto (GERINDRA) 58.6%, Anies Rasyid BASWEDAN (Independent) 24.9%, GANJAR Pranowo (PDI-P) 16.5% 2019: Joko WIDODO reelected president; percent of vote - Joko WIDODO (PDI-P) 55.5%, PRABOWO Subianto Djojohadikusumo (GERINDRA) 44.5% expected date of next election: 2029 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: House of Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 580 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 2/14/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Indonesian Democratic Party - Struggle (PDI-P) (110); Party of Functional Groups (Golkar) (102); Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) (86); National Democratic Party (NasDem) (69); National Awakening Party (PKB) (68); Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) (53); National Mandate Party (PAN) (48); Democratic Party (PD) (44) percentage of women in chamber: 21.9% expected date of next election: April 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (51 judges divided into 8 chambers); Constitutional Court or Mahkamah Konstitusi (consists of 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by Judicial Commission, appointed by president with concurrence of parliament; judges serve until retirement at age 65; Constitutional Court judges - 3 nominated by president, 3 by Supreme Court, and 3 by parliament; judges appointed by the president; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: High Courts of Appeal, district courts, religious courts **Political parties:** Democrat Party or PD Functional Groups Party or GOLKAR Great Indonesia Movement Party or GERINDRA Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P National Awakening Party or PKB National Democratic Party or NasDem National Mandate Party or PAN Prosperous Justice Party or PKS **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador INDROYONO Soesilo (since 16 December 2025) chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200 FAX: [1] (202) 775-5236 email address and website: washington.kbri@kemlu.go.id Embassy of The Republic of Indonesia, in Washington D.C., The United States of America (kemlu.go.id) consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Peter M. HAYMOND (since 15 June 2025) embassy: Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan No. 3-5, Jakarta 10110 mailing address: 8200 Jakarta Place, Washington DC 20521-8200 telephone: [62] (21) 5083-1000 FAX: [62] (21) 385-7189 email address and website: jakartaacs@state.gov https://id.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Surabaya consulate(s): Medan **International organization participation:** ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CD, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-11, G-15, G-20, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IORA, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, MSG (associate member), NAM, OECD (enhanced engagement), OIC, OPCW, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 17 August 1945 (declared independence from the Netherlands) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 17 August (1945) **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white meaning: red stands for courage and white for purity history: the colors derive from the banner of the Majapahit Empire of the 13th-15th centuries note: similar to the flags of Monaco, which is shorter, and Poland, which is white (top) and red **National symbol(s):** garuda (mythical bird) **National color(s):** red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Indonesia Raya" (Great Indonesia) lyrics/music: Wage Rudolf SOEPRATMAN history: adopted 1945 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 10 (6 cultural, 4 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Borobudur Temple Compounds (c); Komodo National Park (n); Prambanan Temple Compounds (c); Ujung Kulon National Park (n); Sangiran Early Man Site (c); Lorentz National Park (n); Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (n); Cultural Landscape of Bali Province (c); Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto (c); Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta and its Historic Landmarks (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** one of the fastest growing economies and largest in Southeast Asia; upper middle-income country; human capital and competitiveness phase of its 20-year development plan; COVID-19 reversed poverty reduction trajectory; strengthening financial resilience **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $4.102 trillion (2024 est.) $3.906 trillion (2023 est.) $3.718 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5% (2024 est.) 5% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $14,500 (2024 est.) $13,900 (2023 est.) $13,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.396 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.7% (2023 est.) 4.2% (2022 est.) 1.6% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 12.6% (2024 est.) industry: 39.3% (2024 est.) services: 43.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 55.4% (2024 est.) government consumption: 7.7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 29.1% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 2.3% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 22.2% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -20.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** oil palm fruit, rice, sugarcane, maize, coconuts, cassava, bananas, eggs, chicken, mangoes/guavas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum and natural gas, textiles, automotive, electrical appliances, apparel, footwear, mining, cement, medical instruments and appliances, handicrafts, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, processed food, jewelry, and tourism **Industrial production growth rate:** 5.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 143.144 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.3% (2024 est.) 3.4% (2023 est.) 3.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 13.1% (2024 est.) male: 13.2% (2024 est.) female: 13% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 9% (2024 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 34.9 (2024 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 33.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 7.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.5% (2024 est.) highest 10%: 28.8% (2024 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $182.658 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $204.739 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenditures (excluding grants and social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 45.34% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 11.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$8.47 billion (2024 est.) -$2.042 billion (2023 est.) $13.215 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $300.868 billion (2024 est.) $291.287 billion (2023 est.) $315.746 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 24%, USA 9%, India 8%, Japan 8%, Singapore 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** coal, palm oil, iron alloys, lignite, garments (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $279.419 billion (2024 est.) $262.694 billion (2023 est.) $273.031 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 29%, Singapore 8%, Japan 7%, USA 5%, Malaysia 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, crude petroleum, plastics, vehicle parts/accessories, integrated circuits (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $155.708 billion (2024 est.) $146.359 billion (2023 est.) $137.222 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $225.273 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Indonesian rupiah (IDR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 15,855.448 (2024 est.) 15,236.885 (2023 est.) 14,849.854 (2022 est.) 14,308.144 (2021 est.) 14,582.203 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 98.2% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 70.826 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 356.135 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 828.198 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 27.477 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 82% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 6.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 4.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 783.453 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 281.159 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 519.23 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 16.935 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 35.055 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 865,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 1.645 million bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 2.48 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 58.691 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 38.378 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 20.989 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 727.056 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.408 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 37.39 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 9.16 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 347 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** mix of about a dozen national TV networks, including 1 public broadcaster and the rest private; more than 100 local TV stations; widespread use of satellite and cable TV systems; public radio broadcaster operates 6 national networks, as well as regional and local stations; more than 700 radio stations, with over 650 privately operated (2019) **Internet country code:** .id **Internet users:** percent of population: 69% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 13.5 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** PK **Airports:** 556 (2025) **Heliports:** 53 (2025) **Railways:** total: 8,159 km (2014) narrow gauge: 8,159 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge (565 km electrified) note: 4,816 km operational **Merchant marine:** total: 11,422 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 160, container ship 219, general cargo 2,347, oil tanker 714, other 7,982 **Ports:** total ports: 123 (2024) large: 3 medium: 6 small: 18 very small: 96 ports with oil terminals: 79 key ports: Belawan, Cilacap, Dumai, Jakarta, Kasim Terminal, Merak Mas Terminal, Palembang, Surabaya, Ujung Pandang ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Indonesian National Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI): Army (TNI-Angkatan Darat, TNI-AD), Navy (TNI-Angkatan Laut, TNI-AL; includes Marine Corps (Korps Marinir or KorMar)), Air Force (TNI-Angkatan Udara, TNI-AU) Indonesian National Police (aka The State Police of the Republic of Indonesia or POLRI) Ministry of Transportation: Indonesia Sea and Coast Guard (Kesatuan Penjagaan Laut dan Pantai Republik Indonesia, KPLP); Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs: Maritime Security Agency of the Republic of Indonesia (Badan Keamanan Laut Republik Indonesia, Bakamla) (2025) note 1: the National Police are an independent organization reporting directly to the president of Indonesia note 2: the KPLP ensures the safety of shipping inside the Indonesian Maritime Zone; the Bakamla conducts security and safety patrols in the territorial waters of Indonesia **Military expenditures:** 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 400,000 active Armed Forces, including about 300,000 Army (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is a mix of older and new weapons platforms from China, Russia, Europe, the US, and other countries; in recent years, major suppliers have included China, France, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, and the US; the TNI has been engaged in a modernization program for more than a decade; Indonesia has a growing defense industry fueled by technology transfers and cooperation agreements with several countries; it has jointly produced aircraft and naval vessels (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary service for men and women; upper age limits vary by military service, position, specialty; compulsory service authorized but not utilized (2025) **Military deployments:** 250 (plus about 170 police) Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,025 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 1,225 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025) **Military - note:** the military is responsible for external defense, combatting separatism, and responding to national emergencies and natural disasters; in certain conditions it may provide operational support to police, such as for counterterrorism operations, maintaining public order, and addressing communal conflicts key operational priorities include an insurgency on Papua and the security of Indonesia's vast maritime domain; the West Papua Liberation Army, the military wing of the Free Papua Organization, has been fighting a low-level insurgency in Papua since Indonesia annexed the former Dutch colony in the 1960s; maritime issues include piracy, transnational crime, illegal fishing, and incursions by People's Republic of China (PRC) vessels; Indonesia is not a formal claimant in the South China Sea, although some of its waters lie within the PRC's “nine-dash line” maritime claims, resulting in some stand offs in recent years; over the past decade, the Indonesian military has bolstered its presence on and around the strategically located Natuna Islands (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Indonesian Space Agency (INASA; formed 2022); National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN; established 2021); Research Organization for Aeronautics and Space (ORPA; formed 2021) (2025) **Space program overview:** focuses largely on rocket development and satellite acquisition/operation; manufactures remote sensing (RS) satellites; has a sounding (research) rocket program to develop an orbital satellite launch vehicle (SLV); researching and developing a range of other space-related technologies related to satellite payloads, communications, RS, and astronomy; has relations with several foreign space agencies and industries, including those of France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the US; national space program includes building up the country's private space sector (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1964 - launched first sounding rocket (Kartika) 1976 - first communications satellite (Palapa A1) built and launched by US 2005 - re-started sounding rocket program with goal of producing a satellite launch vehicle (SLV) 2007 - first remote sensing (RS) satellite (LAPAN-A1) built by Germany and launched by India 2015 - first domestically produced RS satellite (LAPAN-A2) launched by India 2023-2024 - two communications satellites (SATRIA-1 and Merah Putih 2) to provide high-speed internet access across the Indonesian archipelago built by European company and launched by US ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (aka Jemaah Anshorut Daulah); Jemaah Islamiyah note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 11,964 (2024 est.) IDPs: 95,521 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 2,643 (2024 est.) --- ## Iran **Slug:** iran **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇮🇷 **Codes:** cek: ir, iso2: IR, iso3: IRN, iso_num: 364, genc: IRN, stanag: IRN, internet: .ir ### Introduction **Background:** Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces led by Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a religious scholar known as the Supreme Leader, who is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts -- an elected 88-member body of clerics. US-Iran relations became strained when Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran in November 1979 and held embassy personnel hostage until mid-January 1981. The US cut off diplomatic relations with Iran in April 1980. From 1980 to 1988, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism since 1984. After the election of reformer Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and a reformist Majles (legislature) in 2000, a political reform campaign in response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated, but conservative politicians blocked reform measures while increasing repression. Municipal and legislative elections in 2003 and 2004 saw conservatives reestablish control over Iran's elected government institutions, culminating in the 2005 inauguration of hardliner Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD as president. His reelection in 2009 sparked nationwide protests over allegations of electoral fraud, and the protests persisted until 2011. In 2013, Iranians elected to the presidency centrist cleric Dr. Hasan Fereidun RUHANI, a longtime senior regime member who promised to reform society and foreign policy. In 2019, Tehran's sudden decision to increase the gasoline price sparked nationwide protests, which the regime violently suppressed. Conservatives won the majority in Majles elections in 2020, and hardline cleric Ebrahim RAISI was elected president in 2021, resulting in a conservative monopoly across the regime's elected and unelected institutions. Iran continues to be subject to a range of international sanctions and export controls because of its involvement in terrorism, weapons proliferation, human rights abuses, and concerns over the nature of its nuclear program. Iran received nuclear-related sanctions relief in exchange for nuclear concessions under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action's (JCPOA) Implementation Day beginning in 2016. However, the US reimposed nuclear-related sanctions on Iran after it unilaterally terminated its JCPOA participation in 2018. In October 2023, the EU and the UK also decided to maintain nuclear-proliferation-related measures on Iran, as well as arms and missile embargoes, in response to Iran's non-compliance with its JCPOA commitments. As president, RAISI has concentrated on deepening Iran's foreign relations with anti-US states -- particularly China and Russia -- to weather US sanctions and diplomatic pressure, while supporting negotiations to restore a nuclear deal that began in 2021. RAISI contended with nationwide protests that began in September 2022 and persisted for over three months after the death of a Kurdish Iranian woman, Mahsa AMINI, in morality police custody. Young people and women led the protests, and demands focused on regime change. ### Geography **Location:** Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan **Geographic coordinates:** 32 00 N, 53 00 E **Map references:** Middle East **Area:** total : 1,648,195 sq km land: 1,531,595 sq km water: 116,600 sq km **Area - comparative:** almost 2.5 times the size of Texas; slightly smaller than Alaska **Land boundaries:** total: 5,894 km border countries (7): Afghanistan 921 km; Armenia 44 km; Azerbaijan 689 km; Iraq 1,599 km; Pakistan 959 km; Turkey 534 km; Turkmenistan 1,148 km **Coastline:** 2,440 km note: Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km) **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf continental shelf: natural prolongation **Climate:** mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast **Terrain:** rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts **Elevation:** highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,625 m lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m mean elevation: 1,305 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur **Land use:** agricultural land: 29% (2023 est.) arable land: 9.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 18.2% (2023 est.) forest: 6.6% (2023 est.) other: 64.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 79,721 sq km (2020) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km; Lake Urmia - 5,200 sq km; Lake Namak - 750 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Euphrates (shared with Turkey [s], Syria, and Iraq [m]) - 3,596 km; Tigris (shared with Turkey, Syria, and Iraq [m]) - 1,950 km; Helmand (shared with Afghanistan [s]) - 1,130 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km) **Population distribution:** population is concentrated in the north, northwest, and west, reflecting the position of the Zagros and Elburz Mountains; the vast, dry areas in the center and eastern parts of the country, around the deserts of the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, have a much lower population density **Natural hazards:** periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes **Geography - note:** strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz ### People and Society **Population:** total: 89,177,357 (2025 est.) male: 45,098,223 female: 44,079,134 **Nationality:** noun: Iranian(s) adjective: Iranian **Ethnic groups:** Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen, and Turkic tribes **Languages:** Persian Farsi (official), Azeri and other Turkic dialects, Kurdish, Gilaki and Mazandarani, Luri, Balochi, Arabic major-language sample(s): چکیده نامه جهان، منبعی ضروری برای کسب اطلاعات کلی جهان (Persian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim (official) 98.5%, Christian 0.7%, Baha'i 0.3%, agnostic 0.3%, other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Hindu) 0.2% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 23.3% (male 10,512,797/female 10,040,282) 15-64 years: 69.8% (male 31,413,125/female 30,267,241) 65 years and over: 7% (2024 est.) (male 2,869,617/female 3,283,875) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 42.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 12.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 35.2 years (2025 est.) male: 33.6 years female: 34.1 years **Population growth rate:** -0.87% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 11.24 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -15.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population is concentrated in the north, northwest, and west, reflecting the position of the Zagros and Elburz Mountains; the vast, dry areas in the center and eastern parts of the country, around the deserts of the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, have a much lower population density **Urbanization:** urban population: 77.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 9.500 million TEHRAN (capital), 3.368 million Mashhad, 2.258 million Esfahan, 1.721 million Shiraz, 1.661 million Tabriz, 1.594 million Karaj (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 16 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 75.6 years (2024 est.) male: 74.3 years female: 77.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.53 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.74 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 94.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 97.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 5.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 2.3% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.8% of GDP (2021) 19% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.81 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 1.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 25.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 13.3% (2025 est.) male: 23.8% (2025 est.) female: 2.8% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 4.3% (2017 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 69.6% (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 2.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 18.8% national budget (2022 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 86% (2016 est.) male: 90% (2016 est.) female: 81% (2016 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2020 est.) male: 14 years (2020 est.) female: 14 years (2020 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast **Land use:** agricultural land: 29% (2023 est.) arable land: 9.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 18.2% (2023 est.) forest: 6.6% (2023 est.) other: 64.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 77.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 823.364 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 7.136 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 316.922 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 499.306 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 36.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 6,208.1 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 819.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 832.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 37.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 17.885 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 16.8% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 6.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 86 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 137 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 3 global geoparks and regional networks: Aras; Qeshm Island; Tabas (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran conventional short form: Iran local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran local short form: Iran former: Persia etymology: the name derives from the Sanskrit word arya, referring to people living in a mountainous land, from the root word ar-, or "mountain;" the former name, Persia, was originally "Pars" (or the Arabic-influenced variant "Fars") from the Old Persian parsi, meaning "pure" **Government type:** theocratic republic **Capital:** name: Tehran geographic coordinates: 35 42 N, 51 25 E time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC) daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time etymology: the name probably means "flat" or "lower," referring to its location in the foothills of the Elburz Mountains **Administrative divisions:** 31 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Alborz, Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi (West Azerbaijan), Azarbayjan-e Sharqi (East Azerbaijan), Bushehr, Chahar Mahal va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Jonubi (South Khorasan), Khorasan-e Razavi (Razavi Khorasan), Khorasan-e Shomali (North Khorasan), Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Bowyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan **Legal system:** religious system based on secular and Islamic law **Constitution:** history: previous 1906; latest adopted 24 October 1979, effective 3 December 1979 amendment process: proposed by the supreme leader – after consultation with the Exigency Council – and submitted as an edict to the "Council for Revision of the Constitution," a body consisting of various executive, legislative, judicial, and academic leaders and members; passage requires absolute majority vote in a referendum and approval of the supreme leader; articles including Iran’s political system, its religious basis, and its form of government cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Iran dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989) head of government: President Masoud PEZESHKIAN (since 30 July 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the supreme leader has some control over appointments to several ministries election/appointment process: supreme leader appointed for life by Assembly of Experts; president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term and an additional nonconsecutive term) most recent election date: 28 June 2024, with runoff held on 5 July 2024 election results: 2024: first round results - Masoud PEZESHKIAN (independent) 44.4%, Saeed JALILI (Front of Islamic Revolution Stability) 40.4%, Mohammad Baqer QAKIBAF (Progress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran) 14.3%, other 0.9%; second round results - Masoud PEZESHKIAN elected; Masoud PEZESHKIAN 54.8%, Saeed JALILI 45.2% 2021: Ebrahim RAISI elected president; percent of vote - Ebrahim RAISI (independent) 72.4%, Mohsen REZAI (RFII) 13.8%, Abbdolnaser HEMATI (ECP) 9.8%, Amir-Hosein Qazizadeh-HASHEMI (Islamic Law Party) 4% note: presidential election held early due to the death of President Ebrahim RAISI in a helicopter accident in May 2024 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Islamic Parliament of Iran (Majles Shoraye Eslami) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 290 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 3/1/2024 to 5/10/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 4.9% expected date of next election: February 2028 note: all candidates to the Majles must be approved by the Council of Guardians, a 12-member group of which 6 are appointed by the supreme leader and 6 are jurists nominated by the judiciary and elected by the Majles **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and organized into 42 two-bench branches, each with a justice and a judge) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by the head of the High Judicial Council (HJC), a 5-member body to include the Supreme Court chief justice, the prosecutor general, and 3 clergy, in consultation with judges of the Supreme Court; president appointed for a single, renewable 5-year term; other judges appointed by the HJC; judge tenure NA subordinate courts: Penal Courts I and II; Islamic Revolutionary Courts; Courts of Peace; Special Clerical Court (functions outside the judicial system and handles cases involving clerics); military courts **Political parties:** Combatant Clergy Association (an active political group) Executives of Construction Party Front of Islamic Revolutionary Stability Islamic Coalition Party Progress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran Militant Clerics Society (Majma-e Ruhaniyoun-e Mobarez) or MRM Moderation and Development Party National Trust Party (Hezb-e E'temad-eMelli) or HEM Progress and Justice Society Union of Islamic Iran People's Party (Hezb-e Ettehad-e Iran-e Eslami) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none note: Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Embassy of Pakistan, 1250 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073; email: requests@daftar.org; info@daftarwashington.com; website: https://daftar.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none; the US Interests Section is located in the Embassy of Switzerland; US Foreign Interests Section, Embassy of Switzerland, Pasdaran, Shahid Mousavi Street (Golestan 5th), Corner of Paydarfard Street, No. 55, Tehran **International organization participation:** BRICS, CICA, CP, D-8, ECO, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, SAARC (observer), SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) **Independence:** 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed); notable earlier dates: ca. 550 B.C. (Achaemenid or Persian Empire established); A.D. 1501 (Iran reunified under the Safavid dynasty); 1794 (beginning of Qajar dynasty); 12 December 1925 (modern Iran established under the PAHLAVI dynasty) **National holiday:** Republic Day, 1 April (1979) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; centered in the white band is the red national emblem, a stylization of the word Allah in the shape of a tulip (a symbol of martyrdom); ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band meaning: green is the color of Islam and also represents growth, white stands for honesty and peace, and red for bravery and martyrdom **National symbol(s):** lion **National color(s):** green, white, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Soroud-e Melli-ye Jomhouri-ye Eslami-ye Iran" (National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran) lyrics/music: multiple authors/Hassan RIAHI history: adopted 1990 note: a recording of the current Iranian national anthem is unavailable because the US Navy Band does not record anthems for countries from which the US does not anticipate official visits; the US does not have diplomatic relations with Iran **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 29 (27 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Persepolis (c); Tchogha Zanbil (c); Bam and its Cultural Landscape (c); Golestan Palace (c); Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System (c); Pasargadae (c); Hyrcanian Forests (n); Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex (c); Meidan Emam, Esfahan (c); Bisotun (c); Takht-e Soleyman (c); Soltaniyeh(c); Bisotun (c); Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran(c); Sheikh Safi al-din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil (c); The Persian Garden (c); Gonbad-e Qābus (c); Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan (c); Shahr-i Sokhta (c); Cultural Landscape of Maymand (c); Susa (c); Lut Desert (n);The Persian Qanat (c); Historic City of Yazd (c); Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region (c); Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat (c); Trans-Iranian Railway (c); The Persian Caravanserai (c); Hegmataneh (c); Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** traditionally state-controlled economy but reforming state-owned financial entities; strong oil/gas, agricultural, and service sectors; recent massive inflation due to exchange rate depreciation, international sanctions, and investor uncertainty; increasing poverty **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.486 trillion (2024 est.) $1.442 trillion (2023 est.) $1.373 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3% (2024 est.) 5% (2023 est.) 3.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $16,200 (2024 est.) $15,900 (2023 est.) $15,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $436.906 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 32.5% (2024 est.) 44.6% (2023 est.) 43.5% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 13% (2024 est.) industry: 36.4% (2024 est.) services: 47.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 50.5% (2024 est.) government consumption: 12.9% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 26.7% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 13.3% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 22.9% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -26.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, sugarcane, milk, sugar beets, rice, tomatoes, barley, potatoes, oranges, apples (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum, petrochemicals, gas, fertilizer, caustic soda, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous and nonferrous metal fabrication, armaments **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.8% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 28.575 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 9.2% (2024 est.) 9.1% (2023 est.) 9.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 22.8% (2024 est.) male: 20% (2024 est.) female: 35.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 35.9 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 27.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.8% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 28.2% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $60.714 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $90.238 billion (2019 est.) **Public debt:** 39.5% of GDP (2017 est.) note: includes publicly guaranteed debt **Exports:** $100.031 billion (2024 est.) $97.924 billion (2023 est.) $105.752 billion (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 35%, Turkey 16%, India 8%, Pakistan 7%, Armenia 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** plastics, iron ore, alcohols, natural gas, refined copper (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $117.176 billion (2024 est.) $113.21 billion (2023 est.) $97.729 billion (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 34%, UAE 20%, Turkey 11%, Brazil 8%, Germany 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** broadcasting equipment, vehicle parts/accessories, corn, soybeans, vehicle bodies (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Debt - external:** $6.759 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 42,000 (2023 est.) 42,000 (2022 est.) 42,000 (2021 est.) 42,000 (2020 est.) 42,000 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 86.058 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 335.175 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 5.723 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 3.136 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 37.948 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 94.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 1.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 3.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 1 (2025) Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 1 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 0.92GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 1.7% (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 2.209 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 3.032 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 212,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1.098 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.203 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 4.112 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 2.415 million bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 208.6 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 265.088 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 252.353 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 14.698 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 2.274 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 33.987 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 160.779 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 28.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 159 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 174 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-run broadcast media with no private, independent broadcasters; Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the state-run TV broadcaster, operates over 60 television channels, over 50 radio stations, and dozens of newspapers and websites; about 20 foreign Persian-language TV stations broadcasting on satellite TV can be seen in Iran; satellite dishes are illegal and sometimes confiscated; most major international broadcasters transmit to Iran (2023) **Internet country code:** .ir **Internet users:** percent of population: 80% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 10.9 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** EP **Airports:** 177 (2025) **Heliports:** 90 (2025) **Railways:** total: 8,483.5 km (2014) standard gauge: 8,389.5 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (189.5 km electrified) broad gauge: 94 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 965 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 32, container ship 28, general cargo 398, oil tanker 86, other 421 **Ports:** total ports: 18 (2024) large: 0 medium: 4 small: 6 very small: 8 ports with oil terminals: 13 key ports: Abadan, Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, Khorramshahr ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** the military forces of Iran are divided between the Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC or Sepah): Artesh: Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Air Force, Air Defense Forces IRGC: Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Aerospace Force (controls strategic missile force), Qods Force (aka Quds Force; special operations), Cyber Electronic Command, Basij Paramilitary Forces Ministry of Interior: Law Enforcement Command (FARAJA) Ministry of Intelligence and Security (2025) note 1: the Artesh primarily focuses on defending Iran’s borders and territorial waters from external threats, while the IRGC has a broader mission to defend the Iranian revolution from any foreign or domestic threat note 2: the Artesh Navy operates Iran’s larger warships and operates in the Gulf of Oman, the Caspian Sea, and deep waters in the region and beyond; the IRGC Navy has responsibility for the closer-in waters of the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz note 3: the Basij is a volunteer paramilitary group, which sometimes acts as an auxiliary law enforcement unit for the IRGC; it is formally known as the Organization for the Mobilization of the Oppressed and also known as the Popular Mobilization Army note 4: the Ministry of Intelligence and Security and law enforcement forces under the Interior Ministry, which report to the president, and the IRGC, which reports to the supreme leader, share responsibility for law enforcement and maintaining order note 5: the FARAJA is the uniformed police of Iran; it includes branches for public security, traffic control, anti-narcotics, special forces (riot control, counterterrorism, hostage rescue, etc), intelligence, and criminal investigations; the FARAJA also has responsibility for border security (Border Guard Command) **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information varies; up to 600,000 total active armed forces personnel; estimated 400,000 Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (350,000 Ground Forces; 18,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force/Air Defense Forces); up to estimated 190,000 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (100-150,000 Ground Forces; 20,000 Navy; 15,000 Aerospace Force; 5,000 Qods Force); estimated 90,000 active Basij Paramilitary Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Iranian military's inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and foreign equipment largely of Chinese, Russian/Soviet, and US origin (US equipment acquired prior to the Islamic Revolution in 1979); it also has some military equipment from North Korea such as midget submarines and ballistic missiles; in recent years, Iran has received some newer equipment from Russia; Iran has a defense industry with the capacity to develop, produce, support, and sustain air, land, missile, and naval weapons programs (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 16 for voluntary military service for men; military service is compulsory for all Iranian men at age 18 or 19 years of age; compulsory service obligation 14-21 months, depending on the location of service; women exempted from conscription but may volunteer (2025) note: conscripts may serve in the Artesh, IRGC, or Law Enforcement **Military deployments:** note: Iran maintained a military presence in Syria and recruited, trained, and funded thousands of Syrian and foreign fighters to support the ASAD regime during the Syrian civil war (2011-December 2024) **Military - note:** the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was formed in May 1979 in the immediate aftermath of Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI’s fall, as leftists, nationalists, and Islamists jockeyed for power; while the interim prime minister controlled the government and state institutions, such as the Army, followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI organized counterweights, including the IRGC, to protect the Islamic revolution; the IRGC’s command structure bypassed the elected president and went directly to KHOMEINI; the IRGC played a critical role in helping KHOMEINI consolidate power in the aftermath of the 1979 revolution, and it ensured that KHOMEINI's Islamic revolutionary vision prevailed against domestic challenges from nationalists and leftist factions in the scramble for control after the Shah's departure the Iran-Iraq War (1980–88) transformed the IRGC into more of a conventional fighting force with its own ground, air, naval, and special forces, plus control over Iran’s strategic missile and rocket forces; today, the IRGC is a highly institutionalized and parallel military force to Iran’s regular armed forces (Artesh); it is involved in internal security and has influence in the political and economic spheres of Iranian society, as well as Iran’s foreign policy; on the economic front, it owns factories and corporations and subsidiaries in banking, infrastructure, housing, airlines, tourism and other sectors; its special operations forces, known as the Qods/Quds Force, specialize in foreign missions and have provided advice, funding, guidance, material support, training, and weapons to militants in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, as well as extremist groups, including HAMAS, Hizballah, Kata’ib Hizballah, and Palestine Islamic Jihad; the Qods Force also conducts intelligence and reconnaissance operations; note - both the IRGC and the Qods Force have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the US (see Terrorist Organizations under References) the Supreme Council for National Security (SCNS) is the senior-most body for formulating Iran’s foreign and security policy; it is formally chaired by the president, who also appoints the SCNS secretary; its members include the speaker of the Majles, the head of the judiciary, the chief of the Armed Forces General Staff (chief of defense or CHOD), the commanders of the Artesh (regular forces) and IRGC, and the ministers of defense, foreign affairs, interior, and intelligence; the SCNS reports to the supreme leader; the supreme leader is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces the Iranian Armed Forces are divided between the regular forces (Artesh) and the IRGC; the Artesh primarily focuses on defending Iran’s borders and territorial waters from external threats, while the IRGC has a broader mission to defend the Iranian revolution from any foreign or domestic threat; in 1989, Iran established the Armed Forces General Staff to coordinate military action across both the Artesh and the IRGC; Iran also has a joint military headquarters, the Khatam ol-Anbia Central Headquarters, to command the Artesh and IRGC in wartime (2024) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Iranian Space Agency (ISA; created in 2003); Iran Space Research Center (ISRC; established, 2000); Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - Aerospace Force (IRGC-ARF) (2024) note 1: ISA and ISRC are subordinate to the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology; along with the MODAFL, they oversee part of Iran's satellite development programs; they also work with Iranian universities, private industry, and foreign partners to develop satellites note 2: MODAFL and the IRGC-ARF oversee Iran's satellite/space launch vehicle development program **Space launch site(s):** Imam Khomeini Space Center (aka Semnan Space Center; Semnan province); Shahroud Space Center (Semnan Province; IRGC-operated); Chabahar Space Center (Sistan and Baluchistan Province; under development) (2025) **Space program overview:** has an ambitious civil and military space program focused on satellites and satellite launch vehicles (SLV); designs, builds, and operates satellites, including communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific; manufactures and operates SLVs; researching and developing other space-related capabilities and technologies in areas such as telecommunications, RS, navigation, and space situational awareness; international sanctions against Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program have severely limited Iran’s cooperation with foreign space agencies and commercial space industries; in recent years, however, it has worked with North Korea and Russia, as well as regional and international space organizations such as the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization and the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization; Iran was a founding member of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in 1958; has an active private space industry (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1998 - began development of 2-stage satellite/space launch vehicle (SLV) (Safir) 2006 - first successful launch of a small, domestically produced communications and research satellite (Omid) on the Safir SLV 2010 - began developing a more capable 2-stage orbital SLV (Simorgh; aka Safir-2) 2011 - launched first domestically produced remote sensing (RS) satellite (Rasad) on Safir SLV 2020 - placed RS microsatellite (Noor) in orbit on 3-stage SLV (Qased or Messenger) 2021 - first launch of road-mobile 3-stage SLV (Zuljanah) 2022 - completed suborbital test of new small-lift SLV (Quam-100) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK); al-Qa’ida note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 3,489,257 (2024 est.) IDPs: 421 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Iran does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Iran remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/iran/ --- ## Iraq **Slug:** iraq **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇮🇶 **Codes:** cek: iz, iso2: IQ, iso3: IRQ, iso_num: 368, genc: IRQ, stanag: IRQ, internet: .iq ### Introduction **Background:** Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by the United Kingdom during World War I and was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration in 1920. Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. It was proclaimed a republic in 1958 after a coup overthrew the monarchy, but in actuality, a series of strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last was SADDAM Hussein, from 1979 to 2003. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly war from 1980 to 1988. In 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait but was expelled by US-led UN coalition forces during the two-month-long Gulf War of 1991. After Iraq's expulsion, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions led to the Second Gulf War in 2003, when US-led forces ousted the SADDAM regime. In 2005, Iraqis approved a constitution in a national referendum and elected a 275-member Council of Representatives (COR). The COR approved most of the cabinet ministers, marking the transition to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half-century. Iraq's constitution also established the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), a semi-autonomous region that administers the governorates of Erbil, Dahuk, and As Sulaymaniyah. Iraq has held four national legislative elections since 2006, most recently in 2021. The COR approved Mohammad Shia' al-SUDANI as prime minister in 2022. Iraq has repeatedly postponed elections for provincial councils -- last held in 2013 -- and since 2019, the prime minister has had the authority to appoint governors rather than provincial councils. Between 2014 and 2017, Iraq fought a military campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) to recapture territory the group seized in 2014. In 2017, then-Prime Minister Haydar al-ABADI publicly declared victory against ISIS, although military operations against the group continue in rural areas. Also in 2017, Baghdad forcefully seized disputed territories across central and northern Iraq from the KRG, after a non-binding Kurdish independence referendum. ### Geography **Location:** Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait **Geographic coordinates:** 33 00 N, 44 00 E **Map references:** Middle East **Area:** total : 438,317 sq km land: 437,367 sq km water: 950 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly more than three times the size of New York State **Land boundaries:** total: 3,809 km border countries (6): Iran 1,599 km; Jordan 179 km; Kuwait 254 km; Saudi Arabia 811 km; Syria 599 km; Turkey 367 km **Coastline:** 58 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: not specified **Climate:** mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq **Terrain:** mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey **Elevation:** highest point: Cheekha Dar (Kurdish for "Black Tent") 3,611 m lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m mean elevation: 312 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur **Land use:** agricultural land: 21.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 9.2% (2023 est.) forest: 1.6% (2023 est.) other: 76.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 35,250 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Hammar - 1,940 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Euphrates river mouth (shared with Turkey[s], Syria, and Iran) - 3,596 km; Tigris river mouth (shared with Turkey[s], Syria, and Iran) - 1,950 km; the Tigris and Euphrates join to form the Shatt al Arab note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Arabian Aquifer System **Population distribution:** population is concentrated in the north, center, and eastern parts of the country, with many of the larger urban agglomerations found along extensive parts of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; much of the western and southern areas are either lightly populated or uninhabited **Natural hazards:** dust storms; sandstorms; floods **Geography - note:** strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf ### People and Society **Population:** total: 42,917,742 (2025 est.) male: 21,614,894 female: 21,302,848 **Nationality:** noun: Iraqi(s) adjective: Iraqi **Ethnic groups:** Arab 75-80%, Kurdish 15-20%, other 5% (includes Turkmen, Yezidi, Shabak, Kaka'i, Bedouin, Romani, Assyrian, Circassian, Sabaean-Mandaean, Persian) note: data is a 1987 government estimate; no more recent reliable numbers are available **Languages:** Arabic (official), Kurdish (official); Turkmen (a Turkish dialect) and Syriac (Neo-Aramaic) are recognized as official languages where native speakers of these languages are present major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، أحسن مصدر للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) ڕاستییەکانی جیهان، باشترین سەرچاوەیە بۆ زانیارییە بنەڕەتییەکان (Kurdish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim (official) 95-98% (Shia 61-64%, Sunni 29-34%), Christian 1% (includes Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Assyrian Church of the East), other 1-4% (2015 est.) note: the last census in Iraq was in 1997; while there has been voluntary relocation of many Christian families to northern Iraq, the overall Christian population has decreased at least 50% and perhaps as much as 90% since 2003, according to US Embassy estimates, with many fleeing to Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 34.6% (male 7,447,266/female 7,130,883) 15-64 years: 61.7% (male 13,064,516/female 12,907,702) 65 years and over: 3.6% (2024 est.) (male 681,574/female 851,495) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 60.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 54.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 16.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 22.7 years (2025 est.) male: 22 years female: 22.7 years **Population growth rate:** 1.94% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 23.26 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 3.86 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population is concentrated in the north, center, and eastern parts of the country, with many of the larger urban agglomerations found along extensive parts of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; much of the western and southern areas are either lightly populated or uninhabited **Urbanization:** urban population: 71.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.91% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 7.711 million BAGHDAD (capital), 1.792 million Mosul, 1.448 million Basra, 1.075 million Kirkuk, 958,000 Najaf, 897,000 Erbil (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 66 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 18.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 20.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 73.7 years (2024 est.) male: 71.9 years female: 75.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.03 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.48 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 94.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 5.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.2% of GDP (2021) 5.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.02 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 1.3 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 98.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 97.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 2.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.5% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 30.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 18.6% (2025 est.) male: 36.2% (2025 est.) female: 1.3% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 3.9% (2018 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 64.3% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 7.2% (2018) women married by age 18: 27.9% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 4.7% of GDP (2016) **Literacy:** total population: 84.1% (2021 est.) male: 90.3% (2021 est.) female: 77.8% (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** habitat loss from wetland draining; inadequate potable water; soil degradation (salination) and erosion; desertification; air, soil, and groundwater pollution from military and industries; water pollution from oil refineries and factory and sewage discharges; soil pollution from fertilizer and chemicals; air pollution in urban areas **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Environmental Modification **Climate:** mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq **Land use:** agricultural land: 21.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 9.2% (2023 est.) forest: 1.6% (2023 est.) other: 76.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 71.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.91% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 190.815 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 7,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 152.931 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 37.878 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 45.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 2,243 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 157 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 325 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 2.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 13.14 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 6.735 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 4.52 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 31.169 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 89.86 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Iraq conventional short form: Iraq local long form: Jumhuriyat al-Iraq/Komar-i Eraq local short form: Al Iraq/Eraq former: Mesopotamia, Mandatory Iraq, Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq etymology: the name probably derives from Uruk ("Erech" in Aramaic), the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian city on the Euphrates River **Government type:** federal parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Baghdad geographic coordinates: 33 20 N, 44 24 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the origin of the name is unclear; it may mean "gift of God," from the pre-Islamic words bagh (god) and dad (given) **Administrative divisions:** 19 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah (Arabic); parezgakan, singular - parezga (Kurdish)); 'Al Anbar; Al Basrah; Al Muthanna; Al Qadisiyah (Ad Diwaniyah); An Najaf; Arbil (Erbil) (Arabic), Halabjah; Hewler (Kurdish); As Sulaymaniyah (Arabic), Slemani (Kurdish); Babil; Baghdad; Dahuk (Arabic), Dihok (Kurdish); Dhi Qar; Diyala; Karbala'; Kirkuk; Maysan; Ninawa; Salah ad Din; Wasit note: Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government administers Arbil, Dahuk, and As Sulaymaniyah (as Hewler, Dihok, and Slemani, respectively) **Legal system:** mixed system of civil and Islamic law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted by referendum 15 October 2005 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic and the Council of Minsters collectively, or by one fifth of the Council of Representatives members; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Council of Representatives, approval by referendum, and ratification by the president; passage of amendments to articles on citizen rights and liberties requires two-thirds majority vote of Council of Representatives members after two successive electoral terms, approval in a referendum, and ratification by the president **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Iraq dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Latif RASHID (since 13 October 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-SUDANI (since 27 October 2022) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, approved by Council of Representatives (COR) election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by COR to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 13 October 2022 election results: 2022: Latif RASHID elected president in second round; COR vote in first round - Latif RASHID (PUK) 157, Barham SALIH (PUK) 99; COR vote in second round - Latif RASHID 167, Barham SALIH 99; Mohammed Shia' al-SUDANI approved as prime minister 2018: Barham SALIH elected president in second round; COR vote in first round - Barham SALIH (PUK) 165, Fuad HUSAYN (KDP) 90; COR vote in second round - Barham SALIH 219, Fuad HUSAYN 22; Adil ABD AL-MAHDI approved as prime minister **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Council of Representatives of Iraq legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 329 (all directly elected) electoral system: other systems scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/11/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Reconstruction & Development Coalition, The Progress (Taqaddum) Party, State of Law Coalition, Sadiqoun Movement, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Badr Organization, National State Forces Alliance, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Azm Alliance, National Sovereignty, Ishraqat Kanun, Asas (Iraqi Foundation) Coalition, Tasmeem Alliance, Huquq Movement, National Resolve (Hasm) percentage of women in chamber: 28.9% expected date of next election: November 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Federal Supreme Court or FSC (consists of 9 judges); Court of Cassation (consists of a court president, 5 vice presidents, and at least 24 judges) judge selection and term of office: Federal Supreme Court (FSC) judges nominated by the High Judicial Council (HJC) president, the FSC chief justice, the public prosecutor's office chief, and the head of the Judicial Oversight Commission; FSC members required to retire at age 72; Court of Cassation judges appointed by the HJC and confirmed by the Council of Representatives to serve until retirement, nominally at age 63, but can be extended to age 66 subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (governorate level); civil courts, including first instance, personal status, labor, and customs; criminal courts including felony, misdemeanor, investigative, major crimes, juvenile, and traffic courts note: Federal Supreme Court jurisdiction limited to constitutional issues, application of federal laws, ratification of election results for the COR, judicial competency disputes, and disputes between regions or governorates and the central government **Political parties:** Al Fatah Alliance Azm Alliance Babiliyun Movement Imtidad Ishraqat Konun Kurdistan Democratic Party National Contract Party New Generation Movement Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Sadrist Bloc State Forces Alliance State of Law Coalition Taqadum Tasmim Alliance **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Nazar Issa Abdulhadi AL-KHIRULLAH (since 30 June 2023) chancery: 1801 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500 FAX: [1] (202) 462-8815 email address and website: washington@scrdiraq.gov.iq https://www.iraqiembassy.us/ consulate(s) general: Detroit, Los Angeles **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Ambassador Joshua HARRIS (since 2 September 2025) embassy: Al-Kindi Street, International Zone, Baghdad; note - consulate in Al Basrah closed as of 28 September 2018 mailing address: 6060 Baghdad Place, Washington DC 20521-6060 telephone: 0760-030-3000 email address and website: BaghdadACS@state.gov https://iq.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ABEDA, AFESD, AIIB, AMF, CAEU, CICA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) **Independence:** 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) note: on 28 June 2004, the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government **National holiday:** Independence Day, 3 October (1932); Republic Day, 14 July (1958) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the Takbir (Arabic phrase meaning "God is great") in green Arabic script is centered in the white band meaning: the colors come from the Arab Liberation flag and stand for oppression (black) overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white) history: the Council of Representatives approved this flag in 2008 as a compromise replacement for the Ba'thist SADDAM-era flag note: similar to the flags of Syria (two stars but no script), Yemen (plain white band), and Egypt (a golden Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band) **National symbol(s):** golden eagle **National color(s):** red, white, black **National anthem(s):** title: "Mawtini" (My Homeland) lyrics/music: Ibrahim TOUQAN/Mohammad FLAYFEL history: adopted 2004, after the ouster of SADDAM Husayn; popular Arab folk song that also serves as an unofficial anthem for the Palestinian people **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 6 (5 cultural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (c); Babylon (c); Erbil Citadel (c); Hatra (c); Samarra Archaeological City (c); The Ahwar (Marshland) of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities (m) ### Economy **Economic overview:** highly oil-dependent Middle Eastern economy; fiscal sustainability subject to fluctuation in oil prices; rising public confidence in economic conditions; import-dependent for most sectors; persistent challenges of corruption, informal markets, banking access, and political fragility **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $585.887 billion (2024 est.) $595.082 billion (2023 est.) $592.017 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -1.5% (2024 est.) 0.5% (2023 est.) 8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $12,700 (2024 est.) $13,200 (2023 est.) $13,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $279.641 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.4% (2023 est.) 5% (2022 est.) 6% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 3.4% (2024 est.) industry: 51.6% (2024 est.) services: 45.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 41.2% (2024 est.) government consumption: 20.3% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.6% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 8.8% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 37.5% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -37.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, dates, maize, tomatoes, rye, grapes, milk, chicken, potatoes, fruits (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum, chemicals, textiles, leather, construction materials, food processing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processing **Industrial production growth rate:** -2.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 12.008 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 15.6% (2024 est.) 15.5% (2023 est.) 15.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 32.1% (2024 est.) male: 27.5% (2024 est.) female: 62.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 29.8 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 28.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.7% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 24.2% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $90.204 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $64.512 billion (2019 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 27.4% of GDP (2018 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 1.3% (of GDP) (2019 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $28.375 billion (2023 est.) $58.01 billion (2022 est.) $24.565 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $107.852 billion (2023 est.) $127.079 billion (2022 est.) $78.26 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 33%, India 28%, USA 8%, Greece 5%, UAE 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, refined petroleum, petroleum coke, gold, natural gas (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $81.179 billion (2023 est.) $69.162 billion (2022 est.) $50.707 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** UAE 32%, China 20%, Turkey 18%, India 5%, USA 2% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, jewelry, gold (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $100.691 billion (2024 est.) $112.233 billion (2023 est.) $97.009 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $15.58 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Iraqi dinars (IQD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1,300 (2024 est.) 1,312.5 (2023 est.) 1,450 (2022 est.) 1,450 (2021 est.) 1,192 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 31.339 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 73.521 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 3.134 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 79.904 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 98.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 3,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 4.448 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 1.043 million bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 145.019 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 10.537 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 19.308 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 8.771 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 3.729 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 64.311 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 5.28 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 46.1 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** the number of private radio and TV stations has increased rapidly since 2003; state-owned TV and radio stations are operated by the publicly funded Iraqi Media Network; private broadcast media are mostly linked to political, ethnic, or religious groups; satellite TV is available to about 70% of viewers; many broadcasters are based abroad; transmissions of multiple international radio broadcasters are accessible (2019) **Internet country code:** .iq **Internet users:** percent of population: 82% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 7.77 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** YI **Airports:** 73 (2025) **Heliports:** 10 (2025) **Railways:** total: 2,272 km (2014) standard gauge: 2,272 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 74 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 6, other 67 **Ports:** total ports: 6 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 1 very small: 4 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Al Basrah, Al-Basra Oil Terminal, Khawr Al Amaya, Khawr Al Zubair, Umm Qasr ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Ministry of Defense: Iraqi Army, Iraqi Navy, Iraqi Air Force Office of the Prime Minister: Iraqi Counterterrorism Service (CTS); Popular Mobilization Committee (PMC) Ministry of Interior: Federal Police Forces Command, Border Guard Forces Command, Federal Intelligence and Investigations Agency, Emergency Response Division, Facilities Protection Directorate, and Provincial Police; Ministry of Oil: Energy Police Directorate (2025) note 1: the Iraqi military and associated security forces are collectively known as the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF); the Iraqi Counterterrorism Service (CTS) includes the Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) note 2: the Iraqi Government funds the PMF, and it is mandated by law to act under government control but many of the militia units take orders from individual government officials and/or associated political parties; some militias have ties to Iran and some have been designated as terrorist organizations by the US (see Terrorism Reference) note 3: the federal constitution provides the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) the right to maintain its own military and security forces, known as the Kurdish Security Forces (KSF); some forces, such as the Regional Guard Brigades, are unified under the KRG's Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs, but the two main Kurdish political parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), also maintain their own military forces, police, emergency response, and internal security/intelligence services **Military expenditures:** 2.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 3% of GDP (2021 est.) 3.2% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 200,000 active armed forces personnel under the Ministry of Defense (Army, Aviation Command, Air/Air Defense, Navy, Special Forces); approximately 20-25,000 National-Level Security Forces Ministry of Peshmerga: estimated 150,000 active personnel Popular Mobilization Forces: estimated 200,000 militia (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Iraqi military's inventory includes a mix of European, Russian, Soviet-era, and US armaments (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2025) **Military - note:** the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) are primarily focused on internal and border security; they are actively conducting counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) terrorist group, particularly in northern and western Iraq; the operations include securing the border with Syria; the Kurdish Security Forces, as well as are also active in conducting operations against ISIS two international military task forces operate in Iraq to assist the country's security forces at the request of the Iraqi Government; in 2018, NATO established an advisory, training and capacity-building mission for the Iraqi military known as the NATO Mission Iraq (NMI); in December 2021, the US-led Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) transitioned from a combat role to an advise, assist, and enable role (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Ansar al-Islam; Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN); Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya (HAAA); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Jaysh Rijal al-Tariq al-Naqshabandi; Kata'ib Hizballah; Kata’ib al-Imam Ali (KIA); Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS); Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 335,343 (2024 est.) IDPs: 1,201,813 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 233 (2024 est.) --- ## Ireland **Slug:** ireland **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇮🇪 **Codes:** cek: ei, iso2: IE, iso3: IRL, iso_num: 372, genc: IRL, stanag: IRL, internet: .ie ### Introduction **Background:** Celtic tribes arrived in Ireland between 600 and 150 B.C. Norse invasions that began in the late 8th century finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. Norman invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. The Irish famine of the mid-19th century caused an almost 25-percent decline in the island's population through starvation, disease, and emigration. The population of the island continued to fall until the 1960s, but over the last 50 years, Ireland's high birthrate has made it demographically one of the youngest populations in the EU. The modern Irish state traces its origins to the failed 1916 Easter Monday Uprising that galvanized nationalist sentiment. The ensuing guerrilla war led to independence from the UK in 1921 with the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the creation of the Irish Free State. The treaty was deeply controversial in Ireland, in part because it helped solidify the country's partition, with six of the 32 counties remaining in the UK as Northern Ireland. The split between pro-Treaty and anti-Treaty partisans led to the Irish Civil War (1922-23). The traditionally dominant political parties in Ireland, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, are de facto descendants of the opposing sides of the treaty debate. Ireland declared itself a republic in 1949 and formally left the British Dominion. Beginning in the 1960s, deep sectarian divides between the Catholic and Protestant populations and systemic discrimination in Northern Ireland erupted into years of violence known as the Troubles. In 1998, the governments of Ireland and the UK, along with most political parties in Northern Ireland, reached the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement with the support of the US. This agreement helped end the Troubles and initiated a new phase of cooperation between the Irish and British Governments. Ireland was neutral in World War II and continues its policy of military neutrality. Ireland joined the European Community in 1973 and the euro-zone currency union in 1999. The economic boom years of the Celtic Tiger (1995-2007) saw rapid economic growth that came to an abrupt end in 2008 with the meltdown of the Irish banking system. As a small, open economy, Ireland has excelled at courting foreign direct investment, especially from US multi-nationals, which has helped the economy recover from the financial crisis and insulated it somewhat from the economic shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic. ### Geography **Location:** Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain **Geographic coordinates:** 53 00 N, 8 00 W **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 70,273 sq km land: 68,883 sq km water: 1,390 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than West Virginia **Land boundaries:** total: 490 km border countries (1): UK 499 km **Coastline:** 1,448 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time **Terrain:** mostly flat to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast **Elevation:** highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 118 m **Natural resources:** natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite **Land use:** agricultural land: 60.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 54.4% (2023 est.) forest: 11.9% (2023 est.) other: 27.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** population distribution is weighted to the eastern side of the island, with the largest concentration in and around Dublin; populations in the west are small due to mountainous land, poorer soil, and lack of transport routes **Natural hazards:** rare extreme weather events **Geography - note:** strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 100 km of Dublin ### People and Society **Population:** total: 5,279,007 (2025 est.) male: 2,611,683 female: 2,667,324 **Nationality:** noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish **Ethnic groups:** Irish 76.6%, Irish travelers 0.6%, other White 9.9%, Asian 3.3%, Black 1.5%, other (includes Arab, Roma, and persons of mixed backgrounds) 2%, unspecified 2.6% (2022 est.) **Languages:** English (official, the language generally used), Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official, spoken by approximately 37.7% of the population) **Religions:** Roman Catholic 69.2% (includes lapsed), Protestant 3.7% (Church of Ireland/England/Anglican/Episcopalian 2.5%, other Protestant 1.2%), Orthodox 2%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim 1.6%, other 1.4%, agnostic/atheist 0.1%, none 14.5%, unspecified 6.7% (2022 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 18.6% (male 498,124/female 477,848) 15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,701,680/female 1,728,041) 65 years and over: 15.8% (2024 est.) (male 390,738/female 437,030) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 52.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 27.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 24.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 40.5 years (2025 est.) male: 39.7 years female: 40.6 years **Population growth rate:** 0.8% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.95 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.43 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 4.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population distribution is weighted to the eastern side of the island, with the largest concentration in and around Dublin; populations in the west are small due to mountainous land, poorer soil, and lack of transport routes **Urbanization:** urban population: 64.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.270 million DUBLIN (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 30.9 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 82 years (2024 est.) male: 80.3 years female: 83.9 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.72 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.83 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 95.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 97% of population (2022 est.) total: 96% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 3% of population (2022 est.) total: 4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.1% of GDP (2022) 22.3% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.88 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 2.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 94.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 96.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 5.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 3.9% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 25.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 10.91 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 16.8% (2025 est.) male: 19.2% (2025 est.) female: 14.4% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 47.1% (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 2.9% of GDP (2021 est.) 12.3% national budget (2021 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 19 years (2022 est.) male: 19 years (2022 est.) female: 20 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff; deforestation, including problems with acid rain **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time **Land use:** agricultural land: 60.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 54.4% (2023 est.) forest: 11.9% (2023 est.) other: 27.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 64.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 35.486 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 3.029 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 22.635 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 9.822 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 7.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.911 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 42.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 1.106 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 531.82 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 39.63 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 52 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 3 global geoparks and regional networks: Burren & Cliffs of Moher; Copper Coast; Marble Arch Caves (includes United Kingdom) (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland local long form: none local short form: Eire etymology: the Irish name Eire evolved from the Gaelic name Eriu, which is possibly derived from the Old Celtic iveriu, meaning "good land;" the English name, Ireland, is a direct translation **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Dublin geographic coordinates: 53 19 N, 6 14 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: derived from the Irish words dubh (black or dark) and linn (pool), referring to the color of the Liffey River **Administrative divisions:** 28 counties and 3 cities*; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Cork*, Donegal, Dublin*, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Galway, Galway*, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, South Dublin, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow **Legal system:** common law system based on the English model but substantially modified by customary law; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts **Constitution:** history: previous 1922; latest drafted 14 June 1937, adopted by plebiscite 1 July 1937, effective 29 December 1937 amendment process: proposed as bills by Parliament; passage requires majority vote by both the Senate and House of Representatives, majority vote in a referendum, and presidential signature **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no, unless a parent of a child born in Ireland has been legally resident in Ireland for at least three of the four years prior to the birth of the child citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 4 of the previous 8 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Catherine CONNOLLY (since 11 November 2025) head of government: Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Michael MARTIN (since 23 January 2025) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president, approved by the Dali Eireann (lower house of Parliament) election/appointment process: president directly elected by majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); taoiseach (prime minister) nominated by the House of Representatives (Dail Eireann), appointed by the president most recent election date: 26 October 2018 election results: 2025: Michael MARTIN is elected taoiseach by parliament, 95 votes to 76, and is appointed taoiseach by the president 2024: Simon HARRIS is elected taoiseach by parliament, 88 votes to 69, and is appointed taoiseach by the president 2018: Michael D. HIGGINS reelected president in first round; percent of vote in first round - Michael D. HIGGINS (independent) 55.8%, Peter CASEY (independent) 23.3%, Sean GALLAGHER (independent) 6.4%, Liadh NI RIADA (Sinn Fein) 6.4%, Joan FREEMAN (independent) 6%, Gavin DUFFY (independent) 2.2% expected date of next election: no later than November 2025 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Oireachtas) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Dáil Éireann) number of seats: 174 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 1/29/2025 to 1/30/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Fianna Fáil (48); Sinn Féin (39); Fine Gael (38); Social Democratic Party (11); Labour Party (11); Independents (16); Other (11) percentage of women in chamber: 25.3% expected date of next election: November 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Seanad Éireann - Senate) number of seats: 60 (49 indirectly elected; 11 appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/29/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Fianna Fail (19); Fine Gael (18); Sinn Fein (6); Independents (12); other (5) percentage of women in chamber: 45% expected date of next election: January 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Ireland (consists of the chief justice, 9 judges, 2 ex-officio members -- the presidents of the High Court and Court of Appeal -- and organized in 3-, 5-, or 7-judge panels, depending on the importance or complexity of an issue of law) judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the prime minister and Cabinet and appointed by the president; chief justice serves in the position for 7 years; judges can serve until age 70 subordinate courts: High Court, Court of Appeal; circuit and district courts; criminal courts **Political parties:** Aontu Solidarity-People Before Profit or PBP-S Fianna Fail Fine Gael Green Party Human Dignity Alliance Independent Ireland Labor (Labour) Party 100% Redress Right to Change or RTC Sinn Fein Social Democrats Socialist Party The Workers' Party **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Geraldine BYRNE NASON (since 16 September 2022) chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939 FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993 email address and website: https://www.ireland.ie/en/usa/washington/ consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin (TX), Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Edward S. WALSH (since 1 July 2025) embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 mailing address: 5290 Dublin Place, Washington DC 20521-5290 telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777 FAX: [353] (1) 688-8056 email address and website: ACSDublin@state.gov https://ie.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 6 December 1921 (from the UK); 6 December 1922 (Irish Free State established); 18 April 1949 (Republic of Ireland Act enabled) **National holiday:** Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March note: marks the traditional death date of Saint Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, during the latter half of the fifth century A.D. (most commonly cited years are c. 461 and c. 493); Saint Patrick's feast day was celebrated as early as the ninth century, but it only became an official public holiday in 1903 **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of green (left side), white, and orange meaning: the flag colors have no official meaning, but a common interpretation is that the green stands for the Irish nationalist tradition, orange for the Orange tradition (minority supporters of William of Orange), and white for peace or a lasting truce between the green and the orange note: similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has red instead of orange **National symbol(s):** harp, shamrock (trefoil) **National color(s):** blue, green **National coat of arms:** the coat of arms features a gold harp on a blue shield and dates back to the 13th century, although it only became official in 1945; the harp, a national symbol that Ireland adopted after gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1921, represents the country’s history, culture, and national identity **National anthem(s):** title: "Amhran na bhFiann" (The Soldier's Song) lyrics/music: Peadar KEARNEY [English], Liam O RINN [Irish]/Patrick HEENEY and Peadar KEARNEY history: adopted 1926; the song "Ireland's Call" is often used as the anthem at athletic events if citizens of Ireland and Northern Ireland are competing as a unified team **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Brú na Bóinne - Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne; Sceilg Mhichíl ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, export-oriented EU economy; large multinational business sector contributes to growth and tax revenues but poses volatility risks; high living standards; strong labor market challenged by skill shortages and aging workforce **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $620.544 billion (2024 est.) $613.056 billion (2023 est.) $648.943 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.2% (2024 est.) -5.5% (2023 est.) 8.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $115,300 (2024 est.) $115,500 (2023 est.) $124,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $577.389 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.1% (2024 est.) 6.3% (2023 est.) 7.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.1% (2024 est.) industry: 30.8% (2024 est.) services: 61.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 26.8% (2023 est.) government consumption: 12.2% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.2% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 3.1% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 135.1% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -102.2% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, barley, beef, wheat, potatoes, pork, oats, chicken, rapeseed, beans (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** pharmaceuticals, chemicals, computer hardware and software, food products, beverages and brewing; medical devices **Industrial production growth rate:** -4.9% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 2.857 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.4% (2024 est.) 4.3% (2023 est.) 4.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 11.1% (2024 est.) male: 11.2% (2024 est.) female: 11% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 14% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 29.9 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 8.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.6% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 24.5% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $118.231 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $108.693 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 45.4% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 16.8% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $44.744 billion (2023 est.) $48.427 billion (2022 est.) $65.118 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $761.876 billion (2023 est.) $763.233 billion (2022 est.) $722.655 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 28%, Germany 11%, UK 8%, Belgium 8%, China 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** vaccines, packaged medicine, nitrogen compounds, integrated circuits, hormones (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $580.399 billion (2023 est.) $536.882 billion (2022 est.) $500.334 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** UK 20%, USA 17%, France 10%, China 7%, Germany 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** aircraft, nitrogen compounds, vaccines, packaged medicine, integrated circuits (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $12.698 billion (2024 est.) $12.905 billion (2023 est.) $13.039 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 12.321 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 32.282 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 441.615 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 3.89 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.489 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 55.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 37% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 2.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 1.341 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 76,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1.711 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 40 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 600 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 159,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 1.165 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 4.919 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 3.707 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 9.911 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 113.837 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.08 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 5.92 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 113 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** publicly owned broadcaster Radio Telefis Eireann (RTE) operates 4 TV stations; commercial TV stations are available; about 75% of households use multi-channel satellite and TV services that provide access to a wide range of stations; RTE operates 4 national radio stations and has launched digital audio broadcasts on several; a number of commercial broadcast stations operate at the national, regional, and local levels (2019) **Internet country code:** .ie **Internet users:** percent of population: 97% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.65 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** EI **Airports:** 100 (2025) **Heliports:** 10 (2025) **Railways:** total: 1,688 km (2020) 53 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 94 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 12, general cargo 32, oil tanker 1, other 49 **Ports:** total ports: 21 (2024) large: 1 medium: 3 small: 3 very small: 14 ports with oil terminals: 8 key ports: Cobh, Cork, Dublin, Foynes ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireannn): Army, Air Corps, Naval Service, Reserve Defense Forces (2025) note: An Garda Siochana (or Garda) is the national police force and maintains internal security under the auspices of the Department of Justice **Military expenditures:** 0.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 7,500 active-duty Defense Forces (authorized establishment of 9,500) (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Irish Defense Forces have an inventory of imported weapons systems from a variety of mostly European countries (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-38 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service (2026) note 1: as of 2025, women made up about 7.5% of the military's full-time personnel note 2: the Defense Forces are open to refugees under the Refugee Act of 1996 and nationals of the European Economic Area, which include EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway **Military deployments:** 330 Lebanon (UNIFIL); also contributes small numbers of troops to EU, NATO, and other UN missions (2025) **Military - note:** the Irish Defense Forces (IDF) are responsible for external defense, assisting civil authorities upon request, participating in multinational peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, and providing for maritime security; the IDF traces its origins back to the Irish Volunteers, a unit established in 1913 which took part in the 1916 Easter Rising and the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921) Ireland has a long-standing policy of military neutrality; however, Ireland is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy and has committed a battalion of troops to the EU’s Rapid Reaction Force; Ireland is not a member of NATO but has a relationship with it going back to 1997, when it deployed personnel in support of the NATO-led peacekeeping operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Ireland joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1999; it has been active in UN peacekeeping operations since the 1950s (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA); Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 156,441 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 48 (2024 est.) --- ## Isle of Man **Slug:** isle-of-man **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇮🇲 **Codes:** cek: im, iso2: IM, iso3: IMN, iso_num: 833, genc: IMN, stanag: UK, internet: .im ### Introduction **Background:** The Isle of Man was part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century, when it was ceded to Scotland. The isle came under English lordship in the 14th century before being purchased by the British Government in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost extinct Manx Gaelic language. The Isle of Man is a British Crown dependency, which makes it a self-governing possession of the British Crown that is not part of the UK. The UK Government, however, remains constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation. ### Geography **Location:** Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland **Geographic coordinates:** 54 15 N, 4 30 W **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 572 sq km land: 572 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly more than three times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 160 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm **Climate:** temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about a third of the time **Terrain:** hills in north and south bisected by central valley **Elevation:** highest point: Snaefell 621 m lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** none **Land use:** agricultural land: 69.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 41.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 28% (2023 est.) forest: 6.4% (2023 est.) other: 24.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** most people concentrated in cities and large towns; Douglas, in the southeast, is the largest **Natural hazards:** occasional high winds and rough seas **Geography - note:** one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest and is a bird sanctuary ### People and Society **Population:** total: 92,666 (2025 est.) male: 46,543 female: 46,123 **Nationality:** noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women) adjective: Manx **Ethnic groups:** White 94.7%, Asian 3.1%, Mixed 1%, Black 0.6%, other 0.4% (2021 est.) note: data represent population by nationality **Languages:** English, Manx Gaelic (about 2% of the population has some knowledge) **Religions:** Christian 54.7%, Muslim 0.5%, Buddhist 0.5%, Hindu 0.4%, Jewish 0.2%, none 43.8% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16% (male 7,701/female 7,100) 15-64 years: 61.9% (male 29,035/female 28,044) 65 years and over: 22.1% (2024 est.) (male 9,595/female 10,794) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 62.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 25.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 36.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 45.1 years (2025 est.) male: 43.7 years female: 46.1 years **Population growth rate:** 0.41% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.25 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 4.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most people concentrated in cities and large towns; Douglas, in the southeast, is the largest **Urbanization:** urban population: 53.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 27,000 DOUGLAS (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 82.5 years (2024 est.) male: 80.7 years female: 84.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.87 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.9 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: NA rural: NA total: 0% of population (2022 est.) NA ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution, marine pollution; waste disposal (both household and industrial) **Climate:** temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about a third of the time **Land use:** agricultural land: 69.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 41.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 28% (2023 est.) forest: 6.4% (2023 est.) other: 24.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 53.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 50,600 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 50% (2011 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Isle of Man local long form: Ellan Vannin abbreviation: I.O.M. etymology: the name "man" may be derived from the Gaelic word for "mountain;" the local name is from the words ellan, or "island," and Vannin, a form of the name Mannan **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (Tynwald) **Dependency status:** British crown dependency **Capital:** name: Douglas geographic coordinates: 54 09 N, 4 29 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name comes from the Gaelic name Dubhghlais, or "black stream," referring to a nearby river; a second river was called Fionnghlais, or "white stream;" both river names were later shortened to Dhoo and Glass, respectively, which coincidentally comprised the elements of the town's name **Administrative divisions:** no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 24 local authorities each hold elections **Legal system:** UK laws apply, as well as Manx statutes **Constitution:** history: development of the Isle of Man constitution dates to at least the 14th century amendment process: proposed as a bill in the House of Keys, by the "Government," by a "Member of the House," or through petition to the House or Legislative Council; passage normally requires three separate readings and approval of at least 13 House members; following both House and Council agreement, assent is required by the lieutenant governor on behalf of the Crown **Citizenship:** see United Kingdom **Suffrage:** 16 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Lord of Mann King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir John LORIMER (since 29 September 2021) head of government: Chief Minister Alfred CANNAN (since 12 October 2021) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the lieutenant governor election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister indirectly elected by the Tynwald for a 5-year term (eligible for second term) most recent election date: 23 September 2021 election results: 2021: Alfred CANNAN (independent) elected chief minister; Tynwald House of Keys vote - 21 of 24 2016: Howard QUAYLE elected chief minister; Tynwald House of Keys vote - 21 of 33 expected date of next election: 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Tynwald (High Court of Tynwald) legislative structure: bicameral note: Legislative Council includes the President of Tynwald, 2 non-voting members (the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man and the attorney general), and 8 members indirectly elected by the House of Keys **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Keys number of seats: 24 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/23/2021 parties elected and seats per party: independent (21); Manx Labour Party (2); Liberal Vannin (1) percentage of women in chamber: 40% expected date of next election: September 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Legislative Council number of seats: 11 (3 appointed, 8 indirectly elected) scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 3/14/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 36.4% expected date of next election: March 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Isle of Man High Court of Justice (consists of 3 permanent judges or "deemsters" and 1 judge of appeal; organized into the Staff of Government Division or Court of Appeal and the Civil Division); the Court of General Gaol Delivery (not formally part of the High Court but is administered as such) deals with serious criminal cases judge selection and term of office: deemsters appointed by the Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor; deemsters can serve until age 70 subordinate courts: High Court; Court of Summary Gaol Delivery; Summary Courts; Magistrate's Court; specialized courts note: appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) **Political parties:** Green Party Liberal Vannin Party or LVP Manx Labor Party note: most members sit as independents **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (British crown dependency) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (British crown dependency) **International organization participation:** UPU **Independence:** none (British Crown dependency) **National holiday:** Tynwald Day, 5 July (1417); date Tynwald Day was first recorded **Flag:** description: red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (triskelion) in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; a two-sided emblem is used to allow the toes to point clockwise on both sides of the flag history: the flag is based on the coat of arms of the last recognized Norse King of Mann, MAGNUS III (r. 1252-65); the triskelion has its roots in an early Celtic sun symbol **National symbol(s):** triskelion (a motif of three legs) **National color(s):** red, white **National coat of arms:** Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom granted the Isle of Man’s coat of arms on July 12, 1996; the triskelion (three conjoined legs) on the shield represents resilience, resourcefulness, and hope; the Latin motto means “Wherever you throw it, it will stand,” a reference to the islanders’ ability to stand strong; the peregrine falcon represents the two falcons that the Isle of Man has paid to the UK monarch on Coronation Day since 1406, and the raven symbolizes the island’s former status as a Viking colony; the crown represents the UK monarch’s status as the Lord of Mann, although the island is self-governing **National anthem(s):** title: "Arrane Ashoonagh dy Vannin" (Isle of Man National Anthem) lyrics/music: William Henry GILL [English], John J. KNEEN [Manx]/traditional history: adopted 2003; serves as a local anthem _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as a British Crown dependency; played when the sovereign, members of the royal family, or the lieutenant governor are present ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income British island economy; known financial services and tourism industries; taxation incentives for technology and financial firms to operate; historic fishing and agriculture industries are declining; major online gambling and film industry locale **Real GDP growth rate:** -4.2% (2022 est.) 3.8% (2021 est.) -8.8% (2020 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **GDP (official exchange rate):** $7.431 billion (2022 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.4% (2022 est.) industry: 6.9% (2022 est.) services: 95.1% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry **Industries:** financial services, light manufacturing, tourism **Industrial production growth rate:** -29.5% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Exports - partners:** almost entirely United Kingdom (2022) **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, artwork, vegetables, fruits, whiskies (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports - partners:** almost entirely United Kingdom (2022) **Imports - commodities:** ships, delivery trucks (2022) **Exchange rates:** Manx pounds (IMP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.782 (2024 est.) 0.805 (2023 est.) 0.811 (2022 est.) 0.727 (2021 est.) 0.78 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) ### Communications **Broadcast media:** national public radio has 3 FM stations and 1 AM station; 2 commercial radio broadcasters; receives radio and TV services via relays from British TV and radio broadcasters **Internet country code:** .im ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** M **Airports:** 4 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 63 km (2008) narrow gauge: 6 km (2008) 1.076-m gauge (6 km electrified) 57 0.914-mm gauge (29 km electrified) note: primarily summer tourist attractions **Merchant marine:** total: 269 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 102, container ship 6, general cargo 27, oil tanker 56, other 78 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Douglas, Ramsey ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the UK --- ## Israel **Slug:** israel **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇮🇱 **Codes:** cek: is, iso2: IL, iso3: ISR, iso_num: 376, genc: ISR, stanag: ISR, internet: .il ### Introduction **Background:** Israel has become a regional economic and military powerhouse, leveraging its prosperous high-tech sector, large defense industry, and concerns about Iran to foster partnerships around the world. The State of Israel was established in 1948. The UN General Assembly proposed in 1947 partitioning the British Mandate for Palestine into an Arab and Jewish state. The Jews accepted the proposal, but the local Arabs and the Arab states rejected the UN plan and launched a war. The Arabs were subsequently defeated in the 1947-1949 war that followed the UN proposal and the British withdrawal. Israel joined the UN in 1949 and saw rapid population growth, primarily due to Jewish refugee migration from Europe and the Middle East. Israel and its Arab neighbors fought wars in 1956, 1967, and 1973, and Israel signed peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Israel took control of the West Bank, the eastern part of Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Golan Heights in the course of the 1967 war. It ceded the Sinai back to Egypt in the 1979-1982 period but has continued to administer the other territories through military authorities. Israel and Palestinian officials signed interim agreements in the 1990s that created a period of Palestinian self-rule in parts of the West Bank and Gaza. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005. The most recent formal efforts between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to negotiate final status issues occurred in 2013 and 2014, and the US continues its efforts to advance peace. Israel signed the US-brokered normalization agreements (the Abraham Accords) with Bahrain, the UAE, and Morocco in 2020 and reached an agreement with Sudan in 2021. Immigration to Israel continues, with more than 44,000 estimated new immigrants, mostly Jewish, in the first 11 months of 2023. Former Prime Minister Benjamin NETANYAHU returned to office in 2022, continuing his dominance of Israel's political landscape at the head of Israel's most rightwing and religious government. NETANYAHU previously served as premier from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021, becoming Israel's longest serving prime minister. On 7 October 2023, HAMAS militants launched a combined unguided rocket and ground terrorist attack from Gaza into southern Israel. The same day Israel’s Air Force launched air strikes inside Gaza and initiated a sustained air campaign against HAMAS targets across the Gaza Strip. The following day, NETANYAHU formally declared war on HAMAS, and on 28 October, the Israel Defense Forces launched a large-scale ground assault inside Gaza. The Israeli economy has undergone a dramatic transformation in the last 30 years, led by cutting-edge high-tech sectors. Offshore gas discoveries in the Mediterranean place Israel at the center of a potential regional natural gas market. In 2022, a US-brokered agreement between Israel and Lebanon established their maritime boundary, allowing Israel to begin production on additional gas fields in the Mediterranean. However, Israel's economic development has been uneven. Structural issues such as low labor-force participation among religious and minority populations, low workforce productivity, high costs for housing and consumer staples, and high income inequality concern both economists and the general population. The current war with Hamas disrupted Israel’s solid economic fundamentals, but it is not likely to have long-term structural implications for the economy. ### Geography **Location:** Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon **Geographic coordinates:** 31 30 N, 34 45 E **Map references:** Middle East **Area:** total : 21,937 sq km land: 21,497 sq km water: 440 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than New Jersey **Land boundaries:** total: 1,068 km border countries (6): Egypt 208 km; Gaza Strip 59 km; Jordan 327 km (20 km are within the Dead Sea); Lebanon 81 km; Syria 83 km; West Bank 330 km **Coastline:** 273 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation **Climate:** temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas **Terrain:** Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley **Elevation:** highest point: Mitspe Shlagim 2,224 m; note - this is the highest named point, the actual highest point is an unnamed dome slightly to the west of Mitspe Shlagim at 2,236 m; both points are on the northeastern border of Israel, along the southern end of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range lowest point: Dead Sea -431 m mean elevation: 508 m **Natural resources:** timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand **Land use:** agricultural land: 24.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 12.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 4.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.) forest: 6.7% (2023 est.) other: 68.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,927 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Dead Sea (shared with Jordan and West Bank) - 1,020 sq km note - endorheic hypersaline lake; 9.6 times saltier than the ocean; lake shore is 431 meters below sea level **Population distribution:** population concentrated in and around Tel-Aviv, as well as around the Sea of Galilee; the south remains sparsely populated, with the exception of the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba **Natural hazards:** sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes **Geography - note:** note 1: Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source; the Dead Sea is the second saltiest body of water in the world (after Lake Assal in Djibouti) note 2: the Malham Cave in Mount Sodom is the world's longest salt cave at 10 km (6 mi); Mount Sodom is a hill about 220 m (722 ft) high that is 80% salt, with multiple salt layers covered by a veneer of rock ### People and Society **Population:** total: 9,552,637 (2025 est.) male: 4,807,098 female: 4,745,539 note: approximately 236,600 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem (2021); following the March 2019 US recognition of the Golan Heights as being part of Israel, The World Factbook no longer includes Israeli settler population of the Golan Heights (estimated at 23,400 in 2019) in its overall Israeli settler total **Nationality:** noun: Israeli(s) adjective: Israeli **Ethnic groups:** Jewish 73.5% (of which Israel-born 79.7%, Europe/America/Oceania-born 14.3%, Africa-born 3.9%, Asia-born 2.1%), Arab 21.1%, other 5.4% (2022 est.) **Languages:** Hebrew (official), Arabic (special status under Israeli law), English (most commonly used foreign language) major-language sample(s): ספר עובדות העולם, המקור החיוני למידע בסיסי (Hebrew) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Jewish 73.5%, Muslim 18.1%, Christian 1.9%, Druze 1.6%, other 4.9% (2022 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 27.5% (male 1,320,629/female 1,260,977) 15-64 years: 60.3% (male 2,885,485/female 2,781,777) 65 years and over: 12.3% (2024 est.) (male 525,161/female 628,588) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 65.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 45.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 20.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 30.2 years (2025 est.) male: 29.6 years female: 30.7 years **Population growth rate:** 1.59% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 18.89 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.89 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 1.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population concentrated in and around Tel-Aviv, as well as around the Sea of Galilee; the south remains sparsely populated, with the exception of the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba **Urbanization:** urban population: 92.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.51% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 4.421 million Tel Aviv-Yafo, 1.174 million Haifa, 970,000 JERUSALEM (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 27.7 years (2019 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 2 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 2.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 83.1 years (2024 est.) male: 81.1 years female: 85.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.89 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.41 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.9% of GDP (2021) 13% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.8 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 3.1 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 26.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 18.6% (2025 est.) male: 24.9% (2025 est.) female: 12.4% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 50.4% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 16.1% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2022 est.) male: 14 years (2022 est.) female: 16 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited arable land and restricted natural freshwater resources; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas **Land use:** agricultural land: 24.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 12.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 4.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.) forest: 6.7% (2023 est.) other: 68.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 92.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.51% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 64.401 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 11.542 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 28.793 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 24.066 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 20.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 29.2 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 40.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 272.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 0.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 5.4 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 30.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 104.834 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.215 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 1.78 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: State of Israel conventional short form: Israel local long form: Medinat Yisra'el local short form: Yisra'el former: Mandatory Palestine etymology: named after the ancient Kingdom of Israel; according to Biblical tradition, the Jewish patriarch Jacob received the name Israel (meaning "He who struggles with God") after he wrestled with an angel of the Lord **Government type:** parliamentary democracy **Capital:** name: Jerusalem geographic coordinates: 31 46 N, 35 14 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, Friday before the last Sunday in March; ends the last Sunday in October etymology: the meaning of the ancient name is unclear; the city is called Ursalim or Urusalimmi in Egyptian texts from the 14th century B.C., which may come from the Western Semitic verb yaru, meaning "to establish," and the name Shalim, the Canaanite god of dusk; another theory says the root letters s-l-m in the name refer to shalom, meaning "peace" note: the US recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017, without taking a position on the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty **Administrative divisions:** 6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religious laws **Constitution:** history: no formal constitution; some functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws, and the Law of Return (as amended) amendment process: proposed by Government of Israel ministers or by the Knesset; passage requires a majority vote of Knesset members and subject to Supreme Court judicial review **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; withdrew acceptance of ICCt jurisdiction in 2002 **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Israel dual citizenship recognized: yes, but naturalized citizens are not allowed to maintain dual citizenship residency requirement for naturalization: 3 out of the 5 years preceding the application for naturalization note: Israeli law (Law of Return, 5 July 1950) provides for the granting of citizenship to any Jew - defined as a person being born to a Jewish mother or having converted to Judaism while renouncing any other religion - who immigrates to and expresses a desire to settle in Israel on the basis of the Right of aliyah; the 1970 amendment of this act extended the right to family members including the spouse of a Jew, any child or grandchild, and the spouses of children and grandchildren **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal; 17 years of age for municipal elections **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Isaac HERZOG (since 7 July 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Benyamin NETANYAHU (since 29 December 2022) cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the Knesset election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the Knesset for a single 7-year term; following legislative elections, the president, in consultation with party leaders, tasks a Knesset member (usually the member of the largest party) with forming a new government most recent election date: 2 June 2021 election results: 2021: Isaac HERZOG elected president; Knesset vote in first round - Isaac HERZOG (independent) 87, Miriam PERETZ (independent) 26, invalid/blank 7 2014: Reuven RIVLIN elected president in second round; Knesset vote - Reuven RIVLIN (Likud) 63, Meir SHEETRIT (The Movement) 53, other/invalid 4 expected date of next election: June 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Knesset) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 120 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/1/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Likud (32); Yesh Atid (24); Religious Zionism (14); National Unity (12); Shas (11); United Torah Judaism (Yahadut Hatorah) (7); Yisrael Beiteinu (6); Other (14) percentage of women in chamber: 24.2% expected date of next election: October 2026 note 1: a 3.25% vote threshold is required to gain representation note 2: following the 1 November 2022 election, the Religious Zionism Alliance split into its three constituent parties in the Knesset: Religious Zionism 7 seats, Jewish Power (Otzma Yehudit) 6, and Noam 1 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the president, deputy president, 13 justices, and 2 registrars) and normally sits in panels of 3 justices; in special cases, the panel is expanded with an uneven number of justices judge selection and term of office: judges selected by the 9-member Judicial Selection Committee, consisting of the Minister of Justice (chair), the president of the Supreme Court, two other Supreme Court justices, 1 other Cabinet minister, 2 Knesset members, and 2 representatives of the Israel Bar Association; judges can serve up to mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: district and magistrate courts; national and regional labor courts; family and juvenile courts; special and Rabbinical courts **Political parties:** Balad Blue and White Hadash Labor Party or HaAvoda Likud Meretz National Unity (alliance includes Blue and White and New Hope) New Hope Noam Otzma Yehudit Religious Zionist Party Shas Ta'al United Arab List United Torah Judaism or UTJ (alliance includes Agudat Israel and Degel HaTorah) Yesh Atid Yisrael Beiteinu **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Yechiel (Michael) LEITER (since 4 February 2025) chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 364-5607 email address and website: consular@washington.mfa.gov.il https://embassies.gov.il/washington/Pages/default.aspx consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Mike HUCKABEE (21 April 2025) embassy: 14 David Flusser Street, Jerusalem, 9378322 mailing address: 6350 Jerusalem Place, Washington DC 20521-6350 telephone: [972] (2) 630-4000 FAX: [972] (2) 630-4070 email address and website: JerusalemACS@state.gov https://il.usembassy.gov/ branch office(s): Tel Aviv note: on 14 May 2018, the US Embassy relocated to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv; on 4 March 2019, Consulate General Jerusalem merged into US Embassy Jerusalem to form a single diplomatic mission **International organization participation:** BIS, BSEC (observer), CE (observer), CERN, CICA, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 14 May 1948 (following League of Nations mandate under British administration) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 14 May (1948) note: Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar, so the holiday can occur in April or May **Flag:** description: white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Star of David or Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag history: the design resembles a traditional Jewish prayer shawl (tallit), which is white with blue stripes; the hexagram as a Jewish symbol dates back to medieval times note: the Israeli flag proclamation states that the flag colors are sky blue and white, but the exact shade of blue has never been set and can vary **National symbol(s):** Star of David (Magen David), menorah (seven-branched lampstand) **National color(s):** blue, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Hatikvah" (The Hope) lyrics/music: Naftali Herz IMBER/traditional, arranged by Samuel COHEN history: adopted 2004, unofficial since 1948; used as the anthem of the Zionist movement since 1897; the 1888 arrangement by Samuel COHEN is thought to be based on the Romanian folk song "Carul cu boi" (The Ox-Driven Cart) **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 9 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Masada; Old City of Acre; White City of Tel-Aviv - the Modern Movement; Biblical Tels - Megiddo, Hazor, Beer Sheba; Incense Route - Desert Cities in the Negev; Bahá’i Holy Places; Sites of Human Evolution at Mount Carmel; Caves of Maresha and Bet-Guvrin; Necropolis of Bet She’arim ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, technology- and industrial-based economy; economic contraction and fiscal deficits resulting from war in Gaza; labor force stabilizing following military reservist mobilization; high-tech industry remains resilient while construction and tourism among hardest-hit sectors **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $472.177 billion (2024 est.) $468.095 billion (2023 est.) $459.698 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 0.9% (2024 est.) 1.8% (2023 est.) 6.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $47,300 (2024 est.) $47,500 (2023 est.) $48,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $540.38 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.1% (2024 est.) 4.2% (2023 est.) 4.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.3% (2024 est.) industry: 17.3% (2024 est.) services: 72.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 48% (2023 est.) government consumption: 22.3% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.4% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 1.7% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 30.4% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -27.6% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, chicken, potatoes, tomatoes, tangerines/mandarins, bananas, eggs, avocados, beef, carrots/turnips (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** high-technology products (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber optics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, pharmaceuticals, construction, metal products, chemical products, plastics, cut diamonds, textiles, footwear **Industrial production growth rate:** -4.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 4.71 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.2% (2024 est.) 3.6% (2023 est.) 3.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 6.1% (2024 est.) male: 6.2% (2024 est.) female: 6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 37.9 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 15.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 26.6% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $162.524 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $188.905 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 22.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $16.713 billion (2024 est.) $18.604 billion (2023 est.) $17.104 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $153.248 billion (2024 est.) $154.638 billion (2023 est.) $164.407 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 29%, China 10%, Ireland 6%, Germany 4%, Hong Kong 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** integrated circuits, diamonds, broadcasting equipment, medical instruments, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $140.438 billion (2024 est.) $140.432 billion (2023 est.) $153.388 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 17%, USA 12%, Germany 7%, Turkey 6%, Italy 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, diamonds, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $214.544 billion (2024 est.) $204.661 billion (2023 est.) $194.231 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 3.7 (2024 est.) 3.667 (2023 est.) 3.36 (2022 est.) 3.23 (2021 est.) 3.442 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 22.612 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 63.964 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 6.93 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.51 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 89.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 9.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 5.297 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 9 metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 4.887 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 219,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 12.73 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 24.186 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 12.608 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 11.505 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 59.369 million cubic meters (2022 est.) proven reserves: 176.018 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 112.437 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 2.56 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 16.7 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 177 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** the Israel Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has 3 channels, two in Hebrew and one in Arabic; multi-channel satellite and cable TV packages provide access to foreign channels; IBC broadcasts on 8 radio networks with multiple repeaters, and Israel Defense Forces Radio broadcasts over multiple stations; about 15 privately owned radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .il **Internet users:** percent of population: 87% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2.76 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 4X **Airports:** 40 (2025) **Heliports:** 13 (2025) **Railways:** total: 1,497 km (2021) (2019) standard gauge: 1,497 km (2021) 1.435-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 41 (2023) by type: container ship 4, general cargo 1, oil tanker 4, other 32 **Ports:** total ports: 5 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 2 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 4 key ports: Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat, Hadera, Haifa ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Israel Defense Forces (IDF): Ground Forces, Israel Naval Force (IN, includes commandos), Israel Air Force (IAF, includes air defense) Ministry of National Security: Israeli Police (2025) **Military expenditures:** 8% of GDP (2024 est.) 5% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 5% of GDP (2021 est.) 5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 170,000 active-duty Defense Forces (130,000 Ground Forces; 10,000 Naval; 30,000 Air Force); more than 400,000 reserves (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the majority of the IDF's inventory is comprised of weapons that are domestically produced or imported from Europe and the US; the US has been the leading supplier of arms in recent years; Israel's defense industry can develop, produce, support, and sustain a wide variety of weapons systems for both domestic use and export, particularly armored vehicles, unmanned aerial systems, air defense, and guided missiles (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-28 years of age for voluntary military service; 18 months service for men, 12 months for women; 18-21 years of age for compulsory military service for men and women; Jews and Druze can be conscripted; Christians, Circassians, and Muslims may volunteer; conscript service obligation is up to 36 months for enlisted personnel (depending on sex, marital status, and military occupation); officers serve 48 months; Air Force pilots commit to 9 years of service (2024) **Military - note:** the IDF is responsible for external defense but also has some domestic security responsibilities; its primary operational focuses include the threat posed by Iran, instability in Syria, and terrorist organizations, including HAMAS, Hizballah, and Palestine Islamic Jihad; since its creation from armed Jewish militias during the First Arab-Israeli War in 1948-49, the IDF, particularly the Ground Force, has been guided by a requirement to rapidly mobilize and defend the country’s territory from numerically superior neighboring countries; the active-duty military is backed up by a large force of trained reserves--approximately 300-400,000 personnel--that can be mobilized rapidly Israel’s primary security partner is the US; consistent with a 10-year (2019-2028) Memorandum of Understanding, the US annually provides over $3 billion in military financing and cooperative military programs, such as missile defense; the US also provides Israel access to US-produced military weapons systems including advanced fighter aircraft; Israel has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has operated in the Golan between Israel and Syria since 1974 to monitor the ceasefire following the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and supervise the areas of separation between the two countries; UNDOF consists of about 1,300 total personnel (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Israel Space Agency (ISA; established 1983 under the Ministry of Science and Technology; origins go back to the creation of a National Committee for Space Research, established 1960); Ministry of Defense Space Department (2025) **Space launch site(s):** Palmachim Airbase (Central district) (2025) **Space program overview:** has an ambitious space program that is one of the most advanced in the region; designs, builds, operates, and launches communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites; designs, builds, and operates orbital satellite/space launch vehicles (SLVs); researches and develops a range of other space-related capabilities, with a focus on lightweight and miniaturized technologies; has relations with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Canada, the ESA, individual ESA member states (such as France, Germany, and Italy), India, Japan, Mexico, and the US; has a substantial commercial space sector, as well as state-owned enterprises (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1961 - first sounding rocket launched 1988 - first operational launch of small-lift satellite launch vehicle (SLV) (Shavit) placed first domestically produced technology-demonstrator satellite (Ofeq-1) in orbit 1995 - launched first fully operational remote sensing satellite (Ofeq-3) on Shavit SLV 2007 - unveiled Shavit-2 small-lift 3-stage SLV 2014 - joined ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) project; domestically built lunar probe (Beresheet) launched by US (crashed on Moon’s surface) 2022 - joined US Artemis Moon exploration project ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ); HAMAS note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 27,413 (2024 est.) IDPs: 68,000 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 35 (2024 est.) --- ## Italy **Slug:** italy **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇮🇹 **Codes:** cek: it, iso2: IT, iso3: ITA, iso_num: 380, genc: ITA, stanag: ITA, internet: .it ### Introduction **Background:** Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the regional states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946, and economic revival followed. Italy is a charter member of NATO, as well as the European Economic Community (EEC) and its successors, the EC and the EU. It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include sluggish economic growth, high youth and female unemployment, organized crime, corruption, and economic disparities between southern Italy and the more prosperous north. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia **Geographic coordinates:** 42 50 N, 12 50 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 301,340 sq km land: 294,140 sq km water: 7,200 sq km note: includes Sardinia and Sicily **Area - comparative:** almost twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona **Land boundaries:** total: 1,836.4 km border countries (6): Austria 404 km; France 476 km; Holy See (Vatican City) 3.4 km; San Marino 37 km; Slovenia 218 km; Switzerland 698 km **Coastline:** 7,600 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** predominantly Mediterranean; alpine in far north; hot, dry in south **Terrain:** mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands **Elevation:** highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur (a secondary peak of Mont Blanc) 4,748 m lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 538 m **Natural resources:** coal, antimony, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 44.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 24% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 12.2% (2023 est.) forest: 31.8% (2023 est.) other: 24% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 24,460 sq km (2021) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km), (Adriatic Sea) Po (76,997 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Rhone (100,543 sq km) **Population distribution:** a fairly even population distribution exists throughout most of the country, with coastal areas, the Po River Valley, and urban centers (particularly Milan, Rome, and Naples) attracting larger and denser populations **Natural hazards:** regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Etna (3,330 m) is Europe's most active volcano, and its flank eruptions pose a threat to nearby Sicilian villages; Etna, along with the famous Vesuvius, have both been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Stromboli, on its namesake island, has also been continuously active with moderate volcanic activity; other historically active volcanoes include Campi Flegrei, Ischia, Larderello, Pantelleria, Vulcano, and Vulsini **Geography - note:** strategic location dominating central Mediterranean, as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe ### People and Society **Population:** total: 60,924,851 (2025 est.) male: 29,383,949 female: 31,540,902 **Nationality:** noun: Italian(s) adjective: Italian **Ethnic groups:** Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north, Albanian-Italians, Croat-Italians, and Greek-Italians in the south) **Languages:** Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German-speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area), Croatian (in Molise) major-language sample(s): L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Christian 80.8% (overwhelmingly Roman Catholic with very small groups of Jehovah's Witnesses and Protestants), Muslim 4.9%, unaffiliated 13.4%, other 0.9% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 11.9% (male 3,699,167/female 3,531,734) 15-64 years: 64.5% (male 19,378,160/female 19,958,137) 65 years and over: 23.6% (2024 est.) (male 6,336,738/female 8,060,995) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 55.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 18.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 37.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 48.8 years (2025 est.) male: 47.4 years female: 49.4 years **Population growth rate:** -0.05% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 7.13 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 11.2 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 3.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** a fairly even population distribution exists throughout most of the country, with coastal areas, the Po River Valley, and urban centers (particularly Milan, Rome, and Naples) attracting larger and denser populations **Urbanization:** urban population: 72% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 4.316 million ROME (capital), 3.155 million Milan, 2.179 million Naples, 1.802 million Turin, 913,000 Bergamo, 850,000 Palermo (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 31.4 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 83 years (2024 est.) male: 80.7 years female: 85.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.27 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.62 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9% of GDP (2022) 11.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.19 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 3.2 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 19.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 7.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 4.83 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.83 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 19.8% (2025 est.) male: 23.2% (2025 est.) female: 16.6% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 51.8% (2023 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 7.4% national budget (2022 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 99.3% (2019 est.) male: 99.5% (2019 est.) female: 99.2% (2019 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 17 years (2023 est.) male: 16 years (2023 est.) female: 17 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution from industrial emissions; water pollution from industrial and agricultural effluents, as well as acid rain; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol **Climate:** predominantly Mediterranean; alpine in far north; hot, dry in south **Land use:** agricultural land: 44.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 24% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 12.2% (2023 est.) forest: 31.8% (2023 est.) other: 24% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 72% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 307.442 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 26.15 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 162.688 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 118.604 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 12.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 276.4 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 764.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 523.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 35.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 30.088 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 39.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 9.148 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 7.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 17 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 191.3 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 12 (2025) global geoparks and regional networks: Adamello-Brenta; Alpi Apuane; Aspromonte; Beigua; Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni; Madonie; Maiella; MurGEopark; Pollino; Rocca di Cerere; Sesia Val Grande; Tuscan Mining Park (2025) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Italian Republic conventional short form: Italy local long form: Repubblica Italiana local short form: Italia former: Kingdom of Italy etymology: derivation is unclear; traditionally said to come from the Vitali, a tribe that settled in what is now Calabria, and whose name is believed to be linked to the Latin word vitulus, or "calf;" alternatively, the name may derive from a local ruler known to the Romans as Italus **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Rome geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 29 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: by tradition, named after Romulus, one of the legendary founders of the city, but the name Romulus may instead derive from the city's name; the name Rome may come from an Etruscan name for the Tiber River, which was Roma or Ruma **Administrative divisions:** 15 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 5 autonomous regions (regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma) regions: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio (Latium), Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte (Piedmont), Puglia (Apulia), Toscana (Tuscany), Umbria, Veneto autonomous regions: Friuli Venezia Giulia, Sardegna (Sardinia), Sicilia (Sicily), Trentino-Alto Adige (Trentino-South Tyrol) or Trentino-Suedtirol (German), Valle d'Aosta (Aosta Valley) or Vallée d'Aoste (French) **Legal system:** civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legislation under certain conditions **Constitution:** history: previous 1848 (originally for the Kingdom of Sardinia and adopted by the Kingdom of Italy in 1861); latest enacted 22 December 1947, adopted 27 December 1947, entered into force 1 January 1948 amendment process: proposed by both houses of Parliament; passage requires two successive debates and approval by absolute majority of each house on the second vote; a referendum is only required when requested by one fifth of the members of either house, by voter petition, or by 5 Regional Councils (elected legislative assemblies of the 15 first-level administrative regions and 5 autonomous regions of Italy); referendum not required if an amendment has been approved by a two-thirds majority in each house in the second vote **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Italy dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 4 years for EU nationals, 5 years for refugees and specified exceptions, 10 years for all others **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25 **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Sergio MATTARELLA (since 3 February 2015) head of government: Prime Minister Giorgia MELONI (since 22 October 2022); the prime minister's official title is President of the Council of Ministers cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, who is known officially as the President of the Council of Ministers and locally as the premier; nominated by the president election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a 7-year term (no term limits); prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by parliament most recent election date: 24-29 January 2022 (eight rounds) election results: 2022: Sergio MATTARELLA (independent) reelected president; electoral college vote count in eighth round - 759 out of 1,009 (505 vote threshold) 2015: Sergio MATTARELLA (independent) elected president; electoral college vote count in fourth round - 665 out of 995 (505 vote threshold) expected date of next election: 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Il Parlamento) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati) number of seats: 400 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/25/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Coalition Brothers of Italy (FdI) - Lega - Forza Italia - Us Moderates (Noi moderati, NM) (237); Democratic Party - Democratic and Progressive Italy (PD-IDP) - Greens and Left Alliance (AVS) - +EUROPA" - Civic Commitment (IC) (84); Five Star Movement (M5s) (52); Action - Italia Viva (21); Other (6) percentage of women in chamber: 32.8% expected date of next election: September 2027 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Senato della Repubblica) number of seats: 205 (200 directly elected; 5 appointed) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/25/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Coalition Brothers of Italy (FdI) - Lega - Forza Italia - Us Moderates (Noi moderati, NM) (115); Democratic Party - Democratic and Progressive Italy (PD-IDP) - Greens and Left Alliance (AVS) - +EUROPA" - Civic Commitment (IC) (44); Five Star Movement (M5s) (28); Other (13) percentage of women in chamber: 36.3% expected date of next election: September 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Cassation or Corte Suprema di Cassazione (consists of the first president, deputy president, 54 justices presiding over 6 civil and 7 criminal divisions, and 288 judges; an additional 30 judges of lower courts serve as supporting judges; cases normally heard by 5-judge panels; more complex cases heard by 9-judge panels); Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (consists of the court president and 14 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Council of the Judiciary, headed by the president of the republic; judges may serve for life; Constitutional Court judges - 5 appointed by the president, 5 elected by Parliament, 5 elected by select higher courts; judges serve up to 9 years subordinate courts: various lower civil and criminal courts (primary and secondary tribunals and courts of appeal) **Political parties:** Action-Italia Viva Associative Movement of Italians Abroad or MAIE Brothers of Italy or FdI Democratic Party or PD Five Star Movement or M5S Forza Italia or FI Free and Equal (Liberi e Uguali) or LeU Greens and Left Alliance or AVS League or Lega More Europe or +EU South calls North or ScN South Tyrolean Peoples Party or SVP Us Moderates or NM other minor parties **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Marco PERONACI (since 5 September 2025) chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400 FAX: [1] (202) 518-2154 email address and website: washington.ambasciata@esteri.it https://ambwashingtondc.esteri.it/ambasciata_washington/en/ consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco consulate(s): Detroit **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Tilman J. FERTITTA (since 6 May 2025); note - also accredited to San Marino embassy: via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187 Roma mailing address: 9500 Rome Place, Washington DC 20521-9500 telephone: [39] 06-46741 FAX: [39] 06-4674-2244 email address and website: uscitizenrome@state.gov https://it.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 17 March 1861 note: the Kingdom of Italy proclaimed on 17 March 1861, but Italy was not fully unified until 1871 **National holiday:** Republic Day, 2 June (1946) **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of green (left side), white, and red meaning: colors are those of Milan (red and white) combined with the green uniform color of the Milanese civic guard history: design inspired by the French flag that Napoleon brought to Italy in 1797 note: similar to the flags of Mexico (longer, darker shades of green and red, and has its coat of arms centered on the white band), Ireland (longer and with orange instead of red), and Cote d'Ivoire (colors reversed) **National symbol(s):** five-pointed white star (Stella d'Italia) **National color(s):** red, white, green **National coat of arms:** this coat of arms has been a symbol of the Italian Republic since May 5, 1948, when Paolo Paschetto’s design won a two-year public competition; the olive branch symbolizes national and global peace; the oak branch stands for the strength and the dignity of the Italian people, and the steel cog-wheel for their hard work; the single star represents Italy’s solidarity **National anthem(s):** title: "Il Canto degli Italiani" (The Song of the Italians) lyrics/music: Goffredo MAMELI/Michele NOVARO history: adopted 2005; the anthem, originally written in 1847, is also known as "L'Inno di Mameli" (Mameli's Hymn), and "Fratelli d'Italia" (Brothers of Italy) **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 61 (55 cultural, 6 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Center of Rome (c); Archaeological Areas of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Torre Annunziata (c); Venice and its Lagoon (c); Historic Center of Florence (c); Piazza del Duomo, Pisa (c); Historic Centre of Naples (c); Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto)(c); Mount Etna (n); Cultural landscape of the Benedictine settlements in medieval Italy (c); Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci (c); City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto (c); Crespi d'Adda (c); Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna (c); Historic Centre of the City of Pienza (c); Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena (c); Costiera Amalfitana (c); Villa Romana del Casale (c); Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia (c); Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological Sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula (c); Historic Centre of Urbino (c); Villa Adriana (Tivoli) (c); Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites (c); City of Verona (c); Isole Eolie (Aeolian Islands) (n); Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia (c); Val d'Orcia (c); Mantua and Sabbioneta (c); The Dolomites (n); Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps (c); Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany (c); Venetian Works of Defence between the 16th and 17th Centuries: Stato da Terra – Western Stato da Mar (c); Padua’s fourteenth-century fresco cycles (c); The Porticoes of Bologna (c); Evaporitic Karst and Caves of Northern Apennines (n); Via Appia: Regina Viarum (c); Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sardinia – The domus de janas (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, core EU economy; strong services, manufacturing, and tourism sectors; modest growth supported by net exports, low inflation, and public investments via EU funds; tight labor market with aging workforce and shortages in specialized skills; high public debt levels **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $3.133 trillion (2024 est.) $3.11 trillion (2023 est.) $3.088 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 0.7% (2024 est.) 0.7% (2023 est.) 4.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $53,100 (2024 est.) $52,700 (2023 est.) $52,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $2.373 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1% (2024 est.) 5.6% (2023 est.) 8.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2% (2024 est.) industry: 21.7% (2024 est.) services: 65.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 58.3% (2023 est.) government consumption: 17.8% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.5% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.4% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 33.5% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -32.1% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, wheat, grapes, tomatoes, maize, olives, apples, oranges, sugar beets, rice (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 25.828 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 6.8% (2024 est.) 7.7% (2023 est.) 8.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 21.8% (2024 est.) male: 19.9% (2024 est.) female: 24.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 20.1% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 33.7 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 14.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.5% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 25.3% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $935.038 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $1.104 trillion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 131.8% of GDP (2017 est.) note: Italy reports its data on public debt according to guidelines set out in the Maastricht Treaty; general government gross debt is defined in the Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year, in the following categories of government liabilities (as defined in ESA95): currency and deposits (AF.2), securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives (AF.3, excluding AF.34), and loans (AF.4); the general government sector comprises central, state, and local government and social security funds **Taxes and other revenues:** 24.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $26.76 billion (2024 est.) $3.261 billion (2023 est.) -$36.325 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $778.898 billion (2024 est.) $774.311 billion (2023 est.) $737.083 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 11%, USA 11%, France 10%, Spain 5%, UK 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** packaged medicine, garments, cars, refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $717.278 billion (2024 est.) $739.646 billion (2023 est.) $775.518 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 15%, France 9%, China 8%, Netherlands 6%, Spain 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** natural gas, crude petroleum, cars, packaged medicine, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $290.547 billion (2024 est.) $247.396 billion (2023 est.) $224.581 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 128.692 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 290.664 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 3.32 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 54.572 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 17.62 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 56% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 12% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 9.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 14.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 6.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 4 (2025) **Coal:** production: 1.572 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 12.424 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 304,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 12.069 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 609.999 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 111,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 1.245 million bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 497.934 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 2.778 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 61.906 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 2.609 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 61.851 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 45.76 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 96.797 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 20.3 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 78.7 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 133 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** two Italian media giants dominate, with 3 national terrestrial stations; privately owned companies have 3 national terrestrial stations; a large number of private stations, a satellite TV network; 3 AM/FM nationwide radio stations; about 1,300 commercial radio stations **Internet country code:** .it **Internet users:** percent of population: 87% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 20.1 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** I **Airports:** 655 (2025) **Heliports:** 163 (2025) **Railways:** total: 18,475 km (2020) 12,936 km electrified 1289.3 0.950-mm gauge (151.3 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 1,276 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 17, container ship 6, general cargo 109, oil tanker 95, other 1,049 **Ports:** total ports: 123 (2024) large: 12 medium: 11 small: 71 very small: 28 size unknown: 1 ports with oil terminals: 33 key ports: Brindisi, Civitavecchia, Genova, Gioia Tauro, La Spezia, Livorno, Messina, Napoli, Porto di Lido-Venezia, Siracusa, Taranto, Trieste ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Italian Armed Forces (Forze Armate Italiane): Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Navy (Marina Militare Italiana, MMI; includes aviation, marines), Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI); Carabinieri Corps (Arma dei Carabinieri, CC) (2025) note 1: the National (or State) Police and Carabinieri (gendarmerie or military police) maintain internal security; the National Police reports to the Ministry of Interior while the Carabinieri reports to the Ministry of Defense but is also under the coordination of the Ministry of Interior; the Carabinieri is primarily a domestic police force organized along military lines, with some overseas responsibilities note 2: the Financial Guard (Guardia di Finanza) under the Ministry of Economy and Finance is a force with military status and nationwide remit for financial crime investigations, including narcotics trafficking, smuggling, and illegal immigration **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2025 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 170,000 active-duty military personnel; approximately 105,000 Carabinieri (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory includes a mix of domestically manufactured, imported, and jointly produced weapons systems; imports come mostly from Europe and the US; the Italian defense industry is capable of producing equipment across all the military domains with particular strengths in aircraft, armored vehicles, and naval vessels; it also participates in joint development and production of advanced weapons systems with other European countries and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 17 or 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women ; voluntary service is a minimum of 12 months with the option to extend in the Armed Forces or compete for positions in other government security organizations; conscription abolished 2004 (2025) note: women serve in all military branches; as of 2023, women made up about 8% of the military's full-time personnel **Military deployments:** Italy has on average about 8,000 military personnel deployed in support of NATO, UN, and other foreign missions; significant ground troop deployments include Bulgaria (750), Hungary (250), Kosovo (870), Latvia (300), and Lebanon (875); in addition, air and naval units are deployed in support of NATO missions (2025) note: since 1960, Italy has committed more than 60,000 troops to UN missions, and it hosts a training center in Vicenza for police personnel destined for peacekeeping missions **Military - note:** the Italian military is responsible for Italy’s national defense and security and fulfilling the country’s commitments to the EU, NATO, the UN, and other multinational military, security, and humanitarian operations; it also has some domestic security duties; key areas of emphasis for Italy’s security policy and multinational cooperation are Europe’s eastern and southern flanks, including the Mediterranean Sea, East and North Africa, and the Middle East and its adjacent waters Italy has been an active member of NATO since its founding in 1948, and the Alliance is a cornerstone of Rome’s national security strategy; it is one of NATO’s leading contributors of military forces and participates in such Alliance missions as Air Policing in the Baltics, the Enhanced Forward Presence in Eastern Europe, and maritime patrols in the Mediterranean and beyond; it hosts NATO’s Joint Force Command in Naples and a NATO Rapid Deployable Corps headquarters in Milan Italy is also active in European/EU defense cooperation and integration, including hosting the headquarters for the EU’s Mediterranean naval operations force in Rome; in addition, Italy has close defense ties with the US and hosts several US military air, army, and naval bases and facilities (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Italian Space Agency (L’Agenzia Spaziale Italiana or ASI; established 1988) (2025) **Space launch site(s):** the Broglio (aka San Marco, Malindi) Space Center, located near Malindi, Kenya, served from 1967 to 1988 as an Italian and international satellite launch facility; in 2020, Italy concluded a deal with Kenya to conduct rocket launches from the site again in the future; the Italian Space Agency has utilized the site as a satellite ground station since 2004 the Italian Government has designated the Taranto-Grottaglie Airport as a future spaceport and signed framework agreements with commercial space companies that could lead to suborbital and orbital launches from what would be called the Grottaglie Spaceport (2025) **Space program overview:** one of the top contributors to the ESA; designs, builds, launches, and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites; designs and manufactures probes, rockets, and orbital satellite launch vehicles (SLVs); researches, develops, and builds a range of other space-related technologies and participates in a wide array of international programs; hosts the ESA Center for Earth Observation; has astronaut cadre in the ESA astronaut corps; has cooperated with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, the UAE, and the US; participates in international projects such as the International Space Station; has considerable commercial space industries encompassing a wide range of capabilities (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1964 - first domestically manufactured science satellite (San Marco-1) launched by the US 1977 - first domestically built telecommunications/research satellite (Sirio) launched by the US 1990s-2011 - participated in US Space Shuttle program, resulting in first Italian astronaut in space (1992) 1998-present - participated in International Space Station, including the first European astronaut on the station (2001), first Italian to command it (2019-2020), and first woman to command the station (2022) 2012 - first launch of Italian-designed VEGA 3-stage satellite launch vehicle (SLV) for ESA 2020 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration 2023 - first Italian all-electric satellite (MicroHETSat) built for the ESA and launched by the US; began developing a habitat for the US-led Artemis Lunar Gateway project 2025 - passed a national space law to govern Italian space operations ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 520,127 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 3,000 (2024 est.) --- ## Jamaica **Slug:** jamaica **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇯🇲 **Codes:** cek: jm, iso2: JM, iso3: JAM, iso_num: 388, genc: JAM, stanag: JAM, internet: .jm ### Introduction **Background:** Europeans first saw Jamaica when Christopher COLUMBUS arrived in 1494, and the Spanish settled the island early in the 16th century. The Native Taino, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated and replaced with African slaves. England seized the island in 1655 and established a plantation economy based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter-million slaves, many of whom became small farmers. Jamaica gradually increased its independence from Britain. In 1958, it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica withdrew from the Federation in 1961 and gained full independence in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurring violence as rival gangs affiliated with the major political parties evolved into powerful organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering. Violent crime, drug trafficking, corruption, and poverty pose significant challenges to the government today. Nonetheless, many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute substantially to the economy. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba **Geographic coordinates:** 18 15 N, 77 30 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 10,991 sq km land: 10,831 sq km water: 160 sq km **Area - comparative:** about half the size of New Jersey; slightly smaller than Connecticut **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 1,022 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin note: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior **Terrain:** mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain **Elevation:** highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 18 m **Natural resources:** bauxite, alumina, gypsum, limestone **Land use:** agricultural land: 38.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 6.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 21.1% (2023 est.) forest: 56.2% (2023 est.) other: 5.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 250 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** population density is high throughout, but increases in and around Kingston, Montego Bay, and Port Esquivel **Natural hazards:** hurricanes (especially July to November) **Geography - note:** third largest island in the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola); strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,938,503 (2025 est.) male: 1,453,759 female: 1,484,744 **Nationality:** noun: Jamaican(s) adjective: Jamaican **Ethnic groups:** Black 92.1%, mixed 6.1%, East Indian 0.8%, other 0.4%, unspecified 0.7% (2011 est.) **Languages:** English, Jamaican patois **Religions:** Protestant 64.8% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 12.0%, Pentecostal 11.0%, Other Church of God 9.2%, New Testament Church of God 7.2%, Baptist 6.7%, Church of God in Jamaica 4.8%, Church of God of Prophecy 4.5%, Anglican 2.8%, United Church 2.1%, Methodist 1.6%, Revived 1.4%, Brethren 0.9%, and Moravian 0.7%), Roman Catholic 2.2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.9%, Rastafarian 1.1%, other 6.5%, none 21.3%, unspecified 2.3% (2011 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 23.8% (male 342,691/female 329,773) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 914,364/female 941,816) 65 years and over: 10.4% (2024 est.) (male 140,440/female 154,629) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 50.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 36 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 14.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 6.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 28.8 years (2025 est.) male: 30.1 years female: 31.7 years **Population growth rate:** 0.25% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 16.08 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.37 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -6.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population density is high throughout, but increases in and around Kingston, Montego Bay, and Port Esquivel **Urbanization:** urban population: 57.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 597,000 KINGSTON (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 21.2 years (2008 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 130 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 14.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.3 years (2024 est.) male: 74.5 years female: 78.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.86 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.91 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 95.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 85.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 91.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 14.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 8.9% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.2% of GDP (2021) 19% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.46 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 1.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 98.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 24.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 9% (2025 est.) male: 15.1% (2025 est.) female: 3.1% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.5% (2018 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 35.2% (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 17.9% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** female: 90.8% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2015 est.) male: 12 years (2015 est.) female: 14 years (2015 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston from vehicle emissions; land erosion **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior **Land use:** agricultural land: 38.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 6.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 21.1% (2023 est.) forest: 56.2% (2023 est.) other: 5.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 57.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 7.89 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 239,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 6.04 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 1.611 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 14.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.052 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 339.867 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 43.989 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 78.972 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 10.823 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jamaica etymology: from the Arawak word xaymaca, meaning "Land of Wood and Water" or possibly "Land of Springs" **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm **Capital:** name: Kingston geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 76 48 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is a blend of the words "king's" and "town;" named after the English king at the time of the city's founding in 1692, WILLIAM III **Administrative divisions:** 14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland note: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation **Legal system:** common law system based on the English model **Constitution:** history: several previous (pre-independence); latest drafted 1961-62, submitted to British Parliament 24 July 1962, entered into force 6 August 1962 (at independence) amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments to "non-entrenched" constitutional sections, such as lowering the voting age, requires majority vote by the Parliament membership; passage of amendments to "entrenched" sections, such as fundamental rights and freedoms, requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament; passage of amendments to "specially entrenched" sections such as the dissolution of Parliament or the executive authority of the monarch requires two-thirds approval by Parliament and approval in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 4 out of the previous 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Sir Patrick L. ALLEN (since 26 February 2009) head of government: Prime Minister Andrew HOLNESS (since 3 March 2016) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the governor general appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the House of Representatives as prime minister **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives number of seats: 63 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/3/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) (35); People's National Party (PNP) (28) percentage of women in chamber: 30.2% expected date of next election: August 2030 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 21 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/18/2025 percentage of women in chamber: 33.3% expected date of next election: September 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of president of the court and a minimum of 4 judges); Supreme Court (40 judges organized in specialized divisions) judge selection and term of office: chief justice of the Supreme Court and president of the Court of Appeal appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister; other judges of both courts appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission; judges of both courts serve till age 70 subordinate courts: resident magistrate courts, district courts, and petty sessions courts note: appeals beyond Jamaica's highest courts are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) rather than to the Caribbean Court of Justice (the appellate court for member states of the Caribbean Community) **Political parties:** Jamaica Labor Party or JLP Jamaica Progressive Party or JPP People's National Party or PNP United Independents' Congress or UIC **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Antony B. ANDERSON (since 24 July 2025) chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660 FAX: [1] (202) 452-0036 email address and website: contactus@jamaicaembassy.org Jamaican Embassy (embassyofjamaica.org) consulate(s) general: Miami, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Scott RENNER (since 13 August 2025) embassy: 142 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6 mailing address: 3210 Kingston Place, Washington DC 20521-3210 telephone: (876) 702-6000 FAX: (876) 702-6348 email address and website: KingstonACS@state.gov https://jm.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 6 August 1962 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 6 August (1962) **Flag:** description: diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles, two green (top and bottom) and two black (left and right) meaning: green stands for hope, vegetation, and agriculture; black for hardships overcome and to be faced; and yellow for sunshine and natural resources **National symbol(s):** green-and-black streamertail (bird), guaiacwood (Guiacum officinale) **National color(s):** green, yellow, black **National anthem(s):** title: "Jamaica, Land We Love" lyrics/music: Hugh Braham SHERLOCK/Robert Charles LIGHTBOURNE history: adopted 1962 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 ( 1mixed,1 cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Blue and John Crow Mountains (m); The Archaeological Ensemble of 17th Century Port Royal (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income Caribbean island economy; key agriculture and tourism sectors; high crime, youth unemployment, and poverty; susceptible to natural disasters and global commodity price shocks; progress in reducing public debt and moderating inflation within target range **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $29.13 billion (2024 est.) $29.341 billion (2023 est.) $28.596 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -0.7% (2024 est.) 2.6% (2023 est.) 5.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $10,300 (2024 est.) $10,300 (2023 est.) $10,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $19.93 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 5.4% (2024 est.) 6.5% (2023 est.) 10.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 9.8% (2024 est.) industry: 18.3% (2024 est.) services: 60.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 76.2% (2019 est.) government consumption: 13.6% (2019 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.1% (2019 est.) investment in inventories: 0.2% (2019 est.) exports of goods and services: 38% (2019 est.) imports of goods and services: -52.1% (2019 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, goat milk, yams, chicken, oranges, coconuts, bananas, plantains, pumpkins/squash, pineapples (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** agriculture, mining, manufacture, construction, financial and insurance services, tourism, telecommunications **Industrial production growth rate:** -1.5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 1.57 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.9% (2024 est.) 4.4% (2023 est.) 4.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 14.5% (2024 est.) male: 12.9% (2024 est.) female: 16.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 16.7% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 39.9 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.2% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 29.6% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 17.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 18.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 21.6% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $4.041 billion (2020 est.) expenditures: $4.466 billion (2020 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 106.3% of GDP (2020 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 25.7% (of GDP) (2020 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $678.808 million (2024 est.) $568.932 million (2023 est.) -$136.401 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $7.124 billion (2024 est.) $7.275 billion (2023 est.) $6.424 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 37%, Russia 7%, Latvia 7%, Iceland 7%, UK 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** aluminum oxide, refined petroleum, natural gas, liquor, processed fruits and nuts (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $9.524 billion (2024 est.) $9.866 billion (2023 est.) $9.726 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 39%, China 11%, Brazil 4%, Colombia 4%, Japan 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, natural gas, cars, crude petroleum, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $4.869 billion (2023 est.) $4.52 billion (2022 est.) $4.838 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $9.636 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Jamaican dollars (JMD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 156.44 (2024 est.) 154.159 (2023 est.) 153.427 (2022 est.) 150.79 (2021 est.) 142.403 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 1.242 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 3.301 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.181 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 87.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 6.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 2.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 106,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 100 metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 105,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 41,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 822.549 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 822.549 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 42.095 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 454,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 3.34 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 118 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 3 free-to-air TV stations, subscription cable services, and roughly 30 radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .jm **Internet users:** percent of population: 83% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 448,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 6Y **Airports:** 20 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 40 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1, general cargo 11, oil tanker 1, other 27 **Ports:** total ports: 11 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 2 very small: 8 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Falmouth, Kingston, Lucea, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Port Esquivel, Port Kaiser, Rio Bueno, Rocky Point, Savannah la Mar ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Jamaica Defense Force (JDF): Jamaica Regiment (Land Force), Maritime, Air, and Cyber Command (MACC), Support Brigade, Caribbean Military Academy, Jamaica National Reserve (2025) note: the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is the country’s police force; it has primary responsibility for internal security and has units for community policing, special response, intelligence gathering, and internal affairs; both it and the JDF are under the Ministry of National Security **Military expenditures:** 1.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 4,000 active Jamaica Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the JDF's inventory features equipment mostly from Australia, the Netherlands, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-23 for voluntary military service (17 with parental consent) for men and women; 18-28 for the reserves; no conscription; since 2017, the JDF's standard mode of recruitment is to enroll recruits ages 18-23 through the Jamaica National Service Corps (JNSC), which has a service requirement of 12 months (2025) note 1: the Jamaica Combined Cadet Force (JCCF), a youth organization under the Ministry of Security, also provides a recruitment pool for the JDF, as well as other government agencies note 2: as of 2022, women made up about 20% of the JDF's uniformed personnel **Military - note:** in addition to its responsibility of defending against external aggression, the Jamaican Defense Force's (JDF) primary missions are border, cyber, internal, and maritime security; other missions include search and rescue, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, and peacekeeping; it has arrest authority and partners with the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), particularly in support of combating crime and violence; both the JDF and JCF are under the Ministry of National Security, which directs policy for the security forces; the JDF participates in bilateral and multinational training exercises, including with the armed forces of Canada, the UK, the US, and other Caribbean nations while Jamaica had a militia force as early as the 1660s, the JDF was constituted in 1962 from the West India Regiment (WIR), a British colonial regiment which dates back to 1795 (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025) --- ## Jan Mayen **Slug:** jan-mayen **Region:** Europe **Codes:** cek: jn, genc: XJM, stanag: SJM, internet: -, comment: ISO includes with Svalbard ### Introduction **Background:** This desolate, mountainous island in the Arctic Ocean was named after a Dutch whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and trappers over the centuries, the island came under Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Beerenberg volcano, the northernmost active volcano on earth, resumed activity in 1970, and the most recent eruption occurred in 1985. ### Geography **Location:** Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland **Geographic coordinates:** 71 00 N, 8 00 W **Map references:** Arctic Region **Area:** total : 377 sq km land: 377 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly more than twice the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 124.1 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog **Terrain:** volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers **Elevation:** highest point: Haakon VII Toppen on Beerenberg 2,277 lowest point: Norwegian/Greenland Seas 0 m note: Beerenberg volcano has numerous peaks; the highest point on the volcano rim is named Haakon VII Toppen, after Norway's first king following the reestablishment of Norwegian independence in 1905 **Natural resources:** none **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2011 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Natural hazards:** dominated by the volcano Beerenberg volcanism: Beerenberg (2,227 m) is Norway's only active volcano; volcanic activity resumed in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985 **Geography - note:** barren volcanic spoon-shaped island with some moss and grass flora; island consists of two parts: a larger northeast Nord-Jan (the spoon "bowl") and the smaller Sor-Jan (the "handle"), linked by a 2.5 km-wide isthmus (the "stem") with two large lakes, Sorlaguna (South Lagoon) and Nordlaguna (North Lagoon) ### People and Society **Population:** total: no permanent inhabitants note: military personnel present on the south side of the island; meteorological stations ### Environment **Environmental issues:** pollutants transported from southerly latitudes by winds and ocean currents **Climate:** arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2011 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jan Mayen etymology: named after Dutch Captain Jan Jacobszoon MAY, one of the first explorers to reach the island in 1614 **Dependency status:** territory of Norway; since 1994, administered from Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service; in 2010, Norway designated the majority of Jan Mayen as a nature reserve **Legal system:** the laws of Norway apply **Flag:** the flag of Norway is used ### Communications **Broadcast media:** a coastal radio station has been remotely operated since 1994 ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of Norway --- ## Japan **Slug:** japan **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇯🇵 **Codes:** cek: ja, iso2: JP, iso3: JPN, iso_num: 392, genc: JPN, stanag: JPN, internet: .jp ### Introduction **Background:** In 1603, after decades of civil warfare, the Tokugawa shogunate (a military-led, dynastic government) ushered in a long period of relative political stability and isolation from foreign influence. For more than two centuries, this policy enabled Japan to enjoy a flowering of its indigenous culture. Japan opened its ports after signing the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854 and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32, Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937, it launched a full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941, triggering America's entry into World War II, and Japan soon occupied much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, the country recovered to become an economic power and a US ally. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, elected politicians hold the decision-making power. After three decades of unprecedented growth, Japan's economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s, but the country remains an economic power. In 2011, Japan's strongest-ever earthquake and an accompanying tsunami devastated the northeast part of Honshu, killed thousands, and damaged several nuclear power plants. ABE Shinzo was reelected as prime minister in 2012, and he embarked on ambitious economic and security reforms to improve Japan's economy and bolster the country's international standing. In 2019, ABE became Japan's longest-serving post-war prime minister; he resigned in 2020 and was succeeded by SUGA Yoshihide. KISHIDA Fumio became prime minister in 2021. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula **Geographic coordinates:** 36 00 N, 138 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 377,915 sq km land: 364,485 sq km water: 13,430 sq km note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto) **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than California **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 29,751 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and the Korea and Tsushima Straits contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north **Terrain:** mostly rugged and mountainous **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m mean elevation: 438 m **Natural resources:** negligible mineral resources, fish note: with virtually no natural energy resources, Japan is almost totally dependent on imported sources of energy **Land use:** agricultural land: 12.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.9% (2023 est.) forest: 68.3% (2023 est.) other: 19% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 15,730 sq km (2014) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Biwa-ko 688 sq km **Population distribution:** all primary and secondary regions of high population density lie on the coast; one third of the population resides in and around Tokyo on the central plain (Kanto Plain) **Natural hazards:** many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors but occasional severe earthquakes) every year; tsunamis; typhoons volcanism: both Unzen (1,500 m) and Sakura-jima (1,117 m), which lies near the densely populated city of Kagoshima, have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Asama (Honshu Island's most active volcano), Aso, Bandai, Fuji, Iwo-Jima, Kikai, Kirishima, Komaga-take, Oshima, Suwanosejima, Tokachi, Yake-dake, and Usu; see note 2 under "Geography - note" **Geography - note:** note 1: strategic location in northeast Asia; composed of four main islands (the "Home Islands") -- Hokkaido, Honshu (the largest, most populous, and site of Tokyo, the capital), Shikoku, and Kyushu note 2: a 2023 Geospatial Information Authority of Japan survey detected 100,000 islands and islets, but only the 14,125 islands with a circumference of at least 100 m (330 ft) were officially counted; about 260 of the islands are inhabited note 3: Japan annually records the most earthquakes in the world; it is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes ### People and Society **Population:** total: 122,664,433 (2025 est.) male: 59,618,418 female: 63,046,015 **Nationality:** noun: Japanese (singular and plural) adjective: Japanese **Ethnic groups:** Japanese 97.5%, Chinese 0.6%, Vietnam 0.4%, South Korean 0.3%, other 1.2% (includes Filipino, Brazilian, Nepalese, Indonesian, American, and Taiwanese) (2022 est.) note: data represent population by nationality; up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil **Languages:** Japanese major-language sample(s): 必要不可欠な基本情報の源、ワールド・ファクトブック(Japanese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Shintoism 48.6%, Buddhism 46.4%, Christianity 1.1%, other 4% (2021 est.) note: total adherents among persons claiming a religious affiliation **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 12.1% (male 7,701,196/female 7,239,389) 15-64 years: 58.4% (male 36,197,840/female 35,777,966) 65 years and over: 29.5% (2024 est.) (male 15,976,233/female 20,309,321) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 71.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 20.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 50.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 50.2 years (2025 est.) male: 48.3 years female: 51.3 years **Population growth rate:** -0.45% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 6.84 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 12.04 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** all primary and secondary regions of high population density lie on the coast; one third of the population resides in and around Tokyo on the central plain (Kanto Plain) **Urbanization:** urban population: 92% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 37.194 million TOKYO (capital), 19.013 million Osaka, 9.569 million Nagoya, 5.490 million Kitakyushu-Fukuoka, 2.937 million Shizuoka-Hamamatsu, 2.666 million Sapporo (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 30.7 years (2018 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 1.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 1.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 85.2 years (2024 est.) male: 82.3 years female: 88.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.41 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.68 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 99.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.9% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 10.8% of GDP (2021) 23.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.65 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 12.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 4.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 8.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 5.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 15.5% (2025 est.) male: 24.4% (2025 est.) female: 7.2% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 50% (2020 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 7.5% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2022 est.) male: 16 years (2022 est.) female: 16 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution from power plants results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality; waste management issues; ongoing environmental clean-up in small area of Fukushima after nuclear accident in 2011 **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north **Land use:** agricultural land: 12.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.9% (2023 est.) forest: 68.3% (2023 est.) other: 19% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 92% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 960.23 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 367.144 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 403.042 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 190.043 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 10.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 214.7 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 972.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 208.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 22.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 42.72 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 11.5% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 13.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 13 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 53 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 430 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 10 global geoparks and regional networks: Aso UNESCO; Hakusan Tedorigawa; Itoigawa; Izu Peninsula; Mt. Apoi; Muroto; Oki Islands; San'in Kaigan; Toya - Usu; Unzen (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Japan local long form: Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku local short form: Nihon/Nippon etymology: the English word for Japan comes from the Chinese name for the country, Cipangu; both Nihon and Nippon come from the Japanese words nichi, or "sun," and hon, or "origin," which is frequently translated as "Land of the Rising Sun" **Government type:** parliamentary constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Tokyo geographic coordinates: 35 41 N, 139 45 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: originally known as Edo, meaning "estuary" because of its location on a bay; the name was changed to Tokyo, meaning "eastern capital," in 1868, as a contrast to Kyoto, the previous capital to the west **Administrative divisions:** 47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi **Legal system:** civil law system based on German model; also reflects Anglo-American influence and Japanese traditions; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts **Constitution:** history: previous 1890; latest approved 6 October 1946, adopted 3 November 1946, effective 3 May 1947 amendment process: proposed by the Diet; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority of both houses of the Diet and approval by majority in a referendum **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Japan dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Emperor NARUHITO (since 1 May 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Sanae TAKAICHI (since 21 October 2025) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister election results: 2025: Sanae TAKAICHI (LDP) elected prime minister on 21 October 2025; upper house vote - 125 of 171 votes (runoff); lower house vote - 237 of 386 votes 2024: Shigeru ISHIBA (LDP) elected prime minister on 27 September 2024; upper house vote - 143 of 242 votes; lower house vote - 291 of 461 votes note: Shigeru ISHIBA resigned as prime minister on 7 September 2025; the party vote on the new prime minister is expected in early October 2025 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Diet (Kokkai) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Shugiin) number of seats: 465 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 7/20/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) (191); Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (148); Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) (38); Democratic Party for the People (28); Komeito (24); Other (36) percentage of women in chamber: 15.7% expected date of next election: October 2028 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: House of Councillors (Sangiin) number of seats: 248 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 10/27/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) (39); Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (22); Democratic Party for the People (17); Sanseito (14); Komeito (8); Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) (7); Independents (8); Other (10) percentage of women in chamber: 29.4% expected date of next election: June 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Saiko saibansho (consists of the chief justice and 14 associate justices) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice designated by the Cabinet and appointed by the monarch; associate justices appointed by the Cabinet and confirmed by the monarch; all justices are reviewed in a popular referendum during the first general election of the House of Representatives after each judge's appointment and every 10 years afterward subordinate courts: 8 High Courts (Koto-saiban-sho), each with a Family Court (Katei-saiban-sho); 50 District Courts (Chiho saibansho), with 203 additional branches; 438 Summary Courts (Kani saibansho) note: the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in constitutional issues **Political parties:** Conservative Party of Japan or CPJ Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan or CDP Democratic Party for the People or DPFP or DPP Japan Communist Party or JCP Japan Innovation Party or Nippon Ishin no kai or Ishin Komeito or Komei Liberal Democratic Party or LDP Okinawa Social Mass Party or Okinawa Whirlwind or OW Party to Protect the People from NHK or NHK Reiwa Shinsengumi Sanseito Party Social Democratic Party or SDP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador YAMADA Shigeo (since 27 February 2024) chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187 email address and website: emb-consulate.dc@ws.mofa.go.jp https://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_en/index.html consulate(s) general: Chicago consulate(s): Anchorage (AK), Atlanta, Boston, Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville (TN), New York, Portland (OR), San Francisco, Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands), Seattle (WA) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador George GLASS (since 17 July 2025) embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420 mailing address: 9800 Tokyo Place, Washington DC 20521-9800 telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000 FAX: [81] (03) 3224-5856 email address and website: TokyoACS@state.gov https://jp.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya **International organization participation:** ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, CPLP (associate), EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Quad, SAARC (observer), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 3 May 1947 (current constitution adopted as amendment to Meiji Constitution); notable earlier dates: 11 February 660 B.C. (mythological date of Emperor JIMMU founding the nation); 29 November 1890 (Meiji Constitution provides for constitutional monarchy) **National holiday:** Birthday of Emperor NARUHITO, 23 February (1960) note: celebrates the birthday of the current emperor **Flag:** description: white with a large red disk that symbolizes the sun without rays, in the center history: the current flag was adopted in 1854, but a sun flag has been in use in Japan since at least 1184; the sun has long been a national symbol: according to tradition, the sun goddess Amaterasu founded the country in the 7th century B.C. **National symbol(s):** red sun disc, chrysanthemum **National color(s):** red, white **National coat of arms:** the Kikumon is the Japanese emperor's family coat of arms and dates from 1183; the Imperial chrysanthemum emblem (菊の御紋, kikunogomon) is a yellow or orange chrysanthemum with black or red outlines and background; a central disc is surrounded by a front set of 16 petals; a rear set of 16 petals are half-staggered in relation to the front set and are visible at the edges of the flower **National anthem(s):** title: "Kimigayo" (“His Majesty’s Reign) lyrics/music: unknown/Hiromori HAYASHI history: adopted 1999; unofficial national anthem since 1883; oldest anthem lyrics in the world, dating to the 10th century or earlier; some oppose the anthem because of its association with militarism and worship of the emperor **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 26 (21 cultural, 5 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area (c); Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (c); Himeji-jo (c); Shiretoko (n); Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group: Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan (c); Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan (c); Yakushima (n); Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) (c); Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) (c); Shirakami-Sanchi (n); Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama (c); Itsukushima Shinto Shrine (c); Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (c); Shrines and Temples of Nikko (c); Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu (c); Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (c); Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land (c); Ogasawara Islands (n); Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region (c); Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region (c); Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island (n); Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** second-largest East Asian economy; trade-oriented and highly diversified; high public debt levels; following years of near-zero interest rates, gradual increases to address inflation and depreciation of yen; strong rebound in tourism; aging population poses challenges to labor force participation **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $5.715 trillion (2024 est.) $5.71 trillion (2023 est.) $5.627 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 0.1% (2024 est.) 1.5% (2023 est.) 0.9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $46,100 (2024 est.) $45,900 (2023 est.) $45,000 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $4.026 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.7% (2024 est.) 3.3% (2023 est.) 2.5% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.9% (2023 est.) industry: 28.6% (2023 est.) services: 69.8% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 55.5% (2022 est.) government consumption: 21.6% (2022 est.) investment in fixed capital: 26.3% (2022 est.) investment in inventories: 0.5% (2022 est.) exports of goods and services: 21.5% (2022 est.) imports of goods and services: -25.3% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** rice, milk, sugar beets, vegetables, eggs, chicken, potatoes, onions, cabbages, pork (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods **Industrial production growth rate:** 1.4% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 69.382 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.6% (2024 est.) 2.6% (2023 est.) 2.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 3.9% (2024 est.) male: 4.2% (2024 est.) female: 3.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 32.3 (2020 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 15.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.4% (2020 est.) highest 10%: 23.9% (2020 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $661.986 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $897.03 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenditures (excluding grants and social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 215.9% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $194.257 billion (2024 est.) $156.592 billion (2023 est.) $90.21 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $922.447 billion (2024 est.) $923.488 billion (2023 est.) $922.813 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 19%, China 18%, Taiwan 6%, S. Korea 6%, Hong Kong 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** cars, integrated circuits, machinery, vehicle parts/accessories, construction vehicles (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $965.047 billion (2024 est.) $996.364 billion (2023 est.) $1.081 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 22%, USA 11%, Australia 8%, UAE 5%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, natural gas, coal, integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.231 trillion (2024 est.) $1.295 trillion (2023 est.) $1.228 trillion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** yen (JPY) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 151.366 (2024 est.) 140.491 (2023 est.) 131.498 (2022 est.) 109.754 (2021 est.) 106.775 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 361.617 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 902.769 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 41.79 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 65.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 8.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 10.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 7.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 6.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 14 (2025) Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 2 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 12.63GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 5.5% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 27 (2025) **Coal:** production: 27.657 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 197.612 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1.615 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 170.874 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 350 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 8,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 3.14 million bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 44.115 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 2.019 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 88.317 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 271.607 million cubic meters (2022 est.) imports: 85.003 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 20.898 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 129.504 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 59.3 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 48 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 222 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 178 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** a mix of public and commercial TV and radio stations; 5 national terrestrial TV networks including 1 public broadcaster; large number of radio and TV stations; satellite and cable services provide access to international channels (2023) **Internet country code:** .jp **Internet users:** percent of population: 87% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 47.9 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** JA **Airports:** 280 (2025) **Heliports:** 3,036 (2025) **Railways:** total: 27,311 km (2015) standard gauge: 4,800 km (2015) 1.435-m gauge (4,800 km electrified) narrow gauge: 124 km (2015) 1.372-m gauge (124 km electrified) dual gauge: 132 km (2015) 1.435-1.067-m gauge (132 km electrified) 22,207 km 1.067-mm gauge (15,430 km electrified) 48 km 0.762-m gauge (48 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 5,229 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 166, container ship 49, general cargo 1,893, oil tanker 666, other 2,455 **Ports:** total ports: 163 (2024) large: 11 medium: 26 small: 54 very small: 71 size unknown: 1 ports with oil terminals: 99 key ports: Kawasaki Ko, Kobe, Mikawa, Nagasaki, Nagoya Ko, Onomichi-Itozaki, Osaka, Tokyo Ko, Wakamatsu Ko, Wakayama-Shimotsu Ko, Yokohama Ko ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF): Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou Jieitai, GSDF; includes aviation), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jieitai, MSDF; includes naval aviation), Air Self-Defense Force (Koukuu Jieitai, ASDF) (2025) note: the Coast Guard is under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; it is barred by law from operating as a military force, but in times of conflict Article 80 of the 1954 Self-Defense Forces Act permits the transfer of control of the coast guard to the Ministry of Defense with Cabinet approval **Military expenditures:** 1.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 230-240,000 active Self Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the JSDF is equipped largely with domestically produced weapons platforms; most of its imported arms are from the US; Japan's defense industry is capable of producing a wide range of air, ground, and naval weapons systems; some domestically produced weapons are US-origin and manufactured under license (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-32 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025) note: as of 2023, women made up about 9% of the military's full-time personnel **Military deployments:** maintains a presence of about 400 military personnel at a permanent base in Djibouti (2025) **Military - note:** the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) has a range of missions, including territorial defense, monitoring the country’s air and maritime spaces, countering piracy and terrorism, and conducting humanitarian operations; the JSDF exercises regularly with the US military and increasingly with other regional countries, including Australia and the Philippines Japan’s alliance with the US is one of the cornerstones of the country’s security, as well as a large component of the US security posture in Asia; the US-Japan mutual defense treaty grants the US the right to base US military forces in Japan, including aircraft and ships, in return for US security guarantees; the Japanese Government provides approximately $3 billion on average per year to offset the cost of stationing US forces in Japan; in addition, it pays compensation to localities hosting US troops, rent for bases, and costs for new facilities to support the US presence; Japan also has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation Japan was disarmed after its defeat in World War II; shortly after the Korean War began in 1950, US occupation forces in Japan created a 75,000-member lightly armed force called the National Police Reserve; the JSDF was founded in 1954; Article 9 of Japan’s 1947 constitution renounced the use of force as a means of settling international disputes; however, Japan has interpreted Article 9 to mean that it can maintain a military for national defense purposes and, since 1991, has allowed the JSDF to participate in noncombat roles overseas in a number of UN peacekeeping missions and in the US-led coalition in Iraq; in 2014-2015, the Japanese Government reinterpreted the constitution as allowing for "collective self-defense," described as the use of force on others’ behalf if Japan’s security was threatened; in 2022, the government released security policy documents that declared Japan’s intention to develop "counterstrike” capabilities, including armed drones and cruise missiles, and outlined plans to increase Japan’s security-related expenditures to 2% of GDP (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA; established in 2003) (2025) **Space launch site(s):** Tanegashima Space Center/Yoshinobu Launch Complex (Kagoshima), Uchinoura Space Center (Kagoshima), Noshiro Testing Center (Akita) (2025) **Space program overview:** has one of the world’s largest and most advanced space programs, with independent capabilities in all areas except autonomous manned space flight; designs, builds, launches, and operates the full spectrum of satellites; designs, builds, and independently launches satellite/space launch vehicles (SLVs) and other spacecraft; has a wide range of research and development programs; has an astronaut training program; participates in international programs such as the International Space Station and the Square Kilometer Array radio telescope project; leads the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum and co-leads the Global Earth Observation System of Systems; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Canada, the ESA and its member states, India, Russia, the UAE, the US; has a commercial space industry that develops space-related capabilities and technologies, including satellites, satellite payloads and subcomponents, and SLVs; in recent years, the Japanese Government has supported space startup companies (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1966-1970 - initiated satellite launch vehicle (SLV) program and launched first domestically produced satellite (OHSUMI) 1985 - launched two Halley’s Comet observation satellites (Japan’s first missions beyond Earth’s orbit) 1992 - first astronaut in space on US Space Shuttle 1998 - launched its first Mars orbiter (failed to enter orbit) 2003 - launched world’s first uncrewed spacecraft (Hayabusa 1) to return with a sample from an asteroid (2010) 2007 - launched Lunar orbiter (Kaguya) mission 2010 - launched Venus orbiter (Akatsuki) mission 2014 - launched asteroid probe with lander/rover (Hayabusa 2); first Japanese International Space Station commander 2018 - launched joint Japan-ESA probe to Mercury (BepiColombo); began operation of a navigational/positioning satellite constellation (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, QZSS) 2019 - began participating in US-led lunar orbital station and Moon exploration programs 2024 - soft-landed unmanned spacecraft (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon or SLIM) on the Moon; conducted first successful test launch of domestically produced H3 medium-lift SLV ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 60,361 (2024 est.) IDPs: 29,244 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 505 (2024 est.) --- ## Jersey **Slug:** jersey **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇯🇪 **Codes:** cek: je, iso2: JE, iso3: JEY, iso_num: 832, genc: JEY, stanag: UK, internet: .je ### Introduction **Background:** Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Duchy of Normandy that held sway in both France and England. These islands were the only British soil that Germany occupied in World War II. The Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown dependency, which means that it is not part of the UK but is rather a self-governing possession of the British Crown. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation. ### Geography **Location:** Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France **Geographic coordinates:** 49 15 N, 2 10 W **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 116 sq km land: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about two-thirds the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 70 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm **Climate:** temperate; mild winters and cool summers **Terrain:** gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast **Elevation:** highest point: Les Platons 136 m lowest point: English Channel 0 m **Natural resources:** arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 43.3% (2022 est.) arable land: 18.3% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 24.9% (2022 est.) forest: 5.2% (2022 est.) other: 51.6% (2022 est.) **Irrigated land:** NA **Population distribution:** fairly even distribution **Natural hazards:** very large tidal variation can be hazardous to navigation **Geography - note:** largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier ### People and Society **Population:** total: 103,944 (2025 est.) male: 51,317 female: 52,627 **Nationality:** noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander **Ethnic groups:** Jersey 44.4%, British 30.5%, Portuguese/Madeiran 9.4%, Polish 3%, Irish 2.1%, other 10.6% (2021 est.) **Languages:** English (official) 94.5%, Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (includes French (official) and Jerriais) (2001 est.) note: data represent main spoken language; the traditional language of Jersey is Jerriais or Jersey French (a Norman language), which was spoken by fewer than 3,000 people as of 2001; two thirds of Jerriais speakers are aged 60 and over **Religions:** Christian 85.2%, Baha'i 0.3%, Hindu 0.1%, Jewish 0.1%, Muslim 0.1%, atheist 1.1%, agnostic 13.1% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 17% (male 9,082/female 8,530) 15-64 years: 64.6% (male 33,840/female 32,989) 65 years and over: 18.3% (2024 est.) (male 8,106/female 10,840) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 56 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 26.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 29.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 38.5 years (2025 est.) male: 37 years female: 39.7 years **Population growth rate:** 0.51% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 11.97 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** fairly even distribution **Urbanization:** urban population: 31.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Guernsey and Jersey **Major urban areas - population:** 34,000 SAINT HELIER (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 83 years (2024 est.) male: 80.6 years female: 85.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.66 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.81 (2025 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 98.5% of population ### Environment **Environmental issues:** habitat and species loss; water pollution; improper solid-waste disposal **Climate:** temperate; mild winters and cool summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 43.3% (2022 est.) arable land: 18.3% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 24.9% (2022 est.) forest: 5.2% (2022 est.) other: 51.6% (2022 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 31.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Guernsey and Jersey **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 178,900 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 28.4% (2016 est.) note: data include combined totals for Guernsey and Jersey. ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey conventional short form: Jersey former: Norman Isles etymology: the name is of Old Norse origin, with -ey meaning "island;" "Jer(s)" may derive from a person with the Scandinavian name Geirr, meaning "spear" **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (Assembly of the States of Jersey) **Dependency status:** British crown dependency **Capital:** name: Saint Helier geographic coordinates: 49 11 N, 2 06 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: named after Saint HELIER, the patron saint of Jersey, who was reputedly martyred on the island in A.D. 555 **Administrative divisions:** no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 12 parishes; Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement, Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Ouen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, Trinity **Legal system:** the laws of the UK apply, as well as local statutes **Constitution:** history: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice amendment process: proposed by a government minister to the Assembly of the States of Jersey, by an Assembly member, or by an elected parish head; passage requires several Assembly readings, a majority vote by the Assembly, review by the UK Ministry of Justice, and approval of the British monarch (Royal Assent) **Citizenship:** see United Kingdom **Suffrage:** 16 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant Governor Jerry KYD (since 8 October 2022) head of government: Chief Minister Lyndon FARNHAM (since 25 January 2024); Bailiff Timothy Le COCQ (since 17 October 2019) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed individually by the states election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; Council of Ministers, including the chief minister, indirectly elected by the Assembly of States; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Assembly of the States of Jersey legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 54 (49 directly elected, 5 appointed) term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 6/22/2022 parties elected and seats per party: BW (35); RJ (10); JLC (2); JA (1); PP (1) percentage of women in chamber: 42.9% expected date of next election: 2026 note: 5 non-voting members appointed by the monarch include the bailiff, lieutenant governor, dean of Jersey, attorney general, and the solicitor general **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Jersey Court of Appeal (consists of the bailiff, deputy bailiff, and 12 judges); Royal Court (consists of the bailiff, deputy bailiff, 6 commissioners and lay people referred to as jurats, and is organized into Heritage, Family, Probate, and Samedi Divisions); appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) judge selection and term of office: Jersey Court of Appeal bailiffs and judges appointed by the Crown upon the advice of the Secretary of State for Justice; bailiffs and judges appointed for "extent of good behavior;" Royal Court bailiffs appointed by the Crown upon the advice of the Secretary of State for Justice; commissioners appointed by the bailiff; jurats appointed by the Electoral College; bailiffs and commissioners appointed for "extent of good behavior;" jurats appointed until retirement at age 72 subordinate courts: Magistrate's Court; Youth Court; Petty Debts Court; Parish Hall Enquiries (a process of preliminary investigation into youth and minor adult offenses to determine need for presentation before a court) **Political parties:** Better Way or BW (group of independent candidates) Jersey Alliance or JA Jersey Liberal Conservatives or JLC Progress Party or PP Reform Jersey or RJ note: most deputies sit as independents **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (British Crown dependency) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (British Crown dependency) **International organization participation:** UPU **Independence:** none (British Crown dependency) **National holiday:** Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) **Flag:** description: white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the flag; a red shield with three lions in yellow is in the upper triangle, with a yellow crown above history: according to tradition, Jersey ships differentiated themselves from English ships that flew the horizontal cross of St. George by rotating their own cross to the "X" (saltire) configuration; this arrangement resembled the Irish cross of St. Patrick, so the Plantagenet crown and Jersey coat of arms were added **National symbol(s):** Jersey cow **National color(s):** red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Isle de Siez Nous" (Island Home) lyrics/music: Gerard LE FEUVRE history: adopted 2008; serves as a local anthem _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as a British Crown dependency ### Economy **Economic overview:** British territorial island economy; strong offshore banking and finance sectors; low asset taxation; strong tourism sector prior to COVID-19 and Brexit; one of the most expensive places to live; minimal welfare system; historical cider industry **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $5.569 billion (2016 est.) $5.514 billion (2015 est.) $4.98 billion (2014 est.) note: data are in 2015 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.7% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) 9.9% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey **GDP (official exchange rate):** $12.508 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.6% (2023 est.) industry: 8.2% (2023 est.) services: 91.2% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products **Industries:** tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics **Industrial production growth rate:** 1.3% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey **Labor force:** 82,400 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work;entry includes Jersey and Guernsey **Unemployment rate:** 6.3% (2024 est.) 6.2% (2023 est.) 6.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 14.1% (2024 est.) male: 14.2% (2024 est.) female: 13.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Exports - partners:** almost entirely United Kingdom (2022) **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, beverages, ships, jewelry, artwork (2022) top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports - partners:** almost entirely United Kingdom (2022) **Imports - commodities:** artwork, ships, vegetables, fruits, jewelry (2022) **Exchange rates:** Jersey pounds (JEP) per US dollar Exchange rates: 0.782 (2024 est.) 0.805 (2023 est.) 0.811 (2022 est.) 0.727 (2021 est.) 0.78 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) note: includes Guernsey and Jersey ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 48,223 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 129,368 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** multiple UK terrestrial TV broadcasts are received via a transmitter in Jersey; satellite packages available; BBC Radio Jersey and 1 other radio station operating **Internet country code:** .je **Internet users:** percent of population: 41% (2012 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 39,699 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2020 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Saint Helier Harbour ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the UK --- ## Jordan **Slug:** jordan **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇯🇴 **Codes:** cek: jo, iso2: JO, iso3: JOR, iso_num: 400, genc: JOR, stanag: JOR, internet: .jo ### Introduction **Background:** After World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the League of Nations awarded Britain the mandate to govern much of the Middle East. In 1921, Britain demarcated from Palestine a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan and recognized ABDALLAH I from the Hashemite family as the country's first leader. The Hashemites also controlled the Hijaz, or the western coastal area of modern-day Saudi Arabia, until 1925, when IBN SAUD and Wahhabi tribes pushed them out. The country gained its independence in 1946 and thereafter became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The country has had four kings. Long-time ruler King HUSSEIN (r. 1953-99) successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, UK, and Soviet Union), various Arab states, Israel, and Palestinian militants, the latter of which led to a brief civil war in 1970 that is known as "Black September" and ended in King HUSSEIN ousting the militants. Jordan's borders have changed since it gained independence. In 1948, Jordan took control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the first Arab-Israeli War, eventually annexing those territories in 1950 and granting its new Palestinian residents Jordanian citizenship. In 1967, Jordan lost the West Bank and East Jerusalem to Israel in the Six-Day War but retained administrative claims to the West Bank until 1988, when King HUSSEIN permanently relinquished Jordanian claims to the West Bank in favor of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). King HUSSEIN signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994, after Israel and the PLO signed the Oslo Accords in 1993. Jordanian kings continue to claim custodianship of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem by virtue of their Hashemite heritage as descendants of the Prophet Mohammad and agreements with Israel and Jerusalem-based religious and Palestinian leaders. After Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 War, it authorized the Jordanian-controlled Islamic Trust, or Waqf, to continue administering the Al Haram ash Sharif/Temple Mount holy compound, and the Jordan-Israel peace treaty reaffirmed Jordan's "special role" in administering the Muslim holy shrines in Jerusalem. Jordanian kings claim custodianship of the Christian sites in Jerusalem on the basis of the 7th-century Pact of Omar, when the Muslim leader, after conquering Jerusalem, agreed to permit Christian worship. King HUSSEIN died in 1999 and was succeeded by his eldest son and current King ABDALLAH II. In 2009, ABDALLAH II designated his son HUSSEIN as the Crown Prince. During his reign, ABDALLAH II has contended with a series of challenges, including the Arab Spring influx of refugees from neighboring states, the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects of the war in Ukraine, a perennially weak economy, and the Israel-HAMAS conflict that began in October 2023. ### Geography **Location:** Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia, between Israel (to the west) and Iraq **Geographic coordinates:** 31 00 N, 36 00 E **Map references:** Middle East **Area:** total : 89,342 sq km land: 88,802 sq km water: 540 sq km **Area - comparative:** about three-quarters the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Indiana **Land boundaries:** total: 1,744 km border countries (5): Iraq 179 km; Israel 307 km; Saudi Arabia 731 km; Syria 379 km; West Bank 148 km **Coastline:** 26 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 3 nm **Climate:** mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April) **Terrain:** mostly arid desert plateau; a great north-south geological rift along the west of the country is the dominant topographical feature and includes the Jordan River Valley, the Dead Sea, and the Jordanian Highlands **Elevation:** highest point: Jabal Umm ad Dami 1,854 m lowest point: Dead Sea -431 m mean elevation: 812 m **Natural resources:** phosphates, potash, shale oil **Land use:** agricultural land: 11.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 8.4% (2023 est.) forest: 0.8% (2023 est.) other: 87.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 875 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Dead Sea (shared with Israel and West Bank) - 1,020 sq km note - endorheic hypersaline lake; 9.6 times saltier than the ocean; lake shore is 431 meters below sea level **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Arabian Aquifer System **Population distribution:** population heavily concentrated in the west, and particularly the northwest, in and around the capital of Amman; a sizeable but smaller population is located in the southwest along the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba **Natural hazards:** droughts; periodic earthquakes; flash floods **Geography - note:** strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba; the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the West Bank; the Dead Sea, the lowest point in Asia and the second saltiest body of water in the world (after Lac Assal in Djibouti), lies on Jordan's western border with Israel and the West Bank; Jordan is almost landlocked but does have a 26 km southwestern coastline with a single port, Al 'Aqabah (Aqaba) ### People and Society **Population:** total: 11,312,507 (2025 est.) male: 5,908,853 female: 5,403,654 **Nationality:** noun: Jordanian(s) adjective: Jordanian **Ethnic groups:** Jordanian 69.3%, Syrian 13.3%, Palestinian 6.7%, Egyptian 6.7%, Iraqi 1.4%, other 2.6% (2015 est.) note: data represent population by self-identified nationality in national census **Languages:** Arabic (official), English (widely understood among upper and middle classes) major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 97.1% (official; predominantly Sunni), Christian 2.1% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), Buddhist 0.4%, Hindu 0.1%, Jewish <0.1%, folk <0.1%, other <0.1%, unaffiliated <0.1% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 30.9% (male 1,771,840/female 1,678,178) 15-64 years: 64.9% (male 3,844,575/female 3,409,164) 65 years and over: 4.2% (2024 est.) (male 228,564/female 241,703) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 53.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 46.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 14.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 25.4 years (2025 est.) male: 25.5 years female: 24.4 years **Population growth rate:** 1.68% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 21.9 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 3.5 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population heavily concentrated in the west, and particularly the northwest, in and around the capital of Amman; a sizeable but smaller population is located in the southwest along the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba **Urbanization:** urban population: 92% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.232 million AMMAN (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 24.6 years (2017/18 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 31 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 12.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 14.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.5 years (2024 est.) male: 75 years female: 78.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.83 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.37 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 97% of population (2022 est.) total: 99% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 3% of population (2022 est.) total: 1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.3% of GDP (2021) 7.6% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.85 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 1.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 98.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 97.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 2.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.2% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 35.5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 37.1% (2025 est.) male: 58.6% (2025 est.) female: 13.9% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.5% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 56% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 1.5% (2018) women married by age 18: 9.7% (2018) men married by age 18: 0.1% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 3.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 11.7% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 94.8% (2023 est.) male: 97.5% (2023 est.) female: 92.3% (2023 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2023 est.) male: 13 years (2023 est.) female: 14 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited natural freshwater resources; declining water table; salination; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; biodiversity and ecosystem damage/loss **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April) **Land use:** agricultural land: 11.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 8.4% (2023 est.) forest: 0.8% (2023 est.) other: 87.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 92% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 22.434 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 627,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 13.264 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 8.544 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 26.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 12.2 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 25.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 188.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 0.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.53 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 14.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 497.37 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 36.88 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 570.61 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 937 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan conventional short form: Jordan local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah local short form: Al Urdun former: Transjordan etymology: named for the Jordan River, which makes up part of Jordan's northwest border; the origin of the river's name is unclear, but it may come from a local word meaning "river" **Government type:** parliamentary constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Amman geographic coordinates: 31 57 N, 35 56 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: in the 13th century B.C., the Ammonites named their primary city Rabbath Ammon; rabbath meant "capital," so the name translated as "The Capital of [the] Ammon[ites];" over time, the name was shortened to Ammon, and then to Amman **Administrative divisions:** 12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); 'Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, Al ‘Asimah (Amman), At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba **Legal system:** mixed system developed from Ottoman Empire codes (based on French law), British common law, and Islamic law **Constitution:** history: previous 1928 (pre-independence); latest initially adopted 28 November 1947, revised and ratified 1 January 1952 amendment process: constitutional amendments require at least a two-thirds majority vote of both the Senate and the House and ratification by the king **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Jordan dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 15 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Jafar HASSAN (since 15 September 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch in consultation with the prime minister election/appointment process: prime minister appointed by the monarch **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Majlis Al-Umma) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nuwaab) number of seats: 138 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 9/10/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 19.6% expected date of next election: September 2028 note: the total number of Chamber of Deputies' seats increased to 138 from 130 for the September 2024 election **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Majlis Al-Aayan) number of seats: 69 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/24/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 14.5% expected date of next election: October 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Supreme Court (consists of 15 members, including the chief justice); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the king; other judges nominated by the Judicial Council, an 11-member judicial policymaking body consisting of high-level judicial officials and judges, and approved by the king; judge tenure not limited; Constitutional Court members appointed by the king for 6-year non-renewable terms with one third of the membership renewed every 2 years subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Great Felonies Court; religious courts; military courts; juvenile courts; Land Settlement Courts; Income Tax Court; Higher Administrative Court; Customs Court; special courts including the State Security Court **Political parties:** 'Azem Blessed Land Party Building and Labor Coalition Eradah Party Growth Party Islamic Action Front or IAF Jordanian al-Ansar Party Jordanian al-Ghad Party Jordanian Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party or JASBP Jordanian Civil Democratic Party Jordanian Communist Party or JCP Jordanian Equality Party Jordanian Democratic People's Party or HASD Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party or JDPUP/Wihda Jordanian Democratic Unionist Party Jordanian Flame Party Jordanian Future and Life Party Jordanian Model Party Jordanian National Integration Party Jordanian National Loyalty Party Jordanian Reform and Renewal Party or Hassad Jordanian Shura Party Jordanian Social Democratic Party or JSDP Justice and Reform Party or JRP Labor Party National Charter Party National Coalition Party National Constitutional Party National Current Party or NCP National Islamic Party National Union Nationalist Movement Party or Hsq New Path Party Progress Party **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Dina Khalil Tawfiq KAWAR (since 27 June 2016) chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664 FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110 email address and website: hkjconsular@jordanembassyus.org http://www.jordanembassyus.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador James HOLTSNIDER (since 7 December 2025) embassy: Abdoun, Al-Umawyeen St., Amman mailing address: 6050 Amman Place, Washington DC 20521-6050 telephone: [962] (6) 590-6000 FAX: [962] (6) 592-0163 email address and website: Amman-ACS@state.gov https://jo.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, CICA, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, NATO (partner), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 25 May (1946) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white, and green; a red isosceles triangle is on the left side, with a small white seven-pointed star in the center meaning: black stands for the Abbassid Caliphate, white for the Ummayyad Caliphate, and green for the Fatimid Caliphate; the triangle stands for the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, and the star's points for the seven verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Quran, as well as faith in One God, humanity, national spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations history: the design is based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I **National symbol(s):** eagle **National color(s):** black, white, green, red **National anthem(s):** title: "As-salam al-malaki al-urdoni" (Long Live the King of Jordan) lyrics/music: Abdul-Mone'm al-RIFAI'/Abdul-Qader al-TANEER history: adopted 1946; the shortened version of the anthem is most commonly used; the full version is reserved for special occasions **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 7 (6 cultural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Petra (c); Quseir Amra (c); Um er-Rasas (Kastrom Mefa'a) (c); Wadi Rum Protected Area (m); Baptism Site “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” (Al-Maghtas) (c); As-Salt - The Place of Tolerance and Urban Hospitality (c); Umm Al-Jimāl (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income Middle Eastern economy; high debt and unemployment, especially for youth and women; global events triggering trade slump and decreased revenue from tourism; growing manufacturing and agricultural sectors; key US foreign assistance recipient; natural-resource-poor and import-reliant **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $109.986 billion (2024 est.) $107.315 billion (2023 est.) $104.307 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.5% (2024 est.) 2.9% (2023 est.) 2.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $9,500 (2024 est.) $9,400 (2023 est.) $9,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $53.352 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.6% (2024 est.) 2.1% (2023 est.) 4.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 5.1% (2024 est.) industry: 25.1% (2024 est.) services: 60.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 78.9% (2021 est.) government consumption: 15.8% (2021 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.2% (2021 est.) investment in inventories: 3% (2021 est.) exports of goods and services: 30% (2021 est.) imports of goods and services: -50.4% (2021 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** tomatoes, milk, chicken, potatoes, olives, cucumbers/gherkins, onions, chillies/peppers, peaches/nectarines, sheep milk (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, information technology, clothing, fertilizer, potash, phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 3.08 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 18% (2024 est.) 18% (2023 est.) 18.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 41.7% (2024 est.) male: 39.8% (2024 est.) female: 49.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 15.7% (2018 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Average household expenditures:** on food: 25% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Remittances:** 8.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 11% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $13.779 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $17.159 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenditures (excluding grants and social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 102.8% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 17% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$1.91 billion (2023 est.) -$3.815 billion (2022 est.) -$3.718 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $22.186 billion (2023 est.) $20.743 billion (2022 est.) $13.87 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 21%, India 13%, Saudi Arabia 11%, China 7%, Iraq 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fertilizers, garments, phosphates, jewelry, phosphoric acid (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $28.922 billion (2023 est.) $30.019 billion (2022 est.) $23.321 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 17%, Saudi Arabia 14%, UAE 8%, India 6%, USA 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, refined petroleum, gold, crude petroleum, jewelry (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $21.939 billion (2024 est.) $19.069 billion (2023 est.) $18.198 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $21.058 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.71 (2024 est.) 0.71 (2023 est.) 0.71 (2022 est.) 0.71 (2021 est.) 0.71 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 98.9% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 6.891 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 20.31 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 162.93 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 383.073 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.472 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 76.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 15.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 7.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 269,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 110,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 20 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 97,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 1 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 200.004 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 5.441 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 375.998 million cubic meters (2018 est.) imports: 4.865 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 6.031 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 32.909 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 486,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 8.05 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 70 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** radio and TV dominated by the government-owned Jordan Radio and Television Corporation (JRTV) that operates a main network, a sports network, a film network, and a satellite channel; first independent TV broadcaster aired in 2007; international satellite TV and Israeli and Syrian TV broadcasts are available; roughly 30 radio stations; transmissions of multiple international radio broadcasters are available **Internet country code:** .jo **Internet users:** percent of population: 93% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 805,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** JY **Airports:** 18 (2025) **Heliports:** 6 (2025) **Railways:** total: 509 km (2020) narrow gauge: 509 km (2014) 1.050-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 34 (2023) by type: general cargo 5, other 29 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Al Aqabah ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF; aka Arab Army): Jordanian Army (Jordanian Ground Forces; includes Special Operations Forces, Border Guards, Royal Guard), Jordanian Air Force, Jordanian Navy) Ministry of Interior: Public Security Directorate (includes national police, the Gendarmerie, and the Civil Defense Directorate) (2025) **Military expenditures:** 4.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 4.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 5% of GDP (2021 est.) 5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 100,000 active duty Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the JAF inventory is comprised of mostly older or secondhand equipment provided by China, some European countries, select Gulf States, Russia, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 17 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; initial service term is 24 months; selective compulsory military service (3 months) for men turning 18 will be reinstated in 2026; compulsory military service for jobless men aged 25-29 was reinstated in 2020 (12 months; 3 months of military training and 9 months of professional and technical training) (2025) **Military deployments:** 140 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2025) **Military - note:** the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) are responsible for territorial defense and border security and have a supporting role for internal security; key areas of concern include regional conflict and instability and unconventional threats, such as terrorism and weapons smuggling; the JAF participates in both bilateral and multinational exercises, UN peacekeeping missions, and have taken part in regional military operations alongside international forces in Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen the US is a key security partner, and Jordan is one of the largest recipients of US military aid in the region; it cooperates with the US on a number of issues, including border security, arms transfers, cybersecurity, and counterterrorism; Jordan has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 675,388 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 17 (2024 est.) --- ## Kazakhstan **Slug:** kazakhstan **Region:** Central Asia **Flag:** 🇰🇿 **Codes:** cek: kz, iso2: KZ, iso3: KAZ, iso_num: 398, genc: KAZ, stanag: KAZ, internet: .kz ### Introduction **Background:** Ethnic Kazakhs derive from a mix of Turkic nomadic tribes that migrated to the region in the 15th century. The Russian Empire conquered the Kazakh steppe in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1925. Forced agricultural collectivization led to repression and starvation, resulting in more than a million deaths in the early 1930s. During the 1950s and 1960s, the agricultural "Virgin Lands" program generated an influx of settlers -- mostly ethnic Russians, but also other nationalities -- and by the time of Kazakhstan’s independence in 1991, ethnic Kazakhs were a minority. However, non-Muslim ethnic minorities departed Kazakhstan in large numbers from the mid-1990s through the mid-2000s, and a national program has repatriated about a million ethnic Kazakhs (from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, and the Xinjiang region of China) to Kazakhstan. As a result of this shift, the ethnic Kazakh share of the population now exceeds two-thirds. Kazakhstan's economy is the largest in Central Asia, mainly due to the country's vast natural resources. Current issues include diversifying the economy, attracting foreign direct investment, enhancing Kazakhstan's economic competitiveness, and strengthening economic relations with neighboring states and foreign powers. ### Geography **Location:** Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural (Oral) River in easternmost Europe **Geographic coordinates:** 48 00 N, 68 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 2,724,900 sq km land: 2,699,700 sq km water: 25,200 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than four times the size of Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 13,364 km border countries (5): China 1,765 km; Kyrgyzstan 1,212 km; Russia 7,644 km; Turkmenistan 413 km; Uzbekistan 2,330 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) note: Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea, now split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian Sea (1,894 km) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid **Terrain:** vast flat steppe extending from the Volga in the west to the Altai Mountains in the east and from the plains of western Siberia in the north to oases and deserts of Central Asia in the south **Elevation:** highest point: Pik Khan-Tengri 7,010 m note - the northern most 7,000 meter peak in the World lowest point: Qauyndy Oyysy -132 m mean elevation: 387 m **Natural resources:** major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium **Land use:** agricultural land: 79.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 11% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 68.3% (2023 est.) forest: 1.3% (2023 est.) other: 19.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 17,794 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Ozero Balkhash - 22,000 sq km; Ozero Zaysan - 1,800 sq km salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Russia) - 374,000 sq km; Aral Sea (north) - 3,300 sq km; Ozero Alakol - 2,650 sq km; Ozero Teniz 1,590 sq km; Ozero Seletytenzi - 780 sq km; Ozero Sasykkol - 740 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Syr Darya river mouth (shared with Kyrgyzstan [s], Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan) - 3,078 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km), Lake Balkash (510,015 sq km) **Population distribution:** most of the country displays a low population density, particularly the interior; population clusters appear in urban agglomerations in the far northern and southern portions of the country **Natural hazards:** earthquakes in the south; mudslides around Almaty **Geography - note:** world's largest landlocked country and one of only two landlocked countries in the world that extends into two continents (the other is Azerbaijan); Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km (2,317 sq mi) of territory enclosing the Baikonur Cosmodrome ### People and Society **Population:** total: 20,432,662 (2025 est.) male: 9,902,303 female: 10,530,359 **Nationality:** noun: Kazakhstani(s) adjective: Kazakhstani **Ethnic groups:** Kazakh 71%, Russian 14.9%, Uzbek 3.3%, Ukrainian 1.9%, Uyghurs 1.5%, German 1.1%, Tatar 1.1%, other 4.9%, unspecified 0.3% (2023 est.) **Languages:** Kazakh (official, Qazaq) 80.1%, Russian 83.7%, English 35.1% (2021 est.) major-language sample(s): Әлемдік деректер кітабы, негізгі ақпараттың таптырмайтын көзі. (Kazakh) Книга фактов о мире – незаменимый источник базовой информации. (Russian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: percentages are based on population that understands the spoken language **Religions:** Muslim 69.3%, Christian 17.2% (Orthodox 17%, other 0.2%), Buddhism 0.1%, other 0.1%, non-believers 2.3%, unspecified 11% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 27.6% (male 2,883,200/female 2,712,772) 15-64 years: 62.8% (male 6,233,881/female 6,486,019) 65 years and over: 9.6% (2024 est.) (male 700,091/female 1,244,043) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 59.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 43.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 15.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 6.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 32.1 years (2025 est.) male: 30 years female: 33.8 years **Population growth rate:** 0.83% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 16.83 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the country displays a low population density, particularly the interior; population clusters appear in urban agglomerations in the far northern and southern portions of the country **Urbanization:** urban population: 58.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.987 million Almaty, 1.291 million NUR-SULTAN (capital), 1.155 million Shimkent (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.56 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 28.9 years (2019 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 10 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 8.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 73.3 years (2024 est.) male: 69 years female: 77.9 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.57 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.24 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.9% of GDP (2021) 10.6% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.75 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 6.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 21% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 20.1% (2025 est.) male: 35.7% (2025 est.) female: 6.3% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 63.8% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.2% (2015) women married by age 18: 7% (2015) **Education expenditure:** 4.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 22% national budget (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2024 est.) male: 14 years (2024 est.) female: 14 years (2024 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** radioactive or toxic chemical sites from former defense industries; severe industrial pollution in some cities; air and soil pollution (including dust storms) from chemical pesticides and natural salts left after two rivers were diverted; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals; salination from infrastructure and irrigation practices; water pollution; desertification **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid **Land use:** agricultural land: 79.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 11% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 68.3% (2023 est.) forest: 1.3% (2023 est.) other: 19.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 58.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 269.83 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 175.848 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 50.387 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 43.596 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 38.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 1,903.1 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 781.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 184.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 17.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.66 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 3.8% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 4.877 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 5.995 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 14.264 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 108.41 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan conventional short form: Kazakhstan local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy local short form: Qazaqstan former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the name may derive from the Turkic word kazak, meaning "nomad;" the Persian suffix -stan means "place of" or "country" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Astana geographic coordinates: 51 10 N, 71 25 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: On 1 March 2024, Kazakhstan moved from using two time zones to one etymology: the name means "capital city" in Kazakh note: founded in 1830 as Akmoly, the capital city became Akmolinsk in 1832, Tselinograd in 1961, Akmola (Aqmola) in 1992, Astana in 1998, and Nur-Sultan in 2019; the latest name change back to Astana in 2022 occurred just three and a half years after the city was renamed to honor a former president, who subsequently fell out of favor **Administrative divisions:** 17 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 4 cities* (qalalar, singular - qala); Abay (Semey), Almaty (Qonaev), Almaty*, Aqmola (Kokshetau), Aqtobe, Astana*, Atyrau, Batys Qazaqstan [West Kazakhstan] (Oral), Bayqongyr*, Mangghystau (Aqtau), Pavlodar, Qaraghandy, Qostanay, Qyzylorda, Shyghys Qazaqstan [East Kazakhstan] (Oskemen), Shymkent*, Soltustik Qazaqstan [North Kazakhstan] (Petropavl), Turkistan, Ulytau (Zhezqazghan), Zhambyl (Taraz), Zhetisu (Taldyqorghan) note 1: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; exceptions show the administrative center name in parentheses note 2: in 1995, the Kazakh and Russian governments agreed that Russia would lease for 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km (2,317 sq mi) around the Baikonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr (Baikonur, formerly Leninsk); in 2004, the lease was extended to 2050 **Legal system:** civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and by the theory and practice of the Russian Federation **Constitution:** history: previous 1937, 1978 (pre-independence), 1993; latest approved by referendum 30 August 1995, effective 5 September 1995 amendment process: introduced by a referendum initiated by the president of the republic, on the recommendation of Parliament, or by the government; the president has the option of submitting draft amendments to Parliament or directly to a referendum; passage of amendments by Parliament requires four-fifths majority vote of both houses and the signature of the president; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote by more than one half of the voters in at least two thirds of the oblasts, major cities, and the capital, followed by the signature of the president **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kazakhstan dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV (since 20 March 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Olzhas BEKTENOV (since 6 February 2024) cabinet: the president appoints ministers based on the prime minister's recommendations; the president has veto power over all appointments and independently appoints the ministers of defense, internal affairs, and foreign affairs election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a single 7-year term (prior to September 2022, the president of Kazakhstan could serve up to two 5-year terms; legislation reduced it to one 7-year term); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Mazhilis most recent election date: 20 November 2022 election results: 2024: Olzhas BEKTENOV elected as prime minister; 69-0 in parliament 2022: Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Kassym-Jomart TOKAYEV (Amanat) 81.3%, Zhiguli DAYRABAEV (Auyl) 3.4%, Qaraqat or Karakat ÄBDEN (KÄQŪA) 2.6%, Meyram KAZHYKEN (Amanat) 2.5%, Nurlan AUYESBAYEV (NSDP) 2.2%, Saltanat TURSYNBEKOVA (QA-DJ) 2.1%, other 5.8% 2019: Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV elected president; percent of vote - Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV (Amanat) 71%, Amirzhan KOSANOV (Ult Tagdyry) 16.2%, Daniya YESPAYEVA (Ak Zhol) 5.1%, other 7.7% expected date of next election: 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Parlament) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Mazhilis) number of seats: 98 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/19/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Amanat party (62); Auyl party (8); Ak Zhol Democratic Party of Kazakhstan (6); Respublica (6); People's Party of Kazakhstan (5); Independents (7); Other (4) percentage of women in chamber: 18.4% expected date of next election: March 2028 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 50 (40 indirectly elected; 10 appointed) scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 1/14/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 20% expected date of next election: January 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Republic (consists of 44 members); Constitutional Council (consists of the chairperson and 6 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges proposed by the president of the republic on recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council and confirmed by the Senate; judges normally serve until age 65 but can be extended to age 70; Constitutional Council - the president of the republic, the Senate chairperson, and the Mazhilis chairperson each appoints 2 members for a 6-year term; chairperson of the Constitutional Council appointed by the president for a 6-year term subordinate courts: regional and local courts **Political parties:** Ak Zhol Democratic Party or Ak Zhol Amanat formerly Nur Otan Auyl People's Democratic Patriotic Party or Auyl Green Party of Kazakhstan orBaytaq Nationwide Social Democratic Party or NSDP People's Party of Kazakhstan or PPK Respublica **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Magzhan ILYASSOV (since 16 December 2025) chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488 FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845 email address and website: washington@mfa.kz https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-washington?lang=en consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Julie STUFFT; Chargé d'Affaires Deborah ROBINSON (since January 2025) embassy: Rakhymzhan Koshkarbayev Avenue, No. 3, Astana 010010 mailing address: 2230 Astana Place, Washington DC 20521-2230 telephone: [7] (7172) 70-21-00 FAX: [7] (7172) 54-09-14 email address and website: USAKZ@state.gov https://kz.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Almaty **International organization participation:** ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EITI (compliant country), FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 16 December (1991) **Flag:** description: a gold sun with 32 rays above a soaring golden steppe eagle, both centered on a sky-blue background; the left side displays a national pattern called koshkar-muiz (the horns of the ram) in gold meaning: the blue color has religious significance for the Turkic peoples and symbolizes cultural and ethnic unity, as well as sky and water; the sun stands for wealth and plenitude, with rays shaped like grain; the eagle has appeared on Kazakh tribal flags for centuries and represents freedom, power, and the flight to the future **National symbol(s):** golden eagle **National color(s):** blue, yellow **National coat of arms:** winning design from a competition held in 1992; the design uses the national colors of yellow and blue, with blue standing for the hope for unity, peace, and friendship with all people and gold for a clear future for the country’s population; a shanyrak (the upper dome-like portion of a yurt) represents familial well-being, peace, and calmness, with the circular shape standing for life and eternity; the winged horses, or tulpars, protect the shanyrak and symbolize bravery, prosperity, and inspiration **National anthem(s):** title: "Menin Qazaqstanim" (My Kazakhstan) lyrics/music: Zhumeken NAZHIMEDENOV and Nursultan NAZARBAYEV/Shamshi KALDAYAKOV history: adopted 2006; President Nursultan NAZARBAYEV played a role in revising the lyrics **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 6 (3 cultural, 3 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (c); Petroglyphs at Tanbaly (c); Saryarka - Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan (n); Silk Roads: the Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor (c); Western Tien-Shan (n); Cold Winter Deserts of Turan (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income Central Asian economy; robust growth due to rising oil production, expansion in manufacturing and services, rising domestic demand, and infrastructure investments; however, rapid growth contributing to high inflation rate; declining unemployment and poverty rates **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $739.385 billion (2024 est.) $705.52 billion (2023 est.) $671.285 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.8% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 3.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $35,900 (2024 est.) $34,700 (2023 est.) $33,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $288.406 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 8.8% (2024 est.) 14.7% (2023 est.) 15% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 3.9% (2024 est.) industry: 31.4% (2024 est.) services: 58.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 51.4% (2023 est.) government consumption: 11.1% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 26.5% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 3.3% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 34.5% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -27.5% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, milk, barley, potatoes, watermelons, cantaloupes/melons, sunflower seeds, maize, onions, tomatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, uranium, iron and steel; tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors, construction materials **Industrial production growth rate:** 6.6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 10.285 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.8% (2024 est.) 4.9% (2023 est.) 4.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 3.8% (2024 est.) male: 3% (2024 est.) female: 4.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 5.2% (2023 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 29.2 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 50.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 4.3% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 24.8% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $44.25 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $47.247 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 20.9% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 11.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$3.702 billion (2024 est.) -$9.448 billion (2023 est.) $6.436 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $91.908 billion (2024 est.) $90.926 billion (2023 est.) $93.822 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 16%, UK 15%, Russia 10%, Turkey 6%, Italy 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, gold, radioactive chemicals, refined copper, copper ore (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $74.246 billion (2024 est.) $72.723 billion (2023 est.) $60.439 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 28%, Russia 24%, Gambia, The 4%, Turkey 4%, USA 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** garments, cars, broadcasting equipment, vehicle bodies, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $45.808 billion (2024 est.) $35.965 billion (2023 est.) $35.076 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $25.765 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** tenge (KZT) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 468.962 (2024 est.) 456.165 (2023 est.) 460.165 (2022 est.) 425.908 (2021 est.) 412.953 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 27.624 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 106.201 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 2.243 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 3.694 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 9.439 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 87.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 8.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 1 (2025) **Coal:** production: 120.279 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 86.349 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 34.043 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 114,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 25.605 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 1.955 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 386,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 30 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 28.769 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 22.223 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 7.071 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 408.952 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2.407 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 172.936 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 2.44 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 26.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 127 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** the state owns nearly all radio and TV transmission facilities and operates national TV and radio networks; there are 96 TV channels, and 4 state-run radio stations; some former state-owned media outlets have been privatized; households with satellite dishes have access to foreign media; small number of commercial radio stations; all media outlets have to register with the government (2018) **Internet country code:** .kz **Internet users:** percent of population: 93% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 3.59 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** UP **Airports:** 132 (2025) **Heliports:** 32 (2025) **Railways:** total: 16,636 km (2021) broad gauge: 16,636 km (2021) 1.520-m gauge (4,237 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 122 (2023) by type: general cargo 3, oil tanker 7, other 112 ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan: Land Forces (Army of Kazakhstan), Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces Ministry of Internal Affairs: National Police, National Guard Committee for National Security (KNB): Border Guard Service (2025) note: the National Guard is a gendarmerie type force administered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but also serves the Ministry of Defense; it is responsible for fighting crime, maintaining public order, and ensuring public safety; other duties include anti-terrorism operations, guarding prisons, riot control, and territorial defense in time of war **Military expenditures:** 0.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** available information varies widely; estimated 50,000 active Armed Forces; estimated 30,000 National Guard (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Kazakh military's inventory is comprised mostly of Russian and Soviet-era equipment; in recent years, it has sought to diversify to suppliers such as China, France, Israel, South Korea, and Türkiye; Kazakhstan has a defense industry capable of assembling or producing such items as naval vessels, combat vehicles, helicopters, and radar systems (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** men 18-27 are subject to conscription for 12-24 months; conscripts may be assigned to the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the Border Service, the State Security Service, or the Ministry of Emergency Situations; women may volunteer (2025) **Military - note:** the military’s principal responsibilities are territorial defense while the National Police, National Guard, Committee for National Security, and Border Service have primary responsibility for internal security, although the military may provide assistance if required; the military also participates in humanitarian and peacekeeping operations, as well as regional exercises; in recent years, Kazakhstan has placed greater emphasis on regional military partnerships and equipment modernization and diversification in order to reduce reliance on Russia, its traditional security partner; other efforts to enhance the country’s security sector have included boosting the capabilities of the National Guard and improving military professionalism Kazakhstan has been a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) since 1994 and has obligated troops to CSTO's rapid reaction force; it also has had a relationship with NATO since 1992 focused on democratic, institutional, and defense reforms (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Aerospace Committee of the Kazakh Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry Ministry (aka National Space Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan or KazCosmos; established 2007) (2025) **Space launch site(s):** Baikonur Cosmodrome/Space Center (Baikonur) (2025) note 1: Baikonur Cosmodrome is leased and administered by Russia until 2050; the cosmodrome was originally built by the Soviet Union in the mid-1950s and is the site of the World's first successful satellite launch (Sputnik) in 1957; it is also the largest space launch facility in the World note 2: in 2018, Kazakhstan and Russia agreed that Kazakhstan would build, maintain, and operate a new space launch facility (Baiterek) at the Baikonur Space Center (estimated to be fully operational in 2027-2028) **Space program overview:** space program originated with the former Soviet Union; focuses on satellite acquisition and operation; builds (with foreign assistance) and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites; building space infrastructure, such as launch and testing facilities, ground stations, and rocket manufacturing; has an astronaut (cosmonaut) program; has relations with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, and the UK; participates in international programs such as the International Space Station; has state-owned and private companies that assist with the country’s space program and work closely with foreign commercial entities (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1991 - first Kazakh in space on the last Soviet Soyuz mission 2006 - first communications satellite (KazSat-1) built jointly with Italy and launched by Russia 2014 - first remote sensing satellite (KazEOSat-1) built by France and launched on European rocket 2024 - joined China-led lunar base project ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 66,152 (2024 est.) IDPs: 0 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 7,865 (2024 est.) --- ## Kenya **Slug:** kenya **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇰🇪 **Codes:** cek: ke, iso2: KE, iso3: KEN, iso_num: 404, genc: KEN, stanag: KEN, internet: .ke ### Introduction **Background:** Trade centers such as Mombasa have existed along the Kenyan and Tanzanian coastlines, known as the Land of Zanj, since at least the 2nd century. These centers traded with the outside world, including China, India, Indonesia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Persia. By around the 9th century, the mix of Africans, Arabs, and Persians who lived and traded there became known as Swahili ("people of the coast") with a distinct language (KiSwahili) and culture. The Portuguese arrived in the 1490s and, using Mombasa as a base, sought to monopolize trade in the Indian Ocean. The Portuguese were pushed out in the late 1600s by the combined forces of Oman and Pate, an island off the coast. In 1890, Germany and the UK divided up the region, with the UK taking the north and the Germans the south, including present-day Tanzania, Burundi, and Rwanda. In 1895, the British established the East Africa Protectorate, which in 1920 was converted into a colony, and named Kenya after its highest mountain. Numerous political disputes between the colony and the UK led to the violent Mau Mau Uprising, which began in 1952, and the eventual declaration of independence in 1963. Jomo KENYATTA, the founding president and an icon of the liberation struggle, led Kenya from independence in 1963 until his death in 1978, when Vice President Daniel Arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982, after which time the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) changed the constitution to make itself the sole legal political party. MOI gave in to internal and external pressure for political liberalization in 1991, but the ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud. MOI stepped down in 2002 after fair and peaceful elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate of the multiethnic, united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), defeated KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA, the son of the founding president, and assumed the presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption platform. Opposition candidate Raila ODINGA challenged KIBAKI's reelection in 2007 on the grounds of widespread vote rigging, leading to two months of ethnic violence that caused more than 1,100 deaths and displaced hundreds of thousands. African Union-sponsored mediation resulted in a power-sharing accord that brought ODINGA into the government as prime minister and outlined a reform agenda. In 2010, Kenyans overwhelmingly voted to adopt a new constitution that eliminated the prime minister, introduced additional checks and balances to executive power, and devolved power and resources to 47 newly created counties. Uhuru KENYATTA won the first presidential election under the new constitution in 2013. He won a second and final term in office in 2017 after a contentious repeat election. In 2022, William RUTO won a close presidential election; he assumed the office the following month after the Kenyan Supreme Court upheld the victory. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania **Geographic coordinates:** 1 00 N, 38 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 580,367 sq km land: 569,140 sq km water: 11,227 sq km **Area - comparative:** five times the size of Ohio; slightly more than twice the size of Nevada **Land boundaries:** total: 3,457 km border countries (5): Ethiopia 867 km; Somalia 684 km; South Sudan 317 km; Tanzania 775 km; Uganda 814 km **Coastline:** 536 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior **Terrain:** low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 762 m **Natural resources:** limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 49.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 36.7% (2023 est.) forest: 6.5% (2023 est.) other: 44% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,030 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Victoria (shared with Tanzania and Uganda) - 62,940 sq km salt water lake(s): Lake Turkana (shared with Ethiopia) - 6,400 sq km **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Ogaden-Juba Basin **Population distribution:** population heavily concentrated in the west along the shore of Lake Victoria; other areas of high density include the capital of Nairobi, and in the southeast along the Indian Ocean coast, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons volcanism: limited volcanic activity; the Barrier (1,032 m) last erupted in 1921; South Island is the only other historically active volcano **Geography - note:** the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on Mount Kenya, Africa's second-highest peak; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value; Lake Victoria, the world's largest tropical lake and the second-largest freshwater lake, is shared among three countries: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda ### People and Society **Population:** total: 55,751,717 (2025 est.) male: 27,857,519 female: 27,894,198 **Nationality:** noun: Kenyan(s) adjective: Kenyan **Ethnic groups:** Kikuyu 17.1%, Luhya 14.3%, Kalenjin 13.4%, Luo 10.7%, Kamba 9.8%, Somali 5.8%, Kisii 5.7%, Mijikenda 5.2%, Meru 4.2%, Maasai 2.5%, Turkana 2.1%, non-Kenyan 1%, other 8.2% (2019 est.) **Languages:** English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English) The World Factbook, Chanzo cha Lazima Kuhusu Habari ya Msingi. (Kiswahili) **Religions:** Christian 85.5% (Protestant 33.4%, Catholic 20.6%, Evangelical 20.4%, African Instituted Churches 7%, other Christian 4.1%), Muslim 10.9%, other 1.8%, none 1.6%, don't know/no answer 0.2% (2019 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 35.8% (male 10,464,384/female 10,366,997) 15-64 years: 60.9% (male 17,731,068/female 17,723,012) 65 years and over: 3.4% (2024 est.) (male 896,348/female 1,064,569) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 64 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 58.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 18.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 21.5 years (2025 est.) male: 21.1 years female: 21.4 years **Population growth rate:** 2.15% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 25.93 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.72 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population heavily concentrated in the west along the shore of Lake Victoria; other areas of high density include the capital of Nairobi, and in the southeast along the Indian Ocean coast, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 29.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 5.325 million NAIROBI (capital), 1.440 million Mombassa (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 20.3 years (2014 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 379 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 26.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 70.4 years (2024 est.) male: 68.6 years female: 72.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.09 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.53 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 86.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 53.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 62.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 13.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 46.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 37.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.5% of GDP (2021) 8.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.29 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 1.3 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 84.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 51.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 60.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 15.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 48.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 39.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 7.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 8.6% (2025 est.) male: 15.5% (2025 est.) female: 1.9% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 9.8% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 53.2% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 2.2% (2022) women married by age 18: 12.5% (2022) men married by age 18: 1.8% (2022) **Education expenditure:** 4% of GDP (2024 est.) 28.5% national budget (2025 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution from urban and industrial wastes and from use of pesticides and fertilizers; flooding; water-hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior **Land use:** agricultural land: 49.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 36.7% (2023 est.) forest: 6.5% (2023 est.) other: 44% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 29.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 19.023 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 3.316 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 15.707 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 12.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 334.4 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,241 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 127.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 32.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 5.595 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 19.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 495 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 303 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 3.234 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 30.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Kenya conventional short form: Kenya local long form: Republic of Kenya (English)/ Jamhuri ya Kenya (Swahili) local short form: Kenya former: British East Africa etymology: named for Mount Kenya; the mountain's name may derive from the Kikuyu word kere nyaga, or "white mountain" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Nairobi geographic coordinates: 1 17 S, 36 49 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name derives from the Maasai expression meaning "cool waters," which was used to refer to a local water hole, Enkare Nairobi **Administrative divisions:** 47 counties; Baringo, Bomet, Bungoma, Busia, Elgeyo/Marakwet, Embu, Garissa, Homa Bay, Isiolo, Kajiado, Kakamega, Kericho, Kiambu, Kilifi, Kirinyaga, Kisii, Kisumu, Kitui, Kwale, Laikipia, Lamu, Machakos, Makueni, Mandera, Marsabit, Meru, Migori, Mombasa, Murang'a, Nairobi City, Nakuru, Nandi, Narok, Nyamira, Nyandarua, Nyeri, Samburu, Siaya, Taita/Taveta, Tana River, Tharaka-Nithi, Trans Nzoia, Turkana, Uasin Gishu, Vihiga, Wajir, West Pokot **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law; Supreme Court reviews laws **Constitution:** history: current constitution passed by referendum on 4 August 2010 amendment process: amendments can be proposed by either house of Parliament or by petition of at least one million eligible voters; passage of amendments by Parliament requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses in each of two readings, approval in a referendum by majority of votes cast by at least 20% of eligible voters in at least one half of Kenya’s counties, and approval by the president; passage of amendments introduced by petition requires approval by a majority of county assemblies, approval by majority vote of both houses, and approval by the president **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kenya dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 4 out of the previous 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President William RUTO (since 13 September 2022) head of government: President William RUTO (since 13 September 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, subject to confirmation by the National Assembly election/appointment process: president and deputy president directly elected on the same ballot by majority vote nationwide and at least 25% of the votes cast in at least 24 of the 47 counties; failure to meet these thresholds requires a runoff between the top two candidates most recent election date: 9 August 2022 election results: 2022: William RUTO elected president in first round; percent of vote - William RUTO (UDA) 50.5%, Raila ODINGA (ODM) 48.9%, other 0.6% expected date of next election: 10 August 2027 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament of Kenya legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly number of seats: 350 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 8/9/2022 parties elected and seats per party: United Democratic Alliance (UDA) (145); Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) (86); Jubilee Party (JP) (28); Wiper Democratic Movement-Kenya (WDM-K) (26); Others (19); Other (45) percentage of women in chamber: 23.4% expected date of next election: August 2027 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 68 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 8/9/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Kenya Kwanza Alliance (33); Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya Coalition Party (32); Other (1) percentage of women in chamber: 31.3% expected date of next election: August 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of chief and deputy chief justices and 5 judges) judge selection and term of office: chief and deputy chief justices nominated by Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and appointed by the president with approval of the National Assembly; other judges nominated by the JSC and appointed by president; chief justice serves a nonrenewable 10-year term or until age 70, whichever comes first; other judges serve until age 70 subordinate courts: High Court; Court of Appeal; military courts; magistrates' courts; religious courts **Political parties:** Azimio La Umoja–One Kenya Coalition Party Amani National Congress or ANC Chama Cha Kazi or CCK Democratic Action Party or DAP-K Democratic Party or DP Forum for the Restoration of Democracy–Kenya or FORD-Kenya Grand Dream Development Party or GDDP Jubilee Party or JP Kenya African National Union or KANU Kenya Kwanza coalition Kenya Union Party or KUP Maendeleo Chap Chap Party or MCC Movement for Democracy and Growth or MDG National Agenda Party or NAP-K National Ordinary People Empowerment Union or NOPEU Orange Democratic Movement or ODM Pamoja African Alliance or PAA] The Service Party or TSP United Democratic Alliance or UDA United Democratic Movement or UDM United Democratic Party or UDP United Party of Independent Alliance or UPIA United Progressive Alliance or UPA Wiper Democratic Movement-Kenya or WDM-K **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador David Kipkorir Kiplagat KERICH (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 2249 R St NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101 FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829 email address and website: information@kenyaembassydc.org https://kenyaembassydc.org/# consulate(s): New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Susan M. BURNS (since 25 August 2025) embassy: P.O. Box 606 Village Market, 00621 Nairobi mailing address: 8900 Nairobi Place, Washington, DC 20521-8900 telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000 FAX: [254] (20) 363-6157 email address and website: kenya_acs@state.gov https://ke.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, C, CD, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCT, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 12 December 1963 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Jamhuri Day (Independence Day), 12 December (1963) note: Madaraka Day, 1 June (1963), marks the day Kenya attained internal self-rule **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a large Maasai warrior's shield covering crossed spears is at the center meaning: black stands for the majority population, red for the blood shed in the struggle for freedom, green for natural wealth, and white for peace; the shield and crossed spears symbolize the defense of freedom **National symbol(s):** lion **National color(s):** black, red, green, white **National coat of arms:** the two lions symbolize protection as they hold a traditional East African shield and spears in defense of freedom and unity; the shield features the national colors: black for the people, green for agriculture and natural resources, red for the struggle for freedom, and white for unity and peace; on the shield, a rooster greets the new day, and the axe represents both authority and the Kenya Africa National Union (KANU) that led the country to independence; at the base of the shield is Mount Kenya, Africa’s second-highest peak; the scroll has the Swahili word Harambee, meaning “all for one” or “pulling together” **National anthem(s):** title: "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu" (O God of All Creation) lyrics/music: Graham HYSLOP, Thomas KALUME, Peter KIBUKOSYA, Washington OMONDI, and George W. SENOGA-ZAKE/traditional, adapted by Graham HYSLOP, Thomas KALUME, Peter KIBUKOSYA, Washington OMONDI, and George W. SENOGA-ZAKE history: adopted 1963; based on a traditional Kenyan folk song **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 8(5 cultural, 3 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Lake Turkana National Parks (n); Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest (n); Lamu Old Town (c); Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests (c); Fort Jesus, Mombasa (c); Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley (n); Thimlich Ohinga Archaeological Site (c); The Historic Town and Archaeological Site of Gedi (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** fast growing, third largest Sub-Saharan economy; strong agriculture sector with emerging services and tourism industries; IMF program to address current account and debt service challenges; business-friendly policies foster infrastructure investment, digital innovation and public-private partnerships; vulnerable to climate change-induced droughts **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $328.632 billion (2024 est.) $314.491 billion (2023 est.) $297.938 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.5% (2024 est.) 5.6% (2023 est.) 4.9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $5,800 (2024 est.) $5,700 (2023 est.) $5,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $124.499 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.5% (2024 est.) 7.7% (2023 est.) 7.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 21.3% (2024 est.) industry: 16.1% (2024 est.) services: 55.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 75.5% (2024 est.) government consumption: 11.5% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 17.7% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -0.9% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 11.1% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -19.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, milk, maize, bananas, tea, potatoes, cassava, cabbages, camel milk, mangoes/guavas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** agriculture, transportation, services, manufacturing, construction, telecommunications, tourism, retail **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 23.781 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.5% (2024 est.) 5.6% (2023 est.) 5.8% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 11.9% (2024 est.) male: 8.3% (2024 est.) female: 16% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 38.6% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 38.7 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 42.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.9% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 31.8% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 3.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $20.202 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $30.924 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 14% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$4.317 billion (2023 est.) -$5.889 billion (2022 est.) -$5.597 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $12.626 billion (2023 est.) $13.954 billion (2022 est.) $11.815 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Uganda 10%, USA 10%, UAE 8%, Netherlands 8%, Pakistan 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** tea, cut flowers, garments, gold, tropical fruits (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $22.046 billion (2023 est.) $24.606 billion (2022 est.) $22.001 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 22%, UAE 14%, India 10%, Saudi Arabia 5%, Malaysia 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, palm oil, wheat, plastics, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $10.067 billion (2024 est.) $7.342 billion (2023 est.) $7.969 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $31.451 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Kenyan shillings (KES) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 134.822 (2024 est.) 139.846 (2023 est.) 117.866 (2022 est.) 109.638 (2021 est.) 106.451 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 76% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 98% electrification - rural areas: 65.6% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 3.824 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 10.002 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 34 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 316 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.069 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 10.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 4.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 15.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 20.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 47.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 1.453 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 30 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1.453 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 113,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 5.486 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 57,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 71.4 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** about a half-dozen large, privately owned media companies with TV and radio stations, as well as a state-owned TV broadcaster, provide service nationwide; satellite and cable TV subscription services available; state-owned radio broadcaster operates 2 national radio channels and provides regional and local radio services in multiple languages; many private radio stations broadcast nationally, with over 100 private and non-profit regional stations broadcasting in local languages; TV transmissions of all major international broadcasters available, mostly via paid subscriptions (2019) **Internet country code:** .ke **Internet users:** percent of population: 35% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.32 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 5Y **Airports:** 368 (2025) **Railways:** total: 3,819 km (2018) standard gauge: 485 km (2018) 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 3,334 km (2018) 1.000-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 26 (2023) by type: oil tanker 4, other 22 **Ports:** total ports: 4 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 2 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Kilifi, Lamu, Malindi, Mombasa ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Kenya Defense Forces (KDF): Kenya Army, Kenya Navy, Kenya Air Force Ministry of Interior: National Police Service, Kenya Coast Guard (2025) note: the National Police Service maintains internal security and includes a paramilitary General Service Unit and Rapid Deployment Unit, as well as a Border Police Unit **Military expenditures:** 1.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 25,000 active Kenya Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the KDF's inventory is a mix of older, donated/secondhand, and some modern weapon systems from a variety of sources; major suppliers have included China, France, South Africa, Türkiye, the UK, and the US; in 2023, the Kenyan Government unveiled a five-year defense spending plan with a focus on upgraded military equipment, including aerial surveillance drones, tactical vehicles, and air defense systems (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-26 years of age for voluntary service for men and women (under 18 with parental consent; upper limit 30 years of age for specialists, tradesmen, or women with a diploma; 39 years of age for chaplains/imams); 7-9 year service obligations (2026) **Military deployments:** 400 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); approximately 1,400 Somalia (African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia or AUSSOM) (2025) **Military - note:** the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) are responsible for protecting the country's sovereignty and territory and assisting civil authorities in responding to emergency, disaster, or political unrest as requested; the KDF's chief security concerns include regional disputes and instability, maritime crime and piracy, and the threat posed by the Somalia-based al-Shabaab terrorist group, which has conducted attacks inside Kenya; it has conducted operations in neighboring Somalia since 2011 and taken part in numerous regional peacekeeping and security missions; the KDF is a leading member of the Africa Standby Force; it participates in multinational exercises, and has ties to a variety of foreign militaries, including those of France, the UK, and the US the Kenya Military Forces were created following independence in 1963; the current KDF was established and its composition laid out in the 2010 constitution; it is governed by the Kenya Defense Forces Act of 2012; the Army traces its origins back to the Kings African Rifles (KAR), a British colonial regiment raised from Britain's East Africa possessions from 1902 until independence in the 1960s; the KAR conducted both military and internal security functions within the colonial territories, and served outside the territories during both World Wars (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Kenya Space Agency (KSA; established 2017) (2025) note: KSA's predecessor, the National Space Secretariat, was established in 2009 **Space launch site(s):** Luigi Broglio Space Center (aka Malindi Space Center, Malindi Station, San Marco Satellite Launching and Tracking Station; Kilifi County; over 20 sounding rockets and nine satellites launched from the site, 1967-1989); in 2020, Kenya concluded a new deal with Italy to conduct rocket launches from the site again in the future (2025) **Space program overview:** has a national space strategy focused on acquiring and applying space technologies for agriculture, communications, disaster and resource management, security, urban planning, and weather monitoring; jointly develops and builds nanosatellites with foreign partners; operates satellites; researching and developing satellite payloads and imagery data analysis capabilities; has cooperated on space issues with China, Japan, India, Italy, and the US, as well as a variety of African partners; member of the African Space Agency (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1970 - first satellite (US-made Uhura) launched from Kenya 2008 - established country's first satellite ground station 2018 - first remote-sensing (RS)/technology-demonstrator cube nanosatellite (1KUNS-PF) produced jointly with Japan and Italy and deployed from the International Space Station 2023 - first domestically designed RS satellite (TAIFA-1) built by Bulgaria and launched by US ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): al-Shabaab note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 823,904 (2024 est.) IDPs: 284,886 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 9,800 (2024 est.) --- ## Kiribati **Slug:** kiribati **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇰🇮 **Codes:** cek: kr, iso2: KI, iso3: KIR, iso_num: 296, genc: KIR, stanag: KIR, internet: .ki ### Introduction **Background:** Kiribati is made up of three distinct island groups -- the Gilbert Islands, the Line Islands, and the Phoenix Islands. The first Austronesian voyagers arrived in the Gilbert Islands as early as 3000 B.C., but these islands were not widely settled until about A.D. 200 by Micronesians. Around 1300, Samoans and Tongans invaded the southern Gilbert Islands, then known as Tungaru, bringing Polynesian cultural elements with them. Later arrivals of Fijians brought Melanesian elements to the Gilbert Islands, and extensive intermarriage between the Micronesian, Polynesian, and Melanesian people led to the creation of what would become Gilbertese cultural traditions by the time Europeans spotted the islands in the 1600s. The Phoenix Islands and Line Islands were both visited by various Melanesian and Polynesian peoples, but their isolation and lack of natural resources meant that long-term settlements were not possible. Both island groups were uninhabited by the time of European contact. Kiribati experienced sustained European contact by the 1760s; all three island groups were named and charted by 1826. American whaling ships frequently passed through the islands, and the UK declared a protectorate over the Gilbert and nearby Ellice Islands in 1892, in an attempt to block growing US influence. Phosphate-rich Banaba Island was annexed to the protectorate in 1900. In 1916, the protectorate became a colony, and some Line Islands were added in 1916 and 1919, with the final ones added in 1972. The Phoenix Islands were added to the colony in 1937, and the UK agreed to share jurisdiction of some with the US because of their strategic location for aviation. During World War II, the islands were occupied by Japanese forces but were ejected by US amphibious assaults. The Ellice Islands became its own colony in 1974 and was renamed Tuvalu for “eight standing together” in 1975. The Gilbert Islands became fully self-governing in 1977 and independent in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati, the Gilbertese spelling of Gilberts. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Islands in a 1979 treaty of friendship. In 2012, Kiribati purchased a 22 sq km (8.5 sq mi) plot of land in Fiji for potential eventual resettlement of its population because of climate change, and in 2014 Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe BAINIMARAMA said residents of Kiribati would be welcome to relocate to Fiji if their country is swamped by rising sea levels. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, group of 32 coral atolls and one raised coral island in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about halfway between Hawaii and Australia **Geographic coordinates:** 1 25 N, 173 00 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 811 sq km land: 811 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes three island groups -- Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, and Phoenix Islands -- dispersed over about 3.5 million sq km (1.35 million sq mi) **Area - comparative:** four times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 1,143 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds **Terrain:** mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs **Elevation:** highest point: unnamed elevation on Banaba 81 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 2 m **Natural resources:** phosphate (production discontinued in 1979), coconuts (copra), fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 42% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 39.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 1.3% (2023 est.) other: 56.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** consists of three archipelagos spread out over an area roughly the size of India; the eastern Line Islands and central Phoenix Islands are sparsely populated, but the western Gilbert Islands are some of the most densely settled places on earth, with the main island of South Tarawa boasting a population density similar to Tokyo or Hong Kong **Natural hazards:** typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level **Geography - note:** 21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean -- the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru; Kiribati is the only country in the world to fall into all four hemispheres (northern, southern, eastern, and western) ### People and Society **Population:** total: 117,702 (2025 est.) male: 56,866 female: 60,836 **Nationality:** noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural) adjective: Kiribati **Ethnic groups:** I-Kiribati 95.78%, I-Kiribati/mixed 3.8%, Tuvaluan 0.2%, other 1.7% (2020 est.) **Languages:** Gilbertese, English (official) **Religions:** Roman Catholic 58.9%, Kiribati Uniting Church 21.2%, Kiribati Protestant Church 8.4%, Church of Jesus Christ 5.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.1%, Baha'i 2.1%, other 1.7% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 26.8% (male 15,895/female 15,304) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 38,046/female 41,059) 65 years and over: 5.4% (2024 est.) (male 2,423/female 3,818) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 47.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 39.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 8.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 12.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 27.7 years (2025 est.) male: 26.4 years female: 28.2 years **Population growth rate:** 0.98% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 19.4 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** consists of three archipelagos spread out over an area roughly the size of India; the eastern Line Islands and central Phoenix Islands are sparsely populated, but the western Gilbert Islands are some of the most densely settled places on earth, with the main island of South Tarawa boasting a population density similar to Tokyo or Hong Kong **Urbanization:** urban population: 57.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 64,000 TARAWA (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 23.1 years (2009 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 80 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 30.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 33.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 29.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 68.5 years (2024 est.) male: 65.9 years female: 71.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.13 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.04 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 87.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 59.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 75.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 12.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 40.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 24.3% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 14.8% of GDP (2021) 9.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.2 physicians/1,000 population (2013) **Hospital bed density:** 1.9 beds/1,000 population (2016 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 72.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 48.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 62.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 27.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 51.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 37.9% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 46% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 35.4% (2025 est.) male: 48.4% (2025 est.) female: 23.6% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 6.9% (2018 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 67.4% (2020 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 2.4% (2019) women married by age 18: 18.4% (2019) men married by age 18: 8.6% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 16.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 20.1% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 98.6% (2020 est.) male: 98.6% (2020 est.) female: 98.9% (2020 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to overcrowding mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; coastal erosion **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds **Land use:** agricultural land: 42% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 39.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 1.3% (2023 est.) other: 56.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 57.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 81,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 81,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 35,700 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.4% (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati conventional short form: Kiribati local long form: Republic of Kiribati local short form: Kiribati former: Gilbert Islands etymology: the name is the local pronunciation of "Gilbert," the former designation of the islands; originally named after explorer Thomas GILBERT, who mapped many of the islands in 1788 note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Tarawa geographic coordinates: 1 21 N, 173 02 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: Kiribati has three time zones: the Gilbert Islands group at UTC+12, the Phoenix Islands at UTC+13, and the Line Islands at UTC+14 etymology: the name is said to derive from the I-Kiribati words te (the) and rawa (run), referring to a channel through a nearby reef **Administrative divisions:** 3 geographical units: Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; there are no first-order administrative divisions, but the 6 districts are Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa, with 21 island councils on Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina **Legal system:** English common law supplemented by customary law **Constitution:** history: The Gilbert and Ellice Islands Order in Council 1915, The Gilbert Islands Order in Council 1975 (pre-independence); latest promulgated 12 July 1979 (at independence) amendment process: proposed by the House of Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership; passage of amendments affecting the constitutional section on amendment procedures and parts of the constitutional chapter on citizenship requires deferral of the proposal to the next Assembly meeting where approval is required by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership and support of the nominated or elected Banaban member of the Assembly; amendments affecting the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms also requires approval by at least two-thirds majority in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Kiribati dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Taneti MAAMAU (since 11 March 2016) head of government: President Taneti MAAMAU (since 11 March 2016) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among House of Assembly members election/appointment process: president directly elected for a 4-year term (eligible for 2 additional terms) by simple-majority popular vote, after candidates are nominated from among House of Assembly members; vice president appointed by the president most recent election date: 25 October 2024 election results: 2024: Taneti MAAMAU reelected president; percent of vote - Taneti MAAMAU (TKP) 55%, Kaotitaake KOKORIA (independent) 42%, Bautaake BEIA (TKP) 3% 2020: Taneti MAAMAU reelected president; percent of vote - Taneti MAAMAU (TKP) 59.3%, Banuera BERINA (BKM) 40.7% expected date of next election: 2028 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 45 (44 directly elected; 1 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 8/14/2024 to 8/19/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 11.1% expected date of next election: August 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): High Court (consists of a chief justice and other judges as prescribed by the president) judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president on the advice of the cabinet in consultation with the Public Service Commission (PSC); other judges appointed by the president on the advice of the chief justice along with the PSC subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; magistrates' courts **Political parties:** Boutokaan Kiribati Moa Party or BKM Kiribati Moa Party or KMP Kamanoan Kiribati Party or KKP Tobwaan Kiribati Party or TKP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Teburoro TITO (since 24 January 2018); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN chancery: 685 Third Avenue, Suite 1109, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 867-3310 FAX: [1] (212) 867-3320 email address and website: Kimission.newyork@mfa.gov.ki **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Marie DAMOUR (since 6 December 2022); note - Ambassador DAMOUR is based in the US Embassy in the Republic of Fiji and is accredited to Kiribati as well as Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu Note: the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati but has announced its intention to open an embassy **International organization participation:** ABEDA, ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO **Independence:** 12 July 1979 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 12 July (1979) **Flag:** description: the upper half is red with a yellow frigatebird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three wavy horizontal white stripes to represent the Pacific Ocean meaning: the white stripes represent the Gilbert, Line, and Phoenix island groups; the 17 rays of the sun represent the 16 Gilbert Islands and Banaba (formerly Ocean Island); the frigatebird symbolizes authority and freedom **National symbol(s):** frigatebird **National color(s):** red, white, blue, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Teirake kaini Kiribati" (Stand Up, Kiribati) lyrics/music: Urium Tamuera IOTEBA history: adopted 1979 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Phoenix Islands Protected Area ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower-middle income, Pacific island economy; environmentally fragile; sizable remittances; key phosphate mining fund; tourism and fishing industries; public sector-dominated economy; recent withdrawal from Pacific Islands Forum; ongoing constitutional crisis **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $438.143 million (2024 est.) $416.221 million (2023 est.) $405.468 million (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5.3% (2024 est.) 2.7% (2023 est.) 4.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $3,300 (2024 est.) $3,100 (2023 est.) $3,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $307.863 million (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 9.3% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) 2.1% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 27.8% (2022 est.) industry: 9.9% (2022 est.) services: 65.7% (2022 est.) **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 101.2% (2022 est.) government consumption: 61.7% (2022 est.) investment in fixed capital: 19.1% (2022 est.) investment in inventories: 1.3% (2022 est.) exports of goods and services: 7.6% (2022 est.) imports of goods and services: -100.5% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** coconuts, bananas, vegetables, taro, tropical fruits, pork, chicken, nuts, eggs, pork offal (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** fishing, handicrafts **Industrial production growth rate:** -6.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Population below poverty line:** 21.9% (2019 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 27.8 (2019 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 4% (2019 est.) highest 10%: 22.8% (2019 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 4% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 4.7% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $260.557 million (2023 est.) expenditures: $264.736 million (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 17.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$5.117 million (2023 est.) -$32.523 million (2022 est.) $20.251 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $17.099 million (2023 est.) $20.58 million (2022 est.) $10.754 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Thailand 85%, Japan 6%, Philippines 3%, UAE 2%, Fiji 1% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fish, coconut oil (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports:** $293.624 million (2023 est.) $272.004 million (2022 est.) $201.984 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 24%, Australia 20%, Fiji 15%, Japan 7%, NZ 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** ships, centrifuges, refined petroleum, rice, raw sugar (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.515 (2024 est.) 1.505 (2023 est.) 1.442 (2022 est.) 1.331 (2021 est.) 1.453 (2020 est.) note: the Australian dollar circulates as legal tender ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 94.4% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 86% electrification - rural areas: 94.3% (2020 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 12,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 27.388 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 5 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 81.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 18.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 500 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 8.578 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 14 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 72,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 54 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** multi-channel TV packages provide access to Australian and US stations; 1 government-operated radio station broadcasts on AM, FM, and shortwave (2017) **Internet country code:** .ki **Internet users:** percent of population: 88% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 0 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** T3 **Airports:** 21 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 74 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 2, general cargo 24, oil tanker 11, other 37 **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Canton Island, English Harbor, Tarawa Atoll ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Kiribati Police Service (includes Maritime Police) (2025) **Military - note:** Australia, NZ, and the US have provided security assistance; Kiribati has a "ship rider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Kiribati's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; ship rider agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025) --- ## Korea, North **Slug:** korea-north **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇰🇵 **Codes:** cek: kn, iso2: KP, iso3: PRK, iso_num: 408, genc: PRK, stanag: PRK, internet: .kp ### Introduction **Background:** The first recorded kingdom (Choson) on the Korean Peninsula dates from approximately 2300 B.C. Over the subsequent centuries, three main kingdoms -- Kogoryo, Paekche, and Silla -- were established on the Peninsula. By the 5th century A.D., Kogoryo emerged as the most powerful, with control over much of the Peninsula and part of Manchuria (modern-day northeast China). However, Silla allied with the Chinese to create the first unified Korean state in 688. Following the collapse of Silla in the 9th century, Korea was unified under the Koryo (Goryeo; 918-1392) and the Chosen (Joseon; 1392-1910) dynasties. Korea became the object of intense imperialistic rivalry among the Chinese (its traditional benefactor), Japanese, and Russian empires in the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. After the Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05), Korea was occupied by Imperial Japan. In 1910, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. After World War II, the northern half came under Soviet-sponsored communist control. In 1948, North Korea (formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea or DPRK) was founded under President KIM Il Sung, who consolidated power and cemented autocratic one-party rule under the Korean Worker's Party (KWP). North Korea failed to conquer UN-backed South Korea (formally the Republic of Korea or ROK) during the Korean War (1950-53), after which a demilitarized zone separated the two Koreas. KIM's authoritarian rule included tight control over North Korean citizens and the demonization of the US as the central threat to North Korea's political and social system. In addition, he molded the country's economic, military, and political policies around the core objective of unifying Korea under Pyongyang's control. North Korea also declared a central ideology of juche ("self-reliance") as a check against outside influence, while continuing to rely heavily on China and the Soviet Union for economic support. KIM Il Sung's son, KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, and he assumed a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. Under KIM Jong Il's reign, North Korea continued developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. KIM Jong Un was publicly unveiled as his father's successor in 2010. Following KIM Jong Il's death in 2011, KIM Jong Un quickly assumed power and has since occupied the regime's highest political and military posts. After the end of Soviet aid in 1991, North Korea faced serious economic setbacks that exacerbated decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation. Since the mid-1990s, North Korea has faced chronic food shortages and economic stagnation. In recent years, the North's domestic agricultural production has improved but still falls far short of producing sufficient food for its population. Starting in 2002, North Korea began to tolerate semi-private markets but has made few other efforts to meet its goal of improving the overall standard of living. New economic development plans in the 2010s failed to meet government-mandated goals for key industrial sectors, food production, or overall economic performance. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, North Korea instituted a nationwide lockdown that severely restricted its economy and international engagement. Since then, KIM has repeatedly expressed concerns with the regime's economic failures and food problems, but in 2021, he vowed to continue "self-reliant" policies and has reinvigorated his pursuit of greater regime control of the economy. As of 2024, despite slowly renewing cross-border trade with China, North Korea remained one of the world's most isolated countries and one of Asia's poorest. In 2024, Pyongyang announced it was ending all economic cooperation with South Korea. The move followed earlier proclamations that it was scrapping a 2018 military pact with South Korea to de-escalate tensions along their militarized border, abandoning the country’s decades-long pursuit of peaceful unification with South Korea, and designating the South as North Korea’s “principal enemy.” ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea **Geographic coordinates:** 40 00 N, 127 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 120,538 sq km land: 120,408 sq km water: 130 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Virginia; slightly smaller than Mississippi **Land boundaries:** total: 1,607 km border countries (3): China 1,352 km; South Korea 237 km; Russia 18 km **Coastline:** 2,495 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned **Climate:** temperate, with rainfall concentrated in summer; long, bitter winters **Terrain:** mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; wide coastal plains in west, discontinuous in east **Elevation:** highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m mean elevation: 600 m **Natural resources:** coal, iron ore, limestone, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, precious metals, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 21.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 19.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.4% (2023 est.) forest: 64% (2023 est.) other: 14.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 14,600 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** population concentrated in the plains and lowlands; least-populated regions are the mountainous provinces adjacent to the Chinese border; largest concentrations are in the western provinces, particularly the municipal district of Pyongyang, and around Hungnam and Wonsan in the east **Natural hazards:** late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall volcanism: P'aektu-san (2,744 m) (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu, or Changbaishan), on the Chinese border, is considered historically active **Geography - note:** strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated ### People and Society **Population:** total: 26,402,841 (2025 est.) male: 12,884,269 female: 13,518,572 **Nationality:** noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean **Ethnic groups:** racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese **Languages:** Korean major-language sample(s): 월드 팩트북, 필수적인 기본 정보 제공처 (Korean) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** traditionally Buddhist and Confucian, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way) note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 19.9% (male 2,673,822/female 2,548,775) 15-64 years: 68.9% (male 9,054,771/female 9,066,447) 65 years and over: 11.2% (2024 est.) (male 1,099,676/female 1,855,175) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 45.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 28.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 16.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 36.2 years (2025 est.) male: 34.5 years female: 37.4 years **Population growth rate:** 0.4% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 12.99 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.01 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population concentrated in the plains and lowlands; least-populated regions are the mountainous provinces adjacent to the Chinese border; largest concentrations are in the western provinces, particularly the municipal district of Pyongyang, and around Hungnam and Wonsan in the east **Urbanization:** urban population: 63.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.158 million PYONGYANG (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 67 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 14.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 16.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 73.5 years (2024 est.) male: 70.2 years female: 77 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.8 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.87 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 96.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 88.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 93.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 3.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 11.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 6.1% of population (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.63 physicians/1,000 population (2017) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 92.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 73.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 85.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 7.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 26.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 14.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 6.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.61 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 3.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 16% (2025 est.) male: 32.6% (2025 est.) female: 0% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 9.3% (2017 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 68.2% (2017 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0% (2017) women married by age 18: 0.1% (2017) men married by age 18: 0% (2017) **Education expenditure:** 14.6% national budget (2025 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 12 years (2018 est.) male: 12 years (2018 est.) female: 12 years (2018 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution; inadequate potable water; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Law of the Sea **Climate:** temperate, with rainfall concentrated in summer; long, bitter winters **Land use:** agricultural land: 21.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 19.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.4% (2023 est.) forest: 64% (2023 est.) other: 14.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 63.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 55.744 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 52.985 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.759 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 41.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 902.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.145 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 6.61 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 77.15 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 (2025) global geoparks and regional networks: Mt Paektu (2025) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea conventional short form: North Korea local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk local short form: Choson abbreviation: DPRK etymology: derived from the Chinese name for Goryeo, which was the Korean dynasty that united the peninsula in the 10th century A.D.; the North Korean name "Choson" means "[Land of the] Morning Calm" **Government type:** dictatorship, single-party communist state **Capital:** name: Pyongyang geographic coordinates: 39 01 N, 125 45 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: on 5 May 2018, North Korea reverted to UTC+9, the same time zone as South Korea etymology: the name translates as "flat land" in Korean **Administrative divisions:** 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 special administration cities (si, singular and plural) provinces: Chagang, Hambuk (North Hamgyong), Hamnam (South Hamgyong), Hwangbuk (North Hwanghae), Hwangnam (South Hwanghae), Kangwon, P'yongbuk (North Pyongan), P'yongnam (South Pyongan), Ryanggang special administration cities: Kaesong, Nampo, P'yongyang, Rason note: P'yongyang is considered a directly controlled city; Kaesong, Nampo, and Rason are designated as special cities **Legal system:** civil law system based on the Prussian model; influenced by Japanese traditions and Communist legal theory **Constitution:** history: previous 1948, 1972; latest adopted 1998 amendment process: proposed by the Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA); passage requires more than two-thirds majority vote of the total SPA membership **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of North Korea dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: unknown **Suffrage:** 17 years of age; universal and compulsory **Executive branch:** chief of state: State Affairs Commission President KIM Jong Un (since 17 December 2011) head of government: Supreme People's Assembly President CHOE Ryong Hae (since 11 April 2019) cabinet: Cabinet or Naegak members appointed by the Supreme People's Assembly, except the Minister of People's Armed Forces election/appointment process: chief of state and premier indirectly elected by the Supreme People's Assembly most recent election date: 11 April 2019 election results: 2019: KIM Jong Un reelected unopposed expected date of next election: March 2024 note 1: KIM Jong Un's titles include general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (KWP), chairman of the KWP Central Military Commission, president of the State Affairs Commission, and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army note 2: in the North Korean system, KIM Jong Un's role as chief of state is secondary to his role as general secretary of the Korean Workers' Party; chief of state is used to engage with non-communist countries such as the US; North Korea revised its constitution in 2019 to define "the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission" as "the supreme leader who represents the state"; functions as the commander-in-chief and chief executive; the specific titles associated with this office have changed multiple times under KIM's tenure, but KIM Jong Un has been supreme leader since his father's death in 2011 note 3: the head of government functions as the technical head of state and performs related duties, such as receiving ambassadors' credentials **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Supreme People's Assembly (Choe Go In Min Hoe Ui) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 687 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/10/2019 percentage of women in chamber: 17.6% expected date of next election: December 2025 note: the SPA functions as a rubberstamp legislature; the Korean Workers' Party selects all candidates **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Central Court (consists of one judge and 2 "People's Assessors" or, for some cases, 3 judges) judge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Supreme People's Assembly for 5-year terms subordinate courts: lower provincial courts as determined by the Supreme People's Assembly **Political parties:** major parties: Korean Workers' Party or KWP (formally known as Workers' Party of Korea) General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon; under KWP control) minor parties: Chondoist Chongu Party (under KWP control) Social Democratic Party or KSDP (under KWP control) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none note: North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none; the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as consular protecting power **International organization participation:** ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IMSO, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO **Independence:** 15 August 1945 (from Japan) **National holiday:** Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9 September (1948) **Flag:** description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple-width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the left side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star meaning: the red band stands for revolutionary traditions, the white for purity, strength, and dignity; blue for sovereignty, peace, and friendship; the red star represents socialism **National symbol(s):** red star, chollima (winged horse) **National color(s):** red, white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "Aegukka" (Patriotic Song) lyrics/music: PAK Se Yong/KIM Won Gyun history: adopted 1947; North Korea's and South Korea's anthems have the same name and a similar melody, but different lyrics; the North Korean anthem is also known as "Ach'imun pinnara" (Let Morning Shine) **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural, one mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Koguryo Tombs Complex; Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong; Mount Kumgang – Diamond Mountain from the Sea (m) ### Economy **Economic overview:** one of the last centrally planned economies; hard hit by COVID-19, crop failures, international sanctions, and isolationist policies; declining growth and trade, and heavily reliant on China; poor exchange rate stability; economic data integrity issues **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $15.416 billion (2023 est.) $14.959 billion (2022 est.) $14.982 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **Real GDP per capita:** $600 (2023 est.) $600 (2022 est.) $600 (2021 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $16.447 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Agricultural products:** maize, vegetables, rice, apples, cabbages, fruits, sweet potatoes, potatoes, beans, soybeans (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, limestone, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism **Labor force:** 17.637 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.9% (2024 est.) 2.9% (2023 est.) 2.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 6.8% (2024 est.) male: 6.1% (2024 est.) female: 7.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Exports - partners:** China 74%, Poland 3%, Senegal 3%, Angola 3%, Austria 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fake hair, iron alloys, tungsten ore, electricity, cars (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports - partners:** China 97%, Togo 1%, Peru 1%, Gabon 1%, India 0% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** processed hair, plastic products, garments, fabric, soybean oil (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** North Korean won (KPW) per US dollar (average market rate) Exchange rates: 135 (2017 est.) 130 (2016 est.) 130 (2015 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 54.7% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 8.357 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 22.448 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 4.101 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 36.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 62.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 21.928 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 22.105 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 10.6 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 18,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 23.83 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.18 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 6.35 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** no independent media; radios and TVs are pre-tuned to government stations; 4 state-owned TV stations; the Korean Workers' Party owns and operates the Korean Central Broadcasting Station, and the state-run Voice of Korea operates an external broadcast service; the government prohibits listening to and jams foreign broadcasts (2019) **Internet country code:** .kp ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** P **Airports:** 81 (2025) **Heliports:** 8 (2025) **Railways:** total: 7,435 km (2014) standard gauge: 7,435 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (5,400 km electrified) note: figures are approximate; some narrow-gauge railway also exists **Merchant marine:** total: 264 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 10, container ship 5, general cargo 191, oil tanker 29, other 29 **Ports:** total ports: 10 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 7 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Ch'ongjin, Haeju Hang, Hungnam, Najin, Nampo, Senbong, Wonsan ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Korean People's Army (KPA): KPA Ground Forces, KPA Navy, KPA Air Force and Air Defense Forces, KPA Strategic Forces (missile forces), KPA Special Forces (special operations forces); Security Guard Command (aka Bodyguard Command); Military Security Command Ministry of Social Security (formerly Ministry of Public Security): Border Guard General Bureau, civil security forces; Ministry of State Security: internal security, investigations (2025) note 1: Kim Jong Un is the KPA supreme commander, while operational control of the armed forces resides in the General Staff Department (GSD), which reports directly to Kim; the GSD maintains overall control of all military forces and is charged with turning Kim’s directives into operational military orders; the Ministry of National Defense (MND) is responsible for administrative control of the military and external relations with foreign militaries note 2: the Security Guard Command protects the Kim family, other senior leadership figures, and government facilities note 4: the North also has a large paramilitary/militia force organized into the Worker Peasant Red Guard and Red Youth Guard; these organizations are present at all levels of government (province, county, ward) and are under the control of the Korean Workers' Party in peacetime, but revert to KPA control in crisis or war; they are often mobilized for domestic projects, such as road building and agricultural support **Military expenditures:** defense spending is a regime priority; between 2010 and 2020, military expenditures accounted for an estimated 20-30% of North Korea's GDP annually; spending estimates ranged from $7 billion to $11 billion annually; in 2024, North Korea announced that it would spend nearly 16% of state expenditures on defense; North Korea in the 2010s and 2020s has increasingly relied on illicit activities — including cybercrime — to generate revenue for its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs to evade US and UN sanctions **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimates vary; as many as 1.3 million active-duty Korean People's Army (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the KPA is equipped with older weapon systems acquired from China, Russia, and the former Soviet Union, as well as some domestically produced armaments; North Korea produces an array of military hardware, including armored vehicles, artillery, munitions, naval vessels, and some advanced weapons systems, such as cruise and ballistic missiles; most are copies or upgrades of older foreign supplied equipment (2025) note: since 2006, the UN Security Council has passed nearly a dozen resolutions sanctioning North Korea for developing nuclear weapons and related activities, starting with Resolution 1718, which condemned the North's first nuclear test and placed sanctions on the supply of heavy weaponry (including tanks, armored combat vehicles, large caliber artillery, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, and missiles and missile launchers), missile technology and material, and select luxury goods; additional resolutions have expanded to include all arms, including small arms and light weapons; the US and other countries have also imposed unilateral sanctions **Military service age and obligation:** compulsory military service for men (17-30 years of age) and women (17-23 years of age); service obligation is reportedly up to 10 years for men and up to 7 years for women (2025) **Military deployments:** estimated 10-12,000 Russia (2025) **Military - note:** the Korean People's Army (KPA) is one of the World’s largest military forces; founded in 1948, the KPA’s primary responsibilities are national defense and protection of the Kim regime; it also provides support to domestic economic projects such as agriculture production and infrastructure construction; North Korea views South Korea and the US as its primary external threats and Russia as its closest security partner in addition to the invasion of South Korea and the subsequent Korean War (1950-53), North Korea from the 1960s to the 1980s launched a number of military and subversive actions against South Korea; including skirmishes along the DMZ, overt attempts to assassinate South Korean leaders, kidnappings, the bombing of an airliner, and a failed effort in 1968 to foment an insurrection and conduct a guerrilla war in the South with more than 100 seaborne commandos; from the 1990s until 2010, the North lost two submarines and a semi-submersible boat attempting to insert infiltrators into the South (1996, 1998) and provoked several engagements in the Northwest Islands area along the disputed Northern Limit Line (NLL), including naval skirmishes between patrol boats in 1999 and 2002, the torpedoing and sinking of a South Korean Navy corvette in 2010, and the bombardment of a South Korean military installation on Yeonpyeong Island, also in 2010; since 2010, further minor incidents continue to occur periodically along the DMZ, where both the KPA and the South Korean military maintain large numbers of troops North Korea also has a history of provocative regional military actions and posturing that are of major concern to the international community, including: proliferation of military-related items; ballistic and cruise missile development and testing; weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs including tests of nuclear devices in 2006, 2009, 2013, 2016, and 2017; and large conventional armed forces (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** National Aerospace Technology Administration (NATA; established 2013; re-named in 2023 from the National Aerospace Development Administration or NADA); State Space Development Bureau; Academy of National Defense Science; Ministry of People’s Armed Forces (2025) note: the predecessor of NATA/NADA was the Korean Committee of Space Technology (KCST), which was established in the 1980s **Space launch site(s):** Sohae Satellite Launching Station (aka Tongch'ang-dong Space Launch Center; North Pyongan province); Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground (North Hamgyong province) (2025) **Space program overview:** North Korea’s leader has emphasized the development of space capabilities, particularly satellite launch vehicles (SLVs) and remote sensing satellites; manufactures satellites and rockets/SLVs; independently launches rockets/SLVs; SLV program is viewed as closely related to the country's development of intercontinental ballistic missiles; passed a national space law in 2013, and revised it in 2022 to allow for the use of space for national defense; has cooperated with Iran on space-related technologies, and signed a mutual defense treaty with Russia in 2024 that stated the two countries would “develop exchanges and joint research in science and technology, including space” (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1980s - initiated space program 1998 - failed first attempt to place a satellite in orbit on a 3-stage Paektusan-1 satellite launch vehicle (SLV) 2012 - successfully placed first satellite (Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 or Bright Star-3) in orbit on Unha-3 SLV (satellite failed to operate) 2016 - second satellite (Kwangmyŏngsŏng-4) placed in orbit on Unha-3 SLV (reportedly a remote sensing (RS) satellite that also failed to operate) 2023 - placed a military RS satellite (Malligyong-1) in orbit on Chollima-1 SLV 2024 - failed attempt to place a second military RS satellite in orbit on new type SLV ### Transnational Issues **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — the government of North Korea does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, North Korea remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/north-korea/ --- ## Korea, South **Slug:** korea-south **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇰🇷 **Codes:** cek: ks, iso2: KR, iso3: KOR, iso_num: 410, genc: KOR, stanag: KOR, internet: .kr ### Introduction **Background:** The first recorded kingdom (Choson) on the Korean Peninsula dates from approximately 2300 B.C. Over the subsequent centuries, three main kingdoms -- Kogoryo, Baekche, and Silla -- were established on the Peninsula. By the 5th century A.D., Kogoryo emerged as the most powerful, with control over much of the Peninsula and part of Manchuria (modern-day northeast China). However, Silla allied with the Chinese to create the first unified Korean state in 688. Following the collapse of Silla in the 9th century, Korea was unified under the Koryo (Goryeo; 918-1392) and the Chosen (Joseon; 1392-1910) dynasties. Korea became the object of intense imperialistic rivalry among the Chinese (its traditional benefactor), Japanese, and Russian empires in the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. After the Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), Korea was occupied by Imperial Japan. In 1910, Japan formally annexed the entire Peninsula. Korea regained its independence after Japan's surrender to the US and its allies in 1945. A US-supported democratic government (Republic of Korea, ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula, while a communist-style government backed by the Soviet Union was installed in the north (North Korea; aka Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside ROK soldiers to defend South Korea from a North Korean invasion supported by communist China and the Soviet Union. After the 1953 armistice, the two Koreas were separated by a demilitarized zone. Syngman RHEE led the country as its first president from 1948 to 1960. PARK Chung-hee took over leadership of the country in a 1961 coup. During his controversial rule (1961-79), South Korea achieved rapid economic growth, with per capita income rising to roughly 17 times the level of North Korea by 1979. PARK was assassinated in 1979, and subsequent years were marked by political turmoil and continued military rule as the country's pro-democracy movement grew. South Korea held its first free presidential election under a revised democratic constitution in 1987, with former South Korean Army general ROH Tae-woo winning a close race. In 1993, KIM Young-sam became the first civilian president of South Korea's new democratic era. President KIM Dae-jung (1998-2003) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his contributions to South Korean democracy and his "Sunshine Policy" of engagement with North Korea. President PARK Geun-hye, daughter of former South Korean President PARK Chung-hee, took office in 2013 as South Korea's first female leader. In 2016, the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against PARK over her alleged involvement in a corruption and influence-peddling scandal, triggering an early presidential election in 2017 won by MOON Jae-in. In 2022, longtime prosecutor and political newcomer YOON Suk Yeol won the presidency by the slimmest margin in South Korean history. Discord and tensions with North Korea, punctuated by North Korean military provocations, missile launches, and nuclear tests, have permeated inter-Korean relations for years. Relations remained strained, despite a period of respite in 2018-2019 ushered in by North Korea's participation in the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in South Korea and high-level diplomatic meetings, including historic US-North Korea summits. In 2024, Pyongyang announced it was ending all economic cooperation with South Korea, a move that followed earlier proclamations that it was scrapping a 2018 military pact to de-escalate tensions along their militarized border, abandoning the country’s decades-long pursuit of peaceful unification with South Korea, and designating the South as North Korea’s “principal enemy.” ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea **Geographic coordinates:** 37 00 N, 127 30 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 99,720 sq km land: 96,920 sq km water: 2,800 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Pennsylvania; slightly larger than Indiana **Land boundaries:** total: 237 km border countries (1): North Korea 237 km **Coastline:** 2,413 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified **Climate:** temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter; cold winters **Terrain:** mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south **Elevation:** highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m mean elevation: 282 m **Natural resources:** coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential **Land use:** agricultural land: 16.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 14.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.) forest: 64.4% (2023 est.) other: 19.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 7,780 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** the population is primarily concentrated in the lowland areas, where density is high; Gyeonggi Province in the northwest, which surrounds the capital of Seoul and contains the port of Incheon, is the most densely populated province; Gangwon in the northeast is the least populated **Natural hazards:** occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest volcanism: Halla (1,950 m) is considered historically active; it has not erupted in many centuries **Geography - note:** strategic location on Korea Strait; about 3,000 mostly small and uninhabited islands lie off the western and southern coasts ### People and Society **Population:** total: 51,486,343 (2025 est.) male: 25,636,127 female: 25,850,216 **Nationality:** noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean **Ethnic groups:** Korean **Languages:** Korean, English major-language sample(s): 월드 팩트북, 필수적인 기본 정보 제공처 (Korean) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Protestant 17%, Buddhist 16%, Catholic 6%, none 60% (2021 est.) note: many people also carry on at least some Confucian traditions and practices **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 11.3% (male 3,024,508/female 2,873,523) 15-64 years: 69.4% (male 18,653,915/female 17,465,817) 65 years and over: 19.3% (2024 est.) (male 4,440,688/female 5,623,348) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 44.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 14.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 30.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 47 years (2025 est.) male: 44 years female: 47.3 years **Population growth rate:** -0.09% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 4.29 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.94 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 1.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the population is primarily concentrated in the lowland areas, where density is high; Gyeonggi Province in the northwest, which surrounds the capital of Seoul and contains the port of Incheon, is the most densely populated province; Gangwon in the northeast is the least populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 81.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.31% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 9.988 million SEOUL (capital), 3.472 million Busan, 2.849 million Incheon, 2.181 million Daegu (Taegu), 1.577 million Daejon (Taejon), 1.529 million Gwangju (Kwangju) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 32.2 years (2019 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 2.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 83.4 years (2024 est.) male: 80.3 years female: 86.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 0.68 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.33 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9.7% of GDP (2022) 14.1% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.61 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 12.8 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 4.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 7.74 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 5.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 17.4% (2025 est.) male: 29.7% (2025 est.) female: 5.2% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 0.4% (2020 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.8% of GDP (2022 est.) **Literacy:** total population: NA male: NA female: NA **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 17 years (2022 est.) male: 17 years (2022 est.) female: 16 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from sewage and industrial effluents; drift-net fishing; solid waste disposal; transboundary air pollution from China **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter; cold winters **Land use:** agricultural land: 16.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 14.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.) forest: 64.4% (2023 est.) other: 19.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 81.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.31% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 644.231 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 275.411 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 248.599 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 120.222 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 25 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 145.7 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 500 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 478.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 27 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 20.453 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 67.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 6.672 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 4.45 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 15.96 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 69.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 7 (2025) global geoparks and regional networks: Cheongsong; Danyang; Gyeongbuk Donghaean; Hantangang; Jeju Island; Jeonbuk West Coast; Mudeungsan (2025) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Korea conventional short form: South Korea local long form: Taehan-min'guk local short form: Han'guk abbreviation: ROK etymology: derived from the Chinese name for Goryeo, which was the Korean dynasty that united the peninsula in the 10th century A.D.; the South Korean name "Han'guk" derives from the long form, "Taehan-min'guk," which is itself a derivation from "Daehan-je'guk," which means "the Great Han Empire" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Seoul geographic coordinates: 37 33 N, 126 59 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name originates from the Korean word meaning "capital city;" it was the capital of the unified Korea from 1392 to 1910 note: Sejong, located some 120 km (75 mi) south of Seoul, serves as an administrative capital for segments of the South Korean government **Administrative divisions:** 9 provinces (do, singular and plural), 6 metropolitan cities (gwangyeoksi, singular and plural), 1 special city (teugbyeolsi), and 1 special self-governing city (teukbyeoljachisi) provinces: Chungcheongbuk-do (North Chungcheong), Chungcheongnam-do (South Chungcheong), Gangwon-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang), Gyeonggi-do, Gyeongsangnam-do (South Gyeongsang), Jeju-do (Jeju), Jeollabuk-do (North Jeolla), Jeollanam-do (South Jeolla) metropolitan cities: Busan (Pusan), Daegu (Taegu), Daejeon (Taejon), Gwangju (Kwangju), Incheon (Inch'on), Ulsan special city: Seoul special self-governing city: Sejong **Legal system:** mixed system combining European civil law, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest passed by National Assembly 12 October 1987, approved in referendum 28 October 1987, effective 25 February 1988 amendment process: proposed by the president or by majority support of the National Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership, approval in a referendum by more than one half of the votes by more than one half of eligible voters, and promulgation by the president **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of South Korea dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President LEE Jae-myung (since 4 June 2025) head of government: Prime Minister KIM Min-seok (since 3 July 2025) cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a single 5-year term; prime minister appointed by president with consent of the National Assembly most recent election date: 3 June 2025 (special snap election in the wake of the impeachment of former President YOON Suk-yeol) election results: 2025: LEE Jae-myung elected president; LEE Jae-myung (DPK) 49.4%, KIM Moon-soo (PPP) 41.2%, LEE Jun-seok (New Reform Party) 8.3% 2022: YOON Suk-yeol elected president; YOON Suk-yeol (PPP) 48.6%, LEE Jae-myung (DPK) 47.8%; other 3.6% expected date of next election: 2030 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government; the prime minister serves as the principal executive assistant to the president, similar to the role of a vice president **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Kuk Hoe) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 300 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 4/10/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Democratic Party of Korea (161); People Power Party (90); People Future Party (18); Other (31) percentage of women in chamber: 20.3% expected date of next election: April 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of a chief justice and 13 justices); Constitutional Court (consists of a court head and 8 justices) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly; other justices appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chief justice and consent of the National Assembly; position of the chief justice is a 6-year nonrenewable term; other justices serve 6-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court justices appointed - 3 by the president, 3 by the National Assembly, and 3 by the Supreme Court chief justice; court head serves until retirement at age 70, while other justices serve 6-year renewable terms with mandatory retirement at age 65 subordinate courts: High Courts; District Courts; Branch Courts (organized under the District Courts); specialized courts for family and administrative issues **Political parties:** Basic Income Party Democratic Party of Korea or DPK New Future Party New Reform Party Open Democratic Party or ODP People Power Party or PPP Progressive Party or Jinbo Party Rebuilding Korea Party Social Democratic Party note: the Democratic Alliance coalition consists of the DPK and the smaller Basic Income, Jinbo, Open Democratic, and Social Democratic parties, as well as two independents; for the 2024 election, the Basic Income Party, the ODP, and the Social Democratic Party formed the New Progressive Alliance **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador KANG Kyung-wha (since 16 December 2025) chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600 FAX: [1] (202) 797-0595 email address and website: generalusa@mofa.go.kr https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-en/index.do consulate(s) general: Anchorage (AK), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires James “Jim” HELLER (since 7 January 2026) embassy: 188 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul mailing address: 9600 Seoul Place, Washington, DC 20521-9600 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 FAX: [82] (2) 397-4101 email address and website: seoulinfoACS@state.gov https://kr.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s): Busan **International organization participation:** ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CABEI, CD, CICA, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 15 August 1945 (from Japan) **National holiday:** Liberation Day, 15 August (1945) **Flag:** description: white with a red-and-blue yin-yang symbol in the center; a black trigram (kwae) from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) is in each corner of the white field meaning: the flag is called Taegukki; white is a traditional Korean color and represents peace and purity; blue stands for the negative cosmic forces of the yin, and red for the opposite positive forces of the yang; each trigram represents one of the universal elements, which together express the principle of movement and harmony **National symbol(s):** taegeuk (yin-yang symbol), Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), Siberian tiger **National color(s):** red, white, blue, black **National anthem(s):** title: "Aegukga" (Patriotic Song) lyrics/music: YUN Ch'i-Ho or AN Ch'ang-Ho/AHN Eaktay history: adopted 1948, well-known by 1910; North Korea's and South Korea's anthems have the same name and a similar melody, but different lyrics **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 17 (15 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes (n); Changdeokgung Palace Complex (c); Jongmyo Shrine (c); Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple (c); Hwaseong Fortress (c); Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites (c); Gyeongju Historic Areas (c); Namhansanseong (c); Baekje Historic Areas (c); Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea (c); Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty (c); Petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, export- and technology-oriented East Asian economy; manufacturing led by semiconductor and automotive industries; slow growth amid declining construction investment, export risks, and recent political instability; aging workforce; increased restraint in fiscal policy while maintaining industry support initiatives **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $2.607 trillion (2023 est.) $2.572 trillion (2022 est.) $2.507 trillion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.4% (2023 est.) 2.6% (2022 est.) 4.3% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $50,400 (2023 est.) $49,800 (2022 est.) $48,400 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.713 trillion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.3% (2024 est.) 3.6% (2023 est.) 5.1% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.6% (2023 est.) industry: 31.6% (2023 est.) services: 58.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 48.9% (2023 est.) government consumption: 18.9% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 32.2% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -0.1% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 44% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -43.9% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** rice, vegetables, cabbages, milk, onions, pork, chicken, eggs, tangerines/mandarins, potatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel **Industrial production growth rate:** 1.1% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 29.713 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.7% (2024 est.) 2.7% (2023 est.) 2.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 5.9% (2024 est.) male: 6% (2024 est.) female: 5.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 32.9 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 12.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.9% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 24.6% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $513.21 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $532.023 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 52.3% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 15.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $99.043 billion (2024 est.) $32.822 billion (2023 est.) $25.829 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $835.149 billion (2024 est.) $769.243 billion (2023 est.) $825.961 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 25%, USA 18%, Hong Kong 4%, Japan 4%, Taiwan 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** integrated circuits, cars, refined petroleum, plastics, machine parts (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $758.724 billion (2024 est.) $758.41 billion (2023 est.) $817.594 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 31%, USA 13%, Japan 9%, Germany 5%, Australia 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** integrated circuits, natural gas, crude petroleum, machinery, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $418.219 billion (2024 est.) $420.93 billion (2023 est.) $423.366 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** South Korean won (KRW) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1,363.375 (2024 est.) 1,305.662 (2023 est.) 1,291.447 (2022 est.) 1,143.952 (2021 est.) 1,180.266 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 151.139 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 575.359 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 19.688 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 61.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 30.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 5.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) tide and wave: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 26 (2025) Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 2 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 25.57GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 30.7% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 2 (2025) **Coal:** production: 16.081 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 136.817 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 500 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 122.845 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 326 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 38,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 2.542 million bbl/day (2024 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 55.127 million cubic meters (2021 est.) consumption: 57.314 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 93.639 million cubic meters (2022 est.) imports: 60.025 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 7.079 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 234.668 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 21.3 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 89.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 173 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** multiple national TV networks, with 2 of the 3 largest networks publicly operated; the largest privately owned network, Seoul Broadcasting Service (SBS), has ties with other commercial TV networks; cable and satellite TV subscription services available; publicly operated radio broadcast networks and many privately owned radio broadcasting networks, each with multiple affiliates, and independent local stations **Internet country code:** .kr **Internet users:** percent of population: 97% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 24.1 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** HL **Airports:** 92 (2025) **Heliports:** 1,280 (2025) **Railways:** total: 3,979 km (2016) standard gauge: 3,979 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge (2,727 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 2,149 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 93, container ship 115, general cargo 362, oil tanker 219, other 1,360 **Ports:** total ports: 15 (2024) large: 2 medium: 5 small: 4 very small: 4 ports with oil terminals: 10 key ports: Busan, Gwangyang Hang, Inchon, Masan, Mokpo, Pyeongtaek Hang, Ulsan ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of the Republic of Korea: Republic of Korea Army (ROKA), Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN, includes Marine Corps, ROKMC), Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries: Korea Coast Guard; Ministry of Interior and Safety: Korean National Police Agency (2025) **Military expenditures:** 2.3% of GDP (2025 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 500,000 active Armed Forces (365,000 Army; 70,000 Navy, including about 30,000 Marines; 65,000 Air Force) (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the South Korean military is equipped with a mix of mostly modern domestically produced and imported weapons systems; the US is the leading provider of foreign arms; South Korea's defense industry produces a range of military hardware for both domestic use and export, including aircraft, armored fighting vehicles, artillery, missiles, and naval vessels; it also jointly produces equipment with other countries (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-29 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; mandatory military service for all eligible men 18-35 years of age (typically served from 20-28 years of age); compulsory service obligation is 18-21 months based on the branch of service and up to 36 months for alternative service (2025) note: women, in service since 1950, are able to serve in all branches and as of 2024 more than 15,000 served in the armed forces **Military deployments:** 250 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 275 South Sudan (UNMISS); approximately 150 United Arab Emirates (2025) **Military - note:** the South Korean military is responsible for external defense and is primarily focused on the threat from North Korea; it participates in bilateral and multinational exercises and deploys abroad for international missions, including peacekeeping and other security operations South Korea's primary defense partner is the US, and the 1953 US-South Korea Mutual Defense Treaty is a cornerstone of the country's national security; the Treaty committed the US to provide assistance in the event of an attack and gave the US permission to station land, air, and sea forces in and about the territory of South Korea as determined by mutual agreement; South Korea hosts approximately 28,000 US military troops and regularly conducts bilateral exercises with the US military; South Korea has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; the South Korean military has assisted the US in conflicts in Afghanistan (5,000 troops; 2001-2014), Iraq (20,000 troops; 2003-2008), and Vietnam (325,000 troops; 1964-1973) in 2016, South Korea concluded an agreement with the EU for participation in EU Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) missions and operations, such as EU counter-piracy operations off the coast of East Africa; South Korea has had a relationship with NATO since 2005, and in 2022 established a mission to the NATO headquarters to further cooperation; it has participated in NATO-led missions and exercises, including in Afghanistan and the Gulf of Aden (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA; established 2024); Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI; established 1989 and previously acted as South Korea's space agency) (2025) **Space launch site(s):** Naro Space Center (South Jeolla province) (2025) **Space program overview:** has an ambitious space program focused on developing satellites, satellite launch vehicles (SLVs), and interplanetary probes; has a national space strategy; manufactures and operates satellites, including those with communications, remote sensing (RS), scientific, and multipurpose capabilities; manufactures and launches SLVs; developing interplanetary space vehicles, including orbital probes and landers; participates in international programs and works with an array of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Australia, the ESA, individual ESA member states (particularly France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK), India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Peru, Russia, UAE, and the US; has an active commercial space industry (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1992 - first domestically made technology-demonstrator satellite (KITSAT-1) launched on European rocket 1993-1998 - launched first single-stage sounding rocket (KSR-1) and first two-stage sounding rocket (KSR-2) 1999 - first domestically built multi-purpose satellite (KOMPSAT-1, aka Arirang-1) launched by US 2008 - first South Korean astronaut in space on International Space Station 2013 - first successful satellite launch of two-stage Korean Space Launch Vehicle-I (KSLV-I; aka Naro) 2021 - maiden launch of three-stage KSLV-II (aka Nuri); signed the US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration 2022 - first successful attempt to place satellites into orbit on the KSLV-II/Nuri; domestically made lunar orbiter (Danuri) reached Moon's orbit; began development of the Korea Positioning System (KPS) satellite navigational network 2024 - third successful launch of Nuri SLV placed eight small satellites in orbit, including a remote sensing satellite (NexSat-2) with radar imaging technology ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 40,084 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 248 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Kosovo **Slug:** kosovo **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇽🇰 **Codes:** cek: kv, iso2: XK, iso3: XKS, iso_num: , genc: XKS, stanag: -, internet: -, comment: XK and XKS are ISO 3166 user assigned codes; ISO 3166 Maintenance Authority has not assigned codes ### Introduction **Background:** The Ottoman Empire took control of Kosovo in 1389 after defeating Serbian forces. Large numbers of Turks and Albanians moved to the region, and by the end of the 19th century, Albanians had replaced Serbs as the majority ethnic group in Kosovo. Serbia reacquired control of Kosovo during the First Balkan War of 1912, and after World War II, Kosovo became an autonomous province of Serbia in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). Increasing Albanian nationalism in the 1980s led to riots and calls for Kosovo's independence, but in 1989, Belgrade -- which has in turn served as the capital of Serbia and Yugoslavia -- revoked Kosovo's autonomous status. When the SFRY broke up in 1991, Kosovo Albanian leaders organized an independence referendum, and Belgrade's repressive response led to an insurgency. Kosovo remained part of Serbia, which joined with Montenegro to declare a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in 1992. In 1998, Belgrade launched a brutal counterinsurgency campaign, with some 800,000 ethnic Albanians expelled from their homes in Kosovo. After international mediation failed, a NATO military operation began in March 1999 and forced Belgrade to withdraw its forces from Kosovo. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) placed Kosovo under the temporary control of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). Negotiations in 2006-07 ended without agreement between Serbia and Kosovo, though the UN issued a comprehensive report that endorsed independence. On 17 February 2008, the Kosovo Assembly declared Kosovo independent. Serbia continues to reject Kosovo's independence, but the two countries began EU-facilitated discussions in 2013 to normalize relations, which resulted in several agreements. Additional agreements were reached in 2015 and 2023, but implementation remains incomplete. In 2022, Kosovo formally applied for membership in the EU, which is contingent on fulfillment of accession criteria, and the Council of Europe. Kosovo is also seeking UN and NATO memberships. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Europe, between Serbia and Macedonia **Geographic coordinates:** 42 35 N, 21 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 10,887 sq km land: 10,887 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Delaware **Land boundaries:** total: 714 km border countries (4): Albania 112 km; North Macedonia 160 km; Montenegro 76 km; Serbia 366 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** influenced by continental air masses resulting in relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumns; Mediterranean and alpine influences create regional variation; maximum rainfall between October and December **Terrain:** flat fluvial basin at an elevation of 400-700 m above sea level surrounded by several high mountain ranges with elevations of 2,000 to 2,500 m **Elevation:** highest point: Gjeravica/Deravica 2,656 m lowest point: Drini i Bardhe/Beli Drim (located on the border with Albania) 297 m mean elevation: 450 m **Natural resources:** nickel, lead, zinc, magnesium, lignite, kaolin, chrome, bauxite **Land use:** agricultural land: 52.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 27.4% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1.9% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 23.5% (2018 est.) forest: 41.7% (2018 est.) other: 5.5% (2018 est.) **Irrigated land:** NA **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** population clusters exist throughout the country, with the largest in the east in and around the capital of Pristina **Geography - note:** the 41-km (25-mi) Nerodimka River divides into two branches, each of which flows into a different sea: the northern branch flows into the Sitnica River, which via the Ibar, Morava, and Danube Rivers ultimately flows into the Black Sea; the southern branch flows via the Lepenac and Vardar Rivers into the Aegean Sea ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,991,020 (2025 est.) male: 1,025,039 female: 965,981 **Nationality:** noun: Kosovan adjective: Kosovan note: Kosovo, a neutral term, is sometimes also used as a noun or adjective as in Kosovo Albanian, Kosovo Serb, Kosovo minority, or Kosovo citizen **Ethnic groups:** Albanians 92.9%, Bosniaks 1.6%, Serbs 1.5%, Turk 1.1%, Ashkali 0.9%, Egyptian 0.7%, Gorani 0.6%, Romani 0.5%, other/unspecified 0.2% (2011 est.) note: these estimates may under-represent Serb, Romani, and some other ethnic minorities because they are based on the 2011 Kosovo national census, which excluded northern Kosovo (a largely Serb-inhabited region) and was partially boycotted by Serb and Romani communities in southern Kosovo **Languages:** Albanian (official) 94.5%, Bosnian 1.7%, Serbian (official) 1.6%, Turkish 1.1%, other 0.9% (includes Romani), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): Libri i fakteve boterore, burimi i pazevendesueshem per informacione elementare (Albanian) Knjiga svetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Serbian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: these estimates may under-represent Serb, Romani, and other ethnic minority languages because they are based on the 2011 Kosovo national census, which excluded northern Kosovo (a largely Serb-inhabited region) and was partially boycotted by Serb and Romani communities in southern Kosovo **Religions:** Muslim 95.6%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, Orthodox 1.5%, other 0.1%, none 0.1%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est.) note: these estimates may under-represent Serb, Romani, and some other ethnic minorities because they are based on the 2011 Kosovo national census, which excluded northern Kosovo (a largely Serb-inhabited region) and was partially boycotted by Serb and Romani communities in southern Kosovo **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 22.7% (male 233,010/female 216,304) 15-64 years: 68.9% (male 712,403/female 649,932) 65 years and over: 8.4% (2024 est.) (male 72,579/female 92,865) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 44.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 32.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 12.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 32.3 years (2025 est.) male: 31.7 years female: 32.4 years **Population growth rate:** 0.73% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 14.16 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population clusters exist throughout the country, with the largest in the east in and around the capital of Pristina **Major urban areas - population:** 218,782 PRISTINA (capital) (2020) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 21 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 24.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 73.1 years (2024 est.) male: 71 years female: 75.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.85 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.89 (2025 est.) **Physician density:** 0.2 physicians/1,000 population (2015) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 61.6% (2020 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution from power plants and lignite mines; water scarcity and pollution; land degradation **Climate:** influenced by continental air masses resulting in relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumns; Mediterranean and alpine influences create regional variation; maximum rainfall between October and December **Land use:** agricultural land: 52.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 27.4% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1.9% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 23.5% (2018 est.) forest: 41.7% (2018 est.) other: 5.5% (2018 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 7.444 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 5.005 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.439 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 319,000 tons (2024 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Kosovo conventional short form: Kosovo local long form: Republika e Kosoves (Albanian)/ Republika Kosovo (Serbian) local short form: Kosove (Albanian)/ Kosovo (Serbian) etymology: name may derive from the Serbian word kos, meaning "blackbird," or from a personal name **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Pristina (Prishtine, Prishtina) geographic coordinates: 42 40 N, 21 10 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the town takes its name from the river; the origin of the river's name is unclear but could come from a pre-Slavic language **Administrative divisions:** 38 municipalities (komunat, singular - komuna (Albanian); opstine, singular - opstina (Serbian)); Decan (Decani), Dragash (Dragas), Ferizaj (Urosevac), Fushe Kosove (Kosovo Polje), Gjakove (Dakovica), Gjilan (Gnjilane), Gllogovc (Glogovac), Gracanice (Gracanica), Hani i Elezit (Deneral Jankovic), Istog (Istok), Junik, Kacanik, Kamenice (Kamenica), Kline (Klina), Kllokot (Klokot), Leposaviq (Leposavic), Lipjan (Lipljan), Malisheve (Malisevo), Mamushe (Mamusa), Mitrovice e Jugut (Juzna Mitrovica) [South Mitrovica], Mitrovice e Veriut (Severna Mitrovica) [North Mitrovica], Novoberde (Novo Brdo), Obiliq (Obilic), Partesh (Partes), Peje (Pec), Podujeve (Podujevo), Prishtine (Pristina), Prizren, Rahovec (Orahovac), Ranillug (Ranilug), Shterpce (Strpce), Shtime (Stimlje), Skenderaj (Srbica), Suhareke (Suva Reka), Viti (Vitina), Vushtrri (Vucitrn), Zubin Potok, Zvecan **Legal system:** civil law system **Constitution:** history: previous 1974, 1990; latest (post-independence) draft finalized 2 April 2008, signed 7 April 2008, ratified 9 April 2008, entered into force 15 June 2008 amendment process: proposed by the government, by the president of the republic, or by one fourth of Assembly deputies; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, including two-thirds majority vote of deputies representing non-majority communities, followed by a favorable Constitutional Court assessment **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kosovo dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Vjosa OSMANI-Sadriu (since 4 April 2021) head of government: Acting Prime Minister Albin KURTI (since 15 April 2025) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Assembly election/appointment process: president indirectly elected for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; if a candidate does not reach this threshold in the first two ballots, the candidate winning a simple majority vote in the third ballot is elected; prime minister indirectly elected by the Assembly most recent election date: 3-4 April 2021 election results: 2021: Vjosa OSMANI-Sadriu elected president in third ballot; Assembly vote - Vjosa OSMANI-Sadriu (Guxo!) 71 votes; Albin KURTI (LVV) elected prime minister; Assembly vote - 67 for, 30 against 2017: Ramush HARADINAJ (AAK) elected prime minister; Assembly vote - 61 for, 1 abstention, 0 against (opposition boycott) 2016: Hashim THACI elected president in third ballot; Assembly vote - Hashim THACI (PDK) 71 votes expected date of next election: 2026 note: Prime Minister Albin KURTI resigned on 15 April 2025; a replacement has not yet been selected **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Assembly (Kuvendi i Kosoves/Skupstina Kosova) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 120 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 2/14/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Self-Determination Movement (LVV) (58), Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) (19), Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) (15), Serb List (10), Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) (8), other (10) percentage of women in chamber: 34% expected date of next election: 2025 note: 20 seats reserved for ethnic minorities -- 10 for Serbs and 10 for other minorities **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 18 judges and organized into Appeals Panel of the Kosovo Property Agency and Special Chamber); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Kosovo Judicial Council, a 13-member independent body staffed by judges and lay members, and also responsible for overall administration of Kosovo's judicial system; judges appointed by the president of the Republic of Kosovo; judges appointed until mandatory retirement age; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the Kosovo Assembly and appointed by the president of the republic to serve single, 9-year terms subordinate courts: Court of Appeals (organized into 4 departments: General, Serious Crime, Commercial Matters, and Administrative Matters); Basic Court (located in 7 municipalities, each with several branches) note: in 2015, the Kosovo Assembly approved a constitutional amendment that established the Kosovo Relocated Specialist Judicial Institution, also referred to as the Kosovo Specialist Chambers or "Special Court"; the court, located at the Hague in the Netherlands, began operating in 2016 and has jurisdiction to try crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other crimes under Kosovo law that occurred in the 1998-2000 period **Political parties:** Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK Ashkali Party for Integration or PAI Civic Initiative for Freedom, Justice, and Survival Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK New Democratic Party or NDS Progressive Movement of Kosovar Roma or LPRK Romani Initiative Self-Determination Movement (Lëvizja Vetevendosje or Vetevendosie) or LVV or VV Serb List or SL Social Democratic Union or SDU Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo or KDTP Unique Gorani Party or JGP Vakat Coalition or VAKAT **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Ilir DUGOLLI (since 13 January 2022) chancery: 3612 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 450-2130 FAX: [1] (202) 735-0609 email address and website: embassy.usa@rks-gov.net U.S. Embassies of the Republic of Kosovo (ambasadat.net) consulate(s) general: New York consulate(s): Des Moines (IA) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Anu PRATTIPATI (since January 2025) embassy: Arberia/Dragodan, Rr. 4 KORRIKU Nr. 25, Pristina mailing address: 9520 Pristina Place, Washington DC 20521-9520 telephone: [383] 38-59-59-3000 FAX: [383] 38-604-890 email address and website: PristinaACS@state.gov https://xk.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** FIFA, IBRD, IDA, IFC, IMF, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OIF (observer) **Independence:** 17 February 2008 (from Serbia) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 17 February (2008) **Flag:** description: a dark blue field with a gold-colored silhouette of Kosovo in the center, with six five-pointed white stars in a slight arc over it meaning: each star represents one of the major ethnic groups of Kosovo: Albanians, Serbs, Turks, Gorani, Roma, and Bosniaks note: one of two national flags that uses a map as a design element; the flag of Cyprus is the other **National symbol(s):** six five-pointed white stars **National color(s):** blue, gold, white **National coat of arms:** uses the national colors of blue, gold, and white, and is featured on the country’s flag; the golden map symbolizes a rich and peaceful Kosovo, with a blue background that represents the country’s aspirations for Euro-Atlantic integration; the six white stars stand for the major ethnic groups in Kosovo: Albanians, Serbs, Bosniaks, Turks, Roma (including Ashkali and Egyptians), and Gorani **National anthem(s):** title: "Europe" lyrics/music: no lyrics/Mendi MENGJIQI history: adopted 2008; Kosovo chose not to include lyrics in its anthem to avoid offending the country's minority ethnic groups **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Medieval Monuments in Kosovo ### Economy **Economic overview:** small-but-growing European economy; non-EU member but unilateral euro user; very high unemployment, especially youth; vulnerable reliance on diaspora tourism services, curtailed by COVID-19 disruptions; unclear public loan portfolio health **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $25.019 billion (2024 est.) $23.962 billion (2023 est.) $23.025 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.4% (2024 est.) 4.1% (2023 est.) 4.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $16,400 (2024 est.) $14,200 (2023 est.) $13,000 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $11.149 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.6% (2024 est.) 4.9% (2023 est.) 11.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 6.9% (2024 est.) industry: 26.2% (2024 est.) services: 45.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 84.3% (2024 est.) government consumption: 12.3% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 33.8% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 41.9% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -72.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, corn, berries, potatoes, peppers, fruit; dairy, livestock; fish **Industries:** mineral mining, construction materials, base metals, leather, machinery, appliances, foodstuffs and beverages, textiles **Industrial production growth rate:** 4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 500,300 (2017 est.) note: includes those estimated to be employed in the gray economy **Population below poverty line:** 17.6% (2015 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 49.4 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 0.4% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 32.9% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 17.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 17.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 18% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.951 billion (2020 est.) expenditures: $2.547 billion (2020 est.) **Current account balance:** -$785.09 million (2023 est.) -$983.283 million (2022 est.) -$818.351 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $4.156 billion (2023 est.) $3.579 billion (2022 est.) $3.138 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** United States 16%, Albania 15%, North Macedonia 12%, Germany 8%, Italy 8% (2021) **Exports - commodities:** mattress materials, iron alloys, metal piping, scrap iron, building plastics (2021) top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $7.362 billion (2023 est.) $6.661 billion (2022 est.) $6.128 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 13%, Turkey 13%, China 10%, Serbia 7%, Italy 6% (2021) **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, iron rods, electricity, cigars, packaged medicines (2021) **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.31 billion (2024 est.) $1.245 billion (2023 est.) $1.248 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $785.739 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.951 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.877 (2020 est.) note: Kosovo, which is neither an EU member state nor a party to a formal EU monetary agreement, uses the euro as its de facto currency ### Energy **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 1.555 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 6.571 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 2.442 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 3.449 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 789.167 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 87.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 6.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 6.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 6.924 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 6.931 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 13,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 20,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.564 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 16,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 52.085 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 112,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 593,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35 (2022 est.) **Internet country code:** .xk note: assigned as a temporary code under UN Security Council resolution 1244/99 **Internet users:** percent of population: 89% (2018 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** Z6 **Airports:** 2 (2025) **Heliports:** 11 (2025) **Railways:** total: 437 km (2020) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Kosovo Security Force (KSF; Forca e Sigurisë së Kosovës or FSK): Land Force, National Guard (2025) note: the Kosovo Police are under the Ministry of Internal Affairs **Military expenditures:** 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 3,300 Kosovo Security Forces, including about 800 reserves (2024) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the KSF is equipped with small arms and light vehicles and has relied on limited amounts of donated equipment from several countries, particularly Türkiye and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** any citizen of Kosovo over the age of 18 is eligible to serve in the Kosovo Security Force; upper age for enlisting is 30 for officers, 25 for other ranks, although these may be waived for recruits with key skills considered essential for the KSF (2025) **Military - note:** the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) was established in 2009 as a small (1,500 personnel), lightly armed disaster response force; the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) was charged with assisting in the development of the KSF and bringing it up to standards designated by NATO; the KSF was certified as fully operational by the North Atlantic Council in 2013, indicating the then 2,200-strong KSF was entirely capable of performing the tasks assigned under its mandate, which included non-military security functions that were not appropriate for the police, plus missions such as search and rescue, explosive ordnance disposal, control and clearance of hazardous materials, firefighting, and other humanitarian assistance tasks in 2019, Kosovo approved legislation that began a process to transition the KSF by 2028 into a professional military (the Kosovo Armed Forces) led by a General Staff and comprised of a Land Force, a National Guard, a Logistics Command, and a Doctrine and Training Command; it would have a strength of up to 5,000 with about 3,000 reserves; at the same time, the KSF’s mission was expanded to include traditional military functions, such as territorial defense and international peacekeeping; the KSF’s first international mission was the deployment of a small force to Kuwait in 2021 the NATO-led KFOR has operated in the country as a peace support force since 1999; in addition to assisting in the development of the KSF, KFOR is responsible for providing a safe and secure environment and ensuring freedom of movement for all citizens; as of 2025, it had approximately 4,700 troops from more than 30 countries (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** IDPs: 15,582 (2024 est.) --- ## Kuwait **Slug:** kuwait **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇰🇼 **Codes:** cek: ku, iso2: KW, iso3: KWT, iso_num: 414, genc: KWT, stanag: KWT, internet: .kw ### Introduction **Background:** Kuwait has been ruled by the AL-SABAH dynasty since the 18th century. The threat of Ottoman invasion in 1899 prompted Amir Mubarak AL-SABAH to seek protection from Britain, ceding foreign and defense responsibility to Britain until 1961, when the country attained its independence. Iraq attacked and overran Kuwait in 1990. After several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led UN coalition began a ground assault in 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four days. In 1992, the Amir reconstituted the parliament that he had dissolved in 1986. Amid the 2010-11 uprisings and protests across the Arab world, stateless Arabs known as Bidoon staged small protests demanding citizenship, jobs, and other benefits available to Kuwaiti nationals. Other demographic groups, notably Islamists and Kuwaitis from tribal backgrounds, soon joined the growing protest movements, which culminated with the resignation of the prime minister amid allegations of corruption. Demonstrations renewed in 2012 in response to a decree amending the electoral law that lessened the voting power of the tribal blocs. An opposition coalition of Sunni Islamists, tribal populists, and some liberals largely boycotted legislative elections in 2012 and 2013, which ushered in a legislature more amenable to the government's agenda. Faced with the prospect of painful subsidy cuts, oppositionists and independents actively participated in the 2016 election, winning nearly half the seats, but the opposition became increasingly factionalized. Between 2006 and his death in 2020, the Amir dissolved the National Assembly on seven occasions and shuffled the cabinet over a dozen times, usually citing political stagnation and gridlock between the legislature and the government. The current Amir, who assumed his role in 2020, launched a "National Dialogue" in 2021 meant to resolve political gridlock. As part of this initiative, the Amir pardoned several opposition figures who had been living in exile, and they returned to Kuwait. Legislative challenges remain, and the cabinet has been reshuffled six times since 2020. ### Geography **Location:** Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia **Geographic coordinates:** 29 30 N, 45 45 E **Map references:** Middle East **Area:** total : 17,818 sq km land: 17,818 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than New Jersey **Land boundaries:** total: 475 km border countries (2): Iraq 254 km; Saudi Arabia 221 km **Coastline:** 499 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm **Climate:** dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters **Terrain:** flat to slightly undulating desert plain **Elevation:** highest point: 3.6 km W. of Al-Salmi Border Post 300 m lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m mean elevation: 108 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas **Land use:** agricultural land: 8.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.) forest: 0.4% (2023 est.) other: 91.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 100 sq km (2015) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Arabian Aquifer System **Population distribution:** densest settlement is along the Persian Gulf, particularly in Kuwait City and on Bubiyan Island; significant population threads extend south and west along highways that radiate from the capital, particularly in the southern half of the country **Natural hazards:** sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year but are most common between March and August **Geography - note:** strategic location at head of Persian Gulf ### People and Society **Population:** total: 3,172,511 (2025 est.) male: 1,827,274 female: 1,345,237 **Nationality:** noun: Kuwaiti(s) adjective: Kuwaiti **Ethnic groups:** Kuwaiti 30.4%, other Arab 27.4%, Asian 40.3%, African 1%, other 0.9% (includes European, North American, South American, and Australian) (2018 est.) **Languages:** Arabic (official), English widely spoken major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim (official) 74.6%, Christian 18.2%, other and unspecified 7.2% (2013 est.) note: data represent the total population; about 72% of the population consists of immigrants **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 23% (male 376,415/female 346,190) 15-64 years: 73.4% (male 1,386,349/female 917,465) 65 years and over: 3.6% (2024 est.) (male 47,778/female 64,158) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 36 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 19.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 30.4 years (2025 est.) male: 31.1 years female: 28.9 years **Population growth rate:** 1.07% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 17.36 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 2.3 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -4.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** densest settlement is along the Persian Gulf, particularly in Kuwait City and on Bubiyan Island; significant population threads extend south and west along highways that radiate from the capital, particularly in the southern half of the country **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.298 million KUWAIT (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.51 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 1.36 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 8 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 79.6 years (2024 est.) male: 78.1 years female: 81.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.19 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.07 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.8% of GDP (2021) 9.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.27 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Hospital bed density:** 2.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 37.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 22.4% (2025 est.) male: 34.9% (2025 est.) female: 1.9% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.8% (2023 est.) **Education expenditure:** 6.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 13.8% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 96.5% (2020 est.) male: 97.1% (2020 est.) female: 95.3% (2020 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2015 est.) male: 13 years (2015 est.) female: 16 years (2015 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited natural freshwater resources; air and water pollution; desertification; loss of biodiversity **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping-London Convention **Climate:** dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters **Land use:** agricultural land: 8.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.) forest: 0.4% (2023 est.) other: 91.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 100.459 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 149,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 48.723 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 51.587 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 54.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 819.9 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 7.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 256.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 0.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.75 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 448.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 23.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 778.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 20 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: State of Kuwait conventional short form: Kuwait local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt local short form: Al Kuwayt etymology: the name derives from the capital city, which comes from the Arabic al-kuwayt, itself a diminutive of the Hindustani term kut, meaning a fortress-like house **Government type:** constitutional monarchy (emirate) **Capital:** name: Kuwait City geographic coordinates: 29 22 N, 47 58 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name comes from the Arabic al-kuwayt, a diminutive of the Hindustani term kut, meaning a fortress-like house **Administrative divisions:** 6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir **Legal system:** mixed system consisting of English common law, French civil law, and Islamic sharia law **Constitution:** history: approved and promulgated 11 November 1962; suspended 1976 to 1981 (4 articles); 1986 to 1991; May to July 1999 amendment process: proposed by the amir or supported by at least one third of the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds consent of the Assembly membership and promulgation by the amir; constitutional articles on the initiation, approval, and promulgation of general legislation cannot be amended note: in May 2024, Amir Sheikh MISHAL al-Ahmad al-Sabah dissolved the National Assembly and suspended several articles of the constitution for up to four years **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kuwait dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: not specified **Suffrage:** 21 years of age and at least 20-year citizenship **Executive branch:** chief of state: Amir MISHAL al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 16 December 2023) head of government: Prime Minister AHMAD ABDULLAH Al-Ahmad al Sabah (since 15 May 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by the amir election/appointment process: amir chosen from within the ruling family, confirmed by the National Assembly; prime minister appointed by the amir **Legislative branch:** expected date of next election: April 2028 note: the unicameral National Assembly was dissolved on 10 May 2024 by Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad AL-SABAH for a period of up to four years; the Emir and cabinet officials have assumed the role of the parliament **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Constitutional Court (consists of 5 judges); Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (organized into several circuits, each with 5 judges) judge selection and term of office: all Kuwaiti judges appointed by the Amir on recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council, a consultative body comprised of Kuwaiti judges and Ministry of Justice officials subordinate courts: High Court of Appeal; Court of First Instance; Summary Court **Political parties:** none; the government does not recognize any political parties or allow their formation, although no formal law bans political parties **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador AL-ZAIN Sabah Naser Saud Al-Sabah (since 19 April 2023) chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8468 email address and website: info@kuwaitembassy.us https://www.kuwaitembassy.us/ consulate(s) general: Beverly Hills (CA), New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Steven R. BUTLER (since July 2025) embassy: P.O. Box 77, Safat 13001 mailing address: 6200 Kuwait Place, Washington DC 20521-6200 telephone: [00] (965) 2259-1001 FAX: [00] (965) 2538-0282 email address and website: KuwaitACS@state.gov https://kw.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, CD, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, Paris Club (associate), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 19 June 1961 (from the UK) **National holiday:** National Day, 25 February (1950) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red, with a black trapezoid based on the left side meaning: green stands for fertile fields, white for purity, red for blood on Kuwaiti swords, and black for defeating the enemy history: colors and design are based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I **National symbol(s):** golden falcon **National color(s):** green, white, red, black **National anthem(s):** title: "Al-Nasheed Al-Watani" (National Anthem) lyrics/music: Ahmad MUSHARI al-Adwani/Ibrahim Nasir al-SOULA history: adopted 1978; the anthem is only used on formal occasions ### Economy **Economic overview:** small, high-income, oil-based Middle East economy; renewable energy proponent; regional finance and investment leader; maintains oldest sovereign wealth fund; emerging space and tourism industries; mid-way through 25-year development program **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $225.947 billion (2024 est.) $231.884 billion (2023 est.) $235.815 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -2.6% (2024 est.) -1.7% (2023 est.) 6.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $45,400 (2024 est.) $47,800 (2023 est.) $51,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $160.227 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.9% (2024 est.) 3.6% (2023 est.) 4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.5% (2024 est.) industry: 57.1% (2024 est.) services: 55.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 32.6% (2022 est.) government consumption: 20.7% (2022 est.) investment in fixed capital: 16.1% (2022 est.) investment in inventories: 0.8% (2022 est.) exports of goods and services: 60.4% (2022 est.) imports of goods and services: -30.5% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** dates, eggs, milk, tomatoes, chicken, lamb/mutton, cucumbers/gherkins, vegetables, maize, eggplants (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construction materials **Industrial production growth rate:** -5.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 3.003 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.2% (2024 est.) 2.2% (2023 est.) 2.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 15.4% (2024 est.) male: 9.3% (2024 est.) female: 28.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Average household expenditures:** on food: 19.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2024 est.) 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $44.254 billion (2015 est.) expenditures: $59.584 billion (2015 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants and social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Current account balance:** $46.703 billion (2024 est.) $51.396 billion (2023 est.) $63.078 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $89.71 billion (2024 est.) $95.476 billion (2023 est.) $110.923 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 25%, India 13%, Japan 13%, Taiwan 7%, UK 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, hydrocarbons, plastics (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $61.521 billion (2024 est.) $63.43 billion (2023 est.) $55.909 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 18%, UAE 10%, USA 9%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Japan 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, natural gas, garments, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $50.728 billion (2024 est.) $52.619 billion (2023 est.) $52.462 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.307 (2024 est.) 0.307 (2023 est.) 0.306 (2022 est.) 0.302 (2021 est.) 0.306 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 20.294 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 78.047 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 7.516 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 97.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 60,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 11 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 152,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 2.91 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 430,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 101.5 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 19.207 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 26.296 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 8.433 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.784 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 389.848 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 573,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 8.11 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 168 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned TV broadcaster operates 4 networks and a satellite channel; several private TV broadcasters; satellite TV available, and pan-Arab TV stations are especially popular; state-owned Radio Kuwait broadcasts on a number of channels in Arabic and English; first private radio station in 2005; transmissions of at least 2 international radio broadcasters are available (2019) **Internet country code:** .kw **Internet users:** percent of population: 100% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 49,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 9K **Airports:** 6 (2025) **Heliports:** 20 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 176 (2023) by type: general cargo 15, oil tanker 28, other 133 **Ports:** total ports: 6 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 1 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 4 key ports: Al Kuwayt, Doha Harbor, Mina Abd Allah, Mina Al Ahmadi, Mina Ash Shuaybah, Mina Az Zawr ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Kuwait Armed Forces (KAF): Kuwait Army (aka Kuwait Land Forces, KLF), Kuwait Navy (aka Kuwait Naval Force), Kuwait Air Force; Kuwait National Guard (KNG) Ministry of Interior: Kuwait Police, State Security, Kuwait Coast Guard (2025) note 1: the Emiri Guard Authority and the 25th Commando Brigade are special units within the KAF that exercise independent command authority, although activities such as training and equipment procurement are often coordinated with the other services; the 25th Commando Brigade is Kuwait's leading special forces unit; the Emiri Guard Authority (aka Emiri Guard Brigade) is responsible for protecting Kuwait's heads of state note 2: the National Guard reports directly to the prime minister and the amir and possesses an independent command structure, equipment inventory, and logistics corps separate from the Ministry of Defense, the regular armed services, and the Ministry of Interior; it is responsible for protecting critical infrastructure and providing support for the Ministries of Interior and Defense as required **Military expenditures:** 4.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 4.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 6.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 6.3% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 17,000 active Kuwait Armed Forces; approximately 7,000 National Guard (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory consists of armaments from Western Europe, Russia, and particularly the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 12-month compulsory service for men aged 18-35; mandatory service is divided into two phases – 4 months for training and 8 months for military service (2025) note: the National Guard is restricted to citizens, but in 2018, the Army began allowing non-Kuwaitis to join on contract or as non-commissioned officers; that same year, it also began allowing stateless people (Bidoon) to join **Military - note:** the Kuwaiti Armed Forces (KAF) are responsible for defending Kuwait's sovereignty and territory; Kuwait’s security concerns include regional threats from state and non-state actors, maritime security, and terrorism; the KAF participates in bilateral and multilateral exercises, as well as a limited number of multinational security operations such as maritime patrols in the Persian Gulf; it also provided a few fighter aircraft to the Saudi-led coalition intervention in Yemen in 2015; the KAF is part of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region Kuwait's key security partner since the 1991 Gulf War has been the US; the US maintains thousands of military personnel as well as logistics and training facilities in Kuwait as part of mutual cooperation agreements signed in 1991 and 2013; the KAF conducts bilateral exercises with the US military and would look to US assistance in the event of an external attack; Kuwait has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 1,271 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 92,000 (2024 est.) --- ## Kyrgyzstan **Slug:** kyrgyzstan **Region:** Central Asia **Flag:** 🇰🇬 **Codes:** cek: kg, iso2: KG, iso3: KGZ, iso_num: 417, genc: KGZ, stanag: KGZ, internet: .kg ### Introduction **Background:** Kyrgyzstan is a Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions. The Russian Empire annexed most of the territory of present-day Kyrgyzstan in 1876. The Kyrgyz staged a major revolt against the Tsarist Empire in 1916, during which almost one-sixth of the Kyrgyz population was killed. Kyrgyzstan became a Soviet republic in 1926 and achieved independence in 1991 when the USSR dissolved. Nationwide demonstrations in 2005 and 2010 resulted in the ouster of the country’s first two presidents, Askar AKAEV and Kurmanbek BAKIEV. Almazbek ATAMBAEV was sworn in as president in 2011. In 2017, ATAMBAEV became the first Kyrgyzstani president to serve a full term and respect constitutional term limits, voluntarily stepping down at the end of his mandate. Former prime minister and ruling Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan member Sooronbay JEENBEKOV replaced him after winning the 2017 presidential election, which was the most competitive in the country’s history despite reported cases of vote buying and abuse of public resources. In 2020, protests against parliamentary election results spread across Kyrgyzstan, leading to JEENBEKOV’s resignation and catapulting previously imprisoned Sadyr JAPAROV to acting president. In 2021, Kyrgyzstanis formally elected JAPAROV as president and approved a referendum to move Kyrgyzstan from a parliamentary to a presidential system. In 2021, Kyrgyzstanis voted in favor of constitutional changes that consolidated power in the presidency. Pro-government parties won a majority in the 2021 legislative elections. Continuing concerns for Kyrgyzstan include the trajectory of democratization, endemic corruption, tense regional relations, vulnerabilities due to climate change, border security vulnerabilities, and potential terrorist threats. ### Geography **Location:** Central Asia, west of China, south of Kazakhstan **Geographic coordinates:** 41 00 N, 75 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 199,951 sq km land: 191,801 sq km water: 8,150 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than South Dakota **Land boundaries:** total: 4,573 km border countries (4): China 1,063 km; Kazakhstan 1,212 km; Tajikistan 984 km; Uzbekistan 1,314 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan Mountains; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone **Terrain:** peaks of the Tien Shan mountain range and associated valleys and basins encompass the entire country **Elevation:** highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m mean elevation: 2,988 m **Natural resources:** abundant hydropower; gold, rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc **Land use:** agricultural land: 54% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 46.9% (2023 est.) forest: 6.5% (2023 est.) other: 39.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 10,041 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Ozero Issyk-Kul 6,240 sq km note - second largest saline lake after the Caspian Sea; second highest mountain lake after Lake Titicaca; it is an endorheic mountain basin; although surrounded by snow capped mountains it never freezes **Major rivers (by length in km):** Syr Darya river source (shared with Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan [m]) - 3,078 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km) **Population distribution:** the vast majority of Kyrgyzstanis live in rural areas; densest population settlement is to the north in and around the capital, Bishkek, followed by Osh in the west; the least densely populated area is the east, in the Tien Shan mountains **Natural hazards:** major flooding during snow melt; prone to earthquakes **Geography - note:** landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; 94% of the country is 1,000 m above sea level with an average elevation of 2,750 m; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes ### People and Society **Population:** total: 6,219,751 (2025 est.) male: 3,043,940 female: 3,175,811 **Nationality:** noun: Kyrgyzstani(s) adjective: Kyrgyzstani **Ethnic groups:** Kyrgyz 73.8%, Uzbek 14.8%, Russian 5.1%, Dungan 1.1%, other 5.2% (includes Uyghur, Tajik, Turk, Kazakh, Tatar, Ukrainian, Korean, German) (2021 est.) **Languages:** Kyrgyz (state language) 71.4%, Uzbek 14.4%, Russian (official language) 9%, other 5.2% (2009 est.) major-language sample(s): Дүйнөлүк фактылар китеби, негизги маалыматтын маанилүү булагы. (Kyrgyz) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 90% (majority Sunni), Christian 7% (Russian Orthodox 3%), other 3% (includes Jewish, Buddhist, Baha'i) (2017 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 29.1% (male 922,086/female 873,245) 15-64 years: 64% (male 1,935,200/female 2,013,733) 65 years and over: 6.9% (2024 est.) (male 164,032/female 263,805) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 56 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 44.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 11.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.8 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 28.6 years (2025 est.) male: 26.9 years female: 29.8 years **Population growth rate:** 0.75% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 18.26 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -4.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the vast majority of Kyrgyzstanis live in rural areas; densest population settlement is to the north in and around the capital, Bishkek, followed by Osh in the west; the least densely populated area is the east, in the Tien Shan mountains **Urbanization:** urban population: 37.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.105 million BISHKEK (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 22.6 years (2019 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 42 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 24 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 28.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 72.9 years (2024 est.) male: 68.9 years female: 77.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.43 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.18 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 85.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 90.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 14.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 9.2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.4% of GDP (2021) 7.6% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.85 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 4.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 16.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 4.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 3.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 26% (2025 est.) male: 50.7% (2025 est.) female: 3.1% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.9% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 57.4% (2023 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.3% (2018) women married by age 18: 12.9% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 6.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 19.6% national budget (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2024 est.) male: 12 years (2024 est.) female: 13 years (2024 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution; increasing soil salinity from irrigation practices; air pollution due to vehicle traffic **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan Mountains; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone **Land use:** agricultural land: 54% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 46.9% (2023 est.) forest: 6.5% (2023 est.) other: 39.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 37.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 11.389 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 6.301 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 4.234 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 854,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 40.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.113 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 14.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 224 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 336 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 7.1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 23.618 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy local short form: Kyrgyzstan etymology: named for the local Kyrgyz people, with "-stan" coming from the Persian word ostan, meaning "country;" the Kyrgyz name may derive from the Turkic root words kir, or "steppe," and gismek, "to wander;" the name is traditionally said to come from a combination of the Turkic words kyrg (forty) and -is (hundred), based on a tale about two tribes and the number of their tents **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Bishkek geographic coordinates: 42 52 N, 74 36 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the meaning of the name is unknown; the city was founded in 1862 as a Russian settlement on the site of an Uzbek fortress named Bishkek; the Russian version of the name was Pishpek, and the original name only came back into use in 1991 **Administrative divisions:** 7 provinces (oblustar, singular - oblus) and 2 cities* (shaarlar, singular - shaar); Batken Oblusu, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblusu (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad Oblusu, Naryn Oblusu, Osh Oblusu, Osh Shaary*, Talas Oblusu, Ysyk-Kol Oblusu (Karakol) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; exceptions show the administrative center name in parentheses **Legal system:** civil law system that includes features of French civil law and Russian Federation laws **Constitution:** history: previous 1993, 2007, 2010; latest approved by referendum in 2021 amendment process: proposed as a draft law by the majority of the Supreme Council membership or by petition of 300,000 voters; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Council membership in each of at least three readings of the draft two months apart; the draft may be submitted to a referendum if approved by two thirds of the Council membership; adoption requires the signature of the president **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kyrgyzstan dual citizenship recognized: yes, but only if a mutual treaty on dual citizenship is in force residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Sadyr JAPAROV (since 28 January 2021) head of government: Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek KASYMALIYEV (since 18 December 2024) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a five-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 10 January 2021 election results: 2021: Sadyr JAPAROV elected president in first round; percent of vote - Sadyr JAPAROV (Mekenchil) 79.2%, Adakhan MADUMAROV (United Kyrgyzstan) 6.8%, other 14% 2017: Sooronbay JEENBEKOV elected president; Sooronbay JEENBEKOV (Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan) 54.7%, Omurbek BABANOV (independent) 33.8%, Adakhan MADUMAROV (United Kyrgyzstan) 6.6%, other 4.9% expected date of next election: 2027 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Supreme Council (Jogorku Kenesh) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 90 (all directly elected) electoral system: other systems scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/30/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Ata-Jurt Kyrgyzstan (Fatherland) (15); Ishenim (Trust) (12); Yntymak (Harmony) (9); Alyans (Alliance) (7); Butun Kyrgyzstan (United) (6); Yiman Nuru (Ray of Faith) (5); Independents (34) percentage of women in chamber: 22.2% expected date of next election: November 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 25 judges); Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (consists of the chairperson, deputy chairperson, and 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president; Supreme Court judges serve for 10 years, Constitutional Court judges serve for 15 years; mandatory retirement at age 70 for judges of both courts subordinate courts: Higher Court of Arbitration; oblast (provincial) and city courts **Political parties:** Afghan's Party Alliance Cohesion Fatherland Kyrgyzstan Ishenim Light of Faith Mekenchil Social Democrats or SDK United Kyrgyzstan **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Aibek MOLDOGAZIEV (since 11 June 2025) chancery: 2360 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 449-9822 FAX: [1] (202) 449-8275 email address and website: kgembassy.usa@mfa.gov.kg Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in the USA and Canada (mfa.gov.kg) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Lesslie VIGUERIE (since 29 December 2022) embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016 mailing address: 7040 Bishkek Place, Washington DC 20521-7040 telephone: [996] (312) 597-000 FAX: [996] (312) 597-744 email address and website: ConsularBishkek@state.gov https://kg.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EITI (compliant country), FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 31 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 31 August (1991) **Flag:** description: red field with a yellow sun in the center that has 40 rays that run counterclockwise on the front of the flag and clockwise on the reverse; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines in a stylized representation of a tunduk, the circular opening at the top of a traditional Kyrgyz yurt meaning: the sun's rays represent the Kyrgyz tribes; red stands for bravery and valor, and the sun for peace and wealth **National symbol(s):** white falcon **National color(s):** red, yellow **National coat of arms:** adopted in 1992, the coat of arms of Kyrgyzstan highlights two of its best-known geographic features, Issyk-Kul Lake and the Tien Shan mountain range; the falcon, the national symbol, stands for nobleness and purity, and light blue for courage and generosity; the word “Kyrgyz” appears at the top of the emblem, and “Republic” at the bottom; the wheat, cotton, and rising sun were symbols used during the Soviet era **National anthem(s):** title: "Kyrgyz Respublikasynyn Mamlekettik Gimni" (National Anthem of the Kyrgyz Republic) lyrics/music: Djamil SADYKOV and Eshmambet KULUEV/Nasyr DAVLESOV and Kalyi MOLDOBASANOV history: adopted 1992 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain (c); Silk Roads: the Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor (c); Western Tien Shan (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** landlocked, lower-middle-income Central Asian economy; natural resource rich; growing hydroelectricity and tourism; high remittances; corruption limits investment; COVID-19 and political turmoil hurt GDP, limited public revenues, and increased spending **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $50.907 billion (2024 est.) $46.686 billion (2023 est.) $42.826 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 9% (2024 est.) 9% (2023 est.) 9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $7,000 (2024 est.) $6,600 (2023 est.) $6,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $17.478 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 10.8% (2023 est.) 13.9% (2022 est.) 11.9% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 8.6% (2024 est.) industry: 24.7% (2024 est.) services: 52.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 88.3% (2023 est.) government consumption: 16% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 12.5% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 36.9% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -95.5% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, potatoes, maize, sugar beets, wheat, barley, tomatoes, onions, watermelons, carrots/turnips (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, lumber, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals **Industrial production growth rate:** 9.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 3.197 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.3% (2024 est.) 4% (2023 est.) 4.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 6.8% (2024 est.) male: 6.3% (2024 est.) female: 7.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 33.3% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 26.4 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 4.4% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 22% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 18.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 26.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 32.6% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $4.84 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $4.452 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 40.5% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 19.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$5.18 billion (2022 est.) -$737.696 million (2021 est.) $374.257 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $3.628 billion (2022 est.) $3.292 billion (2021 est.) $2.435 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Switzerland 30%, Russia 19%, Kazakhstan 14%, UAE 10%, Turkey 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, coal, precious metal ore, refined petroleum, garments (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $10.655 billion (2022 est.) $5.928 billion (2021 est.) $4.051 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 44%, Russia 12%, Kazakhstan 6%, Turkey 6%, Uzbekistan 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, garments, refined petroleum, fabric, footwear (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $5.089 billion (2024 est.) $3.237 billion (2023 est.) $2.799 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $3.617 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** soms (KGS) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 87.15 (2024 est.) 87.856 (2023 est.) 84.116 (2022 est.) 84.641 (2021 est.) 77.346 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 99.7% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 99.6% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 3.944 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 14.872 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 428.01 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 3.929 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.363 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 14.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 85.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 3.685 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 4.212 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1.672 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1.443 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 28.499 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 31,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 40 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 28.638 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 435.336 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 406.698 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 5.663 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 27.58 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 157,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 7.72 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 107 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-funded public TV broadcaster NTRK operates Ala-Too 24 news channel and 4 other educational, cultural, and sports channels; ELTR is a state-owned TV station; the switchover to digital TV in 2017 resulted in private TV station growth; approximately 20 TV stations are struggling to increase Kyrgyz-language content to 60% of airtime, as required by law, instead of rebroadcasting programs from Russian channels or airing unlicensed movies and music; several Russian TV stations also broadcast; state-funded radio stations and about 10 significant private radio stations (2023) **Internet country code:** .kg **Internet users:** percent of population: 89% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 456,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** EX **Airports:** 28 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 424 km (2022) broad gauge: 424 km (2018) 1.520-m gauge ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic: Land Forces (Kygyz Army), Air Defense Forces (Kyrgyz Air Force), National Guard of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Security Service State Committee for National Security: Border Guard Service (2025) note: the National Guard’s missions include counterterrorism, responding to emergencies, and the protection of government facilities **Military expenditures:** 3% of GDP (2024 est.) 3.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 3% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 3% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** limited available information; estimated 10-15,000 active Armed Forces, including the National Guard (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Kyrgyz military inventory is comprised almost entirely of Russian and Soviet-era weapons and equipment; in recent years, the military has acquired small amounts of armaments from other suppliers such as Türkiye, which provided unmanned aerial vehicles/drones (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary service for men in the Armed Forces or Interior Ministry; 12-month service obligation (9 months for university graduates), with optional fee-based 3-year service in the call-up mobilization reserve; women may volunteer at age 19; 16-17 years of age for military cadets, who cannot take part in military operations (2025) **Military - note:** the Kyrgyz military’s primary responsibility is defense of the country’s sovereignty and territory, although it also has some internal security duties; the military also participates in UN and Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) peacekeeping missions, as well as bilateral and multinational exercises; particular issues of concern include border security and terrorism; the military’s closest security partner is Russia, which provides training and material assistance, and maintains a presence in the country, including an airbase; the military also conducts training with other regional countries such as India, traditionally with a focus on counterterrorism Kyrgyzstan has been a member of CSTO since 1994 and contributes troops to CSTO's rapid reaction force; it also started a relationship with NATO in 1992 and joined NATO's Partnership for Peace program in 1994 (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): US-designated foreign terrorist groups such as the Islamic Jihad Union, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province have operated in the area where the Uzbek, Kyrgyz, and Tajik borders converge and ill-defined and porous borders allow for the relatively free movement of people and illicit goods ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 25,413 (2024 est.) IDPs: 12 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 925 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Kyrgyzstan remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/kyrgyz-republic/ --- ## Laos **Slug:** laos **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇱🇦 **Codes:** cek: la, iso2: LA, iso3: LAO, iso_num: 418, genc: LAO, stanag: LAO, internet: .la ### Introduction **Background:** Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th century under King FA NGUM. For 300 years, Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century, when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. Following more than 15 years of civil war, the communist Pathet Lao took control of the government in 1975, ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a one party--the Lao People's Revolutionary Party--communist state. A gradual, limited return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in the late 1980s. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997 and the WTO in 2013. In the 2010s, the country benefited from direct foreign investment, particularly in the natural resource and industry sectors. Construction of a number of large hydropower dams and expanding mining activities have also boosted the economy. Laos has retained its official commitment to communism and maintains close ties with its two communist neighbors, Vietnam and China, both of which continue to exert substantial political and economic influence on the country. China, for example, provided 70% of the funding for a $5.9 billion, 400-km railway line between the Chinese border and the capital Vientiane, which opened for operations in 2021. Laos financed the remaining 30% with loans from China. At the same time, Laos has expanded its economic reliance on the West and other Asian countries, such as Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. Nevertheless, despite steady economic growth for more than a decade, it remains one of Asia's poorest countries. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam **Geographic coordinates:** 18 00 N, 105 00 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 236,800 sq km land: 230,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km **Area - comparative:** about twice the size of Pennsylvania; slightly larger than Utah **Land boundaries:** total: 5,274 km border countries (5): Burma 238 km; Cambodia 555 km; China 475 km; Thailand 1,845 km; Vietnam 2,161 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) **Terrain:** mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus **Elevation:** highest point: Phu Bia 2,817 m lowest point: Mekong River 70 m mean elevation: 710 m **Natural resources:** timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones **Land use:** agricultural land: 9.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.9% (2023 est.) forest: 56.8% (2023 est.) other: 33.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 4,410 sq km (2022) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Mènam Khong (Mekong) (shared with China [s], Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam [m]) - 4,350 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Pacific Ocean drainage: Mekong (805,604 sq km) **Population distribution:** most densely populated area is in and around the capital city of Vientiane; large communities are primarily found along the Mekong River along the southwestern border; overall density is considered one of the lowest in Southeast Asia **Natural hazards:** floods, droughts **Geography - note:** landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand ### People and Society **Population:** total: 8,052,913 (2025 est.) male: 4,016,077 female: 4,036,836 **Nationality:** noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian **Ethnic groups:** Lao 53.2%, Khmou 11%, Hmong 9.2%, Phouthay 3.4%, Tai 3.1%, Makong 2.5%, Katong 2.2%, Lue 2%, Akha 1.8%, other 11.6% (2015 est.) note: the Laos Government officially recognizes 49 ethnic groups, but the total number of ethnic groups is estimated to be well over 200 **Languages:** Lao (official), French, English, various ethnic languages major-language sample(s): ແຫລ່ງທີ່ຂາດບໍ່ໄດ້ສຳລັບຂໍ້ມູນຕົ້ນຕໍ່” (Lao) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Buddhist 64.7%, Christian 1.7%, none 31.4%, other/not stated 2.1% (2015 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 30.1% (male 1,214,429/female 1,181,845) 15-64 years: 65% (male 2,573,668/female 2,599,957) 65 years and over: 4.8% (2024 est.) (male 178,223/female 205,434) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 52.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 45.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 7.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 13.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 25.8 years (2025 est.) male: 25 years female: 25.7 years **Population growth rate:** 1.22% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 19.22 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.07 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most densely populated area is in and around the capital city of Vientiane; large communities are primarily found along the Mekong River along the southwestern border; overall density is considered one of the lowest in Southeast Asia **Urbanization:** urban population: 38.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 721,000 VIENTIANE (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 112 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 34.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 39.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 31.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 69 years (2024 est.) male: 67.4 years female: 70.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.19 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.07 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 97.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 78.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 85.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 21.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 14.5% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 2.7% of GDP (2021) 4.3% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.33 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 1.3 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 72% of population (2022 est.) total: 82.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 28% of population (2022 est.) total: 17.5% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 5.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 8.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 24.1% (2025 est.) male: 41% (2025 est.) female: 7.2% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 24.3% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 61.6% (2017 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 7.1% (2017) women married by age 18: 32.7% (2017) men married by age 18: 10.8% (2017) **Education expenditure:** 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 8.2% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 75.6% (2023 est.) male: 85.1% (2023 est.) female: 66.7% (2023 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 9 years (2023 est.) male: 9 years (2023 est.) female: 9 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; water pollution; limited access to potable water **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) **Land use:** agricultural land: 9.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.9% (2023 est.) forest: 56.8% (2023 est.) other: 33.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 38.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 23.412 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 19.652 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 3.76 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 20.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 351,900 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 130 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 170 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 7.05 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 333.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic conventional short form: Laos local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao local short form: Mueang Lao (unofficial) abbreviation: Lao PDR etymology: name means "Land of the Lao [people];" it derives from the name of the country's founder, Lao **Government type:** communist party-led state **Capital:** name: Vientiane (Viangchan) geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name Viangchan means "city of sandalwood" in Laotian; the standard spelling reflects French influence **Administrative divisions:** 17 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 prefecture* (kampheng nakhon); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxay, Champasak, Houaphanh, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphabang (Luang Prabang), Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun, Xekong, Xiangkhouang **Legal system:** civil law system similar in form to the French system **Constitution:** history: previous 1947 (pre-independence); latest promulgated 13-15 August 1991 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership and promulgation by the president of the republic **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Laos dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President THONGLOUN Sisoulith (since 22 March 2021) head of government: Prime Minister SONEXAY (also spelled SONXAI) Siphandon (since 30 December 2022) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (no term limits); prime minister nominated by the president, elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term most recent election date: 22 March 2021 election results: 2021: THONGLOUN Sisoulith (LPRP) elected president; National Assembly vote - 161-1; PHANKHAM Viphavanh (LPRP) elected prime minister; National Assembly vote - 158-3 2016: BOUNNHANG Vorachit (LPRP) elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA; THONGLOUN Sisoulith (LPRP) elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - NA expected date of next election: March 2026 note: President THONGLOUN Sisoulith is also general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Sapha Heng Xat) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 164 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 2/21/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) (158); Other (6) percentage of women in chamber: 22% expected date of next election: February 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): People's Supreme Court (consists of the court president and organized into criminal, civil, administrative, commercial, family, and juvenile chambers, each with a vice president and several judges) judge selection and term of office: president of People's Supreme Court appointed by the National Assembly upon the recommendation of the president of the republic for a 5-year term; vice presidents of the People's Supreme Court appointed by the president of the republic upon the recommendation of the National Assembly; appointment of chamber judges NA; tenure of court vice presidents and chamber judges NA subordinate courts: appellate courts; provincial, municipal, district, and military courts **Political parties:** Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP note: other parties proscribed **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador PHOUKHONG Sisoulath (since 5 September 2025) chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416 FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923 email address and website: embasslao@gmail.com https://laoembassy.com/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Heather VARIAVA (since 5 February 2024) embassy: Ban Somvang Tai, Thadeua Road, Km 9, Hatsayfong District, Vientiane mailing address: 4350 Vientiane Place, Washington DC 20521-4350 telephone: [856] 21-48-7000 FAX: [856] 21-48-7040 email address and website: CONSLAO@state.gov https://la.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 19 July 1949 (from France); 22 October 1953 (Franco-Lao Treaty recognizes full independence) **National holiday:** Republic Day (National Day), 2 December (1975) **Flag:** description: three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double-width), and red, with a large white disk centered in the blue band meaning: red stands for the blood shed for liberation, and blue for the Mekong River and prosperity; the white disk represents the full moon over the Mekong River and the unity of the people under the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, as well as the country's bright future **National symbol(s):** elephant **National color(s):** red, white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "Pheng Xat Lao" (Hymn of the Lao People) lyrics/music: SISANA Sisane/THONGDY Sounthonevichit history: music adopted 1945, lyrics adopted 1975; the anthem's lyrics were changed after the communist revolution that overthrew the monarchy in 1975 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Town of Luangphrabang; Vat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements; Megalithic Jar Sites in Xiengkhuang - Plain of Jars ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower middle-income, socialist Southeast Asian economy; one of the fastest growing economies; declining but still high poverty; natural resource rich; new anticorruption efforts; already high and growing public debt; service sector hit hard by COVID-19 **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $66.905 billion (2024 est.) $64.173 billion (2023 est.) $61.856 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.3% (2024 est.) 3.7% (2023 est.) 2.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $8,600 (2024 est.) $8,400 (2023 est.) $8,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $16.503 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 23.1% (2024 est.) 31.2% (2023 est.) 23% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 16.8% (2024 est.) industry: 29% (2024 est.) services: 43.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 65.7% (2016 est.) government consumption: 14% (2016 est.) investment in fixed capital: 29% (2016 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2016 est.) exports of goods and services: 33.2% (2016 est.) imports of goods and services: -41.9% (2016 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** cassava, root vegetables, rice, sugarcane, vegetables, bananas, maize, rubber, coffee, watermelons (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** mining (copper, tin, gold, gypsum); timber, electric power, agricultural processing, rubber, construction, garments, cement, tourism **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.9% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 3.585 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 1.3% (2024 est.) 1.2% (2023 est.) 1.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 2.2% (2024 est.) male: 2.4% (2024 est.) female: 2.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 18.3% (2018 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 38.8 (2018 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 50.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 7.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3% (2018 est.) highest 10%: 31.2% (2018 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $2.288 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $2.259 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 12.1% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $404.523 million (2023 est.) -$458.754 million (2022 est.) $431.636 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $9.698 billion (2023 est.) $8.604 billion (2022 est.) $7.82 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 39%, Thailand 34%, Australia 4%, USA 4%, Cambodia 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** electricity, fertilizers, gold, garments, paper (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $8.596 billion (2023 est.) $7.983 billion (2022 est.) $6.527 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Thailand 58%, China 36%, Japan 1%, Singapore 1%, Germany 1% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, raw sugar, plastic products, trucks (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.77 billion (2023 est.) $1.576 billion (2022 est.) $1.951 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $9.619 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** kips (LAK) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 17,688.874 (2023 est.) 14,035.227 (2022 est.) 9,697.916 (2021 est.) 9,045.788 (2020 est.) 8,679.409 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 12.738 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 12.803 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 38 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 955.095 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.447 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 23.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 76.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 16.629 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 15.944 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1.065 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 22,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 62 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 25,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 34.463 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.23 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 4.96 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 65 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** 6 TV stations operating out of Vientiane, with half state-operated and half commercial; 17 provincial stations, with nearly all programming relayed via satellite from the state-operated stations in Vientiane; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems provide access to a wide range of foreign stations; state-controlled radio with state-operated Lao National Radio (LNR) broadcasting on 5 frequencies; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are accessible **Internet country code:** .la **Internet users:** percent of population: 64% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 183,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** RDPL **Airports:** 20 (2025) **Railways:** total: 422 km (2023) standard gauge: 422 km (2023) 1.435-m gauge (422 km overhead electrification) **Merchant marine:** total: 1 (2023) by type: general cargo 1 ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF; aka Lao People's Army): Lao People's Army (LPA, includes Riverine Force), Lao People's Air Force (LPAF); Self-Defense Militia Forces (2025) note: the Ministry of Public Security maintains internal security and is responsible for law enforcement; it oversees local, traffic, immigration, and security police, village police auxiliaries, and other armed police units **Military expenditures:** 0.2% of GDP (2019 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2018 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2017 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2016 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2015 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information limited and varied; estimated 30,000 active Armed Forces; estimated 100,000 Self-Defense Militia Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the LPAF is armed with Chinese, Russian, and Soviet-era equipment and weapons (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service; mandatory military service for men 18-35 with a minimum 18-month service obligation (2025) **Military - note:** the LPAF’s primary missions are border and internal security, including counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, and counter-narcotics operations, as well as protecting the regime; its defense partners include Cambodia, China, Russia, and Vietnam (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** IDPs: 1,274 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Laos does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Laos was downgraded to Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/laos/ **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025) --- ## Latvia **Slug:** latvia **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇱🇻 **Codes:** cek: lg, iso2: LV, iso3: LVA, iso_num: 428, genc: LVA, stanag: LVA, internet: .lv ### Introduction **Background:** Several eastern Baltic tribes merged in medieval times to form the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but the USSR annexed it in 1940 -- an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 25% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in 2004; it joined the euro zone in 2014 and the OECD in 2016. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania **Geographic coordinates:** 57 00 N, 25 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 64,589 sq km land: 62,249 sq km water: 2,340 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than West Virginia **Land boundaries:** total: 1,370 km border countries (4): Belarus 161 km; Estonia 333 km; Lithuania 544 km; Russia 332 km **Coastline:** 498 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: limits as agreed to by Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Russia continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** maritime; wet, moderate winters **Terrain:** low plain **Elevation:** highest point: Gaizina Kalns 312 m lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 87 m **Natural resources:** peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, timber, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 31.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 21.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 9.7% (2023 est.) forest: 55.5% (2023 est.) other: 12.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 6 sq km (2016) note: land in Latvia is often too wet and in need of drainage not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage **Population distribution:** largest concentration of people is found in and around the port and capital city of Riga; small agglomerations are scattered throughout the country **Natural hazards:** large percentage of agricultural fields can become waterlogged and require drainage **Geography - note:** most of the country is composed of fertile low-lying plains with some hills in the east ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,888,439 (2025 est.) male: 876,654 female: 1,011,785 **Nationality:** noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian **Ethnic groups:** Latvian 62.7%, Russian 24.5%, Belarusian 3.1%, Ukrainian 2.2%, Polish 2%, Lithuanian 1.1%, other 1.8%, unspecified 2.6% (2021 est.) **Languages:** Latvian (official) 56.3%, Russian 33.8%, other 0.6% (includes Polish, Ukrainian, and Belarusian), unspecified 9.4% (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): World Factbook, neaizstājams avots pamata informāciju. (Latvian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: data represent language usually spoken at home **Religions:** Lutheran 36.2%, Roman Catholic 19.5%, Orthodox 19.1%, other Christian 1.6%, other 0.1%, unspecified/none 23.5% (2017 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 14.7% (male 136,482/female 128,492) 15-64 years: 63% (male 562,754/female 572,850) 65 years and over: 22.2% (2024 est.) (male 137,746/female 262,922) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 56.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 23.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 33 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 43.8 years (2025 est.) male: 41.6 years female: 49.2 years **Population growth rate:** -1.27% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 7.24 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 14.68 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -5.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** largest concentration of people is found in and around the port and capital city of Riga; small agglomerations are scattered throughout the country **Urbanization:** urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 621,000 RIGA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 27.3 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 19 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 2.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.4 years (2024 est.) male: 72 years female: 81 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.25 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.61 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9% of GDP (2021) 12.1% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.4 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 5.3 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 23.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 12.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 5.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 28.8% (2025 est.) male: 43.5% (2025 est.) female: 16.4% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 0.3% (2021 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 49.6% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 9.9% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 17 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** some soil, water, and air pollution **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** maritime; wet, moderate winters **Land use:** agricultural land: 31.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 21.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 9.7% (2023 est.) forest: 55.5% (2023 est.) other: 12.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 6.427 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 41,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 4.861 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 1.526 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 15.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 839,700 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 31.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 91.945 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 30.291 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 50.098 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 34.94 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (while occupied by the USSR) etymology: the name originates from the Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.) **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Riga geographic coordinates: 56 57 N, 24 06 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name's origin is unclear; it may derive from the Old Lithuanian word ringa, meaning "bend" or "curve" and referring to the city's location on the Western Dvina River; alternatively, it may come from the Latvian word ridzina, meaning "stream" **Administrative divisions:** 36 municipalities (novadi, singular - novads) and 7 state cities (valstpilsetu pasvaldibas, singular - valstspilsetas pasvaldiba) municipalities: Adazi, Aizkraukle, Aluksne, Augsdaugava, Balvi, Bauska, Cesis, Dienvidkurzeme, Dobele, Gulbene, Jekabpils, Jelgava, Kekava, Kraslava, Kuldiga, Limbazi, Livani, Ludza, Madona, Marupe, Ogre, Olaine, Preili, Rezekne, Ropazi, Salaspils, Saldus, Saulkrasti, Sigulda, Smiltene, Talsi, Tukums, Valka, Valmiera, Varaklani, Ventspils cities: Daugavpils, Jelgava, Jurmala, Liepaja, Rezekne, Riga, Ventspils **Legal system:** civil law system with traces of socialist legal traditions and practices **Constitution:** history: several previous (pre-1991 independence); after independence was restored in 1991, parts of the 1922 constitution were reintroduced on 4 May 1990 and fully reintroduced on 6 July 1993 amendment process: proposed by two thirds of Parliament members or by petition of one tenth of qualified voters submitted through the president; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of Parliament in each of three readings; amendment of constitutional articles, including national sovereignty, language, the parliamentary electoral system, and constitutional amendment procedures, requires passage in a referendum by majority vote of at least one half of the electorate **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Latvia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Edgars RINKEVICS (since 8 July 2023) head of government: Prime Minister Evika SILINA (since 15 September 2023) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by Parliament election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by Parliament for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by Parliament most recent election date: 31 May 2023 election results: 2023: Edgars RINKEVICS elected president in the third round; Parliament vote - Edgars RINKEVICS (Unity Party) 52, Uldis Pīlēns (independent) 25; Evika SILINA confirmed as prime minister 53-39 2019: Egils LEVITS elected president; Parliament vote - Egils LEVITS (independent) 61, Didzis SMITS (KPV LV) 24, Juris JANSONS (independent) 8; Krisjanis KARINS confirmed as prime minister 61-39 expected date of next election: 2027 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Saeima) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 100 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/1/2022 parties elected and seats per party: New Unity (VIENOTIBA) (26); Union of Farmers and Greens (ZZS) (16); United List - Latvian Green Party, Latvian Regional Alliance, Liepāja Party (15); National Alliance of All for Latvia!" - "For Fatherland and Freedom / LNNK" (NA) (13); For Stability! (11); Progressives (10); Latvia First (9) percentage of women in chamber: 31% expected date of next election: October 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the Senate with 36 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by chief justice and confirmed by the Saeima; judges serve until age 70, but term can be extended 2 years; Constitutional Court judges - 3 nominated by Saeima members, 2 by Cabinet ministers, and 2 by plenum of Supreme Court; all judges confirmed by Saeima majority vote; Constitutional Court president and vice president serve in their positions for 3 years; all judges serve 10-year terms; mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: district (city) and regional courts **Political parties:** For Stability or S! For Latvia's Development or LA Harmony or S Honor to Serve Riga! or GKR Latvia First or LPV National Alliance or NA New Unity or JV People. Land. Statehood. or TZV The Progressives or PRO Union of Greens and Farmers or ZZS United List or AS We for Talsi and Municipality or MTuN **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Elita KUZMA (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860 email address and website: embassy.usa@mfa.gov.lv https://www2.mfa.gov.lv/en/usa **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Julia JACOBY (since December 2025) embassy: 1 Samnera Velsa Street (former Remtes), Riga LV-1510 mailing address: 4520 Riga Place, Washington DC 20521-4520 telephone: [371] 6710-7000 FAX: [371] 6710-7050 email address and website: askconsular-riga@state.gov https://lv.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia); 4 May 1990 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union) **National holiday:** Independence Day (Republic of Latvia Proclamation Day), 18 November (1918) note: 18 November 1918 was the date Latvia established its statehood and independence from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 was the date it declared the restoration of statehood and independence from the Soviet Union **Flag:** description: three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon history: the flag is one of the older banners in the world -- a medieval chronicle mentions Latvian tribes using a red standard with a white stripe around 1280 **National symbol(s):** white wagtail (bird) **National color(s):** maroon, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Dievs, sveti Latviju!" (God Bless Latvia) lyrics/music: Karlis BAUMANIS history: adopted 1920, restored 1990; first performed in 1873 when Latvia was part of Russia; banned during the Soviet occupation from 1940 to 1990 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Center of Riga; Struve Geodetic Arc; Old town of Kuldīga ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income EU and eurozone member; weak recovery following economic contraction, with slight increase in private consumption and uncertain trade environment; challenges from skilled-labor shortages, capital market access, large informal sector, and green and digital transitions **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $72.516 billion (2024 est.) $72.838 billion (2023 est.) $70.817 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -0.4% (2024 est.) 2.9% (2023 est.) 1.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $38,900 (2024 est.) $38,800 (2023 est.) $37,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $43.521 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.3% (2024 est.) 8.9% (2023 est.) 17.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 4.1% (2024 est.) industry: 19.9% (2024 est.) services: 63.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 62.7% (2023 est.) government consumption: 20.2% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.7% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -0.1% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 66.5% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -70.2% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, milk, rapeseed, barley, oats, potatoes, rye, beans, peas, chicken (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** processed foods, processed wood products, textiles, processed metals, pharmaceuticals, railroad cars, synthetic fibers, electronics **Industrial production growth rate:** -4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 954,900 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 6.8% (2024 est.) 6.5% (2023 est.) 6.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 12.5% (2024 est.) male: 13% (2024 est.) female: 11.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 22.5% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 33.7 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 19.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 7.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.6% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 25.8% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 3.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.4% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $14.58 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $15.432 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 36.3% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities, including sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government, and social security funds **Taxes and other revenues:** 16.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$923.266 million (2024 est.) -$1.663 billion (2023 est.) -$2.082 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $28.117 billion (2024 est.) $28.294 billion (2023 est.) $29.364 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Lithuania 19%, Estonia 6%, Russia 6%, Germany 6%, Sweden 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** wood, wheat, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicine, natural gas (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $29.234 billion (2024 est.) $29.875 billion (2023 est.) $31.206 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Lithuania 18%, Germany 11%, Poland 10%, Estonia 8%, Finland 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, packaged medicine, broadcasting equipment, natural gas (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $5.141 billion (2024 est.) $4.957 billion (2023 est.) $4.46 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 3.428 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 6.822 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 3.271 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 4.075 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 342.238 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 22.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 4.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 59.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 10.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 20,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 12,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 39,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 33,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 786.523 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 786.523 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 65.908 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 205,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 2.27 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** several national and regional commercial TV stations are foreign-owned, 2 national TV stations are publicly owned; system supplemented by privately owned regional and local TV stations; cable and satellite multi-channel TV services with domestic and foreign broadcasts available; publicly owned broadcaster operates 4 radio networks with dozens of stations; dozens of private broadcasters also operate radio stations **Internet country code:** .lv **Internet users:** percent of population: 92% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 489,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** YL **Airports:** 55 (2025) **Heliports:** 5 (2025) **Railways:** total: 2,216 km (2020) 257 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 83 (2023) by type: container ship 2, general cargo 30, oil tanker 10, other 41 **Ports:** total ports: 5 (2024) large: 1 medium: 2 small: 0 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Lielupe, Liepaja, Riga, Salacgriva, Ventspils ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** National Armed Forces (Nacionalie Brunotie Speki or NBS): Land Forces (Latvijas Sauszemes Speki), Naval Force (Latvijas Juras Speki, includes Coast Guard (Latvijas Kara Flote)), Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa Speki), National Guard (aka Land Guard or Zemessardze) Ministry of Interior: State Police, State Border Guards, State Security Service (2025) note: the State Border Guard may become part of the armed forces during an emergency **Military expenditures:** 3.7% of GDP (2025 est.) 3.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 3% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 9,000 active-duty military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Latvian military's inventory consists of European and US armaments (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** mandatory military service for all men 18-24; men and women 18-27 may volunteer for military service; service length 11 months in the Armed Forces or National Guard, or 5 years in the National Guard as a whole, with a minimum of 21 days of individual training and a maximum of 7 days of collective training each year (2026) note 1: conscription was reintroduced in 2024 note 2: as of 2024, women comprised about 16.5% of the military's full-time personnel **Military deployments:** 140 Kosovo (KFOR/NATO) (2025) **Military - note:** the National Armed Forces are responsible for the defense of the country’s sovereignty and territory; they also have some domestic security responsibilities, including coast guard functions, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance, and providing support to other internal security services; the Military Police provides protection to the president and other government officials, foreign dignitaries, and key facilities; Latvia’s primary external security focus is Russia in 2004, Latvia joined NATO and the EU, both of which it depends on to play a decisive role in Latvia’s security policy; the Latvian military has participated in EU and NATO missions abroad and regularly conducts training and exercises with EU and NATO partner forces; Latvia also hosts NATO partner forces; since 2017, it has hosted a Canadian-led multinational NATO ground force battlegroup as part of the Alliance’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative; in addition, NATO has provided air protection for Latvia since 2004 through its Baltics Air Policing mission Latvia is a member of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, a pool of high-readiness military forces from 10 Baltic and Scandinavian countries designed to respond to a wide range of contingencies in the North Atlantic, Baltic Sea, and High North regions (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 49,483 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 173,891 (2024 est.) --- ## Lebanon **Slug:** lebanon **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇱🇧 **Codes:** cek: le, iso2: LB, iso3: LBN, iso_num: 422, genc: LBN, stanag: LBN, internet: .lb ### Introduction **Background:** As a result of its location at the crossroads of three continents, the area that is modern-day Lebanon is rich in cultural and religious diversity. This region was subject to various foreign conquerors for much of its history, including the Romans, Arabs, and Ottomans. Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. From it the French demarcated the region of Lebanon in 1920, and it gained independence in 1943. Lebanon subsequently experienced periods of political turmoil interspersed with prosperity built on its position as a regional center for finance and trade. The country's 1975-90 civil war, which resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities, was followed by years of social and political instability, and sectarianism remains a key element of Lebanese political life. The Israeli defense forces, which occupied parts of Lebanon during the civil war, did not completely withdraw until 2000. Neighboring Syria influenced Lebanon's foreign and domestic policies while its military occupied Lebanon from 1976 until 2005, but its influence diminished significantly after 2005. Over 1.5 million Syrian refugees fled to Lebanon after the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011. Hizballah -- a major Lebanese political party, militia, and US-designated foreign terrorist organization -- and Israel continued attacks and counterattacks against each other after Syria's withdrawal and fought a brief war in 2006. After HAMAS attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, the intensity and frequency of these cross-border attacks increased substantially into a cycle of hostilities, mostly limited to the border areas as of January 2024. Lebanon's borders with Syria and Israel remain unresolved. Lebanon's prosperity has significantly diminished since the beginning of the country's economic crisis in 2019, which has crippled its economy, shut down its previously lucrative banking sector, reduced the value of its currency, and caused many Lebanese to emigrate in search of better prospects. ### Geography **Location:** Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria **Geographic coordinates:** 33 50 N, 35 50 E **Map references:** Middle East **Area:** total : 10,400 sq km land: 10,230 sq km water: 170 sq km **Area - comparative:** about one-third the size of Maryland **Land boundaries:** total: 484 km border countries (2): Israel 81 km; Syria 403 km **Coastline:** 225 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm **Climate:** Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; the Lebanon Mountains experience heavy winter snows **Terrain:** narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains **Elevation:** highest point: Qornet es Saouda 3,088 m lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 1,250 m **Natural resources:** limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 65.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 13.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 13.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 39.1% (2023 est.) forest: 13.8% (2023 est.) other: 20.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,040 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** the majority of people live on or near the Mediterranean coast, particularly in and around the capital of Beirut **Natural hazards:** earthquakes; dust storms, sandstorms **Geography - note:** smallest country in continental Asia; Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary ### People and Society **Population:** total: 5,707,137 (2025 est.) male: 2,820,314 female: 2,886,823 **Nationality:** noun: Lebanese (singular and plural) adjective: Lebanese **Ethnic groups:** Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify as Arab but rather as descendants of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called Phoenicians **Languages:** Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 67.8% (31.9% Sunni, 31.2% Shia, smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), Christian 32.4% (Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 4.5%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus (2020 est.) note: data represent the religious affiliation of the citizen population (data do not include Lebanon's sizable Syrian and Palestinian refugee populations); 18 religious sects recognized **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 18.9% (male 519,352/female 495,591) 15-64 years: 71.6% (male 1,939,311/female 1,900,574) 65 years and over: 9.5% (2024 est.) (male 219,880/female 289,774) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 50 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 38.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 11.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 29.4 years (2025 est.) male: 35.6 years female: 36.9 years **Population growth rate:** -0.77% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 16.73 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.23 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -18.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the majority of people live on or near the Mediterranean coast, particularly in and around the capital of Beirut **Urbanization:** urban population: 89.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -1.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.421 million BEIRUT (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 15 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 79.2 years (2024 est.) male: 77.8 years female: 80.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.2 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.07 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 92.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 7.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 10.1% of GDP (2021) 15.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.68 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Hospital bed density:** 2.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 32% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 34.1% (2025 est.) male: 43.8% (2025 est.) female: 25.4% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 5.1% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 52.4% (2019 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 1.4% (2016) women married by age 18: 6% (2016) **Education expenditure:** 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 8.6% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 92% (2019 est.) male: 94.8% (2019 est.) female: 89.5% (2019 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 11 years (2023 est.) male: 12 years female: 11 years (2014) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; soil deterioration, erosion; desertification; species loss; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills; waste-water management **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; the Lebanon Mountains experience heavy winter snows **Land use:** agricultural land: 65.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 13.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 13.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 39.1% (2023 est.) forest: 13.8% (2023 est.) other: 20.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 89.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -1.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 17.484 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 375,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 17.109 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 23.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 7.9 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 11.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 105.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 0.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.04 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 240 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 900 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 700 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 4.503 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Lebanese Republic conventional short form: Lebanon local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah local short form: Lubnan former: Greater Lebanon etymology: derives from the Semitic root lbn, meaning "white," and probably refers to the country's snow-capped mountains **Government type:** parliamentary democratic republic **Capital:** name: Beirut geographic coordinates: 33 52 N, 35 30 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: derived from the Phoenician or Hebrew word be'erot, meaning "the wells," which were the only source of water in the region **Administrative divisions:** 8 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Aakkar, Baalbek-Hermel, Beqaa (Bekaa), Beyrouth (Beirut), Liban-Nord (North Lebanon), Liban-Sud (South Lebanon), Mont-Liban (Mount Lebanon), Nabatiye **Legal system:** mixed system of civil law based on the French civil code, Ottoman legal tradition, and religious laws covering personal status, marriage, divorce, and other family relations of the Jewish, Islamic, and Christian communities **Constitution:** history: drafted 15 May 1926, adopted 23 May 1926 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic and introduced as a government bill to the National Assembly or proposed by at least 10 members of the Assembly and agreed upon by two thirds of its members; if proposed by the National Assembly, review and approval by two-thirds majority of the Cabinet is required; if approved, the proposal is next submitted to the Cabinet for drafting as an amendment; Cabinet approval requires at least two-thirds majority, followed by submission to the National Assembly for discussion and vote; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of a required two-thirds quorum of the Assembly membership and promulgation by the president **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Lebanon dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: unknown **Suffrage:** 21 years of age; authorized for all men and women regardless of religion; excludes persons convicted of felonies and other crimes or those imprisoned; excludes all military and security service personnel regardless of rank **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Joseph AOUN (since 9 January 2025) head of government: Prime Minister Nawaf SALAM (since 8 February 2025) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and the National Assembly election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by a qualified majority of two-thirds of Parliament members in the first round and, if needed, a two-thirds quorum of members by simple-majority popular vote for a 6-year term (eligible for non-consecutive terms); prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly most recent election date: 9 January 2025 election results: 2025: Joseph AOUN elected president in second round; National Assembly vote - 99 of 128 2016: Michel AWN elected president in second round; National Assembly vote - Michel AWN (FPM) 83; the president elected in its 46th attempt on 31 October 2016 expected date of next election: 2031 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Majlis Al-Nuwwab) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 128 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 5/15/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Strong Republic (19); Strong Lebanon (18); Development and Liberation (15); Loyalty to the Resistance (15); Independent Deputies (9); Democratic Gathering (8); Independents (20); Other (24) percentage of women in chamber: 6.3% expected date of next election: May 2026 note 1: Lebanon’s constitution states that the Parliament cannot conduct regular business until it elects a president when the position is vacant note 2: seats are apportioned evenly between Christians and Muslims **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Supreme Court (organized into 8 chambers, each with a presiding judge and 2 associate judges); Constitutional Council (consists of 10 members) judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by Supreme Judicial Council, a 10-member body headed by the chief justice, and includes other judicial officials; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Council members appointed - 5 by the Council of Ministers and 5 by parliament; members serve 5-year terms subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; specialized tribunals, religious courts; military courts **Political parties:** Al-Ahbash (Association of Islamic Charitable Projects) or AICP Amal Movement ("Hope Movement") Azm Movement Ba’th Arab Socialist Party of Lebanon Free Patriotic Movement or FPM Future Movement Bloc or FM Hizballah Islamic Action Front or IAF Kata'ib Party Lebanese Democratic Party Lebanese Forces or LF Marada Movement Progressive Socialist Party or PSP Social Democrat Hunshaqian Party Syrian Social Nationalist Party or SSNP Tashnaq or Armenian Revolutionary Federation **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Nada HAMADEH (since 5 September 2025) chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324 email address and website: info@lebanonembassyus.org http://www.lebanonembassyus.org/ consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Michel ISSA (since 17 November 2025) embassy: Awkar facing the Municipality P.O. Box 70-840 Antelias, Beirut mailing address: 6070 Beirut Place, Washington DC 20521-6070 telephone: [961] (04) 543-600 FAX: [961] (4) 544-019 email address and website: BeirutACS@state.gov https://lb.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) **Independence:** 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 22 November (1943) **Flag:** description: three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle, double-width), and red (bottom), with a green cedar tree centered on the white band meaning: red stands for blood shed for liberation, and white for peace, the snow of the mountains, and purity; the green cedar tree is the national symbol and represents eternity, steadiness, happiness, and prosperity **National symbol(s):** cedar tree **National color(s):** red, white, green **National coat of arms:** Lebanon has had many coats of arms since declaring independence in 1943, but none were officially adopted. The current version is a variation of the national flag. Red stands for the blood shed for liberation, and white for peace, purity, and mountain snow. The cedar tree is the national symbol, embodying eternity, steadiness, happiness, and prosperity. **National anthem(s):** title: "Kulluna lil-watan" (All of Us, For Our Country!) lyrics/music: Rachid NAKHLE/Wadih SABRA history: adopted 1927 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 6 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Anjar; Baalbek; Byblos; Tyre; Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab); Rachid Karami International Fair-Tripoli ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower middle-income Middle Eastern economy; hyperinflation and sharp poverty increases; banks have ceased lending; economic contraction, destroyed infrastructure, and reduced consumer demand resulting from Israel-Hezbollah conflict **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $65.415 billion (2023 est.) $65.917 billion (2022 est.) $66.329 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -0.8% (2023 est.) -0.6% (2022 est.) -7% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $11,300 (2023 est.) $11,500 (2022 est.) $11,600 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $20.079 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 45.2% (2024 est.) 221.3% (2023 est.) 171.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1% (2023 est.) industry: 2.1% (2023 est.) services: 42.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 136% (2023 est.) government consumption: 5.2% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 1.9% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 30.6% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -73.7% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** potatoes, milk, tomatoes, apples, oranges, olives, cucumbers/gherkins, chicken, lemons/limes, wheat (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** banking, tourism, real estate and construction, food processing, wine, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.1% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 1.939 million (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 11.6% (2023 est.) 11.6% (2022 est.) 12.7% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 23.6% (2023 est.) male: 24.4% (2023 est.) female: 21.9% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Average household expenditures:** on food: 37.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Remittances:** 33.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 30.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 27.5% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $12.73 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $11.853 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 146.8% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover central government debt and exclude debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment **Taxes and other revenues:** 5.7% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$5.643 billion (2023 est.) -$7.265 billion (2022 est.) -$4.556 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $11.77 billion (2023 est.) $12.445 billion (2022 est.) $9.684 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UAE 26%, Egypt 7%, Turkey 5%, Iraq 5%, USA 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** jewelry, cars, diamonds, scrap iron, gold (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $23.313 billion (2023 est.) $24.536 billion (2022 est.) $17.667 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Switzerland 12%, China 11%, Greece 9%, Turkey 8%, Italy 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, gold, cars, packaged medicine, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $33.301 billion (2024 est.) $27.49 billion (2023 est.) $32.513 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $41.936 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Lebanese pounds (LBP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 89,500 (2024 est.) 13,875.625 (2023 est.) 1,507.5 (2022 est.) 1,507.5 (2021 est.) 1,507.5 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 5.161 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 4.077 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 797 million kWh (2021 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 436.839 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 52.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 31% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 15.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 166,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 47 metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 164,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 115,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 43.105 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 924,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 4.25 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 74 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** 7 TV stations, 1 of which is state-owned; more than 30 radio stations, 1 of which is state-owned; satellite and cable TV services available; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible through partner stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .lb **Internet users:** percent of population: 84% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 419,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** OD **Airports:** 8 (2025) **Heliports:** 27 (2025) **Railways:** total: 401 km (2017) standard gauge: 319 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 82 km (2017) 1.050-m gauge note: rail system is still unusable due to damage sustained from fighting in the 1980s and in 2006 **Merchant marine:** total: 51 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 2, container ship 1, general cargo 30, oil tanker 1, other 17 **Ports:** total ports: 5 (2024) large: 1 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Bayrut, Sayda, Selaata, Sidon/zahrani Terminal, Tarabulus ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army Command (includes Presidential Guard Brigade, Land Border Regiments), Naval Forces, Air Forces Ministry of Interior: General Directorate of Internal Security Forces (law enforcement; includes Mobile Gendarmerie), General Directorate for Public Security (border control, some domestic security duties) (2025) note: the commander of the LAF is also the head of the Army; the LAF patrols external borders, while official border checkpoints are under the authority of Directorate for General Security **Military expenditures:** 2.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 3% of GDP (2020 est.) 4.7% of GDP (2019 est.) 5.1% of GDP (2018 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 70,000 active Lebanese Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the LAF's inventory is comprised of mostly older or secondhand equipment from an array of countries, such as France, Germany, Russia, and especially the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2026) **Military - note:** the primary responsibilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are defense against external attack, border security, protecting the country’s territorial waters, and assisting with internal security and development projects the LAF’s domestic security responsibilities include countering narcotics trafficking and smuggling, managing protests, conducting search and rescue, and intervening to prevent violence between rival political factions; in recent years, the military has faced a financial crisis as government debt and national economic difficulties have undercut its ability to train and fully pay and supply personnel; the UN, as well as individual countries such as France, Qatar, and the US have provided financial assistance the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has operated in the southern part of the country since 1978; it has approximately 10,500 personnel assigned and includes a maritime task force; the terrorist group Hizballah maintains thousands of fighters and militia in Lebanon, primarily in the south (see Terrorist Organizations in References) (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Abdallah Azzam Brigades; al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade; Asbat al-Ansar; HAMAS; Hizballah; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Palestine Liberation Front (PLF); Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); PFLP-General Command (PFLP-GC) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 765,390 (2024 est.) IDPs: 984,514 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 40,000 (2024 est.) --- ## Lesotho **Slug:** lesotho **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇱🇸 **Codes:** cek: lt, iso2: LS, iso3: LSO, iso_num: 426, genc: LSO, stanag: LSO, internet: .ls ### Introduction **Background:** Paramount chief MOSHOESHOE I consolidated what would become Basutoland in the early 19th century and made himself king in 1822. Continuing encroachments by Dutch settlers from the neighboring Orange Free State caused the king to enter into an 1868 agreement with the UK that made Basutoland first a British protectorate and, after 1884, a crown colony. After gaining independence in 1966, the country was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho. The Basotho National Party ruled the country during its first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE II was exiled in 1990, returned to Lesotho in 1992, was reinstated in 1995, and was then succeeded by his son, King LETSIE III, in 1996. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Batswana military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections in 2007 were hotly contested, and aggrieved parties disputed how seats were awarded. In 2012, competitive elections saw Prime Minister Motsoahae Thomas THABANE form a coalition government -- the first in the country's history -- that ousted the 14-year incumbent, Pakalitha MOSISILI, who peacefully transferred power the following month. MOSISILI returned to power in snap elections in 2015 after the collapse of THABANE’s coalition government and an alleged attempted military coup. In 2017, THABANE returned to become prime minister but stepped down in 2020 after being implicated in his estranged wife’s murder. He was succeeded by Moseketsi MAJORO. In 2022, Ntsokoane Samuel MATEKANE was inaugurated as prime minister and head of a three-party coalition. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa **Geographic coordinates:** 29 30 S, 28 30 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 30,355 sq km land: 30,355 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Maryland **Land boundaries:** total: 1,106 km border countries (1): South Africa 1,106 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers **Terrain:** mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains **Elevation:** highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m mean elevation: 2,161 m **Natural resources:** water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone **Land use:** agricultural land: 77.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 65.9% (2023 est.) forest: 1.1% (2023 est.) other: 21.1% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 12 sq km (2013) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Orange river source (shared with South Africa and Namibia [m]) - 2,092 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Orange (941,351 sq km) **Population distribution:** relatively higher population density in the western half of the nation, with the capital of Maseru and the smaller cities of Mafeteng, Teyateyaneng, and Leribe attracting the most people, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** periodic droughts **Geography - note:** landlocked, surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m (5,900 ft) above sea level ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,222,962 (2025 est.) male: 1,099,314 female: 1,123,648 **Nationality:** noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural) adjective: Basotho **Ethnic groups:** Sotho 99.7%, other 0.3% (includes Kwena, Nguni (Hlubi and Phuthi), Zulu) **Languages:** Sesotho (official), English (official), Phuthi, Xhosa, Zulu **Religions:** Protestant 47.8% (Pentecostal 23.1%, Lesotho Evangelical 17.3%, Anglican 7.4%), Roman Catholic 39.3%, other Christian 9.1%, non-Christian 1.4%, none 2.3% (2014 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 32% (male 358,137/female 353,618) 15-64 years: 62.7% (male 699,197/female 696,626) 65 years and over: 5.4% (2024 est.) (male 44,625/female 75,345) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 56.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 48.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 8.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 11.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 24 years (2025 est.) male: 23.4 years female: 24.3 years **Population growth rate:** 0.73% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 21.68 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -4.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** relatively higher population density in the western half of the nation, with the capital of Maseru and the smaller cities of Mafeteng, Teyateyaneng, and Leribe attracting the most people, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 30.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 202,000 MASERU (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 20.9 years (2014 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 478 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 52.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 40.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 60.2 years (2024 est.) male: 58.1 years female: 62.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.49 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.23 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 93% of population (2022 est.) rural: 65.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 74% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 34.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 26% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 10.2% of GDP (2021) 13.1% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.24 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 93.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 62.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 71.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 6.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 37.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 28.3% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 16.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 22.8% (2025 est.) male: 42.4% (2025 est.) female: 4.1% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 12.5% (2024 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 46.9% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 1% (2018) women married by age 18: 16.4% (2018) men married by age 18: 1.9% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 6.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 10.4% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 90.4% (2024 est.) male: 83.2% (2024 est.) female: 96.6% (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 11 years (2017 est.) male: 11 years (2017 est.) female: 11 years (2017 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** overgrazing; severe soil erosion; soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 77.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 65.9% (2023 est.) forest: 1.1% (2023 est.) other: 21.1% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 30.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 1.148 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 175,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 973,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 17.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 73,500 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 11.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 20 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 20 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 3.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 3.022 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho conventional short form: Lesotho local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho local short form: Lesotho former: Basutoland etymology: the name comes from the Sotho people, whose name means "dark-skinned;" Le- is a singular noun prefix; the former name, Basutoland, uses the plural noun prefix, Ba- **Government type:** parliamentary constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Maseru geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "[place of] red sandstones" in the Sesotho language **Administrative divisions:** 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law and Roman-Dutch law; High Court and Court of Appeal review legislative acts **Constitution:** history: previous 1959, 1967; latest adopted 2 April 1993 (effectively restoring the 1967 version) amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments affecting constitutional provisions, including fundamental rights and freedoms, sovereignty of the kingdom, the office of the king, and powers of Parliament, requires a majority vote by the National Assembly, approval by the Senate, approval in a referendum by a majority of qualified voters, and assent of the king; passage of amendments other than those specified provisions requires at least a two-thirds majority vote in both houses of Parliament **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Ntsokoane Samuel MATEKANE (28 October 2022) cabinet: consists of the prime minister (appointed by the King on the advice of the Council of State), the deputy prime minister, and 18 other ministers; the prime minister is the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the National Assembly election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary but has no executive or legislative powers under the constitution; under traditional law, the College of Chiefs has the power to depose the monarch, determine next in line of succession, or serve as regent in the event that a successor is not of mature age note: King LETSIE III previously occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995 while his father was in exile **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly number of seats: 122 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/2/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) (56); Democratic Congress (DC) (29); All Basotho Convention (ABC) (8); Basotho Action Party (BAP) (6); Other (20) percentage of women in chamber: 25% expected date of next election: October 2027 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 33 (11 appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 10/7/2022 percentage of women in chamber: 21.2% expected date of next election: November 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, such number of justices of appeal as set by Parliament, and the Chief Justice and the puisne judges of the High Court ex officio); High Court (consists of the chief justice and such number of puisne judges as set by Parliament) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal president and High Court chief justice appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; puisne judges appointed by the monarch on advice of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent body of judicial officers and officials designated by the monarch; judges of both courts can serve until age 75 subordinate courts: Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional courts; military courts note: both the Court of Appeal and the High Court have jurisdiction in constitutional issues **Political parties:** All Basotho Convention or ABC Alliance of Democrats or AD Basotho Action Party or BAP Basotho National Party or BNP Democratic Congress or DC Democratic Party of Lesotho or DPL Lesotho People's Congress or LPC Movement of Economic Change or MEC National Independent Party or NIP Popular Front for Democracy of PFD Reformed Congress of Lesotho or RCL **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Tumisang MOSOTHO (since 16 September 2022) chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815 email address and website: lesothoembassy@verizon.net https://www.gov.ls/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Thomas HINES (since August 2024) embassy: 254 Kingsway Avenue, Maseru mailing address: 2340 Maseru Place, Washington DC 20521-2340 telephone: [266] 22312666 FAX: [266] 22310116 email address and website: USConsularMaseru@state.gov https://ls.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 4 October 1966 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 4 October (1966) **Flag:** description: three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green; centered on the white stripe is a black mokorotlo, a traditional Basotho straw hat and national symbol meaning: blue stands for rain, white for peace, and green for prosperity history: the redesigned flag was introduced in 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence **National symbol(s):** mokorotio (Basotho hat) **National color(s):** blue, white, green, black **National anthem(s):** title: "Lesotho fatse la bo ntat'a rona" (Lesotho, Land of Our Fathers) lyrics/music: Francois COILLARD/Ferdinand-Samuel LAUR history: adopted 1967; music derives from an 1823 Swiss songbook **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Maloti-Drakensberg Park ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower middle-income economy surrounded by South Africa; environmentally fragile and politically unstable; key infrastructure and renewable energy investments; dire poverty; urban job and income losses due to COVID-19; systemic corruption **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $6.166 billion (2024 est.) $6 billion (2023 est.) $5.893 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.8% (2024 est.) 1.8% (2023 est.) 2.4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $2,600 (2024 est.) $2,600 (2023 est.) $2,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $2.272 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 6.1% (2024 est.) 6.3% (2023 est.) 8.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 6.5% (2024 est.) industry: 31% (2024 est.) services: 48% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 92.9% (2023 est.) government consumption: 35.6% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 28.3% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -1.1% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 42.9% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -98.6% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, potatoes, maize, vegetables, fruits, sorghum, wheat, game meat, beans, wool (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 884,200 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 16.2% (2024 est.) 16.5% (2023 est.) 16.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 24.2% (2024 est.) male: 17.7% (2024 est.) female: 36.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 49.7% (2017 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 44.9 (2017 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.7% (2017 est.) highest 10%: 32.9% (2017 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 22% of GDP (2024 est.) 22.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 22.6% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.13 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $1.256 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 3% of GDP (2020 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 30.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $84.393 million (2024 est.) -$151.577 million (2023 est.) -$268.876 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $983.027 million (2024 est.) $885.789 million (2023 est.) $1.07 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** South Africa 31%, Belgium 26%, USA 20%, UAE 8%, India 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** diamonds, garments, wool, power equipment, bedding (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $2.083 billion (2024 est.) $2.077 billion (2023 est.) $2.247 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** South Africa 78%, China 10%, Taiwan 3%, Japan 1%, India 1% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, fabric, trucks, garments, cotton fabric (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.008 billion (2024 est.) $854.089 million (2023 est.) $771.278 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $928.019 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** maloti (LSL) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 18.329 (2024 est.) 18.45 (2023 est.) 16.356 (2022 est.) 14.779 (2021 est.) 16.459 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 50% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 83.6% electrification - rural areas: 37.7% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 104,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 833.009 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 453.992 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 102.88 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 99.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 57,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 81,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 24,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 7,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 8.117 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 7,980 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 1.64 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 70 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 state-owned TV station and 2 state-owned radio stations; most private broadcast media transmitters are connected to government radio signal towers; satellite TV subscription service available; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters obtainable (2019) **Internet country code:** .ls **Internet users:** percent of population: 48% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 9,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 7P **Airports:** 34 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) (2025) note: the Lesotho Mounted Police Service is responsible for internal security and reports to the Minister of Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs and Police **Military expenditures:** 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 2,000 active Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the LDF is lightly armed and has a small inventory of mostly older or secondhand equipment of European, South African, and US origin (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 20-30 years of age for voluntary military service for both men and women (2026) **Military - note:** the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) is responsible for the maintenance of the country's sovereignty and the preservation of internal security; in practice, external security is guaranteed by South Africa; the LDF is a small force that began in 1964 as the Police Mobile Unit (PMU); the PMU was designated as the Lesotho Paramilitary Force in 1980 and became the Royal Lesotho Defense Force in 1986; it was renamed the Lesotho Defense Force in 1993 (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 610 (2024 est.) --- ## Liberia **Slug:** liberia **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇱🇷 **Codes:** cek: li, iso2: LR, iso3: LBR, iso_num: 430, genc: LBR, stanag: LBR, internet: .lr ### Introduction **Background:** With 28 ethnic groups and languages, Liberia is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world. For hundreds of years, the Mali and Songhai Empires claimed most of Liberia. Beginning in the 15th century, European traders began establishing outposts along the Liberian coast. Unlike its neighbors, however, Liberia did not fall under European colonial rule. In the early 19th century, the US began sending freed enslaved people and other people of color to Liberia to establish settlements. In 1847, these settlers declared independence from the US, writing their own constitution and establishing Africa’s first republic. Early in Liberia’s history, tensions arose between the Americo-Liberian settlers and the indigenous population. In 1980, Samuel DOE, who was from the indigenous population, led a military coup and ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 permitted an election that brought TAYLOR to power. In 2000, fighting resumed. A 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted TAYLOR’s resignation. He was later convicted by the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague for his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. In 2005, Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF became president after two years of transitional governments; she was the first female head of state in Africa. In 2011, JOHNSON SIRLEAF won reelection but struggled to rebuild Liberia's economy -- particularly after the 2014-15 Ebola epidemic -- and to reconcile a nation still recovering from 14 years of fighting. In 2017, former soccer star George WEAH won the presidential runoff election, marking the first successful transfer of power from one democratically elected government to another since the end of Liberia’s civil wars. Like his predecessor, WEAH struggled to improve the country’s economy. In 2023, former Vice President Joseph BOAKAI was elected president, edging out WEAH by a thin margin, the first time since 1927 that an incumbent was not re-elected after one term. ### Geography **Location:** Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone **Geographic coordinates:** 6 30 N, 9 30 W **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 111,369 sq km land: 96,320 sq km water: 15,049 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Virginia **Land boundaries:** total: 1,667 km border countries (3): Guinea 590 km; Cote d'Ivoire 778 km; Sierra Leone 299 km **Coastline:** 579 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers **Terrain:** mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,447 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 243 m **Natural resources:** iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 20% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 12.7% (2023 est.) forest: 66.5% (2023 est.) other: 13.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 30 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** more than half of the population lives in urban areas, with approximately one third living within an 80-km (50-mi) radius of Monrovia, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) **Geography - note:** facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture ### People and Society **Population:** total: 5,563,541 (2025 est.) male: 2,774,006 female: 2,789,535 **Nationality:** noun: Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian **Ethnic groups:** Kpelle 20.2%, Bassa 13.6%, Grebo 9.9%, Gio 7.9%, Mano 7.2%, Kru 5.5%, Lorma 4.8%, Krahn 4.5%, Kissi, 4.3%, Mandingo 4.2%, Vai 3.8%, Gola 3.8%, Gbandi 2.9%, Mende 1.7%, Sapo 1%, Belle 0.7%, Dey 0.3%, other Liberian ethnic group 0.4%, other African 3%, non-African 0.2% (2022 est.) **Languages:** English 20% (official) and 27 indigenous languages, including Liberian English variants **Religions:** Christian 84.9%, Muslim 12%, Traditional 0.5%, other 0.1%, none 2.6% (2022 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 38.9% (male 1,064,100/female 1,052,556) 15-64 years: 57.9% (male 1,566,263/female 1,579,835) 65 years and over: 3.2% (2024 est.) (male 80,961/female 93,534) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 72 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 66.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 18 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 20.1 years (2025 est.) male: 19.8 years female: 20 years **Population growth rate:** 2.27% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 31.72 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.17 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** more than half of the population lives in urban areas, with approximately one third living within an 80-km (50-mi) radius of Monrovia, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 53.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.41% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.678 million MONROVIA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.1 years (2019/20 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 628 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 55.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 61 deaths/1,000 live births female: 50.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 61.6 years (2024 est.) male: 59.9 years female: 63.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.84 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.89 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 84.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 65.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 75.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 15.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 34.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 24.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 16.6% of GDP (2021) 4.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.18 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 1.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 70.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 25.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 49% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 29.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 74.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 51% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 9.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 6.4% (2025 est.) male: 11.5% (2025 est.) female: 1.5% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 10.9% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 51.4% (2020 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 5.8% (2020) women married by age 18: 24.9% (2020) men married by age 18: 8.4% (2020) **Education expenditure:** 2.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 7.4% national budget (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** tropical rainforest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; hunting of endangered species for bushmeat; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage; pollution of rivers from industrial run-off; burning and dumping of household waste **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers **Land use:** agricultural land: 20% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 12.7% (2023 est.) forest: 66.5% (2023 est.) other: 13.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 53.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.41% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 671,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 4 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 671,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 41.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 564,500 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 7.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 80.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 53.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 12.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 232 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Liberia conventional short form: Liberia etymology: name derives from the Latin word liber, meaning "free;" so named because the nation was created as a homeland for liberated African-American slaves **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Monrovia geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 48 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after James MONROE (1758-1831), the fifth president of the United States and supporter of Liberia's colonization by freed slaves **Administrative divisions:** 15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe **Legal system:** mixed system of common law, based on Anglo-American law and customary law **Constitution:** history: previous 1847 (at independence); latest drafted 19 October 1983, revision adopted by referendum 3 July 1984, effective 6 January 1986 amendment process: proposed by agreement of at least two thirds of both National Assembly houses or by petition of at least 10,000 citizens; passage requires at least two-thirds majority approval of both houses and approval in a referendum by at least two-thirds majority of registered voters **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Liberia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Joseph BOAKAI (since 22 January 2024) head of government: President Joseph BOAKAI (since 22 January 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, confirmed by the Senate election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 10 October 2023, with a runoff on 14 November 2023 election results: 2023: Joseph BOAKAI elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - George WEAH (CDC) 43.8%, Joseph BOAKAI (UP) 43.4%, Edward APPLETON (GDM) 2.2%, Lusinee KAMARA (ALCOP) 2%, Alexander B. CUMMINGS, Jr. (CPP) 1.6%, Tiawan Saye GONGLOE (LPP) 1.4%, other 5.6%; percentage of vote in second round - Joseph BOAKAI 50.6%, George WEAH 49.4% 2017: George WEAH elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - George WEAH (Coalition for Democratic Change) 38.4%, Joseph BOAKAI (UP) 28.8%, Charles BRUMSKINE (LP) 9.6%, Prince JOHNSON (MDR) 8.2%, Alexander B. CUMMINGS (ANC) 7.2%, other 7.8%; percentage of vote in second round - George WEAH 61.5%, Joseph BOAKAI 38.5% expected date of next election: October 2029 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Legislature legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives number of seats: 73 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 10/10/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) (25); Unity Party (UP) (11); Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) (6); Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) (4); Independents (19); Other (8) percentage of women in chamber: 11% expected date of next election: October 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: The Liberian Senate number of seats: 30 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 9 years most recent election date: 10/10/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) (6); Unity Party (UP) (1); Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) (1); Liberia Restoration Party (LRP) (1); Independents (6) percentage of women in chamber: 10% expected date of next election: October 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of a chief justice and 4 associate justices) judge selection and term of office: chief justice and associate justices appointed by the president of Liberia with consent of the Senate; judges can serve until age 70 subordinate courts: judicial circuit courts; special courts, including criminal, civil, labor, traffic; magistrate and traditional or customary courts note: the Supreme Court has jurisdiction for all constitutional cases **Political parties:** All Liberian Party or ALP Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD Alternative National Congress or ANC Coalition for Democratic Change (includes CDC, NPP, and LPDP) Collaborating Political Parties or CPP (coalition includes ANC, LP; CPP dissolved in April 2024) Congress for Democratic Change or CDC Liberia Destiny Party or LDP Liberia National Union or LINU Liberia Transformation Party or LTP Liberian People Democratic Party or LPDP Liberian People's Party or LPP Liberian Restoration Party or LRP Liberty Party or LP Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction or MDR Movement for Economic Empowerment Movement for Progressive Change or MPC National Democratic Coalition or NDC National Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL National Patriotic Party or NPP National Reformist Party or NRP National Union for Democratic Progress or NUDP People's Unification Party or PUP Unity Party or UP United People's Party Victory for Change Party or VCP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Al-Hassan CONTEH (since 24 July 2025) chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437 FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436 email address and website: info@liberianembassyus.org http://www.liberianembassyus.org/ consulate(s) general: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Joseph ZADROZNY (since August 2025) embassy: 502 Benson Street, Monrovia mailing address: 8800 Monrovia Place, Washington DC 20521-8800 telephone: [231] 77-677-7000 FAX: [231] 77-677-7370 email address and website: ACSMonrovia@state.gov https://lr.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 26 July 1847 **National holiday:** Independence Day, 26 July (1847) **Flag:** description: 11 equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white; a five-pointed white star sits on a blue square in the upper-left corner meaning: the stripes stand for the signatories of the Liberian Declaration of Independence, the blue square for the African mainland, and the star for the freedom granted to ex-slaves; the blue stands for liberty, justice, and fidelity; the white for purity, cleanliness, and guilelessness; the red for steadfastness, valor, and fervor note: the design is based on the US flag **National symbol(s):** white star **National color(s):** red, white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "All Hail, Liberia, Hail!" lyrics/music: Daniel Bashiel WARNER/Olmstead LUCA history: lyrics adopted 1847, music adopted 1860; the anthem's author later became the third president of Liberia ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income West African economy; food scarcity, especially in rural areas; high poverty and inflation; bad recession prior to COVID-19 due to Ebola crisis; growing government debt; longest continuously operated rubber plantation; large informal economy **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $9.308 billion (2024 est.) $8.882 billion (2023 est.) $8.484 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.8% (2024 est.) 4.7% (2023 est.) 4.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $1,700 (2024 est.) $1,600 (2023 est.) $1,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $4.75 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 10.1% (2023 est.) 7.6% (2022 est.) 7.8% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 33.6% (2024 est.) industry: 23.3% (2024 est.) services: 42.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** cassava, sugarcane, rice, oil palm fruit, bananas, rubber, vegetables, plantains, taro, maize (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** mining (iron ore and gold), rubber processing, palm oil processing, diamonds **Industrial production growth rate:** 6.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 2.607 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.9% (2024 est.) 3% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 2.1% (2024 est.) male: 2.2% (2024 est.) female: 2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 50.9% (2016 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 35.3 (2016 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.9% (2016 est.) highest 10%: 27.1% (2016 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 18.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 17.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 15.1% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $5 million (2019 est.) expenditures: $6 million (2019 est.) **Current account balance:** $64.806 million (2022 est.) -$101.746 million (2021 est.) -$274.971 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.22 billion (2022 est.) $1.041 billion (2021 est.) $731.658 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Switzerland 30%, UK 13%, France 8%, Germany 7%, Lebanon 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, ships, iron ore, rubber, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $1.961 billion (2022 est.) $1.739 billion (2021 est.) $1.371 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 48%, Japan 21%, Germany 8%, Brazil 3%, Cote d'Ivoire 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum, rice, trucks, centrifuges (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $599.66 million (2022 est.) $700.829 million (2021 est.) $340.966 million (2020 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $1.335 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 174.956 (2023 est.) 152.934 (2022 est.) 166.154 (2021 est.) 191.518 (2020 est.) 186.43 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 31.8% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 53.7% electrification - rural areas: 14.9% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 199,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 215.96 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 179.222 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 66.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 32.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 75,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 1.822 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 6,250 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 1.72 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** 8 private and 1 state-owned TV station; satellite TV service available; 1 state-owned radio station; about 20 independent radio stations broadcasting in Monrovia, with about 80 more local stations operating in other areas; transmissions of 4 international broadcasters are available (2019) **Internet country code:** .lr **Internet users:** percent of population: 24% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 15,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** A8 **Airports:** 19 (2025) **Railways:** total: 429 km (2008) standard gauge: 345 km (2008) 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 84 km (2008) 1.067-m gauge note: most sections of the railways inoperable due to damage sustained during the civil wars from 1980 to 2003, but many are being rebuilt **Merchant marine:** total: 4,821 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1,895, container ship 1,013, general cargo 170, oil tanker 1,038, other 705 **Ports:** total ports: 4 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Buchanan, Cape Palmas, Greenville, Monrovia ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Liberian Coast Guard Ministry of Justice: Liberia National Police, Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (2025) **Military expenditures:** 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 2,000 active Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military has a limited inventory; in recent years, it has received small quantities of equipment, including donations, from countries such as China, UAE, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service (2025) **Military - note:** the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) are responsible for external defense and some domestic security responsibilities if called upon, such as humanitarian assistance during natural disasters and support to law enforcement; it is a small, lightly equipped force comprised of two combat infantry battalions and supporting units, as well as a few coastal patrol craft for the Coast Guard; the infantry battalions were rebuilt with US assistance in 2007-2008 from the restructured AFL following the end of the second civil war in 2003 when military and police forces were disbanded and approximately 100,000 military, police, and rebel combatants were disarmed the first militia unit established for defense of the Liberia colony was raised in 1832; the AFL traces its origins to the 1908 establishment of the Liberia Frontier Force, which became the Liberian National Guard in 1965; the AFL was established in 1970 (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 1,854 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Liberia remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/liberia/ --- ## Libya **Slug:** libya **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇱🇾 **Codes:** cek: ly, iso2: LY, iso3: LBY, iso_num: 434, genc: LBY, stanag: LBY, internet: .ly ### Introduction **Background:** Berbers have inhabited central north Africa since ancient times, but Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Persians, Egyptians, Romans, and Vandals have all settled and ruled the region. In the 7th century, Islam spread through the area. In the mid-16th century, Ottoman rule began; the Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and held it until 1943, when they were defeated in World War II. Libya then came under UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Col. Muammar al-QADHAFI assumed leadership with a military coup in 1969 and began to espouse a political system that combined socialism and Islam. During the 1970s, QADHAFI used oil revenues to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversive and terrorist activities that included the downing of two airliners -- one over Scotland and another in Northern Africa -- and a discotheque bombing in Berlin. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically and economically; the sanctions were lifted in 2003 when Libya accepted responsibility for the bombings and agreed to claimant compensation. QADHAFI also agreed to end Libya's program to develop weapons of mass destruction, and he made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations. Unrest that began in several Middle Eastern and North African countries in 2010 erupted in Libyan cities in 2011. QADHAFI's brutal crackdown on protesters spawned an eight-month civil war that saw the emergence of a National Transitional Council (NTC), UN authorization of air and naval intervention by the international community, and the toppling of the QADHAFI regime. In 2012, the NTC handed power to an elected parliament, the General National Congress (GNC), which was replaced two years later with the House of Representatives (HoR). In 2015, the UN brokered the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) among a broad array of political parties and social groups, establishing an interim executive body. However, hardliners continued to oppose and hamper the LPA implementation, leaving Libya with eastern and western-based rival governments. In 2018, the international community supported a recalibrated plan that aimed to break the political deadlock with a National Conference in 2019. These plans, however, were derailed when the eastern-based, self-described Libyan National Army (LNA) launched an offensive to seize Tripoli. The LNA offensive collapsed in 2020, and a subsequent UN-sponsored cease-fire helped formalize the pause in fighting between rival camps. In 2021, the UN-facilitated Libyan Political Dialogue Forum selected a new prime minister for an interim government -- the Government of National Unity (GNU) -- and a new presidential council charged with preparing for elections and uniting the country’s state institutions. The HoR approved the GNU and its cabinet the same year, providing Libya with its first unified government since 2014, but the parliament then postponed the planned presidential election to an undetermined date in the future. In 2022, the HoR voted to replace GNU interim Prime Minister, Abdul Hamid DUBAYBAH, with another government led by Fathi BASHAGHA. GNU allegations of an illegitimate HoR vote allowed DUBAYBAH to remain in office and rebuff BASHAGHA's attempts to seat his government in Tripoli. In 2023, the HoR voted to replace BASHAGHA with Osma HAMAD. Special Representative of the UN Security-General for Libya, Abdoulaye BATHILY, is leading international efforts to persuade key Libyan political actors to resolve the core issues impeding elections. ### Geography **Location:** Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria **Geographic coordinates:** 25 00 N, 17 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 1,759,540 sq km land: 1,759,540 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about 2.5 times the size of Texas; slightly larger than Alaska **Land boundaries:** total: 4,339 km border countries (6): Algeria 989 km; Chad 1,050 km; Egypt 1,115 km; Niger 342 km; Sudan 382 km; Tunisia 461 km **Coastline:** 1,770 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 62 nm note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north **Climate:** Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior **Terrain:** mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions **Elevation:** highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m mean elevation: 423 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, gypsum **Land use:** agricultural land: 8.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.) forest: 0.1% (2023 est.) other: 91.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 4,700 sq km (2012) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Nubian Aquifer System, North Western Sahara Aquifer System, Murzuk-Djado Basin **Population distribution:** over 90% of the population lives along the Mediterranean coast in and between Tripoli to the west and Al Bayda to the east; the interior remains vastly underpopulated due to the Sahara and its lack of surface water, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms **Geography - note:** note 1: more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert note 2: the volcano Waw an Namus lies in south central Libya in the middle of the Sahara; the caldera is an oasis -- the name means "oasis of mosquitoes" -- containing several small lakes that host many species of insects and birds ### People and Society **Population:** total: 7,464,417 (2025 est.) male: 3,792,617 female: 3,671,800 note: immigrants make up just over 12% of the total population, according to UN data (2019) **Nationality:** noun: Libyan(s) adjective: Libyan **Ethnic groups:** Amazigh and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Egyptian, Greek, Indian, Italian, Maltese, Pakistani, Tunisian, and Turkish) **Languages:** Arabic (official), Italian, English (all widely understood in the major cities); Tamazight (Nafusi, Ghadamis, Suknah, Awjilah, Tamasheq) major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim (official; virtually all Sunni) 96.6%, Christian 2.7%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, folk religion <1%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est.) note: non-Sunni Muslims include native Ibadhi Muslims (<1% of the population) and foreign Muslims **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 32.3% (male 1,211,087/female 1,165,648) 15-64 years: 63.2% (male 2,385,152/female 2,263,780) 65 years and over: 4.6% (2024 est.) (male 151,125/female 184,471) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 57.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 49.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 7.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 13.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 26.4 years (2025 est.) male: 26.3 years female: 26.2 years **Population growth rate:** 1.35% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 19.83 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 3.48 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** over 90% of the population lives along the Mediterranean coast in and between Tripoli to the west and Al Bayda to the east; the interior remains vastly underpopulated due to the Sahara and its lack of surface water, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 81.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.183 million TRIPOLI (capital), 984,000 Misratah, 859,000 Benghazi (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 59 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 10.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 12.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 77.7 years (2024 est.) male: 75.5 years female: 80 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.96 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.44 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.1% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.04 physicians/1,000 population (2017) **Hospital bed density:** 3.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 32.5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 4.3% (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** desertification; limited natural freshwater resources; water pollution; threats to coastal ecosystem from sewage, oil byproducts, and industrial waste **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Law of the Sea **Climate:** Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior **Land use:** agricultural land: 8.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.) forest: 0.1% (2023 est.) other: 91.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 81.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 46.479 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 700 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 29.542 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 16.936 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 29.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 1,357.4 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 63.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 77.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 3.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.148 million tons (2024 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 700 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 280 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 4.85 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 700 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: State of Libya conventional short form: Libya local long form: Dawlat Libiya local short form: Libiya etymology: the name probably derives from the Libu, a North African tribe first mentioned in texts from the 13th century B.C.; the ancient Greeks and Romans used the name for the entire North African coast west of Egypt **Government type:** in transition **Capital:** name: Tripoli (Tarabulus) geographic coordinates: 32 53 N, 13 10 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name derives from the Greek words tri and polis, meaning "three cities;" the modern-day city was founded in the 14th century to replace the three ancient cities of Pallantium, Tegea, and Mantineia **Administrative divisions:** 22 governorates (muhafazah, singular - muhafazat); Al Butnan, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jabal al Gharbi, Al Jafarah, Al Jufrah, Al Kufrah, Al Marj, Al Marqab, Al Wahat, An Nuqat al Khams, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi (Benghazi), Darnah, Ghat, Misratah, Murzuq, Nalut, Sabha, Surt, Tarabulus (Tripoli), Wadi al Hayat, Wadi ash Shati **Legal system:** Libya's post-revolution system is in flux and driven by state and non-state entities **Constitution:** history: previous 1951, 1977, 2011 (interim) note: a draft constitution was approved in 2017, but it is not yet ratified **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Libya dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: varies from 3 to 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age, universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President, Presidential Council, Mohammed al-MANFI (since 5 February 2021) head of government: GNU Interim Prime Minister Abd-al-Hamid DUBAYBAH (since 5 February 2021) election/appointment process: first direct presidential election was not held as planned most recent election date: scheduled for 24 December 2021 but not held expected date of next election: no new date has been set for elections **Legislative branch:** legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nuwaab) number of seats: 200 (all directly elected) electoral system: other systems scope of elections: full renewal most recent election date: 6/25/2014 percentage of women in chamber: 16.5% expected date of next election: December 2026 note: 32 seats are reserved for women **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Libya's judicial system consists of a supreme court, central high courts (in Tripoli, Benghazi, and Sabha), and a series of lower courts **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Fadil S M OMAR (since 17 July 2023) chancery: 1460 Dahlia Street NW, Washington, DC 20012 telephone: [1] (202) 944-9601 FAX: [1] (202) 944-9606 email address and website: info@embassyoflibyadc.com https://www.embassyoflibyadc.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Jeremy BERNDT (since 14 October 2023) embassy: US Embassy Tripoli operations suspended in 2014 mailing address: 8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC 20521-8850 telephone: [216] 71-107-000 email address and website: Webmaster_Libya@state.gov https://ly.usembassy.gov/ note: the US Embassy in Tripoli closed in July 2014 due to Libyan civil unrest; embassy staff and operations currently are located at US Embassy Tunis, Tunisia **International organization participation:** ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BDEAC, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, LCBC, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNSMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) **Independence:** 24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship) **National holiday:** Liberation Day, 23 October (2011) **Flag:** description: three horizontal bands of red (top), black (double-width), and green, with a white crescent and star centered on the black stripe meaning: the colors represent the three major regions of the country: red stands for Fezzan, black for Cyrenaica, and green for Tripolitania; the crescent and star represent Islam history: the National Transitional Council reintroduced this flag design from the former Kingdom of Libya (1951-69) in 2011 to replace the all-green banner of the QADHAFI regime **National symbol(s):** star and crescent, hawk **National color(s):** red, black, green **National anthem(s):** title: "Libya, Libya, Libya" lyrics/music: Al Bashir AL AREBI/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB history: adopted 1951, but replaced in 1969 when QADHAFI came to power; readopted 2011 with some modification to the lyrics; also known as "Ya Beladi" (O My Country) **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 5 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Archaeological Site of Cyrene; Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna, Archaeological Site of Sabratha; Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus; Old Town of Ghadamès ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income, fossil fuel-based North African economy; 31% economic contraction due to COVID-19 and 2020 oil blockade; reduced government spending; central bank had to devalue currency; public wages are over 60% of expenditures **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $90.609 billion (2024 est.) $91.161 billion (2023 est.) $82.756 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -0.6% (2024 est.) 10.2% (2023 est.) -8.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $12,300 (2024 est.) $12,500 (2023 est.) $11,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $46.636 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.1% (2024 est.) 2.4% (2023 est.) 4.5% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.7% (2024 est.) industry: 68.3% (2024 est.) services: 34.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 32.7% (2024 est.) government consumption: 36.7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 14.8% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 74.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -59.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** potatoes, onions, watermelons, tomatoes, dates, olives, milk, chicken, wheat, vegetables (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum, petrochemicals, aluminum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement **Industrial production growth rate:** -5.8% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 2.585 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 18.7% (2024 est.) 18.8% (2023 est.) 19.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 49.5% (2024 est.) male: 41.5% (2024 est.) female: 68.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $28.005 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $37.475 billion (2019 est.) **Current account balance:** $1.865 billion (2023 est.) $9.607 billion (2022 est.) $5.675 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $37.753 billion (2023 est.) $39.831 billion (2022 est.) $32.38 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Italy 23%, Germany 15%, Spain 9%, France 7%, China 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, natural gas, refined petroleum, gold, scrap iron (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $33.284 billion (2023 est.) $27.872 billion (2022 est.) $25.406 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 17%, Turkey 15%, Italy 8%, UAE 8%, Egypt 8% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, tobacco, garments, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $92.894 billion (2024 est.) $92.427 billion (2023 est.) $86.683 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Libyan dinars (LYD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 4.832 (2024 est.) 4.813 (2023 est.) 4.813 (2022 est.) 4.514 (2021 est.) 1.389 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 70% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 10.519 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 28.826 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 800 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 7.081 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 4,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 1.245 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 207,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 48.363 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 11.16 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 8.633 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 2.527 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.505 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 100.844 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.22 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 13.9 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 193 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-funded and private TV stations; some provinces operate local TV stations; pan-Arab satellite TV stations are available; state-funded radio (2019) **Internet country code:** .ly **Internet users:** percent of population: 89% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 326,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 5A **Airports:** 75 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 96 (2023) by type: general cargo 2, oil tanker 13, other 81 **Ports:** total ports: 14 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 3 very small: 9 ports with oil terminals: 10 key ports: Al Burayqah, Az Zawiya, Banghazi, Mersa Tobruq, Mina Tarabulus (Tripoli) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** the Libyan Armed Forces of the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) have various ground, air, and naval/coast guard forces, which include a mix of nominally integrated and semi-regular units, tribal armed groups and militias, civilian volunteers, and foreign military contractors; the GNU's armed forces are nominally under the control of the Ministry of Defense; the GNU also has various internal security forces under both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior (2025) note: the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA; aka Libyan Arab Armed Forces, LAAF) under Khalifa HAFTER also includes various ground, air, and naval/coast guard forces comprised of semi-regular military personnel, militias, other armed groups, and foreign military contractors; some of the armed units nominally under the LNA operate under their own command structures and engage in their own operations **Military expenditures:** not available **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimates not available **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** both the forces aligned with the GNU and the LNA are largely equipped with weapons of Russian or Soviet origin; in recent years, Türkiye has the been the primary supplier of arms to the GNU, while the LNA has received quantities from Russia and the United Arab Emirates (2025) note: Libya is under a UN-imposed arms embargo **Military service age and obligation:** not available **Military - note:** the western-based forces aligned with the GNU and the eastern-based LNA forces are separated by a fortified line of control just west of the coastal city of Sirte; Turkey has provided support to the GNU forces, including military trainers, ammunition, weapons, and aerial drones; Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt have been the main supporters of the LNA (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Ansar al-Sharia groups; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Libya (ISIS-L); al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun); al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 277,010 (2024 est.) IDPs: 139,305 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Special Case; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/libya/ --- ## Liechtenstein **Slug:** liechtenstein **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇱🇮 **Codes:** cek: ls, iso2: LI, iso3: LIE, iso_num: 438, genc: LIE, stanag: LIE, internet: .li ### Introduction **Background:** The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719. Occupied by both French and Russian troops during the Napoleonic Wars, it became a sovereign state in 1806 and joined the German Confederation in 1815. Liechtenstein became fully independent in 1866 when the Confederation dissolved. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to enter into a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral), the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth. In 2000, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight resulted in concerns about the use of financial institutions for money laundering. However, Liechtenstein implemented anti-money laundering legislation and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US that went into effect in 2003. ### Geography **Location:** Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland **Geographic coordinates:** 47 16 N, 9 32 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 160 sq km land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about 0.9 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 75 km border countries (2): Austria 34 km; Switzerland 41 km **Coastline:** 0 km (doubly landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers **Terrain:** mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third **Elevation:** highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m **Natural resources:** hydroelectric potential, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 32.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 10.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 21.5% (2023 est.) forest: 36.3% (2023 est.) other: 31.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2012) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km) **Population distribution:** most of the population is found in the western half of the country along the Rhine River **Natural hazards:** avalanches, landslides **Geography - note:** along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation ### People and Society **Population:** total: 40,547 (2025 est.) male: 20,215 female: 20,332 **Nationality:** noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein **Ethnic groups:** Liechtensteiner 65.6%, Swiss 9.6%, Austrian 5.8%, German 4.5%, Italian 3.1%, other 11.4% (2021 est.) note: data represent population by nationality **Languages:** German 91.5% (official, Alemannic is the main dialect), Italian 1.5%, Turkish 1.3%, Portuguese 1.1%, other 4.6% (2015 est.) major-language sample(s): Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic (official) 73.4%, Protestant Reformed 6.3%, Muslim 5.9%, Christian Orthodox 1.3%, Lutheran 1.2%, other Protestant 0.7%, other Christian 0.3%, other 0.8%, none 7%, unspecified 3.3% (2015 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 15.3% (male 3,412/female 2,732) 15-64 years: 63.9% (male 12,814/female 12,921) 65 years and over: 20.8% (2024 est.) (male 3,846/female 4,547) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 57.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 23.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 33.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 44.4 years (2025 est.) male: 42.4 years female: 46.1 years **Population growth rate:** 0.68% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.31 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.24 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 4.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is found in the western half of the country along the Rhine River **Urbanization:** urban population: 14.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 5,000 VADUZ (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.26 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.25 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 31.3 years (2017) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 83 years (2024 est.) male: 80.7 years female: 85.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.69 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.75 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.3 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: NA total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 64.7% (2020 est.) **Education expenditure:** 2.6% of GDP (2011 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2021 est.) male: 16 years (2021 est.) female: 14 years (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** some air pollution generated locally, some carried over from surrounding countries **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Law of the Sea **Climate:** continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 32.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 10.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 21.5% (2023 est.) forest: 36.3% (2023 est.) other: 31.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 14.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 32,400 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 64.6% (2015 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein etymology: named after the Liechtenstein family that purchased and united the counties of Schellenburg and Vaduz in 1719; the family name was taken from its Austrian castle of the same name, which in German means "light stone" **Government type:** constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Vaduz geographic coordinates: 47 08 N, 9 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: may be a conflation from the Latin vallis (valley) and the Old German dutsch (German) to produce Valdutsch ("German valley"), which was simplified over time to Vaduz **Administrative divisions:** 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz **Legal system:** civil law system influenced by Swiss, Austrian, and German law **Constitution:** history: previous 1862; latest adopted 5 October 1921 amendment process: proposed by Parliament, by the reigning prince (in the form of "Government" proposals), by petition of at least 1,500 qualified voters, or by at least four communes; passage requires unanimous approval of Parliament members in one sitting or three-quarters majority vote in two successive sittings; referendum required only if petitioned by at least 1,500 voters or by at least four communes; passage by referendum requires absolute majority of votes cast **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Liechtenstein; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Prince HANS-ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers on 26 August 1984) head of government: Prime Minister Brigitte HAAS (since 10 April 2025) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the monarch usually appoints the leader of the majority party in Parliament as the head of government, and also appoints the leader of the largest minority party in Parliament as the deputy head of government if there is a coalition government note: the prince's successor is his son, Heir Apparent and Regent of Liechtenstein Prince ALOIS; on 15 August 2004, HANS-ADAM II transferred the official duties of the ruling prince to ALOIS, but Prince HANS-ADAM II retains the status of chief of state **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Diet (Landtag) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 25 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 2/9/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Patriotic Union (VU) (10); Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP) (7); Democrats for Liechtenstein (DpL) (6); Free List (FL) (2) percentage of women in chamber: 32% expected date of next election: February 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Supreme Court or Fürstlicher Oberster Gerichtshof (consists of 5 judges and 5 substitutes); Constitutional Court or Staatsgerichtshof (consists of 5 judges, and 5 alternates) judge selection and term of office: judges of both courts elected by the Landtag and appointed by the monarch; Supreme Court judges serve 4-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed for renewable 5-year terms subordinate courts: Court of Appeal (second instance), Regional Court (first instance), Administrative Court, Tribunal Court, district courts **Political parties:** Democrats for Liechtenstein (Demokraten pro Liechtenstein) or DpL Fatherland Union (Vaterlaendische Union) or VU Progressive Citizens' Party (Fortschrittliche Buergerpartei) or FBP The Free List (Die Freie Liste) or FL The Independents (Die Unabhaengigen) or DU **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Georg SPARBER (since 1 December 2021) chancery: 2900 K Street NW, Suite 602B, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590 FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221 email address and website: washington@llv.li https://www.liechtensteinusa.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein; the US Ambassador to Switzerland is accredited to Liechtenstein **International organization participation:** CD, CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTO **Independence:** 23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire); 24 August 1866 (independence from the German Confederation) **National holiday:** National Day, 15 August (1940) note: a National Day was originally established in 1940 to combine celebrations for the Feast of the Assumption (15 August) with those honoring the birthday of former Prince FRANZ JOSEF II (1906-1989) on 16 August; after the prince's death, National Day became the official national holiday in 1990 **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red, with a gold crown on the left side of the blue band history: the colors may derive from the blue-and-red livery used in the principality's household in the 18th century; the prince's crown was added in 1937 to distinguish it from Haiti's flag **National symbol(s):** princely hat (crown) **National color(s):** blue, red **National coat of arms:** the six motifs on the coat of arms provide a history of the royal House of Liechtenstein since 1719, when the country was founded; the small shield at the center is the royal family’s gold-and-red coat of arms, the gold-crowned eagle signifies the Silesia family, the diamond wreath represents the Kuenringer family, the red-and-silver shield is the Duchy of Troppau, the black eagle comes from the coat of arms of a family that married into the royal line, and the golden hunting horn represents the Duchy of Jägerndorf **National anthem(s):** title: "Oben am jungen Rhein" (High Above the Young Rhine) lyrics/music: Jakob Joseph JAUCH/Josef FROMMELT history: adopted 1850, revised 1963; uses the tune of the United Kingdom's anthem, "God Save the King" ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income European economy; Schengen Area participant; key European financial leader; integrated with Swiss economy and franc currency user; one of the highest GDP per capita countries; relies on US and Eurozone markets for exports **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $7.172 billion (2024 est.) $7.031 billion (2023 est.) $6.885 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **Real GDP per capita:** $210,600 (2024 est.) $201,200 (2023 est.) $187,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $8.395 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.8% (2022 est.) 0.6% (2021 est.) -0.7% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.2% (2022 est.) industry: 40.6% (2022 est.) services: 55.6% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products **Industries:** electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments **Exports:** $3.217 billion (2015 est.) $3.774 billion (2014 est.) note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland **Exports - commodities:** small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports - commodities:** agricultural products, raw materials, energy products, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles **Exchange rates:** Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.88 (2024 est.) 0.898 (2023 est.) 0.955 (2022 est.) 0.914 (2021 est.) 0.939 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 9,890 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 51,400 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 129 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** relies on foreign terrestrial and satellite broadcasters for most broadcast media services; first Liechtenstein-based TV station established in 2008; Radio Liechtenstein operates multiple radio stations; a Swiss-based broadcaster operates one radio station **Internet country code:** .li **Internet users:** percent of population: 97% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 20,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** HB **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Railways:** total: 9 km (2018) standard gauge: 9 km (2018) 1.435-m gauge (electrified) note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland **Merchant marine:** total: 17 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 14, general cargo 1, other 2 (includes Switzerland) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; National Police of the Principality of Liechtenstein (Landespolizei des Fürstentums Liechtenstein) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 875 (2024 est.) --- ## Lithuania **Slug:** lithuania **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇱🇹 **Codes:** cek: lh, iso2: LT, iso3: LTU, iso_num: 440, genc: LTU, stanag: LTU, internet: .lt ### Introduction **Background:** Lithuanian lands were united under MINDAUGAS in 1236; over the next century, Lithuania extended its territory through alliances and conquest to include most of present-day Belarus and Ukraine. By the end of the 14th century, Lithuania was the largest state in Europe. An alliance with Poland in 1386 led the two countries into a union through a common ruler. In 1569, Lithuania and Poland formally united into a single dual state, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This entity survived until 1795 when surrounding countries partitioned its remnants. Lithuania regained its independence after World War I, but the USSR annexed it in 1940 -- an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. In 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until 1991. The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into West European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in 2004. In 2015, Lithuania joined the euro zone, and it joined the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in 2018. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia, west of Belarus **Geographic coordinates:** 56 00 N, 24 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 65,300 sq km land: 62,680 sq km water: 2,620 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than West Virginia **Land boundaries:** total: 1,545 km border countries (4): Belarus 640 km; Latvia 544 km; Poland 100 km; Russia (Kaliningrad) 261 km **Coastline:** 90 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm **Climate:** transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers **Terrain:** lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil **Elevation:** highest point: Aukstojas 294 m lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 110 m **Natural resources:** peat, arable land, amber **Land use:** agricultural land: 45.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 36.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 8.6% (2023 est.) forest: 35.3% (2023 est.) other: 18.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 61 sq km (2020) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Curonian Lagoon (shared with Russia) - 1,620 sq km **Population distribution:** fairly even population distribution throughout the country, but somewhat greater concentrations in the southern cities of Vilnius and Kaunas, as well as the western port of Klaipeda **Natural hazards:** occasional floods, droughts **Geography - note:** fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,815,687 (2025 est.) male: 1,334,600 female: 1,481,087 **Nationality:** noun: Lithuanian(s) adjective: Lithuanian **Ethnic groups:** Lithuanian 84.6%, Polish 6.5%, Russian 5%, Belarusian 1%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.8% (2021 est.) **Languages:** Lithuanian (official) 85.3%, Russian 6.8%, Polish 5.1%, other 1.1%, two mother tongues 1.7% (2021 est.) major-language sample(s): Pasaulio enciklopedija – naudingas bendrosios informacijos šaltinis. (Lithuanian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 74.2%, Russian Orthodox 3.7%, Old Believer 0.6%, Evangelical Lutheran 0.6%, Evangelical Reformist 0.2%, other (including Sunni Muslim, Jewish, Greek Catholic, and Karaite) 0.9%, none 6.1%, unspecified 13.7% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 15.2% (male 205,154/female 194,386) 15-64 years: 62.6% (male 808,435/female 837,908) 65 years and over: 22.2% (2024 est.) (male 201,405/female 380,898) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 56.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 23.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 33.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 44 years (2025 est.) male: 40.9 years female: 49.2 years **Population growth rate:** -0.71% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 7.01 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 14.1 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** fairly even population distribution throughout the country, but somewhat greater concentrations in the southern cities of Vilnius and Kaunas, as well as the western port of Klaipeda **Urbanization:** urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 541,000 VILNIUS (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 28.2 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 8 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.1 years (2024 est.) male: 70.8 years female: 81.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.22 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.6 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 93.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 98% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 6.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.5% of GDP (2022) 13% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 6.1 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 6 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99% of population (2022 est.) rural: 91.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 96.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 8.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 3.3% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 26.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 11.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.61 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 1.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 26.6% (2025 est.) male: 38% (2025 est.) female: 16.7% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 1.1% (2021 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 51.8% (2024 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0% (2022) women married by age 18: 0.2% (2022) **Education expenditure:** 4.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 11.8% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 17 years (2022 est.) male: 16 years (2022 est.) female: 17 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution; air pollution; deforestation; groundwater pollution from chemicals and waste; soil degradation and erosion **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 45.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 36.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 8.6% (2023 est.) forest: 35.3% (2023 est.) other: 18.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 68.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 12.877 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 380,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 9.61 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 2.887 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 11.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.315 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 34.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 136.78 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 87.96 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 58.74 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 24.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania conventional short form: Lithuania local long form: Lietuvos Respublika local short form: Lietuva former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (while occupied by the USSR) etymology: meaning of the name is obscure; may be derived from the local words lietava, meaning "small river," or lietus, meaning "rain" or "land of rain," or the Latin word litus, meaning "shore" **Government type:** semi-presidential republic **Capital:** name: Vilnius geographic coordinates: 54 41 N, 25 19 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: named after the Vilnia River; the river name is said to derive from the Lithuanian word vilnis, meaning "wave" **Administrative divisions:** 60 municipalities (savivaldybe, singular - savivaldybe); Akmene, Alytaus Miestas, Alytus, Anksciai, Birstonas, Birzai, Druskininkai, Elektrenai, Ignalina, Jonava, Joniskis, Jurbarkas, Kaisiadorys, Kalvarija, Kauno Miestas, Kaunas, Kazlu Rudos, Kedainiai, Kelme, Klaipedos Miestas, Klaipeda, Kretinga, Kupiskis, Lazdijai, Marijampole, Mazeikiai, Moletai, Neringa, Pagegiai, Pakruojis, Palangos Miestas, Panevezio Miestas, Panevezys, Pasvalys, Plunge, Prienai, Radviliskis, Raseiniai, Rietavas, Rokiskis, Sakiai, Salcininkai, Siauliu Miestas, Siauliai, Silale, Silute, Sirvintos, Skuodas, Svencionys, Taurage, Telsiai, Trakai, Ukmerge, Utena, Varena, Vilkaviskis, Vilniaus Miestas, Vilnius, Visaginas, Zarasai **Legal system:** civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the Constitutional Court **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted by referendum 25 October 1992, entered into force 2 November 1992 amendment process: proposed by at least one fourth of all Parliament members or by petition of at least 300,000 voters; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament in each of two readings three months apart and a presidential signature; amendments to constitutional articles on national sovereignty and constitutional amendment procedure also require three-fourths voter approval in a referendum **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Lithuania dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Gitanas NAUSEDA (since 12 July 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Inga RUGINIENE (since 25 September 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president, approved by Parliament election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president, approved by Parliament most recent election date: 26 May 2024 election results: 2024: Gitanas NAUSEDA elected president in second round; percent of vote -Gitanas NAUSEDA (independent) 75.6%, Ingrida SIMONYTE (TS-LKD) 24.4% 2019: Gitanas NAUSEDA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Gitanas NAUSEDA (independent) 66.7%, Ingrida SIMONYTE (independent) 33.3% expected date of next election: 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Seimas) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 141 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/13/2024 to 10/27/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) (52); Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) (28); Political Party "The Dawn of Nemunas" (PPNA) (20); Union of Democrats “For Lithuania” (DSVL) (14); Liberals Movement of the Republic of Lithuania (LS) (12); Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LVŽS) (8); Other (7) percentage of women in chamber: 28.4% expected date of next election: October 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 37 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Seimas; judges serve 5-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the Seimas from nominations - 3 each by the president of the republic, the Seimas speaker, and the Supreme Court president; judges serve 9-year, nonrenewable terms; one third of membership reconstituted every 3 years subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; district and local courts **Political parties:** Center-Right Union or CDS Dawn of Nemunas or PPNA Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania - Christian Families Alliance or LLRA–KŠS Homeland Union or TS-LKD Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union or LVŽS Liberals' Movement or LRLS National Alliance or NS Social Democratic Party of Lithuania or LSDP Union of Democrats for Lithuania or DSVL **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Gediminas VARVUOLIS (since 5 September 2025) chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860 FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466 email address and website: info@usa.mfa.lt https://usa.mfa.lt/usa/en/ consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Kara C. McDONALD (since 26 January 2024) embassy: Akmenu gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106 mailing address: 4510 Vilnius Place, Washington DC 20521-4510 telephone: [370] (5) 266-5500 FAX: [370] (5) 266-5510 email address and website: consec@state.gov https://lt.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 16 February 1918 (from Soviet Russia and Germany); 11 March 1990 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: 6 July 1253 (coronation of MINDAUGAS, traditional founding date); 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created) **National holiday:** Independence Day (or National Day), 16 February (1918) note: 16 February 1918 was the date Lithuania established its statehood and independence from Soviet Russia and Germany; 11 March 1990 was the date it declared the restoration of statehood and independence from the Soviet Union **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red meaning: yellow stands for golden fields, the sun, light, and goodness; green for the forests, nature, freedom, and hope; red for courage and the blood spilled in defense of the homeland **National symbol(s):** mounted knight known as Vytis (the Chaser), white stork **National color(s):** yellow, green, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Tautiska giesme" (The National Song) lyrics/music: Vincas KUDIRKA history: adopted 1918, restored 1990; written in 1898 when Lithuania was part of Russia; banned during the Soviet occupation from 1940 to 1990 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 5 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Vilnius Historic Center; Curonian Spit; Kernavė Archaeological Site; Struve Geodetic Arc; Modernist Kaunas: Architecture of Optimism, 1919-1939 ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income EU and eurozone member, largest Baltic economy; recovery supported by private consumption and EU fund-driven investments; structural challenges include pension reform, aging workforce, and high energy-import costs **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $136.227 billion (2024 est.) $132.552 billion (2023 est.) $132.099 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.8% (2024 est.) 0.3% (2023 est.) 2.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $47,200 (2024 est.) $46,200 (2023 est.) $46,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $84.869 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 0.7% (2024 est.) 9.1% (2023 est.) 19.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2.6% (2024 est.) industry: 23.4% (2024 est.) services: 63.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 57.3% (2023 est.) government consumption: 17.3% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.7% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -1.8% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 76.5% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -72.6% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, milk, sugar beets, rapeseed, barley, potatoes, triticale, oats, beans, peas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, televisions, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture, textiles, food processing, fertilizer, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, lasers, electronic components, computers, amber jewelry, information technology, video game development, app/software development, biotechnology **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 1.548 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 7.6% (2024 est.) 6.9% (2023 est.) 6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 14.1% (2024 est.) male: 16.3% (2024 est.) female: 11.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 20.9% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 36.6 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 19.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 5.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.5% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 28.7% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $28.011 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $28.68 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 36.9% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 21.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $2.101 billion (2024 est.) $878.388 million (2023 est.) -$4.322 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $62.896 billion (2024 est.) $61.02 billion (2023 est.) $61.448 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Latvia 11%, Poland 8%, Germany 7%, Netherlands 6%, Russia 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, furniture, plastic products, wheat, cars (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $58.491 billion (2024 est.) $57.899 billion (2023 est.) $62.916 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 13%, Poland 13%, Latvia 8%, USA 7%, Norway 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, cars, natural gas, packaged medicine, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $7.406 billion (2024 est.) $6.168 billion (2023 est.) $5.365 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 5.426 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 10.992 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 3.98 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 10.91 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 829.9 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 16.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 14.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 51% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 4.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 13.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 2 (2025) **Coal:** consumption: 166,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 78,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 149,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 67,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 12 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 1.49 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 1.867 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 3.282 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 83.7 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 201,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 3.97 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 139 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** public broadcaster operates 3 channels, with the third channel (satellite) introduced in 2007; various privately owned commercial TV broadcasters operate national and multiple regional channels; many privately owned local TV stations; multi-channel cable and satellite TV services available; publicly owned broadcaster operates 3 radio networks; many privately owned commercial broadcasters, with repeater stations in various regions **Internet country code:** .lt **Internet users:** percent of population: 89% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 806,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** LY **Airports:** 64 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Railways:** total: 1,911 km (2020) 152 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 59 (2023) by type: container ship 3, general cargo 19, oil tanker 2, other 35 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Butinge Oil Terminal, Klaipeda ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Lithuanian Armed Forces (Lietuvos Ginkluotosios Pajegos): Lithuanian Land Forces (LLF), Lithuanian Navy, Lithuanian Air Force (LTAF), Lithuanian Special Operations Forces (LITHSOF); National Defense Volunteer Forces (2025) note 1: the National Rifleman's Union is a civilian paramilitary organization supported by the Lithuanian Government, which cooperates with the military but is not part of it; however, in a state of war, its armed formations would fall under the Armed Forces note 2: the Lithuanian Police and State Border Guard Service are under the Ministry of Interior; in wartime, the State Border Guard Service becomes part of the armed forces **Military expenditures:** 4% of GDP (2025 est.) 3.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 2% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 20,000 active-duty military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is a mix of mostly European and US armaments (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 19-26 years of age for conscripted military service for men; 9-month service obligation; 18-38 for voluntary service for men and women; 18-60 for the National Defense Volunteer Services (2025) note 1: in 2015, Lithuania reinstated conscription after having converted to a professional military in 2008; it conscripts up to 4,000 men each year; conscripts are selected using an automated lottery system note 2: as of 2020, women comprised about 12% of the military's full-time personnel **Military deployments:** note: contributes about 350-550 troops to the Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine joint military brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG), which was established in 2014; the brigade is headquartered in Poland and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units; units affiliated with the multinational brigade remain within the structures of the armed forces of their respective countries until the brigade is activated for participation in an international operation **Military - note:** the Lithuanian Armed Forces are responsible for the defense of the country’s interests, sovereignty, and territory, fulfilling Lithuania’s commitments to NATO and European security, and contributing to UN international peacekeeping efforts; Russia is Lithuania’s primary security focus, which has only increased since the Russian seizure of Crimea in 2014 and subsequent full-scale attack on Ukraine in 2022; Lithuania has been a member of NATO since 2004 and is reliant on the Alliance as the country’s security guarantor; it is actively engaged in both NATO and EU security, as well as bilaterally with allies such as the other Baltic States, Germany, Poland, the UK, Ukraine, and the US; the Lithuanian military has participated in NATO and EU missions abroad and regularly conducts training and exercises with NATO and EU partner forces; it hosts NATO forces, is a member of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, and contributes troops to a multinational brigade with Poland and Ukraine; Lithuania participated in its first UN peacekeeping mission in 1994 since 2017, Lithuania has hosted a German-led multinational NATO ground force battlegroup as part of the Alliance’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative; NATO has also provided air protection for Lithuania since 2004 through its Baltic Air Policing mission; NATO fighter aircraft are hosted at Lithuania’s Šiauliai Air Base (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 53,859 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 2,236 (2024 est.) --- ## Luxembourg **Slug:** luxembourg **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇱🇺 **Codes:** cek: lu, iso2: LU, iso3: LUX, iso_num: 442, genc: LUX, stanag: LUX, internet: .lu ### Introduction **Background:** Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and a constituent part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands after the Congress of Vienna. When Belgium declared independence from the Netherlands in 1839, Luxembourg lost more than half of its territory to Belgium but gained a larger measure of autonomy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Luxembourg gained full independence in 1867 by promising to remain permanently neutral. Overrun by Germany in both world wars, its neutrality ended in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the EEC (later the EU), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency zone. ### Geography **Location:** Western Europe, between France and Germany **Geographic coordinates:** 49 45 N, 6 10 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 2,586 sq km land: 2,586 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Rhode Island; about half the size of Delaware **Land boundaries:** total: 327 km border countries (3): Belgium 130 km; France 69 km; Germany 128 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** modified continental with mild winters, cool summers **Terrain:** mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast **Elevation:** highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m lowest point: Moselle River 133 m mean elevation: 325 m **Natural resources:** iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 51.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 23.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 27.1% (2023 est.) forest: 34.5% (2023 est.) other: 13.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2012) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km) **Population distribution:** most people live in the south, on or near the border with France **Natural hazards:** occasional flooding **Geography - note:** landlocked ### People and Society **Population:** total: 692,454 (2025 est.) male: 348,267 female: 344,187 **Nationality:** noun: Luxembourger(s) adjective: Luxembourg **Ethnic groups:** Luxembourger 52.9%, Portuguese 14.5%, French 7.6%, Italian 3.7%, Belgian 3%, German 2%, Spanish 1.3%, Romania 1%, other 14% (2022 est.) note: data represent population by nationality **Languages:** Luxembourgish (official administrative, judicial, and national language) 48.9%, Portuguese 15.4%, French (official administrative, judicial, and legislative language) 14.9%, Italian 3.6%, English 3.6%, German (official administrative and judicial language) 2.9%, other 10.8% (2021 est.) **Religions:** Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) 70.6%, Muslim 2.3%, other (includes Buddhist, folk religions, Hindu, Jewish) 0.4%, unaffiliated 26.7% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16.7% (male 57,921/female 54,484) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 231,214/female 219,497) 65 years and over: 16.1% (2024 est.) (male 49,567/female 58,571) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 46.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 22.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 23.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 40.1 years (2025 est.) male: 39.4 years female: 40.4 years **Population growth rate:** 1.26% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 9.24 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.66 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 10.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most people live in the south, on or near the border with France **Urbanization:** urban population: 92.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 120,000 LUXEMBOURG (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 31 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 12 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 83.4 years (2024 est.) male: 80.9 years female: 85.9 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.25 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.62 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.5% of GDP (2022) 11% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.98 physicians/1,000 population (2017) **Hospital bed density:** 4.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 22.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 4.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 21% (2025 est.) male: 22.1% (2025 est.) female: 19.9% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 51.1% (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 8.5% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2022 est.) male: 14 years (2022 est.) female: 15 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air and water pollution in urban areas; soil pollution of farmland **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification **Climate:** modified continental with mild winters, cool summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 51.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 23.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 27.1% (2023 est.) forest: 34.5% (2023 est.) other: 13.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 92.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 8.715 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 75,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 7.496 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 1.144 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 9.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 490,300 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 42% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 43.53 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.83 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 490,000 cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 3.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Mëllerdall (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg conventional short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand Duché de Luxembourg local short form: Luxembourg etymology: probably derived from an early Celtic or Germanic form of the name, Lucilinburhuc, that was thought to mean "little fortress;" the name first referred to the city and was later used for the country **Government type:** constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Luxembourg geographic coordinates: 49 36 N, 6 07 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: probably derived from an early Celtic or Germanic form of the name, Lucilinburhuc, that was thought to mean "little fortress;" the name first referred to the city and was later used for the country **Administrative divisions:** 12 cantons; Capellen, Clervaux, Diekirch, Echternach, Esch-sur-Alzette, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg, Mersch, Redange, Remich, Vianden, Wiltz **Legal system:** civil law system **Constitution:** history: previous 1842 (heavily amended 1848, 1856); latest effective 17 October 1868 amendment process: proposed by the Chamber of Deputies or by the monarch to the Chamber; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Chamber in two successive readings three months apart; a referendum can be substituted for the second reading if approved by more than a quarter of the Chamber members or by 25,000 valid voters; adoption by referendum requires a majority of all valid voters **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: limited to situations where the parents are either unknown, stateless, or when the nationality law of the parents' state of origin does not permit acquisition of citizenship by descent when the birth occurs outside of national territory citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Luxembourg dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal and compulsory **Executive branch:** chief of state: Grand Duke GUILLAUME (since 3 October 2025) head of government: Prime Minister Luc FRIEDEN (since 17 November 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister, appointed by the monarch election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; following elections to the Chamber of Deputies, monarch usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime minister also appointed by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des députés) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 60 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 10/8/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Christian Social People's Party (CSV) (21); Democratic Party (PD/DP) (14); Socialist Workers' Party (POSL/LSAP) (11); Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR) (5); Greens (DEI GRÉNG) (4); Pirate Party (PIRATEN) (3); Other (2) percentage of women in chamber: 35% expected date of next election: October 2028 note: a 21-member Council of State is appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister and serves as an advisory body to the Chamber of Deputies **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice includes Court of Appeal and Court of Cassation (consists of 27 judges on 9 benches); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members) judge selection and term of office: judges of both courts appointed by the monarch for life subordinate courts: Court of Accounts; district and local tribunals and courts **Political parties:** Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR Christian Social People's Party or CSV Democratic Party or DP Green Party Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP Pirate Party The Left (dei Lenk/la Gauche) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Nicole BINTNER-BAKSHIAN (since 15 August 2021) chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171 FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270 email address and website: washington.amb@mae.etat.lu https://washington.mae.lu/en.html consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Stacey FEINBERG (since 13 November 2025) embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City mailing address: 5380 Luxembourg Place, Washington DC 20521-5380 telephone: [352] 46-01-23-00 FAX: [352] 46-14-01 email address and website: Luxembourgconsular@state.gov https://lu.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 1839 (from the Netherlands) **National holiday:** National Day (birthday of Grand Duke HENRI), 23 June note: this is not the true date of birth for any of the Royals, but the national festivities were shifted in 1962 to allow observance during a more favorable time of year **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue history: the colors are derived from the Grand Duke's coat of arms note: similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which is shorter and uses a darker blue **National symbol(s):** red rampant lion **National color(s):** red, white, light blue **National anthem(s):** title: "Ons Heemecht" (Our Motherland) lyrics/music: Michel LENTZ/Jean-Antoine ZINNEN history: adopted 1864 _____ title: “De Wilhelmus” (The William) lyrics/music: Nikolaus WELTER history: adopted 1919; royal anthem, for use when members of the grand ducal family enter or exit a ceremony in Luxembourg **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Luxembourg City Old Quarters and Fortifications ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income EU and eurozone economy; global, highly capitalized banking sector; one of highest GDP-per-capita countries; strengthened domestic demand and lower interest rates contributing to economic growth; challenges include pension-system sustainability, labor-market dynamics, and energy price volatility **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $86.871 billion (2024 est.) $85.984 billion (2023 est.) $86.584 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1% (2024 est.) -0.7% (2023 est.) -1.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $128,200 (2024 est.) $129,000 (2023 est.) $132,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $93.197 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.1% (2024 est.) 3.7% (2023 est.) 6.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.2% (2024 est.) industry: 9% (2024 est.) services: 81.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 31.6% (2023 est.) government consumption: 18.6% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 16.1% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 1.3% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 217.8% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -186.7% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, wheat, barley, triticale, potatoes, pork, grapes, beef, rye, rapeseed (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** banking and financial services, construction, real estate services, iron, metals, and steel, information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation and logistics, chemicals, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourism, biotechnology **Industrial production growth rate:** -1.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 350,000 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 6% (2024 est.) 5.2% (2023 est.) 4.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 20.2% (2024 est.) male: 16.9% (2024 est.) female: 24.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 17.3% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 34.1 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.9% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 25.6% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 2.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $37.951 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $38.263 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 23% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions **Taxes and other revenues:** 27.2% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $12.877 billion (2024 est.) $9.861 billion (2023 est.) $7.509 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $202.203 billion (2024 est.) $195.294 billion (2023 est.) $184.53 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 18%, France 15%, Belgium 8%, Netherlands 7%, Italy 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** iron blocks, gas turbines, plastic products, rubber tires, plastics (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $160.032 billion (2024 est.) $156.818 billion (2023 est.) $149.751 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Belgium 26%, Germany 23%, France 10%, Netherlands 5%, USA 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, refined petroleum, electricity, plastic products, gas turbines (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $2.789 billion (2024 est.) $2.977 billion (2023 est.) $2.874 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 2.212 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 5.87 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 1.188 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 6.39 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 141.867 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 10.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 37.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 55.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: -35.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) note: Luxembourg has negative net hydroelectric power generation based on losses from use of pumped storage hydropower biomass and waste: 32.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 34,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 30.2 metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 34,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 51,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 556.63 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 552.714 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 224.651 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 260,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 40 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 961,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 144 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** long national tradition of operating radio and TV services for pan-European audiences; home to Europe's largest privately owned broadcast media group, the RTL Group, which operates 46 TV stations and 29 radio stations in Europe; also home to Europe's largest satellite operator, Société Européenne des Satellites (SES); domestically, the RTL Group operates TV and radio networks; other domestic private radio and TV operators and French and German stations available; satellite and cable TV services available **Internet country code:** .lu **Internet users:** percent of population: 99% (2024 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 250,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** LX **Airports:** 3 (2025) **Heliports:** 11 (2025) **Railways:** total: 271 km (2020) 262 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 147 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 3, container ship 1, general cargo 24, oil tanker 4, other 115 ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Luxembourg Army (l'Armée Luxembourgeoise) (2025) note: the Grand Ducal Police maintain internal security and report to the Ministry of Internal Security **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2025 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 900 active military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Luxembourg Army has a small mix of Western origin equipment (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (abolished 1969) (2025) note 1: since 2003, the Army has allowed EU citizens 18-24 years of age who have been a resident in the country for at least 36 months to volunteer note 2: 2024, women made up about 12% of the military's full-time personnel **Military - note:** founded in 1881, the Luxembourg Army is responsible for the defense of the country and fulfilling the Grand Duchy’s commitments to NATO, European security, and international peacekeeping, as well as providing support to civil authorities in the event of emergencies, such as floods or disease outbreaks; the Army is an active participant in EU, NATO, and UN missions and has contributed small numbers of troops to a number of multinational operations in parts of Africa, Europe, and Asia; it trains and exercises regularly with EU and NATO partners and has contributed to the NATO battlegroup forward deployed in Lithuania since 2017; Luxembourg was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) establishing NATO in 1949 in 2015, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg signed an agreement to conduct joint air policing of their territories; under the agreement, which went into effect in January 2017, the Belgian and Dutch Air Forces trade responsibility for patrolling the skies over the three countries (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA; established 2018) (2025) **Space program overview:** Luxembourg Space Agency was established in 2018 to develop space policy, encourage and coordinate commercial space ventures, support space education, and promote the country’s space-related capabilities internationally; has a national space strategy; has set up policy and funding initiatives (such as LuxIMPULSE) to encourage research, development, innovation, and entrepreneurship and attract space-based industries; focuses on developing commercial satellites and infrastructure, as well as other capabilities and technologies; hosts some of the largest commercial satellite companies in the world; member of the ESA since 2005 and participates in a variety of ESA programs; cooperates bilaterally with individual ESA and EU member states; also works with other foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Canada, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the UAE, and the US (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1980s - began creating a satellite telecommunications infrastructure for Europe 2014 - first privately built probe to successfully fly by the Moon (launched by China) 2018 - developed communications satellite (GOVSAT-1) to support the EU’s secure communications and space situational awareness program (GOVSATCOM) 2020 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space exploration and agreed to join the Moon exploration mission 2021 - launched Luxembourg’s Quantum Communications Infrastructure project (LuxQCI) in support of the EU’s Quantum Communications Infrastructure (EuroQCI) 2025 - launched the Luxembourg Earth Observation System (LUXEOSys) satellite, part of a national space-based remote sensing program ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 14,344 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 85 (2024 est.) --- ## Macau **Slug:** macau **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇲🇴 **Codes:** cek: mc, iso2: MO, iso3: MAC, iso_num: 446, genc: MAC, stanag: MAC, internet: .mo ### Introduction **Background:** Portuguese ships began arriving in 1513. In the 1550s, Portuguese paying tribute to China settled in Macau, which became the official entrepôt for all international trade with China and Japan and the first European settlement in the Far East. The first governor was appointed in the 17th century, but the Portuguese remained largely under the control of the Chinese. In the 1930s and ’40s Macau was declared a neutral territory during the Sino-Japanese War and World War II and became a refuge for both Chinese and Europeans. Portugal officially made Macau an overseas province in 1951. In April 1987, Portugal and China reached an agreement to return Macau to Chinese rule in 1999, using the Hong Kong Joint Declaration between China and the UK as a model. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's political and economic system would not be imposed on Macau, and that Macau would enjoy a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign affairs and defense for the next 50 years. However, after China's multi-year crackdown against the pro-democracy movement in nearby Hong Kong, the governments of China and the Macau Special Administrative Region worked to limit Macau's political autonomy by suppressing opposition activity in the 2021 legislative elections. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China **Geographic coordinates:** 22 10 N, 113 33 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 28 sq km land: 28.2 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** less than one-sixth the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 3 km regional borders (1): China 3 km **Coastline:** 41 km **Maritime claims:** not specified **Climate:** subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers **Terrain:** generally flat **Elevation:** highest point: Alto Coloane 172 m lowest point: South China Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** NEGL **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 100% (2022 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** population fairly equally distributed **Natural hazards:** typhoons **Geography - note:** primarily urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea measuring 5.2 sq km (2 sq mi) and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by three bridges ### People and Society **Population:** total: 648,666 (2025 est.) male: 306,726 female: 341,940 **Nationality:** noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese **Ethnic groups:** Chinese 89.4%, Chinese and Portuguese 1%, Portuguese 0.8%, Chinese and non-Portuguese 0.2%, Portuguese and others 0.2%, other 8.5% (2021 est.) **Languages:** Cantonese 81%, Mandarin 4.7%, other Chinese dialects 5.4%, English 3.6%, Tagalog 2.9%, Portuguese 0.6%, other 1.8% (2021 est.) major-language sample(s): 世界概况, 必須擁有的基本資料参考书 (Cantonese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: Chinese and Portuguese are official languages; Macanese or Patua, a Portuguese-based Creole, is also spoken **Religions:** folk religion 58.9%, Buddhist 17.3%, Christian 7.2%, other 1.2%, none 15.4% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 14.4% (male 47,346/female 45,216) 15-64 years: 69.9% (male 210,059/female 240,577) 65 years and over: 15.7% (2024 est.) (male 47,583/female 53,645) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 44.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 20.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 24 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 43 years (2025 est.) male: 41.5 years female: 43.1 years **Population growth rate:** 0.64% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 8.31 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.02 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 3.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population fairly equally distributed **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 682,000 Macau (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 85.3 years (2024 est.) male: 82.5 years female: 88.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.25 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.61 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population **Education expenditure:** 6.3% of GDP (2020 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 18 years male: 17 years female: 19 years (2021) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution; coastal water pollution; solid-waste disposal; noise pollution **Climate:** subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 100% (2022 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 1.595 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: -1,239 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.358 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 238,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 377,900 tons (2024 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Macau official long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese)/ Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese) official short form: Aomen (Chinese)/ Macau (Portuguese) etymology: name derived from the Chinese ama-gao, or “Bay of Ama,” for Ama, the patron goddess of sailors **Government type:** executive-led limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China **Dependency status:** special administrative region of the People's Republic of China **Legal system:** civil law system based on the Portuguese model **Constitution:** history: previous 1976 (Organic Statute of Macau, under Portuguese authority); latest adopted 31 March 1993, effective 20 December 1999 (Basic Law of the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as Macau's constitution) amendment process: proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the People’s Republic of China State Council, and the Macau Special Administrative Region; submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Assembly of Macau, approval by two thirds of Macau's deputies to the NPC, and consent of the Macau chief executive; final passage requires approval by the NPC **Citizenship:** see China **Suffrage:** 18 years of age in direct elections for some legislative positions, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past 7 years note: indirect elections are limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" and an election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, central government bodies, and elected Macau officials **Executive branch:** chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013) head of government: Chief Executive Sam Hou FAI (since 20 December 2024) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the chief executive election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); chief executive chosen by a 400-member Election Committee for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: president: 10 March 2023 chief executive: 13 October 2024 election results: 2024: Sam Hou FAI (unopposed; received 394 out of 400 votes) 2019: HO lat Seng (unopposed; received 392 out of 400 votes) expected date of next election: president: March 2028 chief executive: 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Legislative Assembly (Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 33 (14 directly elected, 12 indirectly elected, 7 appointed) electoral system: mixed scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 9/12/2021 parties elected and seats per party: United Citizens Association of Macau (ACUM) (3); Union for Development (UPD) (2); Macau-Guangdong Union (UGM) (2); Union for Promoting Progress (UPP) (2); Alliance for a Happy Home (ABL) (2); New Hope (NE) (2); Association of Synergy of Macau (PS) (1) expected date of next election: September 2025 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Final Appeal of Macau Special Administrative Region (consists of the court president and 2 associate justices) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the Macau chief executive upon the recommendation of an independent commission of judges, lawyers, and "eminent" persons; judge tenure NA subordinate courts: Court of Second Instance; Court of First instance; Lower Court; Administrative Court **Political parties:** Alliance for a Happy Home or ABL Association of Synergy of Macau ("Synergy Power" or Poder da Singeria) or PS Macau-Guangdong Union or UGM New Hope or NE Union for Development or UPD Union for Promoting Progress or UPP or UNIPRO United Citizens Association of Macau or ACUM note: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (Special Administrative Region of China) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: the US has no offices in Macau; US Consulate General in Hong Kong is accredited to Macau **International organization participation:** ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** none (special administrative region of China) **National holiday:** National Day (anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949) note: 20 December (1999) is celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day **Flag:** description: green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, under an arc of five five-pointed gold stars meaning: the lotus is the national floral emblem, and the three petals represent the country's peninsula and two islands; the five stars echo the Chinese flag **National symbol(s):** lotus blossom **National color(s):** green, white, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" (The March of the Volunteers) lyrics/music: TIAN Han/NIE Er history: official anthem, as a Special Administrative Region of China ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, Chinese special administrative region economy; known for apparel exports and gambling tourism; currency pegged to Hong Kong dollar; significant recession due to 2015 Chinese anticorruption campaign; COVID-19 further halved economic activity **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $77.524 billion (2024 est.) $71.248 billion (2023 est.) $40.699 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 8.8% (2024 est.) 75.1% (2023 est.) -19.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $112,800 (2024 est.) $105,000 (2023 est.) $60,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $50.183 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 0.5% (2023 est.) 1% (2022 est.) 0% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** industry: 5.4% (2023 est.) services: 91.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 29% (2024 est.) government consumption: 12.2% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 13.8% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.7% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 89.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -45.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** pork, chicken, beef, eggs, pork offal, pork fat, pepper, beef offal, cattle hides, goose meat (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys **Industrial production growth rate:** 6.8% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 382,100 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.5% (2024 est.) 2.3% (2023 est.) 2.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 7.2% (2024 est.) male: 9.4% (2024 est.) female: 5.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 0.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $12.513 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $11.509 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 22.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $14.38 billion (2023 est.) $3.476 billion (2022 est.) $2.705 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $41.839 billion (2023 est.) $21.097 billion (2022 est.) $28.163 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Hong Kong 73%, China 6%, USA 6%, Philippines 3%, Singapore 1% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** jewelry, garments, broadcasting equipment, precious metal watches, video and card games (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $23.205 billion (2023 est.) $20.923 billion (2022 est.) $23.77 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 36%, Hong Kong 17%, USA 6%, France 6%, Japan 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** jewelry, garments, trunks and cases, broadcasting equipment, electricity (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $29.392 billion (2024 est.) $27.771 billion (2023 est.) $25.971 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** patacas (MOP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 8.037 (2024 est.) 8.063 (2023 est.) 8.065 (2022 est.) 8.006 (2021 est.) 7.989 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 427,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 5.659 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 5.327 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 161.125 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 58.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 41.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** exports: 600 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 7 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 121.747 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 121.716 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 64.641 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 81,300 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 1.45 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 201 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** local government dominates broadcast media; 2 TV stations operated by the government, with one broadcasting in Portuguese and the other in Cantonese and Mandarin; 1 cable TV and 4 satellite TV services available; 3 radio stations broadcasting, of which 2 are government-operated (2019) **Internet country code:** .mo **Internet users:** percent of population: 89% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 212,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** B-M **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Heliports:** 4 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 5 (2023) by type: other 5 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Macau ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Macau Public Security Police Force **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of China; the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) maintains a garrison in Macau ### Transnational Issues **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Macau does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Macau remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/macau --- ## Madagascar **Slug:** madagascar **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇲🇬 **Codes:** cek: ma, iso2: MG, iso3: MDG, iso_num: 450, genc: MDG, stanag: MDG, internet: .mg ### Introduction **Background:** Madagascar was one of the last major habitable landmasses on earth to be settled by humans. While there is some evidence of human presence on the island in the millennia B.C., large-scale settlement began between A.D. 350 and 550 with settlers from present-day Indonesia. The island attracted Arab and Persian traders as early as the 7th century, and migrants from Africa arrived around A.D. 1000. Madagascar was a pirate stronghold during the late 17th and early 18th centuries and served as a slave trading center into the 19th century. From the 16th to the late 19th century, a native Merina Kingdom dominated much of Madagascar. The French conquered the island in 1896 and made it a colony; independence was regained in 1960. Free presidential and National Assembly elections were held in 1992-93, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing half the country to secede. In 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. He won a second term in 2006 but, following protests in 2009, handed over power to the military, which then conferred the presidency on the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA, in what amounted to a coup d'etat. After a lengthy mediation process, Madagascar held UN-supported presidential and parliamentary elections in 2013. Former de facto finance minister Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA won in a runoff and was inaugurated in 2014. In 2019, RAJOELINA was declared the winner against RAVALOMANANA. In 2023, RAJOELINA won another term in an election that most of the opposition boycotted, including RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA and RAVALOMANANA, who claimed it was rigged in favor of RAJOELINA. International observers, however, saw no evidence of systemic fraud, leading the international community to accept the election results. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique **Geographic coordinates:** 20 00 S, 47 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 587,041 sq km land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,501 sq km **Area - comparative:** almost four times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of Arizona **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 4,828 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m isobath **Climate:** tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south **Terrain:** narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center **Elevation:** highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 615 m **Natural resources:** graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, rare earth elements, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 70.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 64.1% (2023 est.) forest: 17.5% (2023 est.) other: 12.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 10,860 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** most of population lives on the eastern half of the island; significant clustering is found in the central highlands and eastern coastline, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation volcanism: Madagascar's volcanoes have not erupted in recorded history **Geography - note:** world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel; despite Madagascar’s close proximity to the African continent, ocean currents isolate the island, resulting in high rates of endemic plant and animal species; approximately 90% of the flora and fauna on the island are found nowhere else ### People and Society **Population:** total: 31,345,040 (2025 est.) male: 15,647,362 female: 15,697,678 **Nationality:** noun: Malagasy (singular and plural) adjective: Malagasy **Ethnic groups:** Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran **Languages:** Malagasy (official) 99.9%, French (official) 23.6%, English 8.2%, other 0.6% (2018 est.) note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census **Religions:** Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar/Malagasy Lutheran Church/Anglican Church 34%, Roman Catholic 32.3%, other Christian 8.1%, traditional/Animist 1.7%, Muslim 1.4%, other 0.6%, none 21.9% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 37% (male 5,507,847/female 5,400,551) 15-64 years: 59.1% (male 8,720,012/female 8,673,880) 65 years and over: 3.9% (2024 est.) (male 532,642/female 617,782) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 73.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 66.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 15.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 20.5 years (2025 est.) male: 21.1 years female: 21.5 years **Population growth rate:** 2.15% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 27.54 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.95 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of population lives on the eastern half of the island; significant clustering is found in the central highlands and eastern coastline, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 40.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.26% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.872 million ANTANANARIVO (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.5 years (2021 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 445 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 38.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 40.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 34 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 68.8 years (2024 est.) male: 67.3 years female: 70.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.47 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.71 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 79.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 36% of population (2022 est.) total: 53.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 20.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 64% of population (2022 est.) total: 46.5% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.5% of GDP (2021) 5.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.17 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 53.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 25.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 36.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 46.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 74.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 63.3% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 5.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.89 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 24.1% (2025 est.) male: 40.2% (2025 est.) female: 8.2% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 22.6% (2021 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 62.3% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 12.7% (2021) women married by age 18: 38.8% (2021) men married by age 18: 11.2% (2021) **Education expenditure:** 3% of GDP (2023 est.) 18% national budget (2019 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 74.7% (2021 est.) male: 77.9% (2021 est.) female: 71.8% (2021 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 9 years (2019 est.) male: 9 years (2019 est.) female: 9 years (2019 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** erosion and soil degradation from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; agricultural fires; water pollution from raw sewage and other organic wastes; wildlife preservation **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south **Land use:** agricultural land: 70.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 64.1% (2023 est.) forest: 17.5% (2023 est.) other: 12.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 40.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.26% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 3.936 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1.057 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.879 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 16.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.769 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 9.2% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 395 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 161.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 13 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 337 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar conventional short form: Madagascar local long form: République de Madagascar/Repoblikan'i Madagasikara local short form: Madagascar/Madagasikara former: Malagasy Republic etymology: a variant of the name was first used by 13th-century Venetian explorer Marco POLO when he confused the island with the Somali port of Mogadishu; the transliteration was later adopted as the official name **Government type:** semi-presidential republic **Capital:** name: Antananarivo geographic coordinates: 18 55 S, 47 31 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "City of the Thousand," from the Malagasy an- (a prefix denoting a place name), tanana (town), and arivo (thousand); in the 17th century, King ADRIANJAKA named the original fortress after the 1,000 soldiers stationed there **Administrative divisions:** 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara **Legal system:** civil law system based on the old French civil code and customary law in matters of marriage, family, and obligation **Constitution:** history: previous 1992; latest passed by referendum 17 November 2010, promulgated 11 December 2010 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic in consultation with the cabinet or supported by a least two thirds of both the Senate and National Assembly membership; passage requires at least three-fourths approval of both the Senate and National Assembly and approval in a referendum; constitutional articles, including the form and powers of government, the sovereignty of the state, and the autonomy of Madagascar’s collectivities, cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Madagascar; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: unknown **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Michael RANDRIANIRINA (Col.) head of government: Prime Minister Herintsalama RAJAONARIVELO (since 22 October 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly, appointed by the president most recent election date: 16 November 2023 election results: 2023: Andry RAJOELINA reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Andry RAJOELINA (TGV) 59.0%, Siteny Thierry RANDRIANASOLONIAIKO 14.4%, Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 12.1%, other 14.5% expected date of next election: November 2028 note: on 14 October 2025 Col. Michael Randrianirina, commander of an elite unit of the country’s armed forces, announced the formation of a transitional government made up of civilians, which would rule for two years; the constitution, the country’s top court, and the electoral commission were suspended, and a referendum will be held to formulate a new constitution; the lower house of Parliament was not suspended and impeached former-President Andry RAJOELINA **Legislative branch:** legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly (Antenimierampirenena) number of seats: 163 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 12/11/2020 parties elected and seats per party: Isika Rehetra Miaraka Amin’i Andry Rajoelina (IRMAR) (84); Firaisankina (22); Independents (50); Other (7) percentage of women in chamber: 14.1% expected date of next election: May 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Antenimierandoholona) number of seats: 18 (12 indirectly elected; 6 appointed) term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 5/29/2024 parties elected and seats per party: IRMAR (10); MALAGASY MIARA-MIAINGA (2) percentage of women in chamber: 11.1% expected date of next election: 31 December 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Suprême (consists of 11 members; addresses judicial administration issues only); High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle (consists of 9 members); High Court of Justice (consists of 11 members; addresses cases brought against the president of Madagascar and senior officials for high treason, grave violations of the Constitution, or breach of duties incompatible with the exercise of the presidential mandate) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court heads elected by the president and judiciary officials to serve 3-year, single renewable terms; High Constitutional Court members appointed - 3 each by the president, by both legislative bodies, and by the Council of Magistrates; members serve single, 7-year terms; High Court of Justice members include: first president of the Supreme Court; 2 presidents from the Court of Cassation; 2 presidents from the Court of Appeal; 2 deputies from the National Assembly; 2 senators from the Senate; 2 members from the High Council for the Defense of Democracy and the State of law subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Court of Cassation; Courts of First Instance; military courts; traditional courts (dina); Trade Court **Political parties:** Group of Young Malagasy Patriots (Groupe des Jeunes Malgaches Patriotes) or GJMP I Love Madagascar (Tiako I Madagasikara) or TIM Isika Rehetra Miaraka amin'i Andry Rajoelina coalition or IRD Malagasy Aware (Malagasy Tonga Saina) or MTS Malagasy Tia Tanindrazana or MATITA or ANGADY Movement for Democracy in Madagascar (Mouvement pour la Démocratie à Madagascar) or MDM Rally for Democratic Socialism (Rassemblement pour Socialisme Démocratique - Nouveau) or RPSD Vaovao Young Malagasies Determined (Tanora Malagasy Vonona) or TGV **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Lantosoa RAKOTOMALALA (since 13 January 2025) chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525 FAX: [1] (202) 265-3034 email address and website: madagascar.embassy.dc@gmail.com https://us-madagascar-embassy.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Claire PIERANGELO (since 2 May 2022) embassy: Lot 207A, Andranoro, Antehiroka, 105 Antananarivo - Madagascar mailing address: 2040 Antananarivo Place, Washington DC 20521-2040 telephone: [261] 33-44-320-00 FAX: [261] 33-44-320-35 email address and website: antanACS@state.gov https://mg.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, COMESA, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 26 June 1960 (from France) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 26 June (1960) **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green, with a vertical white band on the left side meaning: red stands for sovereignty, green for hope, and white for purity **National symbol(s):** traveller's palm (ravenala), zebu **National color(s):** red, green, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Ry Tanindraza nay malala o" (O Our Beloved Fatherland) lyrics/music: Pasteur RAHAJASON/Norbert RAHARISOA history: adopted 1959 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (1 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve (n); Ambohimanga Royal Hill (c); Atsinanana Rainforests (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income East African island economy; natural resource rich; extreme poverty; return of political stability has helped growth; sharp tax revenue drop due to COVID-19; leading vanilla producer; environmentally fragile **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $52.968 billion (2024 est.) $50.833 billion (2023 est.) $48.782 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.2% (2024 est.) 4.2% (2023 est.) 4.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $1,700 (2024 est.) $1,600 (2023 est.) $1,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $17.421 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 9.9% (2023 est.) 8.2% (2022 est.) 5.8% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 22.5% (2024 est.) industry: 22.8% (2024 est.) services: 46.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 69.8% (2024 est.) government consumption: 15.3% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.6% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 23.6% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -31.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** rice, sugarcane, cassava, sweet potatoes, milk, bananas, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, maize, potatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** meat processing, seafood, soap, beer, leather, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism, mining **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 16.519 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.1% (2024 est.) 3.1% (2023 est.) 3.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 5.4% (2024 est.) male: 5.3% (2024 est.) female: 5.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 2.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.1% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $2.066 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $2.876 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 9.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$829.376 million (2022 est.) -$721.953 million (2021 est.) -$623.653 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $4.689 billion (2022 est.) $3.362 billion (2021 est.) $2.589 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 16%, France 15%, Japan 8%, China 6%, S. Korea 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** garments, nickel, vanilla, cloves, gold (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $6.041 billion (2022 est.) $4.769 billion (2021 est.) $3.718 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 19%, Oman 13%, France 10%, India 8%, South Africa 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, rice, fabric, cotton fabric, wheat (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $2.785 billion (2024 est.) $2.632 billion (2023 est.) $2.16 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $3.548 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Malagasy ariary (MGA) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 4,525.425 (2024 est.) 4,429.579 (2023 est.) 4,096.116 (2022 est.) 3,829.978 (2021 est.) 3,787.754 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 36.1% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 71.6% electrification - rural areas: 10.9% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 759,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 2.506 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 139 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 64.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 31.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 472,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 472,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 150 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 20,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 1.816 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 3,410 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 23.5 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 76 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned Radio Nationale Malagasy (RNM) and Television Malagasy (TVM) have an extensive national network reach; privately owned radio and TV broadcasters in cities and major towns; state-run radio dominates in rural areas; relays of 2 international broadcasters are available in Antananarivo (2019) **Internet country code:** .mg **Internet users:** percent of population: 20% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 34,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 5R **Airports:** 93 (2025) **Railways:** total: 836 km (2018) narrow gauge: 836 km (2018) 1.000-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 29 (2023) by type: general cargo 16, oil tanker 2, other 11 **Ports:** total ports: 13 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 11 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Andoany, Antsiranana, Antsohim Bondrona, Iharana, Mahajanga, Maintirano, Manakara, Mananjary, Maroantsetra, Morondava, Toamasina, Tolanaro, Toliara ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Madagascar Armed Forces (aka Armed forces of the Republic of Madagascar); Malagasy Army, Naval Forces (or National Navy), Air Force; Malagasy National Gendarmerie (2025) note: the National Gendarmerie is under the Ministry of Defense but separate from the PAF and is responsible for maintaining law and order in rural areas at the village level, protecting government facilities, and operating a maritime police contingent; the National Police under the Ministry of Security is responsible for maintaining law and order in urban areas **Military expenditures:** 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 13,000 Armed Forces; estimated 10,000 Gendarmerie (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory consists mostly of older or secondhand armaments originating from countries such as France, South Africa, the former Soviet Union, the UAE, the UK, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; service obligation 18 months; conscription available in times of national emergency or war (2025) **Military - note:** the military’s responsibilities include ensuring sovereignty and territorial integrity and protecting Madagascar’s maritime domain, particularly against piracy, drug trafficking, and smuggling; it also assists the Gendarmerie with maintaining law and order in rural areas, largely in areas affected by banditry, cattle rustling, and criminal groups; the military has a history of influence in domestic politics and seized control of the government in October 2025; security relationships have included France, India, and Russia; Madagascar's small Navy has traditionally looked to India for assistance with maritime security (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 1,256 (2024 est.) IDPs: 9,868 (2024 est.) --- ## Malawi **Slug:** malawi **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇲🇼 **Codes:** cek: mi, iso2: MW, iso3: MWI, iso_num: 454, genc: MWI, stanag: MWI, internet: .mw ### Introduction **Background:** Malawi shares its name with the Chewa word for flames and is linked to the Maravi people from whom the Chewa language originated. The Maravi settled in what is now Malawi around 1400, during one of the later waves of Bantu migration across central and southern Africa. A powerful Maravi kingdom established around 1500 reached its zenith around 1700, when it controlled what is now southern and central Malawi and portions of neighboring Mozambique and Zambia. The kingdom eventually declined because of destabilization from the escalating global trade in enslaved people. In the early 1800s, widespread conflict in southern Africa displaced various ethnic Ngoni groups, some of which moved into Malawi and further undermined the Maravi. Members of the Yao ethnic group -- which had long traded with Malawi from Mozambique -- introduced Islam and began to settle in Malawi in significant numbers in the mid-1800s, followed by members of the Lomwe ethnic group. British missionary and trading activity increased in the area around Lake Nyasa in the mid-1800s, and in 1891, Britain declared a protectorate called British Central Africa over what is now Malawi. The British renamed the territory Nyasaland in 1907, and it was part of the colonial Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland -- including present-day Zambia and Zimbabwe -- from 1953 to 1963 before gaining independence as Malawi in 1964. Hastings Kamuzu BANDA served as prime minister at independence and then as president when the country became a republic in 1966. He later instituted one-party rule under his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and was declared president for life. After three decades of one-party rule, the country held multiparty presidential and parliamentary elections in 1994 under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. Bakili MULUZI of the United Democratic Front party became the first freely elected president of Malawi when he defeated BANDA at the polls in 1994; he won reelection in 1999. President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA was elected in 2004 and reelected to a second term in 2009. He died abruptly in 2012 and was succeeded by Vice President Joyce BANDA. MUTHARIKA's brother, Peter MUTHARIKA, defeated BANDA in the election in 2014. Peter MUTHARIKA was reelected in a disputed election in 2019 that resulted in countrywide protests. The courts ordered a new election, and in 2020, Lazarus CHAKWERA of the MCP was elected president. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Africa, east of Zambia, west and north of Mozambique **Geographic coordinates:** 13 30 S, 34 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 118,484 sq km land: 94,080 sq km water: 24,404 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Pennsylvania **Land boundaries:** total: 2,857 km border countries (3): Mozambique 1,498 km; Tanzania 512 km; Zambia 847 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November) **Terrain:** narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains **Elevation:** highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m mean elevation: 779 m **Natural resources:** limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite **Land use:** agricultural land: 64.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 42.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 19.6% (2023 est.) forest: 22.4% (2023 est.) other: 13.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 740 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Malawi (shared with Mozambique and Tanzania) - 22,490 salt water lake(s): Lake Chilwa - 1,040 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s], Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Tanzania, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km) Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km) **Population distribution:** population density is highest south of Lake Nyasa, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** flooding; droughts; earthquakes **Geography - note:** landlocked; Lake Nyasa, about 580 km (360 mi) long, is the country's most prominent physical feature; it contains more fish species than any other lake on earth ### People and Society **Population:** total: 20,550,954 (2025 est.) male: 10,097,082 female: 10,453,872 **Nationality:** noun: Malawian(s) adjective: Malawian **Ethnic groups:** Chewa 34.3%, Lomwe 18.8%, Yao 13.2%, Ngoni 10.4%, Tumbuka 9.2%, Sena 3.8%, Mang'anja 3.2%, Tonga 1.8%, Nyanja 1.8%, Nkhonde 1%, other 2.2%, foreign 0.3% (2018 est.) **Languages:** English (official), Chewa (dominant), Lambya, Lomwe, Ngoni, Nkhonde, Nyakyusa, Nyanja, Sena, Tonga, Tumbuka, Yao note: Chewa and Nyanja are mutually intelligible dialects; Nkhonde and Nyakyusa are mutually intelligible dialects **Religions:** Protestant 33.5% (includes Church of Central Africa Presbyterian 14.2%, Seventh Day Adventist/Baptist 9.4%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Anglican 2.3%), Roman Catholic 17.2%, other Christian 26.6%, Muslim 13.8%, traditionalist 1.1%, other 5.6%, none 2.1% (2018 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 37.7% (male 4,080,567/female 4,132,710) 15-64 years: 58.4% (male 6,217,761/female 6,487,273) 65 years and over: 3.9% (2024 est.) (male 376,266/female 468,732) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 74.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 68.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 16.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 19.4 years (2025 est.) male: 20 years female: 20.6 years **Population growth rate:** 2.16% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 28.04 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 3.57 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population density is highest south of Lake Nyasa, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 18.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.276 million LILONGWE (capital), 1.031 million Blantyre-Limbe (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.1 years (2015/16 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 225 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 28.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 36.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 73 years (2024 est.) male: 69.9 years female: 76.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.33 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.65 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 85.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 68.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 71.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 14.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 31.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 28.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.4% of GDP (2021) 3.3% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 87.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 73.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 75.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 12.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 26.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 24.2% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 5.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 2.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 1.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 6.3% (2025 est.) male: 11.7% (2025 est.) female: 1.4% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 11.6% (2020 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 62.1% (2020 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 7.5% (2020) women married by age 18: 37.7% (2020) men married by age 18: 7% (2020) **Education expenditure:** 2.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 16% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 70.2% (2020 est.) male: 78.6% (2020 est.) female: 62.7% (2020 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 10 years (2021 est.) male: 10 years (2021 est.) female: 10 years (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of fish spawning grounds; high temperatures and changing precipitation patterns **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November) **Land use:** agricultural land: 64.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 42.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 19.6% (2023 est.) forest: 22.4% (2023 est.) other: 13.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 18.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 2.265 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 65,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.2 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 18.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.298 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 9.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 143.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 47.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.166 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 17.28 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Malawi conventional short form: Malawi local long form: Dziko la Malawi local short form: Malawi former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland etymology: named for the Maravi people who inhabited the area since the 14th century; the word maravi means "flames" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Lilongwe geographic coordinates: 13 58 S, 33 47 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after the Lilongwe River that flows through the city; the origin of the river's name is unclear **Administrative divisions:** 28 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga, Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Neno, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law and customary law; Supreme Court of Appeal reviews legislative acts **Constitution:** history: previous 1953 (pre-independence), 1964, 1966; latest drafted January to May 1994, approved 16 May 1994, entered into force 18 May 1995 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles, including the sovereignty and territory of the state, fundamental constitutional principles, human rights, voting rights, and the judiciary, requires majority approval in a referendum and majority approval by the Assembly; passage of other amendments requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Malawi dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Peter MUTHARIKA (since 4 October 2025) head of government: President Peter MUTHARIKA (since 4 October 2025) cabinet: Cabinet named by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: September 2030 election results: 2025: Peter MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote- Peter MUTHARIKA (DPP) 56.8%, Lazarus CHAKWERA (MCP) 33.0%, Dalitso KABAMBE (UTM) 3.95, Atupele MULUZI (UDF) 1.92%, Joyce BANDA (PP) 1.61%, other 2.72% 2020: Lazarus CHAKWERA elected president; Lazarus CHAKWERA (MCP) 59.3%, Peter Mutharika (DPP) 39.9%, other 0.8% expected date of next election: September 2030 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 229 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/16/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) (78); Malawi Congress Party (MCP) (52); Independents (73); Other (21) percentage of women in chamber: 21.4% expected date of next election: September 2025 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and at least 3 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly; other judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, which regulates judicial officers; judges serve until age 65 subordinate courts: High Court; magistrate courts; Industrial Relations Court; district and city traditional or local courts **Political parties:** Democratic Progressive Party or DPP Malawi Congress Party or MCP People's Party or PP United Democratic Front or UDF United Transformation Movement or UTM **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Esme Jynet CHOMBO (since 19 April 2022) chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 451- 0409 email address and website: malawidc@aol.com Home | Malawi Embassy USA **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Jonathan FISCHER (since 8 August 2025) embassy: 16 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe 3 mailing address: 2280 Lilongwe Place, Washington DC 20521-2280 telephone: [265] (0) 177-3166 FAX: [265] (0) 177-0471 email address and website: LilongweConsular@state.gov https://mw.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 6 July 1964 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 6 July (1964) note: also called Republic Day since 6 July 1966 **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green, with a rising red sun centered on the black band meaning: black stands for ethnic groups, red for the blood shed in the struggle for freedom, and green for nature; the sun represents the hope of freedom for the continent of Africa **National symbol(s):** lion **National color(s):** black, red, green **National anthem(s):** title: "Mulungu dalitsa Malawi" (O God, Bless Our Land of Malawi) lyrics/music: Michael-Fredrick Paul SAUKA history: adopted 1964 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Lake Malawi National Park (n); Chongoni Rock-Art Area (c); Mount Mulanje Cultural Landscape (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income East African economy; primarily agrarian; investing in human capital; urban poverty increasing due to COVID-19; high public debt; endemic corruption and poor property rights; poor hydroelectric grid; localized pharmaceutical industry **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $35.425 billion (2024 est.) $34.789 billion (2023 est.) $34.143 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.8% (2024 est.) 1.9% (2023 est.) 0.9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $1,600 (2024 est.) $1,600 (2023 est.) $1,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $11.009 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 32.2% (2024 est.) 28.8% (2023 est.) 21% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 32.4% (2024 est.) industry: 16% (2024 est.) services: 44.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** sweet potatoes, cassava, maize, sugarcane, mangoes/guavas, potatoes, tomatoes, pigeon peas, pumpkins/squash, plantains (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 8.602 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.1% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 5.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 6.8% (2024 est.) male: 6.4% (2024 est.) female: 7.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 50.7% (2019 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 38.5 (2019 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.9% (2019 est.) highest 10%: 31% (2019 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.6% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $2.208 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $3.523 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 55.6% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 13.5% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$2.276 billion (2023 est.) -$2.218 billion (2022 est.) -$1.918 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.526 billion (2023 est.) $1.487 billion (2022 est.) $1.587 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 11%, India 7%, Zimbabwe 6%, South Africa 5%, USA 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** tobacco, tea, dried legumes, soybean meal, raw sugar (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $3.995 billion (2023 est.) $3.834 billion (2022 est.) $3.768 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 17%, South Africa 16%, UAE 12%, India 7%, Tanzania 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, fertilizers, plastics, garments, postage stamps/documents (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $594.498 million (2020 est.) $846.84 million (2019 est.) $766.155 million (2018 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $2.269 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1,161.094 (2023 est.) 949.039 (2022 est.) 805.9 (2021 est.) 749.527 (2020 est.) 745.541 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 14% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 54% electrification - rural areas: 5.6% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 731,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.585 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 19.938 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 231.785 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 4.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 92.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 3,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 22,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 19,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 801.999 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 1.792 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 4,870 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 15 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 69 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** radio is the main broadcast medium; privately owned Zodiak radio has the widest national reach, followed by state-run radio; numerous private and community radio stations broadcast in cities and towns; the largest TV network is state-owned, but at least 4 private TV networks broadcast in urban areas; relays of multiple international broadcasters are available (2019) **Internet country code:** .mw **Internet users:** percent of population: 18% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 17,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 7Q **Airports:** 27 (2025) **Railways:** total: 767 km (2014) narrow gauge: 767 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Malawi Defense Force (MDF): Malawi Army (Land Forces), Malawi Maritime Force (MMF), Malawi Air Force (MAF), Malawi National Service (MNS) Ministry of Homeland Security: Malawi Police Service (2025) note: the MDF reports directly to the president as commander in chief **Military expenditures:** 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 10,000 active Malawi Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the MDF's inventory is comprised of mostly older or secondhand armaments originating from such countries as China, France, Israel, South Africa, and the UK (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-24 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service (2025) **Military deployments:** 750 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2025) **Military - note:** the MDF’s primary responsibility is external security; it is also tasked as necessary with providing support to civilian authorities during emergencies, supporting the Police Service, protecting national forest reserves, and participating in regional peacekeeping missions, as well as assisting with infrastructure development; key areas of concern include border security, regional conflict, and international terrorism; the MDF participates in exercises with foreign partners and contributes regularly to African Union and UN peace support operations; Malawi contributes regularly to African Union and UN peace support operations the MDF was established in 1964 from elements of the Kings African Rifles (KAR), a British colonial regiment raised from Great Britain's various possessions in East Africa from 1902 until independence in the 1960s; the KAR conducted both military and internal security functions within the colonial territories, and served outside the territories during the World Wars (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 56,659 (2024 est.) IDPs: 135,728 (2024 est.) --- ## Malaysia **Slug:** malaysia **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇲🇾 **Codes:** cek: my, iso2: MY, iso3: MYS, iso_num: 458, genc: MYS, stanag: MYS, internet: .my ### Introduction **Background:** Malaysia’s location has long made it an important cultural, economic, historical, social, and trade link between the islands of Southeast Asia and the mainland. Through the Strait of Malacca, which separates the Malay Peninsula from the archipelago, flowed maritime trade and with it influences from China, India, the Middle East, and the east coast of Africa. Prior to the 14th century, several powerful maritime empires existed in what is modern-day Malaysia, including the Srivijayan, which controlled much of the southern part of the peninsula between the 7th and 13th centuries, and the Majapahit Empire, which took control over most of the peninsula and the Malay Archipelago between the 13th and 14th centuries. The adoption of Islam between the 13th and 17th centuries also saw the rise of a number of powerful maritime states and sultanates on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Borneo, such as the port city of Malacca (Melaka), which at its height in the 15th century had a navy and hosted thousands of Chinese, Arab, Persian, and Indian merchants. The Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century were the first European colonial powers to establish themselves on the Malay Peninsula and in Southeast Asia. However, it was the British who ultimately secured hegemony across the territory and during the late 18th and 19th centuries established colonies and protectorates in the area that is now Malaysia. Japan occupied these holdings from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula (except Singapore) formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore, as well as Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo, joined the Federation. A communist insurgency, confrontations with Indonesia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's expulsion in 1965 marred the first several years of the country's independence. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw materials to the development of manufacturing, services, and tourism. Former Prime Minister MAHATHIR and a newly formed coalition of opposition parties defeated Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak's United Malays National Organization (UMNO) in 2018, ending over 60 years of uninterrupted UMNO rule. From 2018-2022, Malaysia underwent considerable political upheaval, with a succession of coalition governments holding power. Following legislative elections in 2022, ANWAR Ibrahim was appointed prime minister after more than 20 years in opposition. His political coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH), joined its longtime UNMO rival to form a government, but the two groups have remained deeply divided on many issues. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam **Geographic coordinates:** 2 30 N, 112 30 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 329,847 sq km land: 328,657 sq km water: 1,190 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than New Mexico **Land boundaries:** total: 2,742 km border countries (3): Brunei 266 km; Indonesia 1,881 km; Thailand 595 km **Coastline:** 4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km; East Malaysia 2,607 km) **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea **Climate:** tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons **Terrain:** coastal plains rising to hills and mountains **Elevation:** highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,095 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 419 m **Natural resources:** tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite **Land use:** agricultural land: 26.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 22.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.9% (2023 est.) forest: 57.8% (2023 est.) other: 16% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 4,420 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** a highly uneven distribution, with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula **Natural hazards:** flooding; landslides; forest fires **Geography - note:** strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea ### People and Society **Population:** total: 34,905,275 (2025 est.) male: 17,833,074 female: 17,072,201 **Nationality:** noun: Malaysian(s) adjective: Malaysian **Ethnic groups:** Bumiputera 63.8% (Malay 52.8% and indigenous peoples, including Orang Asli, Dayak, Anak Negeri, 11%), Chinese 20.6%, Indian 6%, other 0.6%, non-citizens 9% (2023 est.) **Languages:** Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai major-language sample(s): Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Bahasa Malaysia) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: Malaysia has 134 languages (112 indigenous and 22 non-indigenous); in East Malaysia, there are several indigenous languages, and the most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan **Religions:** Muslim (official) 63.5%, Buddhist 18.7%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.1%, other (Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions) 0.9%, none/unspecified 1.8% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 22.2% (male 3,947,914/female 3,730,319) 15-64 years: 69.4% (male 12,308,938/female 11,666,947) 65 years and over: 8.4% (2024 est.) (male 1,409,360/female 1,501,332) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 44.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 31.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 12.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 7.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 32.2 years (2025 est.) male: 31.7 years female: 31.9 years **Population growth rate:** 0.97% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 14.05 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.8 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** a highly uneven distribution, with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula **Urbanization:** urban population: 78.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 8.622 million KUALA LUMPUR (capital), 1.086 million Johor Bahru, 857,000 Ipoh (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 26 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.6 years (2024 est.) male: 75 years female: 78.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.73 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.83 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 90.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 97.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 9.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 2.8% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.4% of GDP (2021) 8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.34 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 15.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.64 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 21.5% (2025 est.) male: 41.8% (2025 est.) female: 0.6% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 15.3% (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 14.1% national budget (2023 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 95.8% (2022 est.) male: 96.8% (2022 est.) female: 94.7% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 12 years (2023 est.) male: 11 years (2023 est.) female: 12 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires; endangered species; coastal reclamation damaging mangroves and turtle nesting sites **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons **Land use:** agricultural land: 26.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 22.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.9% (2023 est.) forest: 57.8% (2023 est.) other: 16% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 78.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 260.005 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 76.78 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 90.273 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 92.951 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 23.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 818.9 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 182.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 847.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 15.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 12.983 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 22.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 1.342 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.641 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 2.505 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 580 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 2 global geoparks and regional networks: Kinabalu; Langkawi (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Malaysia local long form: none local short form: Malaysia former: British Malaya, Malayan Union, Federation of Malaya etymology: devised in the early 19th century by British geographers; the suffix -sia was added to the name of the Malay people to form a classical-style name; the name Malay may come from the Tamil word malai, meaning "mountain" **Government type:** federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy note: all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers (commonly referred to as sultans) except Melaka (Malacca) and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own immigration controls) **Capital:** name: Kuala Lumpur geographic coordinates: 3 10 N, 101 42 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "muddy river junction," referring to the city's location on the confluence of the Kelang and Gombak rivers; it comes from the Malay words kuala (river junction or estuary) and lumpur (mud) note: nearby Putrajaya is referred to as a federal government administrative center but not as the capital; the legislature meets in Kuala Lumpur **Administrative divisions:** 13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu; and 1 federal territory (Wilayah Persekutuan) with 3 components, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law, Islamic law (sharia), and customary law; the Federal Court can review legislative acts at the request of the supreme head of the federation **Constitution:** history: previous 1948; latest drafted 21 February 1957, effective 27 August 1957 amendment process: proposed as a bill by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Parliament membership in the bill’s second and third readings; a number of constitutional sections are excluded from amendment or repeal **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Malaysia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 out 12 years preceding application **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King Sultan IBRAHIM ibni al-Marhum Sultan Iskandar (since 31 January 2024) head of government: Prime Minister ANWAR Ibrahim (since 24 November 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament with the consent of the king election/appointment process: king elected by and from the hereditary rulers of 9 states for a 5-year term; election is on a rotational basis among rulers of the 9 states; prime minister designated from among members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader who has support of the majority of members in the House becomes prime minister most recent election date: 24 October 2023 expected date of next election: October 2028, with inauguration in January 2029 note: the position of the king is primarily ceremonial, but he is the final arbiter on the appointment of the prime minister **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Parlimen) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) number of seats: 223 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/19/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Pakatan Harapan (PH) (76); National Alliance (PN) (52); National Front (BN) (30); Sarawak Parties Alliance (GPS) (23); Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) (22); Other (19) percentage of women in chamber: 13.5% expected date of next election: November 2027 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Dewan Negara) number of seats: 70 (26 indirectly elected; 44 appointed) percentage of women in chamber: 16.1% **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Federal Court (consists of the chief justice, president of the Court of Appeal, chief justice of the High Court of Malaya, chief judge of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak, 8 judges, and 1 "additional" judge) judge selection and term of office: Federal Court justices appointed by the monarch on advice of the prime minister; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 66 with the possibility of a single 6-month extension subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Sessions Court; Magistrates' Court note: Malaysia has a dual judicial hierarchy of civil and religious (sharia) courts **Political parties:** National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN: Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan Cina Malaysia) or MCA Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC United Malays National Organization (Pertubuhan Kebansaan Melayu Bersatu) or UMNO United Sabah People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah) or PBRS Alliance of Hope (Pakatan Harapan) or PH: Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP National Trust Party (Parti Amanah Negara) or AMANAH People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR United Progressive Kinabalu Organization (Pertubuhan Kinabalu Progresif Bersatu) or UPKO National Alliance (Perikatan Nasional) or PN: Malaysian People's Movement Party (Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia) or GERAKAN or PGRM Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or PPBM or BERSATU Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (Parti Islam Se-Malaysia) or PAS Sabah People's Alliance (Gabungan Rakya Sabah) or GRS: Homeland Solidarity Party (Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku) or STAR Love Sabah Party (Parti Cinta Sabah) or PCS Sabah People's Ideas Party (Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah) or GAGASAN or PGRS Sarawak Parties Alliance (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) or GPS: Progressive Democratic Party (Parti Demokratik Progresif) or PDP Sarawak People's Party (Parti Rakyat Sarawak) or PRS Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak) or SUPP United Bumiputera Heritage Party (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersata) or PBB Homeland Movement/Party (Gerakan Tanah Air) or GTA Homeland Fighter's Party (Parti Pejuang Tanah Air) or PEJUANG Perkasa Bumiputera Party of Malaysia (Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia) All-Malaysian Jemaah Islamiah Front (Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia) National All India Muslim Alliance Party (Parti Perikatan India Muslim Nasional) others: Malaysian Nation Party (Parti Bangsa Malaysia) or PBM Heritage Party (Parti Warisan) or WARISAN Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Ikatan Demokratik Malaysia) or MUDA United Sarawak Party (PSB) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Tan Sri Muhammad SHAHRUL Ikram bin Yaakob (since 24 July 2025) chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700 FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882 email address and website: mwwashington@kln.gov.my https://www.kln.gov.my/web/usa_washington/home consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Edgard D. KAGAN (since 20 March 2024) embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur mailing address: 4210 Kuala Lumpur, Washington DC 20521-4210 telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000 FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207 email address and website: KLACS@state.gov https://my.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 31 August 1957 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day (or Merdeka Day), 31 August (1957) (independence of Malaya); Malaysia Day, 16 September (1963) (formation of Malaysia) **Flag:** description: 14 equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white; a dark blue rectangle in the upper-left corner has a yellow crescent and a 14-pointed yellow star meaning: the flag is often called Jalur Gemilang (Stripes of Glory); the 14 stripes stand for the equal status of the 13 member states and the federal government; the points on the star represent the unity among these entities; the crescent is a traditional symbol of Islam; blue symbolizes the unity of the Malay people, and yellow is the royal color note: the design is based on the US flag **National symbol(s):** tiger, hibiscus **National color(s):** gold, black **National anthem(s):** title: "Negaraku" (My Country) lyrics/music: collective, led by Tunku ABDUL RAHMAN/Pierre Jean DE BERANGER history: adopted 1957; full version only performed in the king's presence, the shorter version performed for the queen and lesser officials **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 6 (4 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Gunung Mulu National Park (n); Kinabalu Park (n); Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Melaka (c); Archaeological Heritage of the Lenggong Valley (c); The Archaeological Heritage of Niah National Park’s Caves Complex (c); Forest Research Institute Malaysia Forest Park Selangor (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income Southeast Asian economy; implementing key anticorruption policies; major electronics, oil, and chemicals exporter; trade sector employs over 40% of jobs; key economic equity initiative; high labor productivity **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.212 trillion (2024 est.) $1.153 trillion (2023 est.) $1.113 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5.1% (2024 est.) 3.6% (2023 est.) 8.9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $34,100 (2024 est.) $32,800 (2023 est.) $32,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $421.972 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.8% (2024 est.) 2.5% (2023 est.) 3.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 8.2% (2024 est.) industry: 37.1% (2024 est.) services: 53.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 60.8% (2024 est.) government consumption: 12% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.6% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 1.3% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 71.4% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -66% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** oil palm fruit, rice, chicken, eggs, tropical fruits, coconuts, vegetables, pineapples, rubber, bananas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, petroleum and natural gas, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, electronics and semiconductors, timber processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum and natural gas production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum and natural gas production, logging **Industrial production growth rate:** 4.9% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 18.264 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.9% (2024 est.) 3.9% (2023 est.) 4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 12.3% (2024 est.) male: 11.3% (2024 est.) female: 13.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 6.2% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 40.7 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 26.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.3% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 30.9% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $69.055 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $89.046 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 64.3% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 12.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $7.15 billion (2024 est.) $6.257 billion (2023 est.) $12.738 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $301.789 billion (2024 est.) $274.1 billion (2023 est.) $312.88 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 21%, Singapore 12%, USA 12%, Japan 5%, Hong Kong 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** integrated circuits, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, natural gas, palm oil (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $279.09 billion (2024 est.) $253.665 billion (2023 est.) $283.758 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 24%, Singapore 11%, USA 7%, Japan 5%, Taiwan 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** integrated circuits, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, coal, broadcasting equipment (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $116.229 billion (2024 est.) $113.463 billion (2023 est.) $114.659 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** ringgits (MYR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 4.576 (2024 est.) 4.561 (2023 est.) 4.401 (2022 est.) 4.143 (2021 est.) 4.203 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 37.22 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 178.653 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 1.2 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 61.678 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 13.188 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 81.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 16.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 4.476 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 35.741 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 462,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 31.706 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 226 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 582,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 672,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 3.6 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 74.32 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 47.112 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 37.451 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 3.359 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.189 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 113.163 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 8.22 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 49.7 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 140 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned TV broadcaster operates 2 TV networks with relays; the leading private commercial media group operates 4 TV stations with numerous relays; satellite TV subscription service is available; state-owned radio broadcaster operates multiple national networks, as well as regional and local stations; many private commercial radio broadcasters and some subscription satellite radio services are available; about 55 radio stations overall (2019) **Internet country code:** .my **Internet users:** percent of population: 98% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 4.58 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 9M **Airports:** 100 (2025) **Heliports:** 24 (2025) **Railways:** total: 1,851 km (2014) standard gauge: 59 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (59 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,792 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge (339 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 1,750 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 14, container ship 35, general cargo 169, oil tanker 148, other 1,384 **Ports:** total ports: 35 (2024) large: 3 medium: 4 small: 10 very small: 18 ports with oil terminals: 24 key ports: Johor, Kota Kinabalu, Port Dickson, Port Klang, Pulau Pinang, Tanjung Pelepas, Tapis Marine Terminal A ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM): Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force Ministry of Home Affairs: Royal Malaysia Police (RMP or Polis Diraja Malaysia, PDRM), Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA; aka Malaysian Coast Guard) (2025) note: the Royal Malaysia Police includes the General Operations Force, a paramilitary force with a variety of roles, including patrolling borders, counterterrorism, maritime security, and counterinsurgency **Military expenditures:** 1% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 110,000 active Malaysian Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military fields a diverse array of mostly older but growing quantities of more modern weapons and equipment; its inventory originates from a variety of suppliers across Europe, Asia, and the US; Malaysia has a domestic defense industry that has some co-production agreements with countries such as France, Germany, and Türkiye in areas such as armored vehicles and naval vessels (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service for men and women (younger with parental consent and proof of age); mandatory retirement age 60; no conscription (2025) **Military deployments:** 825 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025) **Military - note:** the Malaysian military is responsible for defense of the country's national interests, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; it also has some domestic responsibilities, such as responding to natural disasters; key areas of focus for the military include cyber defense, crime and piracy in the Strait of Malacca, and tensions in the South China Sea; the Army has traditionally been the dominant service, but air and maritime security have received increased emphasis in recent years; Malaysia has undertaken efforts to procure more modern aircraft and ships, improve air and maritime surveillance, expand the Navy’s support infrastructure (particularly bases/ports) and domestic ship-building capacities, and increase cooperation with regional and international partners such as Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, and the US Malaysia is a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; the FPDA commits the members to consult with one another in the event or threat of an armed attack on any of the members and to mutually decide what measures should be taken, jointly or separately; there is no specific obligation to intervene militarily (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA; established 2019) (2025) note: MYSA was established through the merging of the National Space Agency (ANGKASA; established 2002) and the Malaysian Remote Sensing Agency (MRSA; established 1998) **Space launch site(s):** has launched feasibility studies for potential space launch sites in Pahang, Sabah, and Sarawak (2025) **Space program overview:** has a national space policy and program focused on the areas of remote sensing (RS), navigational services, and telecommunications to support domestic economic sectors; seeks to promote a domestic space industry; acquires, manufactures, and operates satellites; conducts research in RS capabilities and space sciences such as astronomy, atmospherics, space environment, and weather; has an astronaut training exchange program with Russia and works with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of the ESA, individual ESA member states, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea, the UK, and the US (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1996 - first of a series of domestically produced commercial communications satellites (MEASAT) launched on European rocket 2000 - first multipurpose (remote sensing/RS, communications, scientific) microsatellite (TiungSat-1) produced with technology and training from the UK and launched by Russia 2007 - first Malaysian astronaut (trained in Russia) to space on International Space Station 2009 - first RS satellite (RazakSat) built with assistance from South Korea and launched by US 2011 - completed construction of a satellite assembly, integration, and testing facility 2025 - first commercial high-resolution RS satellite (UzmaSat-1) launched by US; signed US-led Artemis Accords ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Abu Sayyaf Group, al-Qa'ida, Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 191,343 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 120,857 (2024 est.) --- ## Maldives **Slug:** maldives **Region:** South Asia **Flag:** 🇲🇻 **Codes:** cek: mv, iso2: MV, iso3: MDV, iso_num: 462, genc: MDV, stanag: MDV, internet: .mv ### Introduction **Background:** A sultanate since the 12th century, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887 and a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated Maldives' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. After political demonstrations in the capital Male in 2003, GAYOOM and his government pledged to embark upon a process of liberalization and democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Political parties were legalized in 2005. In 2008, a constituent assembly -- termed the "Special Majlis" -- finalized a new constitution ratified by GAYOOM. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held later that year. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist whom the regime had jailed several years earlier. In 2012, after several weeks of street protests in response to a top judge's arrest, NASHEED resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku. A government-appointed Commission of National Inquiry concluded that there was no evidence of a coup, but NASHEED contended that police and military personnel forced him to resign. NASHEED, WAHEED, and Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom ran in the 2013 elections with YAMEEN ultimately winning the presidency after three rounds of voting. In 2018, YAMEEN lost his reelection bid to parliamentarian Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH. YAMEEN was arrested and jailed in 2022 on corruption charges. Maldives' fourth democratic election was held in September 2023. The winner, Male City Mayor Dr. Mohamed MUIZZU, campaigned on a platform of Maldivian sovereignty, vowing to remove Indian military personnel from the country. MUIZZU represents a joint Progressive Pary of Maldives and People's National Congress (PPM/PNC) coalition. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India **Geographic coordinates:** 3 15 N, 73 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 298 sq km land: 298 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about 1.7 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 644 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm note: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August) **Terrain:** flat coral atolls, with white sandy beaches; sits atop the submarine volcanic Chagos-Laccadive Ridge **Elevation:** highest point: 8th tee, golf course, Villingi Island 5 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 2 m **Natural resources:** fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 19.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 13.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 3.4% (2023 est.) forest: 12.5% (2023 est.) other: 67.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** about a third of the population lives in the centrally located capital city of Male and almost a tenth in southern Addu City; the remainder of the populace is spread over the 200 or so populated islands of the archipelago **Natural hazards:** tsunamis; low elevation of islands makes them sensitive to sea level rise **Geography - note:** smallest Asian country; archipelago of 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); strategic location along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean ### People and Society **Population:** total: 388,010 (2025 est.) male: 195,208 female: 192,802 **Nationality:** noun: Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian **Ethnic groups:** homogeneous mixture of Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, Australasian, and African resulting from historical changes in regional hegemony over marine trade routes **Languages:** Dhivehi (official, closely related to Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English (spoken by most government officials) **Religions:** Sunni Muslim (official) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 22.4% (male 44,321/female 42,626) 15-64 years: 71.5% (male 143,021/female 135,044) 65 years and over: 6.1% (2024 est.) (male 10,397/female 13,449) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 40.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 31.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 9.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 10.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 32.4 years (2025 est.) male: 31.3 years female: 32.4 years **Population growth rate:** -0.24% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 14.77 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.3 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -12.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** about a third of the population lives in the centrally located capital city of Male and almost a tenth in southern Addu City; the remainder of the populace is spread over the 200 or so populated islands of the archipelago **Urbanization:** urban population: 42% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 177,000 MALE (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 23.2 years (2016/17 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 32 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 23.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 27.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 77.4 years (2024 est.) male: 75.1 years female: 79.9 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.7 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.83 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 10% of GDP (2021) 18.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.24 physicians/1,000 population (2019) **Hospital bed density:** 5 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 8.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 28% (2025 est.) male: 41.5% (2025 est.) female: 9.2% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 14.8% (2017 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 68.4% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0% (2017) women married by age 18: 2.2% (2017) men married by age 18: 2.2% (2017) **Education expenditure:** 5.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 9.6% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 98.2% (2019 est.) male: 98.2% (2019 est.) female: 98.3% (2019 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2022 est.) male: 11 years (2022 est.) female: 15 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** rising sea levels; depletion of freshwater aquifers; inadequate sewage treatment; coral reef bleaching **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August) **Land use:** agricultural land: 19.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 13.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 3.4% (2023 est.) forest: 12.5% (2023 est.) other: 67.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 42% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 1.908 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.908 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 12.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 211,500 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 20.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 5.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 300,000 cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 268,194 cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 30 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Maldives local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa local short form: Dhivehi Raajje etymology: the origin of the name is obscure but may derive from the Sanskrit word maladvipa, meaning "garland of islands;" the local name, Dhivehi Raajje, means "land of the Dhivehi people" in the local language **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Malé geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 30 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name may come from the Sanskrit word mala, or "garland" **Administrative divisions:** 21 administrative atolls (atholhuthah, singular - atholhu); Addu (Addu City), Ariatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Ari Atoll), Ariatholhu Uthuruburi (North Ari Atoll), Faadhippolhu, Felidhuatholhu (Felidhu Atoll), Fuvammulah, Hahdhunmathi, Huvadhuatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Huvadhu Atoll), Huvadhuatholhu Uthuruburi (North Huvadhu Atoll), Kolhumadulu, Maale (Male), Maaleatholhu (Male Atoll), Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi (South Maalhosmadulu), Maalhosmadulu Uthuruburi (North Maalhosmadulu), Miladhunmadulu Dhekunuburi (South Miladhunmadulu), Miladhunmadulu Uthuruburi (North Miladhunmadulu), Mulakatholhu (Mulaku Atoll), Nilandheatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Nilandhe Atoll), Nilandheatholhu Uthuruburi (North Nilandhe Atoll), Thiladhunmathee Dhekunuburi (South Thiladhunmathi), Thiladhunmathee Uthuruburi (North Thiladhunmathi) **Legal system:** Islamic (sharia) legal system with English common law influences, primarily in commercial matters **Constitution:** history: many previous; latest ratified 7 August 2008 amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote by its membership and the signature of the president of the republic; passage of amendments to constitutional articles on rights and freedoms and the terms of office of Parliament and of the president also requires a majority vote in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Maldives dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: unknown **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Mohamed MUIZZU (since 17 November 2023) head of government: President Mohamed MUIZZU (since 17 November 2023) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by People's Majlis election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 9 September 2023, with runoff on 30 September 2023 election results: 2023: Mohamed MUIZZU elected president in the second round; percent of vote in first round - Mohamed MUIZZU (PNC) 46.1%, Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH (MDP) 39.1%, Ilyas LABEEB (DEMS) 7.1%, other 7.7%; percent of vote in the second round - Mohamed MUIZZU 54%, Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH 46% expected date of next election: 2028 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: People's Majlis (Majlis) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 93 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 4/21/2024 parties elected and seats per party: People's National Congress (PNC) (66); Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) (12); Independents (11); Other (4) percentage of women in chamber: 3.2% expected date of next election: April 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 6 justices) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission -- a 10-member body of selected senior government officials and the public -- and on confirmation by voting members of the People's Majlis; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: High Court; Criminal, Civil, Family, Juvenile, and Drug Courts; Magistrate Courts (on each of the inhabited islands) **Political parties:** Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party or DRP Maldives Development Alliance or MDA Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP Maldives Third Way Democrats or MTD People's National Congress or PNC People's National Front Republican (Jumhooree) Party or JP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Abdul GHAFOOR Mohamed (since 15 June 2023) chancery: 1100 H Street NW, Suite 250, Washington, D.C. 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 516-5458 email address and website: WashingtonInfo@foreign.gov.mv The Embassy (mdvmission.gov.mv) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Chunnong SAEGER (since January 2026) embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka; note - as of early November 2023, the US has no consular or diplomatic offices in Maldives; the US Mission to Maldives operates from US Embassy Colombo, Sri Lanka telephone: [94] (11) 249-8500 FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345 email address and website: Homepage - U.S. Embassy in Maldives **International organization participation:** ADB, AOSIS, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 26 July 1965 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 26 July (1965) **Flag:** description: red with a large green rectangle in the center and a vertical white crescent moon centered on the rectangle meaning: red stands for those who have sacrificed their lives to defend the country, green for peace and prosperity, and the white crescent is a symbol of Islam **National symbol(s):** coconut palm, yellowfin tuna **National color(s):** red, green, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Gaumee Salaam" (National Salute) lyrics/music: Mohamed Jameel DIDI/Wannakuwattawaduge DON AMARADEVA history: lyrics adopted 1948, music adopted 1972; the anthem has seven verses, but only the first two are commonly used ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income Indian Ocean island economy; major tourism, fishing, and shipping industries; high public debt; systemic corruption; crippled by COVID-19; ongoing deflation; poverty has tripled since pandemic began **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $12.325 billion (2024 est.) $11.723 billion (2023 est.) $11.194 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5.1% (2024 est.) 4.7% (2023 est.) 13.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $23,400 (2024 est.) $22,300 (2023 est.) $21,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $6.975 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.4% (2024 est.) 2.9% (2023 est.) 2.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 3% (2024 est.) industry: 9% (2024 est.) services: 73.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 51.4% (2023 est.) government consumption: 17.1% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 35% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -2% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 74.4% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -75.7% (2023 est.) **Agricultural products:** fruits, vegetables, nuts, other meats, papayas, bananas, tomatoes, maize, pulses, chillies/peppers (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining **Industrial production growth rate:** -2.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 270,300 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.7% (2024 est.) 4.3% (2023 est.) 4.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 16.1% (2024 est.) male: 20% (2024 est.) female: 9.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 5.4% (2019 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 29.3 (2019 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.8% (2019 est.) highest 10%: 23.3% (2019 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.407 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $1.939 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 19.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$1.257 billion (2024 est.) -$1.4 billion (2023 est.) -$1.042 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $5.413 billion (2024 est.) $4.88 billion (2023 est.) $5.096 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Thailand 32%, India 21%, Singapore 9%, UK 7%, Germany 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fish, aircraft, refined petroleum, scrap iron, natural gas (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $5.344 billion (2024 est.) $4.984 billion (2023 est.) $4.939 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** India 15%, UAE 15%, Oman 14%, China 12%, Singapore 8% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, plastic products, aircraft, granite, ships (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $673.886 million (2024 est.) $590.523 million (2023 est.) $832.094 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $3.113 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 15.389 (2024 est.) 15.387 (2023 est.) 15.387 (2022 est.) 15.373 (2021 est.) 15.381 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 432,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 821.397 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 25.867 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 93.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 6.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 8 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 50.886 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 12,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 782,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 148 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** formerly a state-owned radio and TV monopoly; now 4 state-operated and 7 privately owned TV stations; 4 state-operated and 7 privately owned radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .mv **Internet users:** percent of population: 85% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 98,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 8Q **Airports:** 20 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 82 (2023) by type: general cargo 30, oil tanker 20, other 32 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Male ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Air Corps, Fire and Rescue Service Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology (MOHST): Maldives Police Service (2025) note: in addition to the MNDF, the Maldives Ministry of Defense controls the Aviation Security Command, which provides security for the civil aviation industry, and the National Counter Terrorism Center **Military expenditures:** not available **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 3-4,000 active Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Defense Force has a limited inventory consisting of mostly secondhand or donated equipment from suppliers such as Germany, India, Japan, Türkiye, and the UK (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 years of age for voluntary service; no conscription (2025) note: in 2025, the Maldives began allowing Maldivians 16-28 (under 18 with parental consent) who lacked access to further education after completing their secondary education or employment could join the Maldives National Service Program and be recruited to the Army or Police **Military - note:** the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) is responsible for defending and safeguarding the Maldives' territorial integrity, economic exclusion zone, and people; it is also responsible for disaster relief, and if requested, assisting the Maldives Police Service in maintaining internal security and law and order; maritime security is its largest focus; the Indian Armed Forces have long been the MNDF's most important partner (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** IDPs: 54 (2023 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Maldives remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/maldives/ --- ## Mali **Slug:** mali **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇲🇱 **Codes:** cek: ml, iso2: ML, iso3: MLI, iso_num: 466, genc: MLI, stanag: MLI, internet: .ml ### Introduction **Background:** Present-day Mali is named after the Mali Empire that ruled the region between the 13th and 16th centuries. At its peak in the 14th century, it was the largest and wealthiest empire in West Africa and controlled an area about twice the size of modern-day France. Primarily a trading empire, Mali derived its wealth from gold and maintained several goldfields and trade routes in the Sahel. The empire also influenced West African culture through the spread of its language, laws, and customs, but by the 16th century, it had fragmented into mostly small chiefdoms. The Songhai Empire, previously a Mali dependency centered in Timbuktu, gained prominence in the 15th and 16th centuries. Under Songhai rule, Timbuktu became a large commercial center, well-known for its scholarship and religious teaching. Timbuktu remains a center of culture in West Africa today. In the late 16th century, the Songhai Empire fell to Moroccan invaders and disintegrated into independent sultanates and kingdoms. France, expanding from Senegal, seized control of the area in the 1890s and incorporated it into French West Africa as French Sudan. In 1960, French Sudan gained independence from France and became the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, the remaining area was renamed the Republic of Mali. Mali saw 31 years of dictatorship until 1991, when a military coup led by Amadou Toumani TOURE ousted the government, established a new constitution, and instituted a multi-party democracy. Alpha Oumar KONARE won Mali's first two democratic presidential elections in 1992 and 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou Toumani TOURE, who won a second term in 2007. In 2012, rising ethnic tensions and an influx of fighters -- some linked to Al-Qa’ida -- from Libya led to a rebellion and military coup. Following the coup, rebels expelled the military from the country’s three northern regions, allowing terrorist organizations to develop strongholds in the area. With a 2013 French-led military intervention, the Malian government managed to retake most of the north. However, the government’s grasp in the region remains weak with local militias, terrorists, and insurgent groups competing for control. In 2015, the Malian Government and northern rebels signed an internationally mediated peace accord. Despite a 2017 target for implementation of the agreement, the signatories have made little progress. Terrorist groups were left out of the peace process, and terrorist attacks remain common. Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA won the Malian presidential elections in 2013 and 2018. Aside from security and logistic shortfalls, international observers deemed these elections credible. Terrorism, banditry, ethnic-based violence, and extra-judicial military killings plagued the country during KEITA’s second term. In 2020, the military arrested KEITA, his prime minister, and other senior members of the government and established a military junta called the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP). The junta then established a transition government and appointed Bah N’DAW, a retired army officer and former defense minister, as interim president and Colonel Assimi GOITA, the coup leader and chairman of the CNSP, as interim vice president. The transition government’s charter allowed it to rule for up to 18 months before calling a general election. In 2021, GOITA led a military takeover, arresting the interim president after a Cabinet shake-up removed GOITA’s key allies. GOITA was sworn in as transition president, and Choguel Kokalla MAIGA was sworn in as prime minister. In 2022, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed sanctions on the transition government, and member states closed their borders with Mali after the transition government presented a five-year extension to the electoral calendar. The transition government and ECOWAS agreed to a new two-year timeline, which would have included presidential elections in February 2024, but the transition government postponed the elections indefinitely in September 2023 and withdrew from ECOWAS in January 2024. ### Geography **Location:** interior Western Africa, southwest of Algeria, north of Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso, west of Niger **Geographic coordinates:** 17 00 N, 4 00 W **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 1,240,192 sq km land: 1,220,190 sq km water: 20,002 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than twice the size of Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 7,908 km border countries (6): Algeria 1,359 km; Burkina Faso 1,325 km; Cote d'Ivoire 599 km; Guinea 1,062 km; Mauritania 2,236 km; Niger 838 km, Senegal 489 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy, humid, and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to February) **Terrain:** mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast **Elevation:** highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m lowest point: Senegal River 23 m mean elevation: 343 m **Natural resources:** gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum, granite, hydropower note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited **Land use:** agricultural land: 35.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 28.4% (2023 est.) forest: 8.8% (2023 est.) other: 55.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 3,780 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lac Faguibine - 590 sq km note - the Niger River is the only source of water for the lake; in recent years the lake is dry **Major rivers (by length in km):** Niger (shared with Guinea [s], Niger, and Nigeria [m]) - 4,200 km; Senegal (shared with Guinea [s], Senegal, and Mauritania [m]) - 1,641 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Lullemeden-Irhazer Basin, Taodeni-Tanezrouft Basin **Population distribution:** the overwhelming majority of the population lives in the southern half of the country, with greater density along the border with Burkina Faso, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding **Geography - note:** landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan ### People and Society **Population:** total: 22,634,423 (2025 est.) male: 10,999,331 female: 11,635,092 **Nationality:** noun: Malian(s) adjective: Malian **Ethnic groups:** Bambara 33.3%, Fulani (Peuhl) 13.3%, Sarakole/Soninke/Marka 9.8%, Senufo/Manianka 9.6%, Malinke 8.8%, Dogon 8.7%, Sonrai 5.9%, Bobo 2.1%, Tuareg/Bella 1.7%, other Malian 6%, from members of Economic Community of West Africa 0.4%, other 0.3% (2018 est.) **Languages:** Bambara (official), French 17.2%, Peuhl/Foulfoulbe/Fulani 9.4%, Dogon 7.2%, Maraka/Soninke 6.4%, Malinke 5.6%, Sonrhai/Djerma 5.6%, Minianka 4.3%, Tamacheq 3.5%, Senoufo 2.6%, Bobo 2.1%, other 6.3%, unspecified 0.7% (2009 est.) note: Mali has 13 national languages in addition to its official language **Religions:** Muslim 93.9%, Christian 2.8%, animist 0.7%, none 2.5% (2018 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 46.8% (male 5,175,714/female 5,114,128) 15-64 years: 50.1% (male 5,178,742/female 5,842,456) 65 years and over: 3.1% (2024 est.) (male 334,299/female 345,268) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 98.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 92.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 16.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 16.5 years (2025 est.) male: 15.7 years female: 17.1 years **Population growth rate:** 2.88% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 39.44 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.87 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the overwhelming majority of the population lives in the southern half of the country, with greater density along the border with Burkina Faso, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 46.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.929 million BAMAKO (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.2 years (2018 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 367 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 55.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 62.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 52 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 63.2 years (2024 est.) male: 60.9 years female: 65.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 5.26 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 2.59 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 94.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 74.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 83.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 5.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 25.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 16.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.5% of GDP (2021) 5.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.19 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 0.2 beds/1,000 population (2018 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 88.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 49.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 67.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 11.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 50.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 32.8% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 8.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.49 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 6.9% (2025 est.) male: 13.1% (2025 est.) female: 0.6% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 15% (2024 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 79.2% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 15.9% (2018) women married by age 18: 53.7% (2018) men married by age 18: 2.1% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 4.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 17.8% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 35.5% (2018 est.) male: 46.2% (2018 est.) female: 25.7% (2018 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 7 years (2017 est.) male: 8 years (2017 est.) female: 6 years (2017 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; loss of pasture land; inadequate supplies of potable water **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy, humid, and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to February) **Land use:** agricultural land: 35.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 28.4% (2023 est.) forest: 8.8% (2023 est.) other: 55.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 46.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 6.858 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 83 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 6.858 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 48.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.937 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 107 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 4 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 5.075 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 120 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Mali conventional short form: Mali local long form: République de Mali local short form: Mali former: French Sudan, Sudanese Republic, Mali Federation etymology: name derives from the Mali Empire of the 13th to 16th centuries A.D.; the Mali name may come from a local ethnic group, the Malinke, whose name is derived from the words ma, meaning "mother," and dink, meaning "child" -- a reference to the matrilinear descent of Malinke families **Government type:** semi-presidential republic **Capital:** name: Bamako geographic coordinates: 12 39 N, 8 00 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the origin of the name is unclear, but it comes from the Bambara language and can refer either to a crocodile or to a person's name **Administrative divisions:** 19 regions (régions, singular - région), 1 district*; Bamako*, Bandiagara, Bougouni, Dioila, Douentza, Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Kita, Koulikoro, Koutiala, Menaka, Mopti, Nara, Nioro, San, Segou, Sikasso, Taoudenni, Tombouctou (Timbuktu) **Legal system:** civil law system based on the French civil law model and influenced by customary law; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest drafted 13 October 2022 and submitted to Transition President Assimi GOITA; final draft completed 1 March 2023; approved by referendum 18 June 2023; validated by Constitutional Court 22 July 2023 **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Mali dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Transition President Assimi GOITA (since 7 June 2021) head of government: Transition Prime Minister Abdoulaye MAIGA (since 22 November 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 29 July 2018, with runoff on 12 August 2018 election results: 2018: Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (RPM) 41.7%, Soumaila CISSE (URD) 17.8%, other 40.5%; percent of vote in second round - Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA 67.2%, Soumaila CISSE 32.8% note: in 2022, the transition government adopted a charter allowing transition authorities to rule for up to 5 years; in July 2025, the military-appointed National Transitional Council (CNT) unanimously adopted a revised transitional charter that granted transitional president General Assimi GOITA a five-year presidential mandate, renewable indefinitely, following the earlier dissolution of all political parties in May **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Transitional National Council (Conseil national de transition) legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: Transitional National Council (Conseil national de transition) number of seats: 147 (all appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal most recent election date: 12/5/2020 percentage of women in chamber: 30.1% expected date of next election: December 2030 note 1: the National Assembly was dissolved on 18 August 2020 after a military coup; the transitional government created a Transitional National Council (CNT) that acts as the transitional government's legislative body; a new constitution was ratified in July 2023 that expanded the military junta's powers, and no plans for legislative elections have been announced note 2: coup leaders appointed a president and vice president; the president then apportioned CNT seats to various groups and political parties **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Suprême (consists of 19 judges organized into judicial, administrative, and accounting sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the Ministry of Justice to serve 5-year terms; Constitutional Court judges selected - 3 each by the president, the National Assembly, and the Supreme Council of the Magistracy; members serve single renewable 7-year terms subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court of Justice (jurisdiction limited to cases of high treason or criminal offenses by the president or ministers while in office); administrative courts (first instance and appeal); commercial courts; magistrate courts; labor courts; juvenile courts; special court of state security **Political parties:** African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADI Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP-Maliba Alliance for Democracy in Mali-Pan-African Party for Liberty, Solidarity, and Justice or ADEMA-PASJ Alliance for the Solidarity of Mali-Convergence of Patriotic Forces or ASMA-CFP Convergence for the Development of Mali or CODEM Democratic Alliance for Peace or ADP-Maliba Movement for Mali or MPM Party for National Renewal (also Rebirth or Renaissance or PARENA) Rally for Mali or RPM Social Democratic Convention or CDS Union for Democracy and Development or UDD Union for Republic and Democracy or URD Yéléma note 1: only parties with 2 or more seats in the last National Assembly parliamentary elections (30 March and 19 April 2020) included note 2: the National Assembly was dissolved on 18 August 2020 following a military coup and replaced with a National Transition Council; currently 121 members, party affiliations unknown **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Sékou BERTHE (since 16 September 2022) chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249 FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603 email address and website: administration@maliembassy.us https://www.maliembassy.us/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Rachna KORHONEN (since 16 March 2023) embassy: ACI 2000, Rue 243, (located off the Roi Bin Fahad Aziz Bridge west of the Bamako central district), Porte 297, Bamako mailing address: 2050 Bamako Place, Washington DC 20521-2050 telephone: [223] 20-70-23-00 FAX: [223] 20-70-24-79 email address and website: ACSBamako@state.gov https://ml.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU (suspended), CD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOPS, UN Women, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, World Bank Group, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 22 September 1960 (from France) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 22 September (1960) **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of green (left side), yellow, and red history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement note: the colors from left to right are the same as those of neighboring Senegal (which has an additional green central star) and the reverse of the flag of neighboring Guinea **National symbol(s):** Great Mosque of Djenne **National color(s):** green, yellow, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Le Mali" (Mali) lyrics/music: Seydou Badian KOUYATE/Banzoumana SISSOKO history: adopted 1962 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Old Towns of Djenné (c); Timbuktu (c); Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons) (m); Tomb of Askia (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income Saharan economy; recession due to COVID-19 and political instability; extreme poverty; environmentally fragile; high public debt; agricultural and gold exporter; terrorism and warfare are common **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $71.253 billion (2024 est.) $67.857 billion (2023 est.) $64.8 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5% (2024 est.) 4.7% (2023 est.) 3.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $2,900 (2024 est.) $2,900 (2023 est.) $2,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $26.588 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.2% (2024 est.) 2.1% (2023 est.) 9.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 33.4% (2024 est.) industry: 22.7% (2024 est.) services: 36.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 71.9% (2024 est.) government consumption: 13.1% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.6% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -0.7% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 22.5% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -28.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** maize, rice, millet, sorghum, onions, okra, sugarcane, cotton, mangoes/guavas, sweet potatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining **Industrial production growth rate:** -2.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 9.126 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.1% (2024 est.) 3% (2023 est.) 2.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 4% (2024 est.) male: 4% (2024 est.) female: 3.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 44.6% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 35.7 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.2% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 28.3% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 4.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 4.9% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $2.841 billion (2020 est.) expenditures: $3.563 billion (2020 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 12% (of GDP) (2020 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$1.61 billion (2023 est.) -$1.475 billion (2022 est.) -$1.469 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $6.13 billion (2023 est.) $5.855 billion (2022 est.) $5.381 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UAE 73%, Switzerland 15%, Australia 5%, China 1%, Uganda 1% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, cotton, oil seeds, fertilizers, gum resins (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $8.066 billion (2023 est.) $7.942 billion (2022 est.) $7.596 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Cote d'Ivoire 25%, Senegal 19%, China 12%, France 5%, Burkina Faso 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, cement, cotton fabric, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Debt - external:** $4.085 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 53% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 99.7% electrification - rural areas: 18.3% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 1.222 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 4.261 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 661.63 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 880 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 320.616 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 57.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 3.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 37.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 36 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 46,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 4.307 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 307,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 25.9 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 112 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** national public TV broadcaster; 2 privately owned companies provide subscription services to foreign multi-channel TV packages; national public radio broadcaster supplemented by a large number of privately owned and community broadcast stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2019) **Internet country code:** .ml **Internet users:** percent of population: 35% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 179,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** TZ, TT **Airports:** 30 (2025) **Heliports:** 4 (2025) **Railways:** total: 593 km (2014) narrow gauge: 593 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Malian Armed Forces (Forces Armées Maliennes or FAMa): Army (l’Armée de Terre), Air Force (l’Armée de l’Air); National Guard (la Garde Nationale du Mali); National Gendarmerie of Mali (Gendarmerie Nationale du Mali) (2025) note 1: the Gendarmerie and the National Guard are under the authority of the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs (Ministere De La Defense Et Des Anciens Combattants, MDAC), but operational control is shared with the Ministry of Internal Security and Civil Protection which also controls the National Police; the National Police has responsibility for law enforcement and maintenance of order in urban areas and supports the FAMa in internal military operations note 2: the Gendarmerie's primary mission is internal security and public order; its duties also include territorial defense, humanitarian operations, intelligence gathering, and protecting private property, mainly in rural areas; it also has a specialized border security unit note 3: the National Guard is a military force responsible for providing security to government facilities and institutions, prison service, public order, humanitarian operations, some border security, and intelligence gathering; its forces include a camel corps for patrolling the deserts and borders of northern Mali note 4: there are also pro-government militias operating in Mali, such as the Imghad Tuareg Self-Defense Group and Allies (GATIA); the leader of GATIA is also a general in the national army **Military expenditures:** 4.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 4% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 3.4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information varies; estimated 35-40,000 active FAMa, Gendarmerie, and National Guard (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the FAMa's inventory includes mostly Soviet-era weapons and equipment along with smaller quantities of more modern material from a variety of suppliers, including France, Russia, South Africa, Türkiye, and the UAE (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for men and women for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; 24-month compulsory service obligation (2025) **Military - note:** the FAMa is responsible for the defense of the country’s sovereignty and territory, but also has some domestic security duties, including the maintenance of public order and support to law enforcement; it also participates in socio-economic development projects; the military has traditionally played a large role in Mali’s politics; prior to the coup in August 2020 and military takeover in May 2021, it had intervened in the political arena at least five times since the country gained independence in 1960 (1968, 1976, 1978, 1991, 2012) the FAMa and other security forces are actively engaged in combat operations against several insurgent/terrorist groups affiliated with al-Qa'ida and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS), as well as other armed rebel organizations, communal militias, and criminal bands spread across the central, northern, and southern regions of the country; a large portion of the country--up to 50% by some estimates--is outside of government control the FAMa and the remainder of the security forces collapsed in 2012 during the fighting against Tuareg rebels and Islamic militants and were rebuilt beginning in 2013 with external assistance from the EU and the UN; the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and the EU Training Mission in Mali (EUTM) ended their missions in 2023 and 2024, respectively; France intervened militarily in Mali in 2013 to assist with regaining the northern half of the country from rebel and Islamic militant groups; French troops withdrew in 2022; since 2021, Mali has increased security ties with Russia, which has provided equipment, training, and other forms of military support (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Ansar al-Dine; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS); Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM); al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 135,827 (2024 est.) IDPs: 378,363 (2024 est.) --- ## Malta **Slug:** malta **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇲🇹 **Codes:** cek: mt, iso2: MT, iso3: MLT, iso_num: 470, genc: MLT, stanag: MLT, internet: .mt ### Introduction **Background:** With a civilization that dates back thousands of years, Malta boasts some of the oldest megalithic sites in the world. Situated in the center of the Mediterranean, Malta’s islands have long served as a strategic military asset, with the islands at various times falling under the control of the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John, and French. Most recently a British colony (since 1814), Malta gained its independence in 1964 and declared itself a republic 10 years later. While under British rule, the island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars. Since the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination, as its key industries moved toward more service-oriented activities. Malta became an EU member in 2004 and joined the eurozone in 2008. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy) **Geographic coordinates:** 35 50 N, 14 35 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 316 sq km land: 316 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than twice the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 196.8 km (excludes 56 km for the island of Gozo) **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm **Climate:** Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers **Terrain:** mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs **Elevation:** highest point: Ta'Dmejrek on Dingli Cliffs 253 m lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** limestone, salt, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 25.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 22.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 1.5% (2023 est.) other: 66.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 39 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** most of the population lives on the eastern half of Malta, the largest of the three inhabited islands **Natural hazards:** occasional droughts **Geography - note:** the country is an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors ### People and Society **Population:** total: 521,828 (2025 est.) male: 271,180 female: 250,648 **Nationality:** noun: Maltese (singular and plural) adjective: Maltese **Ethnic groups:** Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock) **Languages:** Maltese (official) 90.1%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.9% (2005 est.) **Religions:** Roman Catholic (official) more than 90% (2006 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 14.5% (male 35,034/female 33,181) 15-64 years: 62.4% (male 151,836/female 141,248) 65 years and over: 23.1% (2024 est.) (male 50,153/female 58,278) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 54.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 21.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 32.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 42.1 years (2025 est.) male: 42.4 years female: 44.7 years **Population growth rate:** 0.65% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 7.67 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.65 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 7.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population lives on the eastern half of Malta, the largest of the three inhabited islands **Urbanization:** urban population: 94.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 213,000 VALLETTA (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 29.3 years (2020 est.) note: data refers to the average of the different childbearing ages of first-order births **Maternal mortality ratio:** 8 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 83.6 years (2024 est.) male: 81.5 years female: 85.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.18 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.57 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 10.6% of GDP (2021) 16.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 7.86 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 4.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 28.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 8.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.8 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.34 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 22.1% (2025 est.) male: 23.9% (2025 est.) female: 20.2% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 0.7% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 52% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 12.5% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 17 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited natural freshwater resources; deforestation; wildlife preservation **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 25.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 22.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 1.5% (2023 est.) other: 66.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 94.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 8.965 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 8.113 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 852,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 13.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 348,800 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.5% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 39.497 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 1 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 21.358 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 50.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Malta conventional short form: Malta local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta local short form: Malta etymology: the origin is unclear; the name may come from the ancient term mel, meaning "high" and probably referring to the island's rocks; the ancient Greeks called the island "Melite," possibly from the Greek word meli, meaning "honey" and referring to the island's honey production **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Valletta geographic coordinates: 35 53 N, 14 30 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: named in honor of Jean Parizot de la VALETTE, the Grand Master of the Order of Saint John (crusader knights), who founded the city in 1566 **Administrative divisions:** 68 localities (Il-lokalita); Attard, Balzan, Birgu, Birkirkara, Birzebbuga, Bormla, Dingli, Fgura, Floriana, Fontana, Ghajnsielem, Gharb, Gharghur, Ghasri, Ghaxaq, Gudja, Gzira, Hamrun, Iklin, Imdina, Imgarr, Imqabba, Imsida, Imtarfa, Isla, Kalkara, Kercem, Kirkop, Lija, Luqa, Marsa, Marsaskala, Marsaxlokk, Mellieha, Mosta, Munxar, Nadur, Naxxar, Paola, Pembroke, Pieta, Qala, Qormi, Qrendi, Rabat, Rabat (Ghawdex), Safi, San Giljan/Saint Julian, San Gwann/Saint John, San Lawrenz/Saint Lawrence, Sannat, San Pawl il-Bahar/Saint Paul's Bay, Santa Lucija/Saint Lucia, Santa Venera/Saint Venera, Siggiewi, Sliema, Swieqi, Tarxien, Ta' Xbiex, Valletta, Xaghra, Xewkija, Xghajra, Zabbar, Zebbug, Zebbug (Ghawdex), Zejtun, Zurrieq **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law and civil law based on the Roman and Napoleonic civil codes; subject to European Union law **Constitution:** history: many previous; latest adopted 21 September 1964 amendment process: proposals (Acts of Parliament) require at least two-thirds majority vote by the House of Representatives; passage of Acts requires majority vote by referendum, followed by final majority vote by the House and assent of the president of the republic **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Malta dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age (16 in local council elections); universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Myriam Spiteri DEBONO (since 4 April 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Robert ABELA (since 13 January 2020) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the House of Representatives for a single 5-year term; following legislative elections, the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister for a 5-year term; deputy prime minister appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister most recent election date: 27 March 2024 election results: 2024: Myriam Spiteri DEBONO (PL) elected president; House of Representatives vote - unanimous 2019: George VELLA (PL) elected president; House of Representatives vote - unanimous expected date of next election: by March 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: House of Representatives (Il-Kamra Tad-Deputati) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 65 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/26/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Labour Party (LP) (44); Nationalist Party (PN) (35) percentage of women in chamber: 29.1% expected date of next election: March 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of either 1 or 3 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 3 judges); Court of Criminal Appeal (consists of either 1 or 3 judges) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president, usually on the advice of the prime minister; judges of both courts serve until age 65 subordinate courts: Civil Court (divided into the General Jurisdiction Section, Family Section, and Voluntary Section); Criminal Court; Court of Magistrates; Gozo Courts (for the islands of Gozo and Comino) **Political parties:** AD+PD or ADPD (formed from the merger of Democratic Alternative or AD and Democratic Party (Partit Demokratiku) or PD) Labor Party (Partit Laburista) or PL Nationalist Party (Partit Nazzjonalista) or PN **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Godfrey C. XUEREB (since 19 April 2023) chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (771) 213-4050 FAX: [1] (202) 530-9753​ email address and website: maltaembassy.washington@gov.mt The Embassy (gov.mt) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Somers FARKAS (since 26 November 2025) embassy: Ta' Qali National Park, Attard, ATD 4000 mailing address: 5800 Valletta Place, Washington DC 20521-5800 telephone: [356] 2561-4000 email address and website: ACSMalta@state.gov https://mt.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** Australia Group, C, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO (partner), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 21 September 1964 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 21 September (1964); Republic Day, 13 December (1974) **Flag:** description: two equal vertical bands of white (left side) and red; in the upper-left corner is the George Cross, edged in red history: according to legend, the colors come from the red-and-white checkered banner of Count Roger of Sicily, who removed a bicolored corner and granted it to Malta in 1091, but the colors more likely come from the Knights of Saint John, who ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798; in 1942, Britain's King George VI awarded the George Cross to the islanders for their exceptional bravery and gallantry in World War II, and the George Cross bordered in red was added to the flag after independence in 1964 **National symbol(s):** Maltese eight-pointed cross **National color(s):** red, white **National coat of arms:** Adopted in 1988, Malta’s coat of arms has a shield displaying the national flag, with olive and palm branches on each side symbolizing peace. On top of the shield is a golden crown in the shape of a fortification with five turrets, representing Malta's forts. The white ribbon below the shield displays the name Repubblika ta' Malta (Republic of Malta). **National anthem(s):** title: "L-Innu Malti" (The Hymn of Malta) lyrics/music: Dun Karm PSAILA/Robert SAMMUT history: adopted 1945; written in the form of a prayer to bind together the political parties and the country **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: City of Valletta; Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum; Megalithic Temples of Malta ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, EU-member European economy; diversified portfolio; euro user; dependent on food and energy imports; strong tourism, trade, and manufacturing sectors; high North African immigration; large welfare system; educated workforce **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $34.731 billion (2024 est.) $32.774 billion (2023 est.) $30.689 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 6% (2024 est.) 6.8% (2023 est.) 4.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $60,500 (2024 est.) $59,300 (2023 est.) $57,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $24.322 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.7% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 6.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.2% (2024 est.) industry: 11.4% (2024 est.) services: 80.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 46.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 17.2% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 17.9% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.9% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 123.5% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -106.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, chicken, cauliflower/broccoli, cabbages, pork, pumpkins/squash, watermelons (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco, aviation services, financial services, information technology services **Industrial production growth rate:** 5.6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 318,200 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.8% (2024 est.) 3.2% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 7.8% (2024 est.) male: 9.6% (2024 est.) female: 5.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 16.7% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 34.6 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.7% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 27.7% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $6.95 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $7.966 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 50.7% of GDP (2017 est.) note: Malta reports public debt at nominal value outstanding at the end of the year, according to guidelines set out in the Maastricht Treaty for general government gross debt; the data include the following categories of government liabilities (as defined in ESA95): currency and deposits (AF.2), securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives (AF.3, excluding AF.34), and loans (AF.4); general government comprises the central, state, and local governments, and social security funds **Taxes and other revenues:** 21.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $1.383 billion (2024 est.) $1.425 billion (2023 est.) -$167.611 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $29.245 billion (2024 est.) $26.647 billion (2023 est.) $23.566 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Nigeria 28%, Germany 10%, China 6%, Singapore 5%, Hong Kong 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, integrated circuits, packaged medicine, ships, postage stamps/documents (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $24.505 billion (2024 est.) $22.637 billion (2023 est.) $21.406 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Italy 18%, China 10%, Germany 8%, France 7%, Turkey 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum, integrated circuits, aircraft, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.418 billion (2024 est.) $1.223 billion (2023 est.) $1.199 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 829,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 2.766 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 28 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 648 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 199.086 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 86.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 13.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 8.4 metric tons (2021 est.) imports: 3.9 metric tons (2022 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 50,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 444.715 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 444.715 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 234.698 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 256,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 767,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 142 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 2 publicly owned TV stations, Television Malta and an educational channel; several privately owned national television stations, 2 of which are owned by political parties; Italian and British broadcast programs are available; multi-channel cable and satellite TV services are available; publicly owned radio broadcaster operates 3 stations; roughly 20 commercial radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .mt **Internet users:** percent of population: 92% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 236,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 9H **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 1,957 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 490, container ship 348, general cargo 152, oil tanker 354, other 613 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Marsaxlokk, Valletta Harbors ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM): Land Component (combat, combat support, and combat service support divided into three regiments), Maritime Squadron, Air Wing; Volunteer Reserve Force (2025) note: the Malta Police Force maintains internal security; both the Police and the AFM report to the Ministry of Home Affairs, National Security, and Law Enforcement **Military expenditures:** 0.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 2,000 active Armed Forces of Malta (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military has a small inventory of armaments from a mix of European countries, particularly Italy, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-30 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service; no conscription (2026) **Military - note:** the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) are responsible for external security but also have some domestic security responsibilities; the AFM’s primary roles include maintaining the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, monitoring and policing its territorial waters, participating in overseas peacekeeping and stability operations, and providing search and rescue and explosive ordnance disposal capabilities; secondary missions include assisting civil authorities during emergencies, supporting the police and other security services, and providing ceremonial and other public support duties Malta maintains a security policy of neutrality but contributes to EU, Organization for the Security and Cooperation (OSCE), and UN military missions and joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1995 (suspended in 1996, but reactivated in 2008); it also participates in various bilateral and multinational military exercises; Malta cooperates closely with Italy on defense matters; in 1973, Italy established a military mission in Malta to provide advice, training, and search and rescue assistance (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 9,284 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 171 (2024 est.) --- ## Marshall Islands **Slug:** marshall-islands **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇲🇭 **Codes:** cek: rm, iso2: MH, iso3: MHL, iso_num: 584, genc: MHL, stanag: MHL, internet: .mh ### Introduction **Background:** Humans arrived in the Marshall Islands in the first millennium B.C. and gradually created permanent settlements on the various atolls. The early inhabitants were skilled navigators who frequently traveled between atolls using stick charts to map the islands. Society became organized under two paramount chiefs, one each for the Ratak (Sunrise) Chain and the Ralik (Sunset) Chain. Spain formally claimed the islands in 1592. Germany established a supply station on Jaluit Atoll and bought the islands from Spain in 1884, although paramount chiefs continued to rule. Japan seized the Marshall Islands in 1914 and was granted a League of Nations Mandate to administer the islands in 1920. The US captured the islands in heavy fighting during World War II, and the islands came under US administration as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) in 1947. Between 1946 and 1958, the US resettled populations from Bikini and Enewetak Atolls and conducted 67 nuclear tests; people from Ailinginae, Rongelap, and Utrik Atolls were also evacuated because of nuclear fallout, and Bikini and Rongelap remain largely uninhabited. In 1979, the Marshall Islands drafted a constitution separate from the rest of the TTPI and declared independence under President Amata KABUA, a paramount chief. In 2000, Kessai NOTE became the first commoner elected president. In 2016, Hilda HEINE was the first woman elected president. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, consists of 29 atolls and five isolated islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia; the atolls and islands are situated in two, almost-parallel island chains - the Ratak (Sunrise) group and the Ralik (Sunset) group; the total number of islands and islets is about 1,225; 22 of the atolls and four of the islands are uninhabited **Geographic coordinates:** 9 00 N, 168 00 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 181 sq km land: 181 sq km water: 0 sq km note: the archipelago includes 11,673 sq km (4,507 sq mi) of lagoon and encompasses the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik **Area - comparative:** about the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 370.4 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November; islands border typhoon belt **Terrain:** low coral limestone and sand islands **Elevation:** highest point: East-central Airik Island, Maloelap Atoll 14 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 2 m **Natural resources:** coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals **Land use:** agricultural land: 38.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 36.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 53.9% (2023 est.) other: 7.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** most people live in urban clusters on many of the country's islands; more than two thirds of the population lives on the atolls of Majuro and Ebeye **Natural hazards:** infrequent typhoons **Geography - note:** Kwajalein atoll surrounds the world's largest lagoon; the island city of Ebeye is the second largest settlement in the Marshall Islands, after the capital of Majuro, and one of the most densely populated locations in the Pacific ### People and Society **Population:** total: 83,037 (2025 est.) male: 42,086 female: 40,951 **Nationality:** noun: Marshallese (singular and plural) adjective: Marshallese **Ethnic groups:** Marshallese 95.6%, Filipino 1.1%, other 3.3% (2021 est.) **Languages:** Marshallese (official) 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999) major-language sample(s): Bok eo an Lalin kin Melele ko Rejimwe ej jikin ebōk melele ko raurōk. (Marshallese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: English (official), widely spoken as a second language **Religions:** Protestant 79.3% (United Church of Christ 47.9%, Assembly of God 14.1%, Full Gospel 5%, Bukot Nan Jesus 3%, Salvation Army 2.3%, Reformed Congressional Church 2.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.7%, New Beginning Church 1.4%, other Protestant 1.6%), Roman Catholic 9.3%, Church of Jesus Christ 5.7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, other 3.3%, none 1.1% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 30% (male 12,538/female 12,072) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 26,750/female 25,944) 65 years and over: 5.7% (2024 est.) (male 2,293/female 2,414) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 54.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 45.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 9.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 10.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 25.9 years (2025 est.) male: 25.4 years female: 25.6 years **Population growth rate:** 1.22% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 20.81 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.37 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -4.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most people live in urban clusters on many of the country's islands; more than two thirds of the population lives on the atolls of Majuro and Ebeye **Urbanization:** urban population: 78.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 31,000 MAJURO (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 155 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 20.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 24 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 75.2 years (2024 est.) male: 73 years female: 77.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.62 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.28 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 84.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 87.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 85.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 15.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 12.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 14.9% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 12.5% of GDP (2021) 6.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.47 physicians/1,000 population (2012) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 92.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 70.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 88% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 7.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 29.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 12% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 52.9% (2016) **Tobacco use:** total: 30.9% (2025 est.) male: 52.9% (2025 est.) female: 8.5% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 11.9% (2017 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 68.3% (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 7.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 11.3% national budget (2022 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 95.8% (2021 est.) male: 95.7% (2021 est.) female: 96.4% (2021 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2022 est.) male: 14 years (2022 est.) female: 15 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** inadequate potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels; sea-level rise **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November; islands border typhoon belt **Land use:** agricultural land: 38.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 36.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 53.9% (2023 est.) other: 7.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 78.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 293,700 metric tonnes of CO2 (2017 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 7.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 8,600 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 39.7% (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands conventional short form: Marshall Islands local long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands local short form: Marshall Islands former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Marshall Islands District abbreviation: RMI etymology: named after British Captain John MARSHALL, who charted many of the islands in 1788 **Government type:** mixed presidential-parliamentary system in free association with the US **Capital:** name: Majuro geographic coordinates: 7 06 N, 171 23 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Majuro means "two openings" or "two eyes" and refers to the two major passages through the atoll into the Majuro lagoon note: the capital is an atoll of 64 islands; governmental buildings are housed on three fused islands on the eastern side of the atoll: Djarrit, Uliga, and Delap **Administrative divisions:** 24 municipalities; Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur, Bikini & Kili, Ebon, Enewetak & Ujelang, Jabat, Jaluit, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili, Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Ujae, Utrik, Wotho, Wotje **Legal system:** mixed system of US and English common law, customary law, and local statutes **Constitution:** history: effective 1 May 1979 amendment process: proposed by the National Parliament or by a constitutional convention; passage by Parliament requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership in each of two readings and approval by a majority of votes in a referendum; amendments submitted by a constitutional convention require approval of at least two thirds of votes in a referendum **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Marshall Islands dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Hilda C. HEINE (since 3 January 2023) head of government: President Hilda C. HEINE (since 3 January 2023) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president from among members of the Nitijela, appointed by Nitijela speaker election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the Nitijela from among its members for a 4-year term (no term limits) most recent election date: 2 January 2023 election results: 2023: Hilda C. HEINE elected president; National Parliament vote - Hilda C. HEINE (independent) 17, David KABUA (independent) 16 2020: David KABUA elected president; National Parliament vote - David KABUA (independent) 20, Hilda C. HEINE (independent) 12 expected date of next election: 2027 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Nitijela) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 33 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/20/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 12.1% expected date of next election: November 2027 note: the Council of Iroij is a 12-member consultative group of tribal leaders that advises the Presidential Cabinet and reviews legislation affecting customary law or any traditional practice **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 2 associate justices) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the Cabinet on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission (consists of the chief justice of the High Court, the attorney general and a private citizen selected by the Cabinet) and upon approval of the Nitijela; the current chief justice, appointed in 2013, serves for 10 years; Marshallese citizens appointed as justices serve until retirement at age 72 subordinate courts: High Court; District Courts; Traditional Rights Court; Community Courts **Political parties:** traditionally there have been no formally organized political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Charles Rudolph PAUL (since 27 February 2024) chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236 email address and website: info@rmiembassyus.org consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Springdale (AR) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Laura M. STONE (since 12 July 2024) embassy: Mejen Weto, Ocean Side, Majuro mailing address: 4380 Majuro Place, Washington DC 20521-4380 telephone: [692] 247-4011 FAX: [692] 247-4012 email address and website: MAJConsular@state.gov https://mh.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, WHO **Independence:** 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship) **National holiday:** Constitution Day, 1 May (1979) **Flag:** description: blue with an orange stripe and a white stripe radiating from the lower-left corner to the upper-right corner; a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays appears on the left side above the two stripes meaning: blue stands for the Pacific Ocean, orange for the Ralik Chain (or sunset and courage), and white for the Ratak Chain (or sunrise and peace); the star symbolizes the Christian cross, with a small ray for each electoral district and a larger ray for the principal cultural centers of Majuro, Jaluit, Wotje, and Ebeye; the diagonal stripes can also be interpreted as representing the equator, with the star showing the archipelago's position **National symbol(s):** a 24-rayed star **National color(s):** blue, white, orange **National anthem(s):** title: "Forever Marshall Islands" lyrics/music: Amata KABUA history: adopted 1981; words and music written by the first president of the Marshall Islands **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Bikini Atoll Nuclear Test Site ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income Pacific island economy; US aid reliance; large public sector; coconut oil production as diesel fuel substitute; growing offshore banking locale; fishing rights seller; import-dependent **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $270.809 million (2024 est.) $263.507 million (2023 est.) $274.3 million (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.8% (2024 est.) -3.9% (2023 est.) -1.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $7,200 (2024 est.) $6,800 (2023 est.) $6,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $280.358 million (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 6.2% (2022 est.) 2.6% (2021 est.) -0.7% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 19.5% (2023 est.) industry: 11.1% (2023 est.) services: 70.5% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 70.7% (2023 est.) government consumption: 53.5% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.2% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -0.5% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 38.9% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -71.2% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** coconuts (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items (from seashells, wood, and pearls) **Industrial production growth rate:** -2.8% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Population below poverty line:** 7.2% (2019 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 35.5 (2019 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.8% (2019 est.) highest 10%: 27.5% (2019 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 13.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 13.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 13.3% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $171.267 million (2020 est.) expenditures: $159.095 million (2020 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 41.6% of GDP (2019 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 17.2% (of GDP) (2020 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $76.263 million (2021 est.) $90.281 million (2020 est.) $86.133 million (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $130.016 million (2021 est.) $88.042 million (2020 est.) $91.394 million (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UK 16%, Germany 13%, Denmark 10%, Ghana 9%, Cyprus 9% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum, fish, natural gas, stone processing machines (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $206.025 million (2021 est.) $132.845 million (2020 est.) $129.682 million (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 47%, Japan 15%, Germany 5%, Brazil 4%, Cyprus 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum, additive manufacturing machines, iron structures, crude petroleum (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** the US dollar is used ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 96.1% electrification - rural areas: 100% ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1,950 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 15,900 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 40 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** no TV broadcast station; a cable network is available on Majuro with programming via videotape replay and satellite relays; 4 radio broadcast stations; US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) provides satellite radio and TV service to Kwajalein Atoll (2019) **Internet country code:** .mh **Internet users:** percent of population: 66% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** V7 **Airports:** 33 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 4,180 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1,939, container ship 277, general cargo 66, oil tanker 1039, other 859 **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Enitwetak Island, Kwajalein, Majuro Atoll ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Marshall Islands Police Department (includes a Sea Patrol Division) **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the US; in 1982, the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the US, which granted the Marshall Islands financial assistance and access to many US domestic programs in exchange for exclusive US military access and defense responsibilities; the COFA entered into force in 1986; the Marshall Islands hosts a US Army missile test site the Marshall Islands has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within its designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** IDPs: 35 (2024 est.) --- ## Mauritania **Slug:** mauritania **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇲🇷 **Codes:** cek: mr, iso2: MR, iso3: MRT, iso_num: 478, genc: MRT, stanag: MRT, internet: .mr ### Introduction **Background:** The Amazigh and Bafour people were among the earliest settlers in what is now Mauritania and among the first in recorded history to convert from a nomadic to agricultural lifestyle. These groups account for roughly one third of Mauritania’s ethnic makeup. The remainder of Mauritania’s ethnic groups derive from Sub-Saharan ethnic groups originating mainly from the Senegal River Valley, including descendants of former enslaved peoples. These three groups are organized according to a strict caste system with deep ethnic divides that impact access to resources and power dynamics. A former French colony, Mauritania achieved independence from France in 1960. Mauritania initially began as a single-party, authoritarian regime and experienced 49 years of dictatorships, flawed elections, failed attempts at democracy, and military coups. Ould Abdel AZIZ led the last coup in 2008, was elected president in 2009, and was reelected in 2014. Mohamed Ould Cheikh GHAZOUANI was elected president in 2019, and his inauguration marked the first peaceful transition of power from one democratically elected president to another, solidifying the country's status as an emerging democracy. International observers recognized the elections as relatively free and fair. GHAZOUANI is seeking re-election in June 2024 for a second, and final, five-year term. The country is working to address vestigial practices of slavery and its hereditary impacts. Mauritania officially abolished slavery in 1981, but the practice was not criminalized until 2007. Between 2005 and 2011, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) launched a series of attacks killing western tourists and aid workers, attacking diplomatic and government facilities, and ambushing Mauritanian soldiers and gendarmes. Although Mauritania has not seen an attack since 2011, AQIM and similar groups remain active in the Sahel region. ### Geography **Location:** Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara **Geographic coordinates:** 20 00 N, 12 00 W **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 1,030,700 sq km land: 1,030,700 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico; about six times the size of Florida **Land boundaries:** total: 5,002 km border countries (4): Algeria 460 km; Mali 2,236 km; Morocco 1,564 km; Senegal 742 km **Coastline:** 754 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty **Terrain:** mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills **Elevation:** highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m mean elevation: 276 m **Natural resources:** iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 38.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 38.1% (2023 est.) forest: 1% (2023 est.) other: 60.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 450 sq km (2012) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Senegal river mouth (shared with Guinea [s], Senegal and Mali) - 1,641 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin, Taodeni-Tanzerouft Basin **Population distribution:** vast areas of the country, particularly in the central, northern, and eastern areas, are desert and lack sizeable population clusters; half the population lives in or around the coastal capital of Nouakchott; smaller clusters are found near the southern border with Mali and Senegal, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind primarily in March and April; periodic droughts **Geography - note:** Mauritania is considered part of both North Africa's Maghreb region and West Africa's Sahel region; most of the population is concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country ### People and Society **Population:** total: 5,202,109 (2025 est.) male: 2,578,114 female: 2,623,995 **Nationality:** noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian **Ethnic groups:** Black Moors (Haratines - Arabic-speaking descendants of African origin who are or were enslaved by White Moors) 40%, White Moors (of Arab-Amazigh descent, known as Beydane) 30%, Sub-Saharan Mauritanians (non-Arabic speaking, largely resident in or originating from the Senegal River Valley, including Halpulaar, Fulani, Soninke, Wolof, and Bambara ethnic groups) 30% **Languages:** Arabic (official and national), Pular, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: the spoken Arabic in Mauritania differs considerably from Modern Standard Arabic; the Mauritanian dialect, which incorporates many Tamazight words, is referred to as Hassaniya **Religions:** Muslim (official) 100% **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 35.7% (male 776,035/female 770,132) 15-64 years: 59.9% (male 1,227,347/female 1,363,938) 65 years and over: 4.4% (2024 est.) (male 80,308/female 110,280) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 84.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 77.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 14.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 18.6 years (2025 est.) male: 21.1 years female: 23.1 years **Population growth rate:** 2.88% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 34.01 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.18 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** vast areas of the country, particularly in the central, northern, and eastern areas, are desert and lack sizeable population clusters; half the population lives in or around the coastal capital of Nouakchott; smaller clusters are found near the southern border with Mali and Senegal, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 57.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.492 million NOUAKCHOTT (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 21.8 years (2019/21) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 381 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 29.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 54.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 42.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 65.9 years (2024 est.) male: 63.4 years female: 68.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 4.76 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 2.34 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 94.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 55.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 77.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 5.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 44.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 22.2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.1% of GDP (2021) 6.3% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.26 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 89.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 33.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 65.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 10.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 66.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 34.5% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 12.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 8.3% (2025 est.) male: 15.5% (2025 est.) female: 1.7% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 22.4% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 66.1% (2020 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 15.5% (2021) women married by age 18: 36.6% (2021) men married by age 18: 1.2% (2021) **Education expenditure:** 4.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 32% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 59.5% (2020 est.) male: 70.1% (2020 est.) female: 51.8% (2020 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 8 years (2020 est.) male: 8 years (2020 est.) female: 8 years (2020 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** desertification caused in part by overgrazing, deforestation, and drought-aggravated soil erosion; limited natural freshwater resources; locust infestation **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty **Land use:** agricultural land: 38.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 38.1% (2023 est.) forest: 1% (2023 est.) other: 60.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 57.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 4.86 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 4.86 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 35.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 454,000 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 95.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 31.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.223 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 11.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania conventional short form: Mauritania local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah local short form: Muritaniyah etymology: named for the ancient kingdom of Mauretania (3rd century B.C. to 1st century A.D.); its name derives from the Mauri (Moors) of northwest Africa **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Nouakchott geographic coordinates: 18 04 N, 15 58 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the meaning of the name is unclear; it may derive from the Berber nawakshut, meaning "place of the winds;" other variants could translate as "the place where water appears in a new well," "the land where shells abound," "a place with pasture," "a windy place," or "without ears" (the last referring to a local chieftain who could have been the place's namesake) **Administrative divisions:** 15 regions (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott Nord, Nouakchott Ouest, Nouakchott Sud, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza **Legal system:** mixed system of Islamic and French civil law **Constitution:** history: previous 1964; latest adopted 12 July 1991 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; consideration of amendments by Parliament requires approval of at least one third of the membership; a referendum is held only if the amendment is approved by two-thirds majority vote; passage by referendum requires simple majority vote by eligible voters; passage of amendments proposed by the president can bypass a referendum if approved by at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Mauritania dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Mohamed Ould Cheikh el GHAZOUANI (since 1 August 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Moctar Ould DIAY (since 2 August 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominees suggested by the prime minister, appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 29 June 2024 election results: 2024: Mohamed Ould Cheikh el GHAZOUANI reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Mohamed Ould Cheikh el GHAZOUANI (UPR) 56.1%, Biram Dah Ould ABEID (independent) 22.1%, Hamadi Sidi el MOKHTAR independent) 12.8%, other 9.0% expected date of next election: June 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Barlamane) legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: National Assembly (Al Jamiya-Al-Wataniya) number of seats: 176 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 5/13/2023 to 5/27/2023 parties elected and seats per party: El Insaf (107); Tawassoul (11); Other (58) percentage of women in chamber: 23.3% expected date of next election: May 2028 note: the early parliamentary elections in 2023 were the first to be held under President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El GHAZOUANI, elected in 2019 in the first peaceful transition of power; the elections followed the agreement between the government and parties in September 2022 to renew the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) and hold the elections in the first semester of 2023 for climatic and logistical reasons **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Suprême (subdivided into 7 chambers: 2 civil, 2 labor, 1 commercial, 1 administrative, and 1 criminal, each with a chamber president and 2 councilors); Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members); High Court of Justice (consists of 9 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by the president of the republic to serve a 5-year renewable term; Constitutional Council members appointed - 3 by the president of the republic, 2 by the president of the National Assembly, 1 by the prime minister, 1 by the leader of the democratic opposition, 1 by the largest opposition party in the National Assembly, and 1 by the second largest party in the National Assembly; members serve single, 9-year terms with one-third of membership renewed every 3 years; High Court of Justice members appointed by Parliament - 6 by the ruling Coalition of Majority Parties and 3 by opposition parties subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; courts of first instance, or wilya courts, are established in the regions' headquarters and include commercial and labor courts, criminal courts, Moughataa (district) Courts, and informal/customary courts **Political parties:** Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal or AJD/MR El Insaf or Equity Party El Islah or Reform Party El Karama or Dignity Party El Vadila or Virtue Party Mauritanian Party of Union and Change or HATEM National Democratic Alliance or AND National Rally for Reform and Development or RNRD or TAWASSOUL Nida El-Watan Party for Conciliation and Prosperity or HIWAR Party of the Mauritanian Masses or Hakam Republican Front for Unity and Democracy or FRUD Sawab Party Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP Union of Planning and Construction or UPC **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Cissé Mint Cheikh Ould BOIDE (since 15 September 2021) chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623 email address and website: ambarimwashington@diplomatie.gov.mr mauritaniaembassyus.org – Mauritania Embassy washington **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Corina R. SANDERS (since September 2025) embassy: Nouadhibou Road, Avenue Al Quds, NOT PRTZ, Nouakchott mailing address: 2430 Nouakchott Place, Washington DC 20521-2430 telephone: [222] 4525-2660 FAX: [222] 4525-1592 email address and website: consularnkc@state.gov https://mr.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AIIB, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 28 November 1960 (from France) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 28 November (1960) **Flag:** description: green with red stripes along the top and bottom edges; on the green field, a five-pointed yellow star is centered over a yellow, upward-pointing crescent moon meaning: the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; green also represents hope for a bright future; yellow stands for the sands of the Sahara, and red for blood shed in the fight for independence **National symbol(s):** five-pointed star between the horns of a horizontal crescent moon **National color(s):** green, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "National Anthem of Mauritania" lyrics/music: unknown/Rageh DAOUD history: adopted 2017 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Ancient Ksour (Fortified Villages) of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt, and Oualata (c); Banc d'Arguin National Park (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower middle-income West African economy; primarily agrarian; rising urbanization; poor property rights; systemic corruption; endemic social and workforce tensions; wide-scale terrorism; foreign over-fishing; environmentally fragile **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $33.069 billion (2024 est.) $31.434 billion (2023 est.) $29.514 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5.2% (2024 est.) 6.5% (2023 est.) 6.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $6,400 (2024 est.) $6,300 (2023 est.) $6,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $10.767 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.5% (2024 est.) 5% (2023 est.) 9.5% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 18.6% (2024 est.) industry: 30.6% (2024 est.) services: 43.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 55.3% (2023 est.) government consumption: 17.2% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.5% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 18.9% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 38.3% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -53.2% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** rice, milk, goat milk, sorghum, sheep milk, lamb/mutton, beef, camel meat, camel milk, dates (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** fish processing, oil production, mining (iron ore, gold, copper) note: gypsum deposits have never been exploited **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.8% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 1.21 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 10.4% (2024 est.) 10.5% (2023 est.) 10.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 23.2% (2024 est.) male: 19.9% (2024 est.) female: 30.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 31.8% (2019 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 32 (2019 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.1% (2019 est.) highest 10%: 24.6% (2019 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.617 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $1.407 billion (2019 est.) **Current account balance:** -$966.506 million (2023 est.) -$1.424 billion (2022 est.) -$807.862 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $3.955 billion (2023 est.) $4.132 billion (2022 est.) $3.18 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 25%, Switzerland 14%, Canada 12%, UAE 9%, Spain 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, iron ore, fish, processed crustaceans, copper ore (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $5.271 billion (2023 est.) $5.77 billion (2022 est.) $4.312 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 19%, UAE 14%, Morocco 6%, Spain 6%, France 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, raw sugar, palm oil, wheat, soybean oil (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $2.039 billion (2021 est.) $1.493 billion (2020 est.) $1.029 billion (2019 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $3.072 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** ouguiyas (MRO) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 36.489 (2023 est.) 36.935 (2022 est.) 36.063 (2021 est.) 37.189 (2020 est.) 36.691 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 49% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 91.6% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 812,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.7 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 378 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 320 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 72.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 8.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 6.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 12.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 32,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 20 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** proven reserves: 28.317 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 14.135 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 16,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 4.76 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 92 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 12 TV stations, 6 state-owned and 6 private; 19 radio broadcasters, including 15 state-owned and 4 (Radio Nouakchott Libre, Radio Tenwir, Radio Kobeni and Mauritanid) private; of the 15 government stations, 4 broadcast from Nouakchott (Radio Mauritanie, Radio Jeunesse, Radio Koran and Mauritanid) and the other 12 broadcast from each of the 12 regions outside Nouakchott (2022) **Internet country code:** .mr **Internet users:** percent of population: 37% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 14,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 5T **Airports:** 25 (2025) **Heliports:** 3 (2025) **Railways:** total: 728 km (2014) standard gauge: 728 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 11 (2023) by type: general cargo 2, other 9 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Nouadhibou, Nouakchott ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Mauritanian Armed Forces (aka Armée Nationale Mauritanienne): National Army, National Navy, Air Force; Gendarmerie Ministry of Interior and Decentralization: National Police, National Guard (2025) note 1: the National Police are responsible for enforcing the law and maintaining order in urban areas, while the paramilitary Gendarmerie is responsible for maintaining civil order around metropolitan areas and providing law enforcement services in rural areas; like the Mauritanian Armed Forces, the Gendarmerie is under the Ministry of Defense, but also supports the ministries of Interior and Justice note 2: the National Guard performs a limited police function in keeping with its peacetime role of providing security at government facilities, to include prisons; regional authorities may call upon the National Guard to restore civil order during riots and other large-scale disturbances; the National Guard includes the nomadic Camel Corps or Nomad Group, also known as the Méhariste **Military expenditures:** 2.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 17,000 active Mauritanian Armed Forces; estimated 3,000 Gendarmerie (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is limited and made up largely of older French and Soviet-era equipment; in recent years, Mauritania has received some secondhand and new military equipment from several suppliers, including China, France, and the UAE (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; has a compulsory two-year military service law, but the law has reportedly never been applied (2025) **Military deployments:** 450 (plus about 325 police) Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025) **Military - note:** founded in 1960, the Mauritanian military is responsible for territorial defense and internal security; it also assists in economic development projects, humanitarian missions, and disaster response; border and maritime security, regional stability, and the threat of terrorist groups operating in the Sahel, particularly Mali, are key areas of focus; Mauritania has received security assistance from the EU, France, NATO, and the US (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 162,277 (2024 est.) --- ## Mauritius **Slug:** mauritius **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇲🇺 **Codes:** cek: mp, iso2: MU, iso3: MUS, iso_num: 480, genc: MUS, stanag: MUS, internet: .mu ### Introduction **Background:** Although known to Arab and European sailors since at least the early 1500s, the island of Mauritius was uninhabited until 1638 when the Dutch established a settlement named in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU. Their presence led to the rapid disappearance of the flightless dodo bird that has since become one of the most well-known examples of extinction in modern times. The Dutch abandoned their financially distressed settlement in 1710, although a number of formerly enslaved people remained. In 1722, the French established what would become a highly profitable settlement focused on sugar cane plantations that were reliant on the labor of enslaved people brought to Mauritius from other parts of Africa. In the 1790s, the island had a brief period of autonomous rule when plantation owners rejected French control because of laws ending slavery that were temporarily in effect during the French Revolution. Britain captured the island in 1810 as part of the Napoleonic Wars but kept most of the French administrative structure, which remains to this day in the form of the country’s legal codes and widespread use of the French Creole language. The abolition of slavery in 1835 -- later than most other British colonies -- led to increased reliance on contracted laborers from the Indian subcontinent to work on plantations. Today their descendants form the majority of the population. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base and later an air station, and it played a role during World War II in anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as in the collection of signals intelligence. Mauritius gained independence from the UK in 1968 as a Parliamentary Republic and has remained a stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record. The country also attracted considerable foreign investment and now has one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Mauritius’ often-fractious coalition politics has been dominated by two prominent families, each of which has had father-son pairs who have been prime minister over multiple, often nonconsecutive, terms. Seewoosagur RAMGOOLAM (1968-76) was Mauritius’ first prime minister, and he was succeeded by Anerood JUGNAUTH (1982-95, 2000-03, 2014-17); his son Navin RAMGOOLAM (1995-2000, 2005-14); and Paul Raymond BERENGER (2003-05), the only non-Hindu prime minister of post-independence Mauritius. In 2017, Pravind JUGNAUTH became prime minister after his father stepped down short of completing his term, and he was elected in his own right in 2019. Mauritius claims the French island of Tromelin and the British Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory). Since 2017, Mauritius has secured favorable UN General Assembly resolutions and an International Court of Justice advisory opinion relating to its sovereignty dispute with the UK. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, about 800 km (500 mi) east of Madagascar **Geographic coordinates:** 20 17 S, 57 33 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 2,040 sq km land: 2,030 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues **Area - comparative:** almost 11 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 177 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin note: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines **Climate:** tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May) **Terrain:** small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau **Elevation:** highest point: Mont Piton 828 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** arable land, fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 43% (2023 est.) arable land: 37.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 3.5% (2023 est.) forest: 19.2% (2023 est.) other: 37.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 143 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** population density is one of the highest in the world; urban clusters are found throughout the main island, with a greater density in and around Port Luis; the population on Rodrigues Island is fairly evenly spread, with a slightly denser cluster on the north coast, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards **Geography - note:** the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs; former home of the extinct dodo, a large flightless bird related to pigeons ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,311,375 (2025 est.) male: 639,707 female: 671,668 **Nationality:** noun: Mauritian(s) adjective: Mauritian **Ethnic groups:** Indo-Mauritian (compose approximately two thirds of the total population), Creole, Sino-Mauritian, Franco-Mauritian note: Mauritius has not had a question on ethnicity on its national census since 1972 **Languages:** Creole 86.5%, Bhojpuri 5.3%, French 4.1%, two languages 1.4%, other 2.6% (includes English, one of the two official languages of the National Assembly, which is spoken by less than 1% of the population), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.) **Religions:** Hindu 48.5%, Roman Catholic 26.3%, Muslim 17.3%, other Christian 6.4%, other 0.6%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 15.1% (male 100,973/female 96,711) 15-64 years: 71% (male 462,833/female 467,509) 65 years and over: 13.9% (2024 est.) (male 75,464/female 107,014) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 41.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 21.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 20.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 40 years (2025 est.) male: 38.1 years female: 41 years **Population growth rate:** 0.06% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 9.73 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.14 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population density is one of the highest in the world; urban clusters are found throughout the main island, with a greater density in and around Port Luis; the population on Rodrigues Island is fairly evenly spread, with a slightly denser cluster on the north coast, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 40.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 149,000 PORT LOUIS (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 66 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 13.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 75.4 years (2024 est.) male: 72.6 years female: 78.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.36 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.66 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.4% of GDP (2021) 9.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.44 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 3.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 10.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 19.6% (2025 est.) male: 37.4% (2025 est.) female: 2.6% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 51.6% (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 14.2% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 94.3% (2023 est.) male: 96.3% (2023 est.) female: 92.8% (2023 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2020 est.) male: 14 years (2020 est.) female: 15 years (2020 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution, degradation of coral reefs; soil erosion; wildlife preservation; solid-waste disposal **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May) **Land use:** agricultural land: 43% (2023 est.) arable land: 37.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 3.5% (2023 est.) forest: 19.2% (2023 est.) other: 37.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 40.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 5.551 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1.495 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 4.056 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 10.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 438,000 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 320 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 10 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 303 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 2.751 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius conventional short form: Mauritius local long form: Republic of Mauritius local short form: Mauritius etymology: named after Prince Maurice VAN NASSAU, stadtholder (governor) of the Dutch Republic, in 1598 note: pronounced mahr-ish-us **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Port Louis geographic coordinates: 20 09 S, 57 29 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after LOUIS XV, who was king of France in 1736 when the port became the administrative center of Mauritius **Administrative divisions:** 9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne **Legal system:** civil system based on French civil law with some elements of English common law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 12 March 1968 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles, including the sovereignty of the state, fundamental rights and freedoms, citizenship, or the branches of government, requires approval in a referendum by at least three-fourths majority of voters followed by a unanimous vote by the Assembly; passage of other amendments requires only two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 out of the previous 7 years including the last 12 months **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Dharam GOKHOOL (since 7 December 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Navin RAMGOOLAM (since 13 November 2024) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers (Council of Ministers) appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for 5-year renewable terms; the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister who have the majority support in the National Assembly most recent election date: 6 December 2024 election results: 2019: Prithvirajsing ROOPUN (MSM) elected president by the National Assembly - unanimous vote expected date of next election: 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly - Assemblée nationale legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: National Assembly number of seats: 67 (62 directly elected; 4 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/10/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Alliance Du Changement (Alliance for Change, AdC) (60); Other (2) percentage of women in chamber: 17.9% expected date of next election: October 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Mauritius (consists of the chief justice, a senior puisne judge, and 24 puisne judges) judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister; senior puisne judge appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice; other puisne judges appointed by the president with the advice of the Judicial and Legal Commission, a 4-member body of judicial officials including the chief justice; all judges serve until retirement at age 67 subordinate courts: lower regional courts known as District Courts, Court of Civil Appeal; Court of Criminal Appeal; Public Bodies Appeal Tribunal note: the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) serves as the final court of appeal **Political parties:** Alliance Morisien (Mauritian Alliance) Jean-Claude Barbier Movement (Mouvement Jean-Claude Barbier) or MJCB Mauritian Militant Movement (Mouvement Militant Mauricien) or MMM Mauritian Social Democratic Party (Parti Mauricien Social Democrate) or PMSD Mauritius Labor Party (Parti Travailliste) or PTR or MLP Militant Platform (Plateforme Militante) or PM Militant Socialist Movement (Mouvement Socialist Mauricien) or MSM Muvman Liberater or ML National Alliance Patriotic Movement (Mouvement Patriotique) or MAG Rodrigues Peoples Organization (Organisation du Peuple Rodriguais) or OPR **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Gajjaluxmi MOOTOOSAMY (since 5 June 2025) chancery: 1709 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983 email address and website: mauritius.embassy@verizon.net https://mauritius-washington.govmu.org/Pages/index.aspx **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Henry V. JARDINE (since 22 February 2023); note - also accredited to Seychelles embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Avenue, Port Louis mailing address: 2450 Port Louis Place, Washington, DC 20521-2450 telephone: [230] 202-4400 FAX: [230] 208-9534 email address and website: PTLConsular@state.gov https://mu.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SAARC (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 12 March 1968 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence and Republic Day, 12 March (1968, 1992) note: became independent and a republic on the same date in 1968 and 1992, respectively **Flag:** description: four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green meaning: red stands for self-determination and independence; blue for the Indian Ocean; yellow for the new light of independence, golden sunshine, or the bright future; and green for agriculture or the island's lush vegetation note: Mauritius has the only national flag with four horizontal color bands **National symbol(s):** dodo bird, earring tree flower (Trochetia boutoniana) **National color(s):** red, blue, yellow, green **National anthem(s):** title: "Motherland" lyrics/music: Jean Georges PROSPER/Philippe GENTIL history: adopted 1968 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Aapravasi Ghat; Le Morne Cultural Landscape ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income Indian Ocean island economy; diversified portfolio; investing in maritime security; strong tourism sector decimated by COVID-19; expanding in information and financial services; environmentally fragile **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $34.406 billion (2024 est.) $32.864 billion (2023 est.) $31.296 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.7% (2024 est.) 5% (2023 est.) 8.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $27,300 (2024 est.) $26,100 (2023 est.) $24,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $14.953 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.6% (2024 est.) 7.1% (2023 est.) 10.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 4.3% (2024 est.) industry: 17.8% (2024 est.) services: 64.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 68.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 14.7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.2% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 46.2% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -57.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, chicken, pumpkins/squash, tomatoes, eggs, potatoes, cabbages, bananas, onions, cucumbers/gherkins (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism **Industrial production growth rate:** 4.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 594,900 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.5% (2024 est.) 5.6% (2023 est.) 6.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 16.6% (2024 est.) male: 15.3% (2024 est.) female: 18.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 10.3% (2017 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 36.8 (2017 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.9% (2017 est.) highest 10%: 29.9% (2017 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 2.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $3.801 billion (2024 est.) expenditures: $5.042 billion (2024 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 58% of GDP (2019 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 20.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$647.743 million (2023 est.) -$1.437 billion (2022 est.) -$1.497 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $6.381 billion (2023 est.) $6.138 billion (2022 est.) $4.213 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 11%, France 11%, Zimbabwe 10%, South Africa 7%, Zambia 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fish, garments, raw sugar, fertilizers, diamonds (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $8.027 billion (2023 est.) $8.052 billion (2022 est.) $6.057 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 15%, UAE 11%, India 10%, South Africa 9%, France 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, fish, coal, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $8.506 billion (2024 est.) $7.248 billion (2023 est.) $7.793 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $3.632 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 46.415 (2024 est.) 45.267 (2023 est.) 44.183 (2022 est.) 41.692 (2021 est.) 39.347 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 99% electrification - rural areas: 100% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 955,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 3.084 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 179.996 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 82.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 4.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 9.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 651,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 610,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 28,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 60.188 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 469,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 2.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 173 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) is the national public TV and radio broadcaster, with programming in French, English, Hindi, Creole, and Chinese; MBC provides 17 television channels in Mauritius; 9 FM radio stations and 2 AM radio stations (2022) **Internet country code:** .mu **Internet users:** percent of population: 80% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 343,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 3B **Airports:** 5 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 32 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 4, other 27 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Port Louis, Port Mathurin ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; the Mauritius Police Force (MPF) under the Ministry of Defense is responsible for the country's security; it includes a paramilitary unit known as the Special Mobile Force, which includes some motorized infantry and light armored units; the MPF also has a Police Helicopter Squadron, a Special Support Unit (riot police), and the National Coast Guard (2025) **Military - note:** key security priorities for the Maritius Police Force (MPF) include combating narcotics trafficking, ensuring public order, fighting cybercrime, improving maritime security, and responding to natural disasters; the MPF's primary security partner is India, which provides training and other support to the National Coast Guard, while Indian naval vessels often patrol the country's waters; the MPF has also received assistance and training from France, the UK, and the US the Special Mobile Force was created in 1960 following the withdrawal of the British garrison (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 82 (2024 est.) IDPs: 39 (2024 est.) --- ## Mexico **Slug:** mexico **Region:** North America **Flag:** 🇲🇽 **Codes:** cek: mx, iso2: MX, iso3: MEX, iso_num: 484, genc: MEX, stanag: MEX, internet: .mx ### Introduction **Background:** Mexico was the site of several advanced Amerindian civilizations -- including the Olmec, Toltec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Maya, and Aztec -- until Spain conquered and colonized the area in the early 16th century. Administered as the Viceroyalty of New Spain for three centuries, it achieved independence early in the 19th century. Elections held in 2000 marked the first time since Mexican Revolution in 1910 that an opposition candidate -- Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) -- defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was succeeded in 2006 by another PAN candidate Felipe CALDERON, but Enrique PEÑA NIETO regained the presidency for the PRI in 2012. Left-leaning anti-establishment politician and former mayor of Mexico City (2000-05) Andrés Manuel LÓPEZ OBRADOR, from the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), became president in 2018. The US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA, or T-MEC by its Spanish acronym) entered into force in 2020 and replaced its predecessor, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Mexico amended its constitution in 2019 to facilitate the implementation of the labor components of USMCA. Mexico is currently the US's second-largest goods trading partner, after Canada. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, high underemployment, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities, particularly for the largely indigenous population in the impoverished southern states. Since 2007, Mexico's powerful transnational criminal organizations have engaged in a struggle to control criminal markets, resulting in tens of thousands of drug-related homicides and forced disappearances. ### Geography **Location:** North America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of America, between Belize and the United States and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the United States **Geographic coordinates:** 23 00 N, 102 00 W **Map references:** North America **Area:** total : 1,964,375 sq km land: 1,943,945 sq km water: 20,430 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than three times the size of Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 4,389 km border countries (3): Belize 276 km; Guatemala 958 km; US 3,155 km **Coastline:** 9,330 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** varies from tropical to desert **Terrain:** high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert **Elevation:** highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,636 m lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m mean elevation: 1,111 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, silver, antimony, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber **Land use:** agricultural land: 50.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 10.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 38.1% (2023 est.) forest: 34.2% (2023 est.) other: 15.1% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 59,910 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Laguna de Chapala - 1,140 sq km salt water lake(s): Laguna de Terminos - 1,550 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Rio Grande river mouth (shared with US [s]) - 3,057 km; Colorado river mouth (shared with US [s]) - 2,333 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Gulf of America) Rio Grande/Bravo (607,965 sq km) Pacific Ocean drainage: (Gulf of California) Colorado (703,148 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains Aquifer **Population distribution:** most of the population is found in the middle of the country between the states of Jalisco and Veracruz; approximately a quarter of the population lives in and around Mexico City **Natural hazards:** tsunamis along the Pacific coast; volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south; hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of America, and Caribbean coasts volcanism: volcanic activity in the central-southern part of the country; the volcanoes in Baja California are mostly dormant; Colima (3,850 m) is Mexico's most active volcano and is responsible for periodic evacuations of nearby villagers; it has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Popocatepetl (5,426 m) poses a threat to Mexico City; other historically active volcanoes include Barcena, Ceboruco, El Chichon, Michoacan-Guanajuato, Pico de Orizaba, San Martin, Socorro, and Tacana; see note 2 under "Geography - note" **Geography - note:** note 1: strategic location on southern border of the US; Mexico is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes note 2: the Sac Actun cave system at 348 km (216 mi) is the longest underwater cave in the world and the second longest cave worldwide, after Mammoth Cave in the United States (see "Geography - note" under United States) note 3: the prominent Yucatán Peninsula that divides the Gulf of America from the Caribbean Sea is shared by Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize; on the northern coast of Yucatan near the town of Chicxulub lie the remnants of a massive asteroid or comet crater about 150 km (93 mi) in diameter and extending into the Gulf of America; the impact is believed to have initiated a worldwide climate disruption that caused a mass extinction of 75% of the earth's plant and animal species, including the non-avian dinosaurs ### People and Society **Population:** total: 131,741,347 (2025 est.) male: 64,389,638 female: 67,351,709 **Nationality:** noun: Mexican(s) adjective: Mexican **Ethnic groups:** Mestizo (Indigenous-Spanish) 62%, predominantly Indigenous 21%, Indigenous 7%, other 10% (mostly European) (2012 est.) note: Mexico does not collect census data on ethnicity **Languages:** Spanish only 93.8%, Spanish and indigenous languages (including Mayan, Nahuatl, and others) 5.4%, indigenous only 0.6%, unspecified 0.2% (2020 est.) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Catholic 77.7%, no religion 10.6%, other Evangelical Churches 7.5%, Jehovah Witness 1.2%; less than 1 percent: Pentecostal, Seventh Day Adventist, Historics, not specified, Latter Day Saints, other religions (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 23.3% (male 15,647,805/female 14,754,004) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 43,651,105/female 45,983,174) 65 years and over: 8.2% (2024 est.) (male 4,600,228/female 6,103,611) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 45.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 33.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 12.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 31 years (2025 est.) male: 28.8 years female: 32.7 years **Population growth rate:** 0.81% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 14.73 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is found in the middle of the country between the states of Jalisco and Veracruz; approximately a quarter of the population lives in and around Mexico City **Urbanization:** urban population: 81.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 22.281 million MEXICO CITY (capital), 5.420 million Guadalajara, 5.117 million Monterrey, 3.345 million Puebla, 2.626 million Toluca de Lerdo, 2.260 million Tijuana (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 21.3 years (2008 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 42 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 13.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 74.6 years (2024 est.) male: 71.6 years female: 77.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.85 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.9 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.1% of GDP (2021) 10.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.59 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 1 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 28.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 4.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 13.8% (2025 est.) male: 21.8% (2025 est.) female: 6.3% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 4.2% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 53% (2023 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 3.6% (2018) women married by age 18: 20.7% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 4.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 14.2% national budget (2022 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 95% (2020 est.) male: 96% (2020 est.) female: 94% (2020 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2022 est.) male: 14 years (2022 est.) female: 15 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; natural freshwater resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; urban river pollution from raw sewage and industrial effluents; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification; serious air and water pollution in urban areas; land subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion note: the government considers the lack of clean water and deforestation as national security issues **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** varies from tropical to desert **Land use:** agricultural land: 50.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 10.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 38.1% (2023 est.) forest: 34.2% (2023 est.) other: 15.1% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 81.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 441.049 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 32.087 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 228.279 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 180.684 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 17.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 1,389 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 2,372.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 1,832.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 49.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 53.1 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 9.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 13.33 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 7.953 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 68.523 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 461.888 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 2 global geoparks and regional networks: Comarca Minera, Hidalgo; Mixteca Alta, Oaxaca (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: United Mexican States conventional short form: Mexico local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos local short form: Mexico former: Mexican Republic, Mexican Empire etymology: name may derive from one of the Nahuatl (Aztec) names for the capital city, Metztlixihtlico, which probably meant "the center of the moon;" alternatively, it may come from Mexica, the original name of the Aztec people **Government type:** federal presidential republic **Capital:** name: Mexico City (Ciudad de Mexico) geographic coordinates: 19 26 N, 99 08 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: DST was permanently removed in October 2022 time zone note: Mexico has four time zones etymology: name may derive from one of the Nahuatl (Aztec) names for the capital city, Metztlixihtlico, which probably meant "the center of the moon;" alternatively, it may come from Mexica, the original name of the Aztec people **Administrative divisions:** 32 states (estados, singular - estado); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Cuidad de Mexico, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacán, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatan, Zacatecas **Legal system:** civil law system with US constitutional law influence; judicial review of legislative acts **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest approved 5 February 1917 amendment process: proposed by the Congress of the Union; passage requires approval by at least two thirds of the members present and approval by a majority of the state legislatures **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: not specified residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal and compulsory **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Claudia SHEINBAUM Pardo (since 1 October 2024) head of government: President Claudia SHEINBAUM Pardo (since 1 October 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a single 6-year term most recent election date: 2 June 2024 election results: 2024: Claudia SHEINBAUM Pardo elected president; percent of vote - Claudia SHEINBAUM Pardo (MORENA) 59.4%, Xóchitl GÁLVEZ Ruiz (PAN) 27.9%, Jorge Álvarez MÁYNEZ (MC) 10.4%, other 2.3% 2018: Andrés Manuel LÓPEZ OBRADOR elected president; percent of vote - Andrés Manuel LÓPEZ OBRADOR (MORENA) 53.2%, Ricardo ANAYA Cortés (PAN) 22.3%, José Antonio MEADE Kuribreña (PRI) 16.4%, Jaime RODRÍGUEZ Calderón (independent) 5.2%, other 2.9% 2012: Enrique PEÑA NIETO elected president; percent of vote - Enrique PEÑA NIETO (PRI) 38.2%, Andrés Manuel LÓPEZ OBRADOR (PRD) 31.6%, Josefina Eugenia VÁZQUEZ Mota (PAN) 25.4%, other 4.8% expected date of next election: 2030 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Congress of the Union (Congreso de la Unión) legislative structure: bicameral note: as of the 2018 election, senators will be eligible for a second term and deputies up to 4 consecutive terms **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados) number of seats: 500 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 3 years most recent election date: 6/2/2024 parties elected and seats per party: National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) (236); Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (PVEM) (77); National Action Party (PAN) (72); Labour Party (PT) (51); Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) (35); Citizens' Movement (MC) (27); Other (2) percentage of women in chamber: 50.2% expected date of next election: June 2027 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Cámara de Senadores) number of seats: 128 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 6/2/2024 parties elected and seats per party: National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) (60); National Action Party (PAN) (22); Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) (16); Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (PVEM) (14); Labour Party (PT) (9); Other (7) percentage of women in chamber: 50% expected date of next election: June 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación (consists of the chief justice and 11 justices and organized into civil, criminal, administrative, and labor panels) and the Electoral Tribunal of the Federal Judiciary (organized into the superior court, with 7 judges including the court president, and 5 regional courts, each with 3 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court justices nominated by the president of the republic and approved by two-thirds vote of the members present in the Senate; justices serve 15-year terms; Electoral Tribunal superior and regional court judges nominated by the Supreme Court and elected by two-thirds vote of members present in the Senate; superior court president elected from among its members to hold office for a 4-year term; other judges of the superior and regional courts serve staggered, 9-year terms subordinate courts: federal level includes circuit, collegiate, and unitary courts; state and district level courts note: in April 2021, the Mexican congress passed a judicial reform which changed 7 articles of the constitution and preceded a new Organic Law on the Judicial Branch of the Federation **Political parties:** Citizen's Movement (Movimiento Ciudadano) or MC Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) or PRI Labor Party (Partido del Trabajo) or PT Mexican Green Ecological Party (Partido Verde Ecologista de México) or PVEM Movement for National Regeneration (Movimiento Regeneración Nacional) or MORENA National Action Party (Partido Acción Nacional) or PAN Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la Revolución Democrática) or PRD **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Esteban MOCTEZUMA Barragán (since 20 April 2021) chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600 FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698 email address and website: mexembusa@sre.gob.mx https://embamex.sre.gob.mx/eua/index.php/en/ consulate(s) general: Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Dallas (TX), Denver (GA), El Paso (TX), Houston (TX), Laredo (TX), Miami (FL), New York (NY), Nogales (AZ), Phoenix (AZ), Raleigh (NC), Sacramento (CA), San Antonio (TX), San Diego (CA), San Francisco (CA), San Jose (CA), San Juan (Puerto Rico) consulate(s): Albuquerque (NM), Boise (ID), Brownsville (TX), Calexico (CA), Del Rio (TX), Detroit (MI), Douglas (AZ), Eagle Pass (TX), Fresno (CA), Indianapolis (IN), Kansas City (MO), Las Vegas (NV), Little Rock (AR), Los Angeles (CA), McAllen (TX), Milwaukee (WI), New Orleans (LA), Oklahoma City (OK), Omaha (NE), Orlando (FL), Oxnard (CA), Philadelphia (PA), Portland (OR), Presidio (TX), Salt Lake City (UT), San Bernardino (CA), Santa Ana (CA), Seattle (WA), St. Paul (MN), Tucson (AZ), Yuma (AZ) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald D. JOHNSON (since 19 May 2025) embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtémoc, 06500 Mexico, CDMX mailing address: 8700 Mexico City Place, Washington DC 20521-8700 telephone: (011) [52]-55-5080-2000 FAX: (011) 52-55-5080-2005 email address and website: ACSMexicoCity@state.gov https://mx.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juárez, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Matamoros, Mérida, Monterrey, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana **International organization participation:** ACS, APEC, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CABEI, CAN (observer), Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CE (observer), CELAC, CSN (observer), EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-3, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-5, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAFTA, NAM (observer), NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, USMCA, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 16 September 1810 (declared independence from Spain); 27 September 1821 (recognized by Spain) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 16 September (1810) **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of green (left side), white, and red; Mexico's coat of arms (an eagle with a snake in its beak, perched on a cactus) is centered in the white band meaning: green stands for hope, joy, and love; white for peace and honesty; red for hardiness, bravery, strength, and valor **National symbol(s):** golden eagle, dahlia **National color(s):** green, white, red **National coat of arms:** Adopted in 1968, Mexico’s coat of arms is also used as the Seal of the United Mexican States. The Mexican Golden Eagle, a national symbol, is perched on a prickly pear cactus and eats a snake. Beneath the eagle, oak and laurel leaves are joined by a ribbon in the national colors. The image symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. **National anthem(s):** title: "Himno Nacional Mexicano" (National Anthem of Mexico) lyrics/music: Francisco Gonzalez BOCANEGRA/Jaime Nuno ROCA history: adopted 1943 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 36 (28 cultural, 6 natural, 2 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Mexico City (c); Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl (c); Teotihuacan (c); Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino (n); Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (n); Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley (m); Historic Puebla (c); El Tajin (c); Historic Tlacotalpan (c); Historic Oaxaca and Monte Albán (c); Palenque (c); Chichen-Itza (c); Uxmal (c); Wixárika Route through Sacred Sites to Wirikuta (Tatehuarí Huajuyé) (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income economy; highly integrated with US via trade and nearshore manufacturing; weak domestic demand, fiscal consolidation, and trade uncertainty contributing to sluggish growth; low unemployment; challenges from income inequality, corruption, and cartel-based violence **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $2.883 trillion (2024 est.) $2.842 trillion (2023 est.) $2.751 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.5% (2024 est.) 3.3% (2023 est.) 3.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $22,000 (2024 est.) $21,900 (2023 est.) $21,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.853 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.7% (2024 est.) 5.5% (2023 est.) 7.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 3.8% (2024 est.) industry: 31.6% (2024 est.) services: 58.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 70.3% (2024 est.) government consumption: 11.2% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.2% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 36.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -37.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, maize, milk, oranges, sorghum, tomatoes, chicken, chillies/peppers, wheat, lemons/limes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 60.959 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.8% (2024 est.) 2.8% (2023 est.) 3.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 5.5% (2024 est.) male: 5.2% (2024 est.) female: 6.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 36.3% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 43.5 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 25.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.1% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 34.4% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 3.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 3.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $342.571 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $417.843 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 45.1% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 14.2% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$5.986 billion (2024 est.) -$5.611 billion (2023 est.) -$17.701 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $680.798 billion (2024 est.) $649.729 billion (2023 est.) $630.347 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 76%, Canada 5%, China 2%, Germany 2%, Spain 1% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** cars, vehicle parts/accessories, crude petroleum, trucks, computers (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $697.067 billion (2024 est.) $674.695 billion (2023 est.) $672.914 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 46%, China 20%, Germany 4%, Japan 3%, S. Korea 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** vehicle parts/accessories, refined petroleum, integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $232.035 billion (2024 est.) $214.317 billion (2023 est.) $201.119 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $306.308 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Mexican pesos (MXN) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 18.305 (2024 est.) 17.759 (2023 est.) 20.127 (2022 est.) 20.272 (2021 est.) 21.486 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 99.8% electrification - rural areas: 100% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 105.586 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 332.042 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 1.97 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 4.863 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 45.47 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 79.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 4.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 5.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 5.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 2 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 1.55GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 4.9% (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 6.296 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 15.132 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 4,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 8.809 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.16 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 2.101 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 1.741 million bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 5.786 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 33.118 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 97.118 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 27.92 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 64.289 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 180.322 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 57.539 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 25.9 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 152 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 116 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** telecom reform in 2013 ended a quasi-monopoly; now 885 TV stations and 1,841 radio stations, most privately owned; foreign satellite and cable operators are available; completed transition to digital in 2016 (2022) **Internet country code:** .mx **Internet users:** percent of population: 81% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 26.6 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** XA **Airports:** 1,580 (2025) **Heliports:** 488 (2025) **Railways:** total: 23,389 km (2017) standard gauge: 23,389 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (27 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 674 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 4, general cargo 11, oil tanker 32, other 627 **Ports:** total ports: 35 (2024) large: 0 medium: 7 small: 10 very small: 14 size unknown: 4 ports with oil terminals: 21 key ports: Acapulco, Ensenada, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Tampico, Tuxpan, Veracruz ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** the Mexican Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de México) are divided between the Secretariat of National Defense and the Secretariat of the Navy: Secretariat of National Defense (Secretaria de Defensa Nacional, SEDENA): Army (Ejercito), Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Mexicana, FAM), National Guard (Guardia Nacional); Secretariat of the Navy (Secretaria de Marina, SEMAR): Mexican Navy (Armada de Mexico (ARM), includes Naval Air Force (FAN), Mexican Naval Infantry Corps (Cuerpo de Infanteria de Marina, Mexmar or CIM)) Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection/SEDENA: National Guard (2025) note: the National Guard was formed in 2019 of personnel from the former Federal Police (disbanded in December 2019) and military police units of the Army and Navy **Military expenditures:** 0.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information varies; approximately 260,000 active-duty Armed Forces; approximately 110,000 National Guard personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Mexican military inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and imported armaments from a variety of mostly Western suppliers, particularly the US; Mexico's defense industry produces light armored vehicles and some naval vessels, as well as small arms and other miscellaneous equipment (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age (16 with parental consent) for voluntary service for men and women; men at age 18 subject to lottery-based 12-month compulsory military service (2025) **Military - note:** the Mexican military is responsible for defending the independence, integrity, and sovereignty of Mexico, as well as providing for internal security, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, and socio-economic development; internal security duties are a key focus, particularly combating narcotics trafficking and organized crime groups, as well as border control and immigration enforcement; the constitution was amended in 2019 to grant the president the authority to use the armed forces to protect internal and national security, and courts have upheld the legality of the armed forces’ role in law enforcement activities in support of civilian authorities through 2028; the military also provides security for strategic facilities, such as oil production infrastructure, and administers most of the country's land and sea ports and customs services, plus a state-owned development bank; in addition, President LÓPEZ OBRADOR placed the military in charge of a growing number of infrastructure projects, such as building and operating a new airport for Mexico City and sections of a train line in the country’s southeast (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Mexican Space Agency (Agencia Espacial Mexicana or AEM; established 2010 and began operating in 2013) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a national space policy with a focus on expanding Mexico's commercial space sector, including acquiring satellites and developing specialists, technologies, and infrastructure; manufactures and operates communications and scientific satellites; conducts research on a range of space-related capabilities and technologies, including astronomy, astrophysics, Earth and weather sciences, remote sensing, robotics, satellite payloads, and telecommunications; works with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial space industries, including those of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, the ESA, individual ESA member states (particularly France, Germany, and the UK), India, Japan, Peru, Russia, Ukraine, and the US; led effort to establish the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency and hosts its headquarters (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1962-1977 - sounding rocket program 1985 - first Mexican in space on US Space Shuttle; first communications satellite (Morelos-1) built by US and released from the US Space Shuttle 2015 - first successful launch of MEXSAT series of communications satellites by the US 2021 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration 2024 - contributed five autonomous micro-robots (Colmena project) on failed US commercial Moon lander mission ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Gulf Cartel (CDG); Jalisco Cartel New Generation (CJNG); La Mara Salvatruche (MS-13); Northeast Cartel (CDN); The New Family Michoacana (LNFM); Sinaloa Cartel; United Cartels (CU) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 417,546 (2024 est.) IDPs: 390,250 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 13 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Micronesia, Federated States of **Slug:** micronesia-federated-states-of **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇫🇲 **Codes:** cek: fm, iso2: FM, iso3: FSM, iso_num: 583, genc: FSM, stanag: FSM, internet: .fm ### Introduction **Background:** Each of the four states that compose the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) -- Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap -- has its own unique history and cultural traditions. The first humans arrived in what is now the FSM in the second millennium B.C. In the 800s A.D., construction of the artificial islets at the Nan Madol complex in Pohnpei began, with the main architecture being built around 1200. At its height, Nan Madol united the approximately 25,000 people of Pohnpei under the Saudeleur Dynasty. By 1250, Kosrae was united in a kingdom centered in Leluh. Yap’s society became strictly hierarchical, with chiefs receiving tributes from islands up to 1,100 km (700 mi) away. Widespread human settlement in Chuuk began in the 1300s, and the different islands in the Chuuk Lagoon were frequently at war with one another. Portuguese and Spanish explorers visited a few of the islands in the 1500s, and Spain began exerting nominal, but not day-to-day, control over some of the islands -- which they named the Caroline Islands -- in the 1600s. In 1899, Spain sold all of the FSM to Germany. Japan seized the islands in 1914 and was granted a League of Nations mandate to administer them in 1920. During WWII, Japan built military bases across most of the islands and headquartered their Pacific naval operations in Chuuk. The US bombed Chuuk in 1944 but largely bypassed the other islands in its leapfrog campaign across the Pacific. In 1947, the FSM came under US administration as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, which comprised six districts: Chuuk, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pohnpei, and Yap; Kosrae was separated from Pohnpei into a separate district in 1977. In 1979, Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap ratified the FSM Constitution and declared independence while the other three districts opted to pursue separate political status. There are significant inter-island rivalries stemming from their different histories and cultures. Chuuk, the most populous but poorest state, has pushed for secession, but an independence referendum has been repeatedly postponed. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia **Geographic coordinates:** 6 55 N, 158 15 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 702 sq km land: 702 sq km water: 0 sq km (fresh water only) note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie) **Area - comparative:** four times the size of Washington, D.C. (land area only) **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 6,112 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage **Terrain:** islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk **Elevation:** highest point: Nanlaud on Pohnpei 782 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** timber, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate **Land use:** agricultural land: 7.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 4.3% (2023 est.) forest: 92.2% (2023 est.) other: 0.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** the majority of the population lives in the coastal areas of the high islands; the mountainous interior is largely uninhabited; less than half of the population lives in urban areas **Natural hazards:** typhoons (June to December) **Geography - note:** composed of four major island groups totaling 607 islands ### People and Society **Population:** total: 98,860 (2025 est.) male: 48,283 female: 50,577 **Nationality:** noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese **Ethnic groups:** Chuukese/Mortlockese 49.3%, Pohnpeian 29.8%, Kosraean 6.3%, Yapese 5.7%, Yap outer islanders 5.1%, Polynesian 1.6%, Asian 1.4%, other 0.8% (2010 est.) **Languages:** English (official and common language), Chuukese, Kosrean, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi **Religions:** Roman Catholic 54.7%, Protestant 41.1% (includes Congregational 38.5%, Baptist 1.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 0.8%, Assembly of God 0.7%), Church of Jesus Christ 1.5%, other 1.9%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 27% (male 13,673/female 13,239) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 32,527/female 34,487) 65 years and over: 5.7% (2024 est.) (male 2,508/female 3,169) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 48.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 39.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 8.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 11.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 28.7 years (2025 est.) male: 27.3 years female: 29.1 years **Population growth rate:** -0.77% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 17.55 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -20.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the majority of the population lives in the coastal areas of the high islands; the mountainous interior is largely uninhabited; less than half of the population lives in urban areas **Urbanization:** urban population: 23.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 7,000 PALIKIR (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 129 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 20.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 23.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 75 years (2024 est.) male: 72.9 years female: 77.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.17 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.06 (2025 est.) **Health expenditure:** 11% of GDP (2021) 1.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.97 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 88.3% of population **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 45.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 51.7% (2023 est.) **Education expenditure:** 11.6% of GDP (2020 est.) 18.6% national budget (2020 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** overfishing; sea-level rise; water and toxic pollution from mining; solid waste disposal **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage **Land use:** agricultural land: 7.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 4.3% (2023 est.) forest: 92.2% (2023 est.) other: 0.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 23.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 121,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 121,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 8.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 26,000 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.2% (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia conventional short form: none local long form: Federated States of Micronesia local short form: none former: New Philippines; Caroline Islands; Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts abbreviation: FSM etymology: the name is a 19th-century construct of two Greek words, mikros (small) and nesoi (islands), and refers to its thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean **Government type:** federal republic in free association with the US **Capital:** name: Palikir geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 09 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: Micronesia has two time zones note: Palikir became the new capital of the country in 1989, three years after independence; Kolonia, the former capital, remains the site for many foreign embassies; it also serves as the Pohnpei state capital **Administrative divisions:** 4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap **Legal system:** mixed system of common and customary law **Constitution:** history: drafted June 1975, ratified 1 October 1978, entered into force 10 May 1979 amendment process: proposed by Congress, by a constitutional convention, or by public petition; passage requires approval by at least three-fourths majority vote in at least three fourths of the states note: at least every ten years, voters are asked as part of a general or special election whether to hold a constitution convention; a majority of affirmative votes is required to proceed **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of FSM dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Wesley W. SIMINA (since 12 May 2023) head of government: President Wesley W. SIMINA (since 12 May 2023) cabinet: Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of the 8 executive departments election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected by Congress from among the 4 'at large' senators for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 12 May 2023 expected date of next election: 2027 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Congress legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 14 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 2 years most recent election date: 3/4/2025 percentage of women in chamber: 21.4% expected date of next election: March 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Federated States of Micronesia Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and not more than 5 associate justices and organized into appellate and criminal divisions) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the FSM president with the approval of two-thirds of Congress; justices appointed for life subordinate courts: the highest state-level courts are: Chuuk Supreme Court; Korsae State Court; Pohnpei State Court; Yap State Court **Political parties:** no formal parties **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Jackson T. SORAM (since 27 February 2024) chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 email address and website: dcmission@fsmembassy.fm https://fsmembassy.fm/ consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Portland (OR), Tamuning (Guam) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Jennifer L. JOHNSON (since 13 September 2023) embassy: 1286 US Embassy Place, Kolonia, Pohnpei, FM 96941 mailing address: 4120 Kolonia Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-4120 telephone: [691] 320-2187 FAX: [691] 320-2186 email address and website: koloniaacs@state.gov https://fm.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO **Independence:** 3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship) **National holiday:** Constitution Day, 10 May (1979) **Flag:** description: light blue with four five-pointed white stars centered and arranged in a diamond pattern meaning: blue stands for the Pacific Ocean, and the stars for the four island groups of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap **National symbol(s):** four five-pointed white stars on a light blue field, hibiscus flower **National color(s):** light blue, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Patriots of Micronesia" lyrics/music: unknown history: adopted 1991 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Nan Madol: Ceremonial Center of Eastern Micronesia ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower middle-income Pacific island economy; US aid reliance, sunsetting in 2024; low entrepreneurship; mostly fishing and farming; US dollar user; no patent laws; tourism remains underdeveloped; significant corruption **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $432.679 million (2024 est.) $429.59 million (2023 est.) $427.529 million (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 0.7% (2024 est.) 0.5% (2023 est.) -2.9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $3,800 (2024 est.) $3,800 (2023 est.) $3,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $471.425 million (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 5.4% (2022 est.) 3.2% (2021 est.) 0.6% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 23.3% (2023 est.) industry: 5% (2023 est.) services: 69.2% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** coconuts, cassava, vegetables, sweet potatoes, bananas, pork, plantains, fruits, beef, eggs (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, construction; specialized aquaculture, craft items (shell and wood) **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.8% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Remittances:** 5.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 6% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $137.795 million (2020 est.) expenditures: $111.963 million (2020 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 27.8% of GDP (2020 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 7% (of GDP) (2020 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $12 million (2017 est.) $11 million (2016 est.) $22.408 million (2014 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $129.5 million (2024 est.) $125.789 million (2023 est.) $90.466 million (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Thailand 64%, China 16%, Philippines 11%, Japan 5%, Ecuador 1% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fish, diamonds, garments (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports:** $325.9 million (2024 est.) $310.669 million (2023 est.) $274.334 million (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 35%, China 20%, Japan 13%, Taiwan 6%, Philippines 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** poultry, fish, plastic products, cars, prepared meat (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $497.434 million (2021 est.) $451.913 million (2020 est.) $397.158 million (2019 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** the US dollar is used ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 85.3% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 98.6% electrification - rural areas: 79.4% **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 800 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 6,480 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 22,400 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** no TV broadcast stations; each state has a multi-channel cable service with TV transmissions carrying roughly 95% imported programming and 5% local programming; about half a dozen radio stations (2009) **Internet country code:** .fm **Internet users:** percent of population: 41% (2022 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 7,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** V6 **Airports:** 7 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 38 (2023) by type: general cargo 17, oil tanker 4, other 17 **Ports:** total ports: 4 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Colonia, Lele Harbor, Moen, Pohnpei Harbor ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no military forces; Federated States of Micronesia National Police (includes a maritime wing) **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the US; in 1982, the FSM signed a Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the US, which granted the FSM financial assistance and access to many US domestic programs in exchange for exclusive US military access and defense responsibilities; the COFA entered into force in 1986; Micronesians can serve in the US armed forces the FSM has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within the FSM's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025) --- ## Moldova **Slug:** moldova **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇲🇩 **Codes:** cek: md, iso2: MD, iso3: MDA, iso_num: 498, genc: MDA, stanag: MDA, internet: .md ### Introduction **Background:** A large portion of present-day Moldovan territory became a province of the Russian Empire in 1812 and then unified with Romania in 1918 in the aftermath of World War I. This territory was then incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although Moldova has been independent from the Soviet Union since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Nistru River in the breakaway region of Transnistria. Years of Communist Party rule in Moldova from 2001 to 2009 ultimately ended with election-related violent protests and a rerun of parliamentary elections in 2009. A series of pro-Europe ruling coalitions governed Moldova from 2010 to 2019, but pro-Russia candidate Igor DODON won the presidency in 2016, and his Socialist Party of the Republic of Moldova won a plurality in the legislative election in 2019. Pro-EU reformist candidate Maia SANDU defeated DODON in his reelection bid in 2020, and SANDU's Party of Action and Solidarity won a parliamentary majority in an early legislative election in 2021. Prime Minister Natalia GAVRILITA and her cabinet took office in 2021. In early 2023, Moldova's parliament confirmed a new cabinet led by Prime Minister Dorin RECEAN, which retained the majority of the former ministers. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania **Geographic coordinates:** 47 00 N, 29 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 33,851 sq km land: 32,891 sq km water: 960 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Maryland **Land boundaries:** total: 1,885 km border countries (2): Romania 683 km; Ukraine 1202 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** moderate winters, warm summers **Terrain:** rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea **Elevation:** highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m lowest point: Dniester (Nistru) 2 m mean elevation: 139 m **Natural resources:** lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, limestone, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 74.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 56.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 9.4% (2023 est.) forest: 11.3% (2023 est.) other: 13.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 2,150 sq km (2022) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Dunărea (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km; Nistru (Dniester) (shared with Ukraine [s/m]) - 1,411 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** pockets of agglomeration exist throughout the country, with the largest in the center of the country around the capital of Chisinau, followed by Tiraspol and Balti **Natural hazards:** landslides **Geography - note:** landlocked; has many types of sedimentary rocks and minerals, including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone ### People and Society **Population:** total: 3,578,930 (2025 est.) male: 1,687,496 female: 1,891,434 **Nationality:** noun: Moldovan(s) adjective: Moldovan **Ethnic groups:** Moldovan 75.1%, Romanian 7%, Ukrainian 6.6%, Gagauz 4.6%, Russian 4.1%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 0.8% (2014 est.) **Languages:** Moldovan/Romanian 80.2% (official) (56.7% Moldovan; 23.5% Romanian), Russian 9.7%, Gagauz 4.2% (a Turkish language), Ukrainian 3.9%, Bulgarian 1.5%, Romani 0.3%, other 0.2% (2014) major-language sample(s): Cartea informativa a lumii, sursa indispensabila pentru informatii de baza. (Moldovan/Romanian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: data represent mother tongue; as of March 2023, "Romanian" replaced "Moldovan" as the name of Moldova's official language **Religions:** Orthodox 90.1%, other Christian 2.6%, other 0.1%, agnostic <0.1%, atheist 0.2%, unspecified 6.9% (2014 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 14.8% (male 266,493/female 266,166) 15-64 years: 70.2% (male 1,225,535/female 1,300,640) 65 years and over: 15% (2024 est.) (male 206,221/female 334,473) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 43 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 20.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 22.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.5 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 40.4 years (2025 est.) male: 38.6 years female: 41.3 years **Population growth rate:** -0.57% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 8.35 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 14.06 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** pockets of agglomeration exist throughout the country, with the largest in the center of the country around the capital of Chisinau, followed by Tiraspol and Balti **Urbanization:** urban population: 43.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 488,000 CHISINAU (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 25.2 years (2019 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 19 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 13.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 70.1 years (2024 est.) male: 66.1 years female: 74.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.27 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.61 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 97.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 87.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 92% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 12.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 8% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.8% of GDP (2021) 12.3% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.02 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 5.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 98.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 82.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 89.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 17.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 10.3% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 18.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 7.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 28.7% (2025 est.) male: 54.2% (2025 est.) female: 6.4% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 68.7% (2020 est.) **Education expenditure:** 6.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 16% national budget (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 15 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** soil and water pollution from heavy use of agricultural chemicals; extensive soil erosion and declining soil fertility from farming methods **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol **Climate:** moderate winters, warm summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 74.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 56.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 9.4% (2023 est.) forest: 11.3% (2023 est.) other: 13.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 43.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 7.093 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 219,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 3.087 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 3.786 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 12.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.981 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 36.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 160 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 583 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 55 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 12.27 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Moldova conventional short form: Moldova local long form: Republica Moldova local short form: Moldova former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: named for the Moldova River in neighboring eastern Romania; the river's name probably comes from the Indoeuropean root word mel, meaning "dark" or "black" **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Chisinau in Romanian (Kishinev in Russian) geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 28 51 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: origin unclear but may derive from the Old Moldovan word kishineu ("spring" or "artesian well") note: pronounced KEE-shee-now (KIH-shi-nyov) **Administrative divisions:** 32 districts (raioane, singular - raion), 3 municipalities (municipii, singular - municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala) districts: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir, Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova, Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti, Soroca, Stefan Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului (Transnistria) **Legal system:** civil law system with Germanic law influences; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts **Constitution:** history: previous 1978; latest adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994 amendment process: proposed by voter petition (at least 200,000 eligible voters), by at least one third of Parliament members, or by the government; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament within one year of initial proposal; revisions to constitutional articles on sovereignty, independence, and neutrality require majority vote by referendum; articles on fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Moldova dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Maia SANDU (since 24 December 2020) head of government: Prime Minister Alexandru MUNTEANU (since 1 November 2025) cabinet: Cabinet proposed by the prime minister-designate, nominated by the president, approved through a vote of confidence in Parliament election/appointment process: president directly elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister designated by the president in consultation with Parliament; within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence for his/her proposed work program from the Parliament most recent election date: 3 November 2024 election results: 2024: In the second round of presidential elections, incumbent Maia SANDU (PAS) wins 55.4% of the vote, Alexandr STOIANOGLO (PSRM) 44.6; turnout is 54.3% 2020: Maia SANDU elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - Maia SANDU (PAS) 57.7%, Igor DODON (PSRM) 42.3% expected date of next election: 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Parlament) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 101 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 9/28/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) (55); Electoral Bloc “Patriotic of Socialists, Communists, Heart and Future of Moldova” (26); Alternative Bloc (8); Our Party (6); Democracy at Home Party (6) percentage of women in chamber: 37.6% expected date of next election: September 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the chief judge, 3 deputy-chief judges, 45 judges, and 7 assistant judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president and 6 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court of Justice judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistracy, an 11-member body of judicial officials; all judges serve 4-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed 2 each by Parliament, the president, and the Higher Council of Magistracy for 6-year terms; court president elected by other court judges for a 3-year term subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Court of Business Audit; municipal courts note: the Constitutional Court is autonomous; it interprets the Constitution and reviews the constitutionality of parliamentary laws and decisions, decrees of the president, and acts of the government **Political parties:** Common Action Party - Civil Congress or PAC-CC Democracy at Home Party or PPDA Future of Moldova Party or PVM National Alternative Movement or MAN Our Party or PN Party of Action and Solidarity or PAS Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM Party of Development and Consolidation of Moldova or PDCM Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova or PSRM **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Vladislav KULMINSKI (since 5 September 2025) chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2624 email address and website: washington@mfa.gov.md https://sua.mfa.gov.md/en **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Nick PIETROWICZ (since 2025) embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: 7080 Chisinau Place, Washington DC 20521-7080 telephone: [373] (22) 408-300 FAX: [373] (22) 233-044 email address and website: ChisinauACS@state.gov https://md.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEU (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO note: Moldova is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership **Independence:** 27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 27 August (1991) **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of Prussian blue (left side), chrome yellow, and vermilion red; the Moldavan coat of arms in the center is a dark gold Roman eagle outlined in black, with a red beak and talons; the eagle carries a yellow cross in its beak, a green olive branch in its right talons, and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on the eagle's breast is a red-and-blue shield divided horizontally, with a stylized aurochs head, star, rose, and crescent in black and outlined yellow; the reverse of the flag displays a mirror image of the coat of arms history: replaced the communist flag in 1990; the coat of arms is based on traditional designs note 1: colors are based on the Romanian flag, but Moldova's blue band is lighter note 2: one of three national flags that differ on each side -- the others are Paraguay and Saudi Arabia **National symbol(s):** aurochs (type of wild cattle) **National color(s):** blue, yellow, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Limba noastra" (Our Tongue) lyrics/music: Alexei MATEEVICI/Alexandru CRISTEA history: adopted 1994; originally a 12-verse poem, but only stanzas 1, 2, 5, 9, and 12 are included in the anthem **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Struve Geodetic Arc ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income Eastern European economy; sustained growth reversed by COVID-19; significant remittances; Russian energy and regional dependence; agricultural exporter; declining workforce due to emigration and low fertility **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $39.342 billion (2024 est.) $39.301 billion (2023 est.) $38.835 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 0.1% (2024 est.) 1.2% (2023 est.) -4.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $16,500 (2024 est.) $16,000 (2023 est.) $15,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $18.2 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.7% (2024 est.) 13.4% (2023 est.) 28.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 7.1% (2024 est.) industry: 16.8% (2024 est.) services: 62.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 86.8% (2024 est.) government consumption: 17.9% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 1.1% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 31.4% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -57.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, grapes, apples, sugar beets, barley, milk, rapeseed, potatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** sugar processing, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 1.358 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 1.5% (2024 est.) 1.6% (2023 est.) 0.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 3.3% (2024 est.) male: 3.4% (2024 est.) female: 3.3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 31.1% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 25.9 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 4.5% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 22.5% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 10.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 12% of GDP (2023 est.) 14% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $5.197 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $6.037 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 34.3% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 18.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$2.917 billion (2024 est.) -$1.893 billion (2023 est.) -$2.482 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $5.717 billion (2024 est.) $5.866 billion (2023 est.) $5.981 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Romania 31%, Ukraine 13%, Italy 6%, Germany 6%, Czechia 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** insulated wire, garments, refined petroleum, seed oils, wheat (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $10.418 billion (2024 est.) $9.84 billion (2023 est.) $10.265 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Romania 16%, Ukraine 13%, China 11%, Turkey 8%, Germany 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, natural gas, cars, packaged medicine, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $5.484 billion (2024 est.) $5.453 billion (2023 est.) $4.474 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $2.637 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 17.792 (2024 est.) 18.164 (2023 est.) 18.897 (2022 est.) 17.68 (2021 est.) 17.322 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 779,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 5.674 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 94 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 1.264 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 550.069 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 88% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 6.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 90,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 86,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 22,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 10,000 cubic meters (2021 est.) consumption: 2.223 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 2.223 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 35.686 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 734,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 3.64 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 120 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster operates 1 TV and 1 radio station; total of nearly 70 terrestrial TV channels and about 50 radio stations; Russian and Romanian channels are available (2019) **Internet country code:** .md **Internet users:** percent of population: 80% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 841,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** ER **Airports:** 10 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 1,171 km (2014) standard gauge: 14 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge broad gauge: 1,157 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 75 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 1, general cargo 44, oil tanker 7, other 22 ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova (Forțele Armate ale Republicii Moldova): National Army (comprised of Land Forces, Air Force) Ministry of Internal Affairs: General Inspectorate of Police (GPI), Border Police Department, Carabinieri Troops Department (2025) note: the Carabinieri is a quasi-militarized gendarmerie responsible for protecting public buildings, maintaining public order, and other national security functions; the GPI is the primary law enforcement body, responsible for internal security, public order, traffic, and criminal investigations **Military expenditures:** 0.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 6,500 Moldovan Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is limited and almost entirely comprised of Soviet-era equipment; in recent years, it has received small amounts of donated equipment from some Western European nations and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; male registration required at age 16; 12-month service obligation; conscientious objectors can perform non-military service in public institutions for a longer period (up to 24 months) (2025) note: as of 2024, women made up about 23% of the military's full-time personnel **Military - note:** the National Army is responsible for defense against external aggression, suppressing illegal military violence along the state border or inside the country, and supporting other internal security forces in maintaining public order if necessary; its primary focuses are Transnistrian separatist forces and their Russian backers; the 1992 war between Moldovan forces and the Transnistrian separatists backed by Russian troops ended with a cease-fire; the separatists maintain several armed paramilitary combat units, plus other security forces and reserves; Russia maintains approximately 1,500 troops in the breakaway region, including some Transnistrian locals who serve as Russian troops; some of those troops are under the authority of a peacekeeping force known as a Joint Control Commission that also includes Moldovan and separatist personnel, while the remainder of the Russian contingent guard a depot of Soviet-era ammunition and train separatist forces Moldova is constitutionally neutral but has maintained a relationship with NATO since 1992 and since 2022 has enhanced bilateral security cooperation with some NATO members; it has contributed small numbers of troops to NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) since 2014, and a civilian NATO liaison office was established in Moldova in 2017 at the request of the Moldovan Government to promote practical cooperation and facilitate support; in 2024, Moldova signed a security and defense partnership agreement with the EU; it maintains close security relations with Romania, a member of the EU and NATO (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 136,845 (2024 est.) IDPs: 6 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 3,164 (2024 est.) --- ## Monaco **Slug:** monaco **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇲🇨 **Codes:** cek: mn, iso2: MC, iso3: MCO, iso_num: 492, genc: MCO, stanag: MCO, internet: .mc ### Introduction **Background:** The Genoese built a fortress on the site of present-day Monaco in 1215. The current ruling GRIMALDI family first seized control in 1297 but was not able to permanently secure its holding until 1419. Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then, the principality's mild climate, coastal Mediterranean scenery, and gambling facilities have made Monaco world-famous as a tourist and recreation center. ### Geography **Location:** Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy **Geographic coordinates:** 43 44 N, 7 24 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 2 sq km land: 2 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about three times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 6 km border countries (1): France 6 km **Coastline:** 4.1 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 12 nm **Climate:** Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers **Terrain:** hilly, rugged, rocky **Elevation:** highest point: Chemin des Revoires on Mont Agel 162 m lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** none **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) arable land: 0% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 100% (2022 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** the second most densely populated country in the world (after Macau); its entire population lives on 2 sq km (0.8 sq mi) **Natural hazards:** none **Geography - note:** second-smallest independent state in the world (after the Holy See); smallest country with a coastline; almost entirely urban ### People and Society **Population:** total: 32,047 (2025 est.) male: 15,467 female: 16,580 **Nationality:** noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s) adjective: Monegasque or Monacan **Ethnic groups:** Monegasque 32.1%, French 19.9%, Italian 15.3%, British 5%, Belgian 2.3%, Swiss 2%, German 1.9%, Russian 1.8%, American 1.1%, Dutch 1.1%, Moroccan 1%, other 16.6% (2016 est.) note: data represent population by country of birth **Languages:** French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 90% (official), other 10% **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 9.1% (male 1,485/female 1,408) 15-64 years: 53.8% (male 8,620/female 8,490) 65 years and over: 37.1% (2024 est.) (male 5,261/female 6,549) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 88.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 16.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 72.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 1.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 57.5 years (2025 est.) male: 55 years female: 58.4 years **Population growth rate:** 0.76% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 6.46 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 11.36 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 12.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the second most densely populated country in the world (after Macau); its entire population lives on 2 sq km (0.8 sq mi) **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 39,000 MONACO (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 5 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 1.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 1.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 89.8 years (2024 est.) male: 86 years female: 93.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.55 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.76 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.7% of GDP (2021) 12% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 8.61 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 7.7% national budget (2023 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 21 years (2024 est.) male: 20 years (2024 est.) female: 22 years (2024 est.) ### Environment **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) arable land: 0% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 100% (2022 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 9.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 46,000 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 5.4% (2012 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 0 cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 0 cubic meters (2017 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Principality of Monaco conventional short form: Monaco local long form: Principauté de Monaco local short form: Monaco etymology: founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century B.C., the name's origin is unclear; it could derive from the Greek term monoikos (solitary), the Ligurian word monegu (rock), or the Basque word muno (mountain) **Government type:** constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Monaco geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 25 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century B.C., the name's origin is unclear; it could derive from the Greek term monoikos (solitary), the Ligurian word monegu (rock), or the Basque word muno (mountain) **Administrative divisions:** no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 4 quarters (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo note: Moneghetti, part of La Condamine, is sometimes called the fifth quarter of Monaco **Legal system:** civil law system influenced by French legal tradition **Constitution:** history: previous 1911 (suspended 1959); latest adopted 17 December 1962 amendment process: proposed by joint agreement of the chief of state (the prince) and the National Council; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of National Council members **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Monaco; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen and father unknown dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005) head of government: Minister of State Christophe MIRMAND (since 21 July 2025) cabinet: Council of Government under the authority of the monarch election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national candidates presented by the French Government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Council (Conseil national) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 24 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 2/5/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Monegasque National Union - l’Union (24) percentage of women in chamber: 45.8% expected date of next election: February 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 5 permanent members and 2 substitutes) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court members appointed by the monarch upon the proposals of the National Council, State Council, Crown Council, Court of Appeal, and Trial Court subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; Civil Court of First Instance **Political parties:** Monegasque National Union (includes Horizon Monaco, Primo!, Union Monegasque) Horizon Monaco Priorite Monaco or Primo! Union Monegasque **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Maguy MACCARIO DOYLE (since 3 December 2013) chancery: 888 17th Street NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 234-1530 FAX: [1] (202) 244-7656 email address and website: info@monacodc.org https://monacodc.org/index.html consulate(s) general: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Ambassador to France is accredited to Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille (France), under the authority of the US Ambassador to France, handles diplomatic and consular matters concerning Monaco; +(33)(1) 43-12-22-22, enter zero "0" after the automated greeting; US Embassy Paris, 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris, France **International organization participation:** CD, CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Schengen Convention (de facto member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO **Independence:** 1419 (beginning of permanent rule by the House of GRIMALDI) **National holiday:** National Day (Saint Rainier's Day), 19 November (1857) **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white history: uses the colors of the ruling House of Grimaldi; colors have been in use since 1339, making it one of the world's oldest national flags note: similar to the flags of Indonesia (longer) and Poland (colors reversed) **National symbol(s):** red and white lozenges (diamond shapes) **National color(s):** red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "A Marcia de Muneghu" (The March of Monaco) lyrics/music: Louis NOTARI/Charles ALBRECHT history: music adopted 1867, lyrics adopted 1931; only the Monegasque lyrics are official; the French version is known as "Hymne Monegasque" (Monegasque Anthem); the words are usually only sung on official occasions ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income European economy; non-EU euro user; considered a tax haven; tourism and banking are largest sectors; negatively impacted by COVID-19; major oceanographic museum; among most expensive real estate; major state-owned enterprises **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $8.924 billion (2024 est.) $8.749 billion (2023 est.) $8.329 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5% (2023 est.) 11% (2022 est.) 22.2% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $270,100 (2024 est.) $256,600 (2023 est.) $226,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $10.434 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 5.9% (2022 est.) 2.1% (2021 est.) 0.5% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** industry: 11.5% (2023 est.) services: 88.5% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** none **Industries:** banking, insurance, tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products **Exports - partners:** Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Spain (2021) **Exports - commodities:** jewelry, perfumes, watches, packaged medicines, cars (2021) top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports - partners:** Italy, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Germany, China (2021) **Imports - commodities:** jewelry, cars and vehicle parts, recreational boats, plastic products, artwork (2021) **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) note: while not an EU member state, Monaco, due to its preexisting monetary and banking agreements with France, has a 1998 monetary agreement with the EU to produce limited euro coinage—but not banknotes—that began enforcement in January 2002 and superseded by a new EU agreement in 2012 ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 36,900 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 96 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 41,500 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 107 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** TV Monte-Carlo operates a TV network; cable TV available; Radio Monte-Carlo has extensive radio networks in France and Italy, with French-language broadcasts to France beginning in the 1960s and Italian-language broadcasts to Italy beginning in the 1970s; other radio stations include Riviera Radio and Radio Monaco **Internet country code:** .mc **Internet users:** percent of population: 99% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 22,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 56 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 3A **Heliports:** 3 (2025) **Railways:** note: Monaco has a single railway station but does not operate its own train service; the French operator SNCF operates rail services in Monaco **Merchant marine:** total: 1 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Monaco ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; Prince’s Company of Carabiniers (Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince, Police Department (Direction de la Sûreté Publique), Fire and Emergency Service (Corps des Sapeurs-pompiers de Monaco) (2025) note: the primary responsibility for the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince is guarding the palace; the Police maintain public order **Military - note:** by treaty, France is responsible for defending the independence and sovereignty of Monaco ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 17 (2024 est.) --- ## Mongolia **Slug:** mongolia **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇲🇳 **Codes:** cek: mg, iso2: MN, iso3: MNG, iso_num: 496, genc: MNG, stanag: MNG, internet: .mn ### Introduction **Background:** The peoples of Mongolia have a long history under a number of nomadic empires dating back to the Xiongnu in the 4th century B.C., and the name Mongol goes back to at least the 11th century A.D. The most famous Mongol, TEMÜÜJIN (aka Genghis Khan), emerged as the ruler of all Mongols in the early 1200s. By the time of his death in 1227, he had created through conquest a Mongol Empire that extended across much of Eurasia. His descendants, including ÖGÖDEI and KHUBILAI (aka Kublai Khan), continued to conquer Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the rest of China, where KHUBILAI established the Yuan Dynasty in the 1270s. The Mongols attempted to invade Japan and Java before their empire broke apart in the 14th century. In the 17th century, Mongolia fell under the rule of the Manchus of the Chinese Qing Dynasty. After Manchu rule collapsed in 1911, Mongolia declared independence, finally winning it in 1921 with help from the Soviet Union. Mongolia became a socialist state (the Mongolian People’s Republic) in 1924. Until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, Mongolia was a Soviet satellite state and relied heavily on economic, military, and political assistance from Moscow. The period was also marked by purges, political repression, economic stagnation, and tensions with China. Mongolia peacefully transitioned to an independent democracy in 1990. In 1992, it adopted a new constitution and established a free-market economy. Since the country's transition, it has conducted a series of successful presidential and legislative elections. Throughout the period, the ex-communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party -- which took the name Mongolian People’s Party (MPP) in 2010 -- has competed for political power with the Democratic Party and several other smaller parties. For most of its democratic history, Mongolia has had a divided government, with the presidency and the parliamentary majority held by different parties but that changed in 2021, when the MPP won the presidency after having secured a supermajority in parliament in 2020. Mongolia’s June 2021 presidential election delivered a decisive victory for MPP candidate Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH. Mongolia maintains close cultural, political, and military ties with Russia, while China is its largest economic partner. Mongolia’s foreign relations are focused on preserving its autonomy by balancing relations with China and Russia, as well as its other major partners, Japan, South Korea, and the US. ### Geography **Location:** Northern Asia, between China and Russia **Geographic coordinates:** 46 00 N, 105 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 1,564,116 sq km land: 1,553,556 sq km water: 10,560 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Alaska; more than twice the size of Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 8,082 km border countries (2): China 4,630 km; Russia 3,452 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges) **Terrain:** vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central **Elevation:** highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Khuiten Peak) 4,374 m lowest point: Hoh Nuur 560 m mean elevation: 1,528 m **Natural resources:** oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron **Land use:** agricultural land: 69% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 68.2% (2023 est.) forest: 9.1% (2023 est.) other: 21.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 796 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Hovsgol Nuur - 2,620 sq km; Har Us Nuur - 1,760 sq km; salt water lake(s): Uvs Nuur - 3,350 sq km; Hyargas Nuur - 1,360 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Amur (shared with China [s] and Russia [m]) - 4,444 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Population distribution:** population sparsely distributed throughout the country; the capital of Ulaanbaatar and the northern city of Darhan support the highest population densities **Natural hazards:** dust storms; grassland and forest fires; drought; "zud," which is harsh winter conditions **Geography - note:** landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia ### People and Society **Population:** total: 3,543,677 (2025 est.) male: 1,733,882 female: 1,809,795 **Nationality:** noun: Mongolian(s) adjective: Mongolian **Ethnic groups:** Khalkh 83.8%, Kazak 3.8%, Durvud 2.6%, Bayad 2%, Buriad 1.4%, Zakhchin 1.2%, Dariganga 1.1%, other 4.1% (2020 est.) **Languages:** Mongolian 90% (official, Khalkha dialect is predominant), Turkic, Russian (1999) major-language sample(s): Дэлхийн баримтат ном, үндсэн мэдээллийн зайлшгүй эх сурвалж. (Mongolian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Buddhist 51.8%, no religion 40.6%, Muslim 3.2%, Shaman 2.5%, Christian 1.3%, Other 0.6% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 25.7% (male 429,867/female 412,943) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 1,087,487/female 1,156,547) 65 years and over: 5.9% (2024 est.) (male 78,242/female 116,590) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 59.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 49.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 9.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 10.5 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 28.8 years (2025 est.) male: 30.1 years female: 32.8 years **Population growth rate:** 1.08% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 18.01 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.35 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population sparsely distributed throughout the country; the capital of Ulaanbaatar and the northern city of Darhan support the highest population densities **Urbanization:** urban population: 69.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.673 million ULAANBAATAR (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 20.5 years (2008 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-24 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 41 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 8.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 22.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 71.9 years (2024 est.) male: 67.8 years female: 76.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.6 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.27 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 94.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 59.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 83.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 5.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 40.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 16.5% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.9% of GDP (2021) 9.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.13 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 10.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 97.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 78.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 91.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 21.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 8.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 20.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 5.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 28.9% (2025 est.) male: 51.9% (2025 est.) female: 7.2% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 1.9% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 60.2% (2020 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.9% (2018) women married by age 18: 12% (2018) men married by age 18: 2.1% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 3.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 13.8% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 98.6% (2023 est.) male: 98.3% (2023 est.) female: 98.9% (2023 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2023 est.) male: 13 years (2023 est.) female: 14 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited natural freshwater resources in some areas; air pollution from coal-burning power plants and lax regulations in Ulaanbaatar; soil erosion from deforestation and overgrazing; water pollution; desertification; effects from mining **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges) **Land use:** agricultural land: 69% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 68.2% (2023 est.) forest: 9.1% (2023 est.) other: 21.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 69.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 19.203 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 13.489 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 5.714 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 41.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 532.2 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 525.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 14.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 2.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.9 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 45.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 166.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 250.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 34.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Mongolia local long form: none local short form: Mongol Uls former: Outer Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic etymology: name comes from the Mongol people, whose name derives from the Mongol root word mengu or mongu, meaning "brave" or "unconquered;" the Mongolian name Mongol Uls translates as "Mongol State" **Government type:** semi-presidential republic **Capital:** name: Ulaanbaatar geographic coordinates: 47 55 N, 106 55 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Saturday in March; ends last Saturday in September time zone note: Mongolia has two time zones - Ulaanbaatar Time (8 hours in advance of UTC) and Hovd Time (7 hours in advance of UTC) etymology: the name means "red hero" in Mongolian and honors national hero Damdin SUKHBAATAR, leader of the partisan army that, with Soviet help, liberated Mongolia from Chinese occupation in the early 1920s **Administrative divisions:** 21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality* (hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan-Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan (Zavkhan), Govi-Altay, Govisumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs **Legal system:** civil law system influenced by Soviet and Romano-Germanic systems; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 13 January 1992, effective 12 February 1992 amendment process: proposed by the State Great Hural, by the president of the republic, by the government, or by petition submitted to the State Great Hural by the Constitutional Court; conducting referenda on proposed amendments requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the State Great Hural; passage of amendments by the State Great Hural requires at least three-quarters majority vote; passage by referendum requires majority participation of qualified voters and a majority of votes **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Mongolia; one parent if born within Mongolia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH (since 25 June 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Gombojavyn ZANDANSHATAR (since 13 June 2025) cabinet: Cabinet directly appointed by the prime minister election/appointment process: presidential candidates nominated by political parties represented in the State Great Hural and directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for one 6-year term; following legislative elections, the State Great Hural usually elects the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister most recent election date: 9 June 2021 election results: 2021: Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH elected president in first round; percent of vote - Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH (MPP) 68%, Dangaasuren ENKHBAT (RPEC) 20.1%, Sodnomzundui ERDENE (DP) 6% 2017: Khaltmaa BATTULGA elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Khaltmaa BATTULGA (DP) 38.1%, Miyegombo ENKHBOLD (MPP) 30.3%, Sainkhuu GANBAATAR (MPRP) 30.2%, invalid 1.4%; percent of vote in second round - Khaltmaa BATTULGA 55.2%, Miyegombo ENKHBOLD 44.8% expected date of next election: 2027 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: State Great Hural (Ulsiin Ih Hural) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 126 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 6/28/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Mongolian People's Party (MPP) (68); Democratic Party (DP) (42); HUN Party (8); Other (8) percentage of women in chamber: 25.4% expected date of next election: June 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the Chief Justice and 24 judges organized into civil, criminal, and administrative chambers); Constitutional Court or Tsets (consists of the chairman and 8 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice and judges appointed by the president on recommendation of the General Council of Courts -- a 14-member body of judges and judicial officials -- to the State Great Hural; appointment is for life; chairman of the Constitutional Court elected from among its members; members appointed from nominations by the State Great Hural - 3 each by the president, the State Great Hural, and the Supreme Court; appointment is 6 years; chairmanship limited to a single renewable 3-year term subordinate courts: aimag (provincial) and capital city appellate courts; soum, inter-soum, and district courts; Administrative Cases Courts **Political parties:** Democratic Party or DP Mongolian People's Party or MPP National Coalition (consists of Mongolian Green Party or MGP and the Mongolian National Democratic Party or MNDP) National Labor Party or HUN Civil Will-Green Party or CWGP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador BATBAYAR Ulziidelger (since 1 December 2021) chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117 FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227 email address and website: washington@mfa.gov.mn http://mongolianembassy.us/ consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Richard L. BUANGAN (since November 2022) embassy: Denver Street #3, 11th Micro-District, Ulaanbaatar 14190 mailing address: 4410 Ulaanbaatar Place, Washington DC 20521-4410 telephone: [976] 7007-6001 FAX: [976] 7007-6174 email address and website: UlaanbaatarACS@state.gov https://mn.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, ARF, CD, CICA, CP, EBRD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, OSCE, SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 29 December 1911 (independence declared from China; in actuality, autonomy attained); 11 July 1921 (from China) **National holiday:** Naadam (games) holiday, 11-15 July; Constitution Day, 26 November (1924) note: the first holiday commemorates independence from China in the 1921 Revolution, and the second marks the date that the Mongolian People's Republic was created under a new constitution **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of red (left side), blue, and red; centered on the left-side red band is the national emblem in yellow, the soyombo, which is an abstract representation of fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang symbol meaning: blue stands for the sky, and red for progress and prosperity **National symbol(s):** Soyombo character (from the Soyombo writing system) **National color(s):** red, blue, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Mongol ulsyn toriin duulal" (National Anthem of Mongolia) lyrics/music: Tsendiin DAMDINSUREN/Bilegiin DAMDINSUREN and Luvsanjamts MURJORJ history: music adopted 1950, lyrics adopted 2006; lyrics altered on numerous occasions **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 6 (4 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Uvs Nuur Basin (n); Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape (c); Petroglyphic Complexes of the Mongolian Altai (c); Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain and surrounding sacred landscape (c); Landscapes of Dauria (n); Deer Stone Monuments and Related Bronze Age Sites (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower middle-income East Asian economy; large human capital improvements over last 3 decades; agricultural and natural resource rich; export and consumption-led growth; high inflation due to supply bottlenecks and increased food and energy prices; currency depreciation **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $59.221 billion (2024 est.) $56.474 billion (2023 est.) $52.572 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.9% (2024 est.) 7.4% (2023 est.) 5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $16,800 (2024 est.) $16,200 (2023 est.) $15,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $23.586 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 6.8% (2024 est.) 10.3% (2023 est.) 15.1% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 7.4% (2024 est.) industry: 38.1% (2024 est.) services: 44.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 49.8% (2024 est.) government consumption: 16.3% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 26.8% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 7.8% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 69.1% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -69.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, wheat, lamb/mutton, potatoes, beef, carrots/turnips, goat milk, goat meat, bison milk, horse meat (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** construction and construction materials; mining (coal, copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, tin, tungsten, gold); oil; food and beverages; processing of animal products, cashmere and natural fiber manufacturing **Industrial production growth rate:** 6.5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 1.449 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.5% (2024 est.) 5.6% (2023 est.) 6.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 13.8% (2024 est.) male: 15.9% (2024 est.) female: 10.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 27.1% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 31.4 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.4% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 24.6% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 2.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.1% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $4.721 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $5.623 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 67.6% of GDP (2021 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 16.9% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $121.266 million (2023 est.) -$2.303 billion (2022 est.) -$2.108 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $15.501 billion (2023 est.) $10.989 billion (2022 est.) $8.95 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 92%, Switzerland 6%, Italy 1%, Thailand 0%, Japan 0% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** coal, copper ore, gold, iron ore, crude petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $13.545 billion (2023 est.) $12.112 billion (2022 est.) $9.256 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 57%, Japan 13%, Germany 3%, Singapore 3%, USA 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, trucks, trailers, tractors, construction vehicles (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $5.508 billion (2024 est.) $4.916 billion (2023 est.) $3.398 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $8.379 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** togrog/tugriks (MNT) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 3,389.982 (2024 est.) 3,465.737 (2023 est.) 3,140.678 (2022 est.) 2,849.289 (2021 est.) 2,813.29 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 1.51 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 8.997 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 24 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 2.224 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.113 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 90.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 6.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 64.824 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 8.941 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 55.884 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 900 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2.52 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 39,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 67.132 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 519,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 4.89 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 141 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-run radio and TV provider is now a public-service provider; also available are 68 radio and 160 TV stations, including multi-channel satellite and cable TV providers; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2019) **Internet country code:** .mn **Internet users:** percent of population: 83% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 499,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** JU **Airports:** 37 (2025) **Railways:** total: 1,815 km (2017) broad gauge: 1,815 km (2017) 1.520-m gauge note: national operator Ulaanbaatar Railway is jointly owned by the Mongolian Government and by the Russian State Railway **Merchant marine:** total: 318 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 8, container ship 8, general cargo 151, oil tanker 58, other 93 ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Mongolian Armed Forces (MAF): Land Force, Air Force, Cyber Security Forces, Special Forces, Construction-Engineering Forces (2025) note: the National Police Agency and the General Authority for Border Protection, which operate under the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs, are primarily responsible for internal security; they are assisted by the General Intelligence Agency under the prime minister **Military expenditures:** 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information varies; estimated 10-20,000 active Mongolian Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the MAF's inventory is comprised largely of Soviet-era and secondhand Russian equipment (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 years of age for voluntary service for men and women; initial service 24 months; compulsory service for men at 18; service obligation is 12 months in the military or police, which can be extended to 15 months under special circumstances; compulsory service can be exchanged for a 24‐month stint in the civil service or a cash payment determined by the Mongolian Government; after conscription, soldiers can contract into military service for up to 4 years (2025) **Military deployments:** 850 South Sudan (UNMISS) (2025) note: since 2002, Mongolia has deployed more than 20,000 peacekeepers and observers to UN operations in more than a dozen countries **Military - note:** the Mongolian Armed Forces (MAF) are responsible for ensuring the country's independence, security, and territorial integrity, as well as supporting Mongolia's developmental goals and diplomacy; it has a range of missions, including counterterrorism, international peacekeeping duties, and assisting the internal security forces in providing emergency aid and disaster relief; Mongolia hosts an annual international peacekeeping exercise known as “Khaan Quest”; it has no formal military alliances, but has defense ties and conducts training exercises with several regional countries and others, such as China, India, Russia, and the US Mongolia actively cooperates with NATO on issues such as counterterrorism, nonproliferation, and cybersecurity through an Individual Partnership and Cooperation Program; it supported the NATO-led Kosovo Force from 2005-2007 and contributed troops to the NATO-led missions in Afghanistan from 2009-2021; Mongolia also is an observer in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 26 (2024 est.) IDPs: 22 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 17 (2024 est.) --- ## Montenegro **Slug:** montenegro **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇲🇪 **Codes:** cek: mj, iso2: ME, iso3: MNE, iso_num: 499, genc: MNE, stanag: MNE, internet: .me ### Introduction **Background:** The use of the name Crna Gora or Black Mountain (Montenegro) began in the 13th century in reference to a highland region in the Serbian province of Zeta. Under Ottoman control beginning in 1496, Montenegro was a semi-autonomous theocracy ruled by a series of bishop princes until 1852, when it became a secular principality. Montenegro fought a series of wars with the Ottomans and eventually won recognition as an independent sovereign principality at the Congress of Berlin in 1878. In 1918, the country was absorbed by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929. At the end of World War II, Montenegro joined the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). When the SFRY dissolved in 1992, Montenegro and Serbia created the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), which shifted in 2003 to a looser State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. Montenegro voted to restore its independence on 3 June 2006. Montenegro became an official EU candidate in 2010 and joined NATO in 2017. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia **Geographic coordinates:** 42 30 N, 19 18 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 13,812 sq km land: 13,452 sq km water: 360 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Connecticut; slightly larger than twice the size of Delaware **Land boundaries:** total: 680 km border countries (5): Albania 186 km; Bosnia and Herzegovina 242 km; Croatia 19 km; Kosovo 76 km; Serbia 157 km **Coastline:** 293.5 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: defined by treaty **Climate:** Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfalls inland **Terrain:** highly indented coastline with narrow coastal plain backed by rugged high limestone mountains and plateaus **Elevation:** highest point: Zia Kolata 2,534 m lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 1,086 m **Natural resources:** bauxite, hydroelectricity **Land use:** agricultural land: 19.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 18.5% (2023 est.) forest: 61.5% (2023 est.) other: 18.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 24 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Scutari (shared with Albania) - 400 sq km note - largest lake in the Balkans **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** highest population density is concentrated in the south and southwest; the extreme eastern border is the least populated area **Natural hazards:** destructive earthquakes **Geography - note:** strategic location along the Adriatic coast ### People and Society **Population:** total: 597,174 (2025 est.) male: 292,908 female: 304,266 **Nationality:** noun: Montenegrin(s) adjective: Montenegrin **Ethnic groups:** Montenegrin 45%, Serbian 28.7%, Bosniak 8.7%, Albanian 4.9%, Muslim 3.3%, Romani 1%, Croat 1%, other 2.6%, unspecified 4.9% (2011 est.) **Languages:** Serbian 42.9%, Montenegrin (official) 37%, Bosnian 5.3%, Albanian 5.3%, Serbo-Croat 2%, other 3.5%, unspecified 4% (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): Knjiga svetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Serbian) Knjiga svjetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Montenegrin/Bosnian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Orthodox 72.1%, Muslim 19.1%, Catholic 3.4%, atheist 1.2%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.6% (2011 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 17.7% (male 54,608/female 51,594) 15-64 years: 64.4% (male 192,631/female 193,515) 65 years and over: 17.9% (2024 est.) (male 47,243/female 60,258) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 56.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 27.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 28.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.5 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 41.5 years (2025 est.) male: 39.5 years female: 42.5 years **Population growth rate:** -0.46% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.77 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 10.29 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -5.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** highest population density is concentrated in the south and southwest; the extreme eastern border is the least populated area **Urbanization:** urban population: 68.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 177,000 PODGORICA (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 26.3 years (2010 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 78.2 years (2024 est.) male: 75.8 years female: 80.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.8 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.88 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 10.6% of GDP (2021) 16.3% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.78 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 3.8 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 93.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 6.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.9% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 23.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 9.91 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.83 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 3.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 31.6% (2025 est.) male: 29.9% (2025 est.) female: 33.1% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 3.7% (2018 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 57.6% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 1.9% (2018) women married by age 18: 5.8% (2018) men married by age 18: 3.2% (2018) **Literacy:** total population: 98.5% (2018 est.) male: 99.2% (2018 est.) female: 97.9% (2018 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 16 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets; serious air pollution in some cities from lignite power plants and household use of coal and wood for heating **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfalls inland **Land use:** agricultural land: 19.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 18.5% (2023 est.) forest: 61.5% (2023 est.) other: 18.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 68.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 2.808 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1.543 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.265 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 17.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 329,800 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 6.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 121.32 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 2.079 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 6.76 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montenegro local long form: none local short form: Crna Gora former: People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro, Republic of Montenegro etymology: the name in Italian means "dark mountain" and is a translation of the Serbo-Croatian name Crna Gora; both refer to the dark coniferous forests in the mountainous region **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Podgorica geographic coordinates: 42 26 N, 19 16 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the Slavic name translates as "under the mountain," from pod (under) and gora (mountain) note: Cetinje retains the status of "Old Royal Capital" **Administrative divisions:** 25 municipalities (opstine, singular - opstina); Andrijevica, Bar, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Gusinje, Herceg Novi, Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac, Niksic, Petnjica, Plav, Pljevlja, Pluzine, Podgorica, Rozaje, Savnik, Tivat, Tuzi, Ulcinj, Zabljak, Zeta **Legal system:** civil law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 22 October 2007 amendment process: proposed by the president of Montenegro, by the government, or by at least 25 members of the Assembly; passage of draft proposals requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, followed by a public hearing; passage of draft amendments requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; changes to certain constitutional articles, such as sovereignty, state symbols, citizenship, and constitutional change procedures, require three-fifths majority vote in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Montenegro dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Jakov MILATOVIC (since 20 May 2023) head of government: Prime Minister Milojko SPAJIC (since 31 October 2023) cabinet: ministers serve as the cabinet election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister nominated by the president, approved by the Assembly most recent election date: 19 March 2023, with a runoff on 2 April 2023 election results: 2023: Jakov MILATOVIC elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Milo DUKANOVIC (DPS) 35.4%, Jakov MILATOVIC (Europe Now!) 28.9%, Andrija MANDIC (DF) 19.3%, Aleksa BECIC (DCG) 11.1%, other 5.3%; percent of vote in second round - Jakov MILATOVIC 58.9%, Milo DUKANOVIC 41.1% 2018: Milo DJUKANOVIC elected president in first round; percent of vote - Milo DJUKANOVIC (DPS) 53.9%, Mladen BOJANIC (independent) 33.4%, Draginja VUKSANOVIC (SDP) 8.2%, Marko MILACIC (PRAVA) 2.8%, other 1.7% expected date of next election: 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Skupstina) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 81 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 6/11/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Europe now! (Evropa sad) (24); Together! For the future that belongs to you (DPS – SD – DUA – LP - UDSh) (21); For the future of Montenegro (New Serb Democracy; Democratic People’s Party of Montenegro, Labour Party) (13); Bravery counts! (HRABRO se broji!) (11); It’s clear! (Jasno je!) – Bosniak Party (6); Other (6) percentage of women in chamber: 27.2% expected date of next election: June 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Vrhovni Sud (consists of the court president, deputy president, and 15 judges); Constitutional Court or Ustavni Sud (consists of the court president and 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president proposed by general session of the Supreme Court and elected by the Judicial Council, a 9-member body consisting of judges, lawyers designated by the Assembly, and the minister of judicial affairs; Supreme Court president elected for a single renewable, 5-year term; other judges elected by the Judicial Council for life; Constitutional Court judges - 2 proposed by the president of Montenegro and 5 by the Assembly, and elected by the Assembly; court president elected from among the court members; court president elected for a 3-year term, other judges serve 9-year terms subordinate courts: Administrative Courts; Appellate Court; Commercial Courts; High Courts; basic courts **Political parties:** Albanian Alliance (electoral coalition includes FORCA, PD, DSCG) Albanian Alternative or AA Albanian Democratic League or LDSH Albanian Forum (electoral coalition includes AA, LDSH, UDSH) Aleksa and Dritan - Count Bravely! (electoral coalition includes Democrats, URA) Bosniak Party or BS Civic Movement United Reform Action or United Reform Action or URA Croatian Civic Initiative or HGI Democratic Alliance or DEMOS Democratic League in Montenegro or DSCG Democratic Montenegro or Democrats Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS Democratic People's Party or DNP Democratic Union of Albanians or UDSH Europe Now! For the Future of Montenegro or ZBCG (coalition includes NSD, DNP, RP) Liberal Party or LP New Democratic Power or FORCA New Serb Democracy or NSD or NOVA Social Democrats or SD Socialist People's Party or SNP Together! (electoral coalition includes DPS, SD, LP, UDSH) United Montenegro or UCG (split from DEMOS) Workers' Party or RP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Jovan MIRKOVIĆ (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 1610 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-6108 FAX: [1] (202) 234-6109 email address and website: usa@mfa.gov.me United States of America - Embassies and consulates of Montenegro and visa regimes for foreign citizens (www.gov.me) consulate(s) general: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Judy Rising REINKE (since 20 December 2018) embassy: Dzona Dzeksona 2, 81000 Podgorica mailing address: 5570 Podgorica Place, Washington DC 20521-5570 telephone: [382] (0) 20-410-500 FAX: [382] (0) 20-241-358 email address and website: PodgoricaACS@state.gov https://me.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO note: Montenegro is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership **Independence:** 3 June 2006 (from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro); notable earlier dates: 13 March 1852 (Principality of Montenegro established); 13 July 1878 (Congress of Berlin recognizes Montenegrin independence); 28 August 1910 (Kingdom of Montenegro established) **National holiday:** Statehood Day, 13 July (1878, 1941) note: the holiday celebrates the day in 1878 when the Berlin Congress recognized Montenegro as an independent state, as well as the day in 1941 when the Montenegrins staged an uprising against its occupiers **Flag:** description: a red field bordered with a narrow golden-yellow stripe; the Montenegrin coat of arms in the center is a double-headed golden eagle, with a crown above; the eagle holds a golden scepter in its right claw and a blue orb in its left; the eagle's breast shield shows a golden lion on a green field in front of a blue sky meaning: the eagle symbolizes the unity of church and state; the lion is a symbol of episcopal authority, a reference to the three-and-a-half centuries when Montenegro was ruled as a theocracy **National symbol(s):** double-headed eagle **National color(s):** red, gold **National anthem(s):** title: "Oj, svijetla majska zoro" (Oh, Bright Dawn of May) lyrics/music: Sekula DRLJEVIC/unknown, arranged by Zarko MIKOVIC history: adopted 2004; music based on a Montenegrin folk song **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor (c); Durmitor National Park (n); Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards (c); Fortified City of Kotor Venetian Defense Works (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income, small Balkan economy; uses euro as de facto currency; reduced growth due to slowdown in tourism and industrial production; new impetus for EU accession under Europe Now government; energy price cap and declining food and services prices easing inflation rate **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $17.375 billion (2024 est.) $16.862 billion (2023 est.) $15.857 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3% (2024 est.) 6.3% (2023 est.) 6.4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $27,900 (2024 est.) $27,000 (2023 est.) $25,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $8.07 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.3% (2024 est.) 8.6% (2023 est.) 13% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 5.2% (2024 est.) industry: 11.6% (2024 est.) services: 62.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 76.3% (2024 est.) government consumption: 17.9% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.2% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 8.3% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 44.9% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -67.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, potatoes, watermelons, grapes, sheep milk, cabbages, oranges, eggs, goat milk, figs (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** steelmaking, aluminum, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism **Industrial production growth rate:** -1.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 245,300 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 14.1% (2024 est.) 14.7% (2023 est.) 14.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 25.9% (2024 est.) male: 27.5% (2024 est.) female: 23.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 20.3% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 34.3 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 24.8% of household expenditures (2022 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 5.6% of household expenditures (2022 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.1% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 24.7% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 10.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 10.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 13.3% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.463 billion (2015 est.) expenditures: $1.491 billion (2015 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 67.2% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions **Current account balance:** -$1.406 billion (2024 est.) -$851.525 million (2023 est.) -$817.858 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $3.629 billion (2024 est.) $3.769 billion (2023 est.) $3.177 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Italy 38%, Serbia 13%, Spain 6%, Slovenia 5%, Bosnia & Herzegovina 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** electricity, aluminum, copper ore, aluminum ore, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $5.478 billion (2024 est.) $5.167 billion (2023 est.) $4.614 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Serbia 21%, China 10%, Germany 8%, Croatia 6%, Italy 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, electricity, packaged medicine, aluminum (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.741 billion (2024 est.) $1.574 billion (2023 est.) $2.041 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $3.643 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.951 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.877 (2020 est.) note: Montenegro, which is neither an EU member state nor a party to a formal EU monetary agreement, uses the euro as its de facto currency ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 1.082 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 2.719 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 6.288 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 5.421 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 601.023 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 39.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 7.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 53% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 1.862 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 1.658 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 205,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 2.8 metric tons (2022 est.) proven reserves: 337 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 9,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 63.407 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 192,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 1.42 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 222 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-funded national radio and TV broadcaster operates 2 terrestrial TV networks, 1 satellite TV channel, and 2 radio networks; 4 local public TV stations and 14 private TV stations; 14 local public radio stations, 35 private radio stations, and several online media (2019) **Internet country code:** .me **Internet users:** percent of population: 90% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 203,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 4O **Airports:** 5 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 250 km (2017) standard gauge: 250 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (224 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 18 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 4, other 14 **Ports:** total ports: 4 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Bar, Kotor, Risan, Tivat ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Army of Montenegro (Vojska Crne Gore or VCG): Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy Ministry of Interior: Police Directorate of Montenegro (2025) **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2025 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 2,000 active-duty military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is small and consists largely of Soviet-era equipment inherited from the former Yugoslavia military, along with a limited but growing mix of imported Western systems (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-30 for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2006 (2025) note: as of 2024, women made up over 11% of the military's full-time personnel **Military - note:** the Army of Montenegro is responsible for the defense of Montenegro’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, cooperating in international and multinational security, and assisting civil authorities during emergencies such as natural disasters; since Montenegro joined NATO in 2017, another focus has been integrating into the Alliance, including adapting NATO standards for planning and professionalization, structural reforms, and modernization by replacing its Soviet-era equipment; the Army trains and exercises with NATO partners and actively supports NATO missions and operations, committing small numbers of troops in Afghanistan, Kosovo, and NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence mission in Eastern Europe; a few personnel have also been deployed on EU- and UN-led operations (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 18,820 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 423 (2024 est.) --- ## Montserrat **Slug:** montserrat **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇲🇸 **Codes:** cek: mh, iso2: MS, iso3: MSR, iso_num: 500, genc: MSR, stanag: MSR, internet: .ms ### Introduction **Background:** English and Irish colonists from St. Kitts first settled on Montserrat in 1632; the first African slaves arrived three decades later. The British and French fought for possession of the island for most of the 18th century, but it finally was confirmed as a British possession in 1783. The island's sugar plantation economy was converted to small farm landholdings in the mid-19th century. The Soufriere Hills Volcano erupted in 1995, devastating much of the island; two thirds of the population fled abroad. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity since, with the last eruption occurring in 2013. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico **Geographic coordinates:** 16 45 N, 62 12 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 102 sq km land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about 0.6 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 40 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation **Terrain:** volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland **Elevation:** highest point: Soufriere Hills volcano pre-eruption height was 915 m; current lava dome is subject to periodic build up and collapse; estimated dome height was 1,050 m in 2015 lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** NEGL **Land use:** agricultural land: 30% (2023 est.) arable land: 20% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 10% (2023 est.) forest: 24.2% (2023 est.) other: 45.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** only the northern half of the island is populated; the southern portion is uninhabitable due to volcanic activity **Natural hazards:** volcanic eruptions; severe hurricanes (June to November) volcanism: Soufrière Hills volcano (915 m) has erupted continuously since 1995; a massive eruption in 1997 destroyed most of the capital, Plymouth, and made about half of the island uninhabitable; the island of Montserrat is part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south **Geography - note:** the island is entirely volcanic in origin and composed of three major volcanic centers of differing ages ### People and Society **Population:** total: 5,499 (2025 est.) male: 2,744 female: 2,755 **Nationality:** noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian **Ethnic groups:** African/Black 86.2%, mixed 4.8%, Hispanic/Spanish 3%, Caucasian/White 2.7%, East Indian/Indian 1.6%, other 1.8% (2018 est.) **Languages:** English **Religions:** Protestant 71.4% (includes Anglican 17.7%, Pentecostal/Full Gospel 16.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 15%, Methodist 13.9%, Church of God 6.7%, other Protestant 2%), Roman Catholic 11.4%, Rastafarian 1.4%, Hindu 1.2%, Jehovah's Witness 1%, Muslim 0.4%, other/not stated 5.1%, none 7.9% (2018 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 15.8% (male 446/female 420) 15-64 years: 76.1% (male 2,062/female 2,101) 65 years and over: 8% (2024 est.) (male 220/female 219) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 31.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 20.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 10.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 9.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 37.1 years (2025 est.) male: 35.4 years female: 37.8 years **Population growth rate:** 0.55% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 11.64 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.18 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** only the northern half of the island is populated; the southern portion is uninhabitable due to volcanic activity **Urbanization:** urban population: 9.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 9.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.1 years (2024 est.) male: 76.9 years female: 75.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.34 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.65 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 98.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 1.9% of population (2022 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 35.8% (2023 est.) **Education expenditure:** 7.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.7% national budget (2025 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** land erosion on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation **Climate:** tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation **Land use:** agricultural land: 30% (2023 est.) arable land: 20% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 10% (2023 est.) forest: 24.2% (2023 est.) other: 45.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 9.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 24,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 24,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montserrat etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in 1493 after the Benedictine abbey Santa Maria de Montserrat, near Barcelona, Spain **Government type:** parliamentary democracy; self-governing overseas territory of the UK **Dependency status:** overseas territory of the UK **Capital:** name: Plymouth geographic coordinates: 16 42 N, 62 13 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: now entirely deserted because of volcanic activity, the city was named after Plymouth, England note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 because of volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, the de facto capital, at the northwest end of Montserrat **Administrative divisions:** 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter **Legal system:** English common law **Constitution:** history: previous 1960; latest put into force 20 October 2010 (The Montserrat Constitution Order 2010) **Citizenship:** see United Kingdom **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Sarah TUCKER (since 6 April 2023) head of government: Premier Easton TAYLOR-FARRELL (since 19 November 2019) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the premier, 3 other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes premier **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Legislative Assembly legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 12 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/18/2019 parties elected and seats per party: MCAP (5); PDM (3); independent (1) percentage of women in chamber: 33.3% expected date of next election: 2024 note: the Assembly elects the speaker from the outside for a 5-year term; the Assembly includes 2 ex-officio members, the attorney general and the financial secretary **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; Montserrat is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, and independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62 subordinate courts: magistrate's court **Political parties:** Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP People's Democratic Movement or PDM **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK); alternate contact is the US Embassy in Barbados [1] (246) 227-4000; US Embassy Bridgetown, Wildey Business Park, St. Michael BB 14006, Barbados, WI **International organization participation:** Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU **Independence:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **National holiday:** Official birthday of King Charles III, usually celebrated the second Saturday in June (1948) **Flag:** description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the right half of the flag; the arms show a woman in a green dress standing beside a yellow harp and embracing a large, dark-brown cross with her right arm meaning: the woman is Erin, the female personification of Ireland, the harp is an Irish symbol, and the cross represents the Christian faith; blue stands for awareness, trustworthiness, determination, and righteousness **National coat of arms:** Montserrat's coat of arms dates back to 1909 and reflects the country's Irish settlers, who first arrived in 1632; the woman in the green dress is Erin, the personification of Ireland, and she holds Ireland's symbol, a gold harp; the cross represents Christianity, Monserrat's predominant religion **National anthem(s):** title: "Motherland" lyrics/music: Howard FERGUS/George IRISH history: adopted 2013; used as a local anthem and for sporting events and local ceremonies title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as a UK territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** formerly high-income economy; volcanic activity destroyed much of original infrastructure and economy; new capital and port is being developed; key geothermal and solar power generation; key music recording operations **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $89.254 million (2024 est.) $86.875 million (2023 est.) $80.972 million (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **Real GDP per capita:** $19,300 (2024 est.) $18,200 (2023 est.) $16,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $84.537 million (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4% (2022 est.) 1.7% (2021 est.) -1.9% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 90.8% (2017 est.) government consumption: 50.4% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 17.9% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 29.5% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -88.6% (2017 est.) **Agricultural products:** cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products **Industries:** tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances **Budget:** revenues: $55.651 million (2014 est.) expenditures: $43.652 million (2014 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Exports - partners:** USA 25%, Antigua & Barbuda 13%, Guyana 13%, Egypt 12%, France 10% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gravel and crushed stone, sand (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports:** $15.3 million (2021 est.) $39.44 million (2017 est.) $36.1 million (2016 est.) **Imports - partners:** USA 62%, Antigua & Barbuda 6%, UK 5%, Belgium 4%, Trinidad & Tobago 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, electric generating sets, cars, stone processing machines, x-ray equipment (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2.7 (2024 est.) 2.7 (2023 est.) 2.7 (2022 est.) 2.7 (2021 est.) 2.7 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2020) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 6,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 15.968 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 370,000 kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 87.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 12.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 200 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 2,990 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 67 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 5,020 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 113 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** Radio Montserrat, a public radio broadcaster, transmits on 1 station and has a repeater transmission to a second station; repeater transmissions from the GEM Radio Network of Trinidad and Tobago provide another 2 radio stations; cable and satellite TV available (2007) **Internet country code:** .ms **Internet users:** percent of population: 54.6% (2011 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2,700 (2018 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 55 (2018 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** VP-M **Airports:** 1 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Defense Force (ceremonial, civil defense duties), Montserrat Police Force (2025) **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the UK --- ## Morocco **Slug:** morocco **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇲🇦 **Codes:** cek: mo, iso2: MA, iso3: MAR, iso_num: 504, genc: MAR, stanag: MAR, internet: .ma ### Introduction **Background:** In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa, a series of Muslim dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In the 16th century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad al-MANSUR (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a golden age. The Alaouite Dynasty, to which the current Moroccan royal family belongs, dates from the 17th century. In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in a half-century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw Morocco's sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French imposed a protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new country that same year. Sultan MOHAMMED V, the current monarch's grandfather, organized the new state as a constitutional monarchy and in 1957 assumed the title of king. Since Spain's 1976 withdrawal from Western Sahara, Morocco has extended its de facto administrative control to roughly 75% of this territory; however, the UN does not recognize Morocco as the administering power for Western Sahara. The UN since 1991 has monitored a cease-fire, which broke down in late 2020, between Morocco and the Polisario Front -- an organization advocating the territory’s independence -- and restarted negotiations over the status of the territory in 2018. In 2020, the US recognized Morocco's sovereignty over all of Western Sahara. In 2011, King MOHAMMED VI responded to the spread of pro-democracy protests in the North Africa region by implementing a reform program that included a new constitution, passed by popular referendum, under which some new powers were extended to parliament and the prime minister, but ultimate authority remains in the hands of the monarch. Later that year, the Justice and Development Party (PJD) -- a moderate Islamist democratic party -- won the largest number of seats in parliamentary elections, becoming the first Islamist party to lead the Moroccan Government. In 2015, Morocco held its first direct elections for regional councils, which was one of the reforms included in the 2011 constitution. The PJD again won the largest number of seats in nationwide parliamentary elections in 2016, but it lost its plurality to the probusiness National Rally of Independents (RNI) in 2021. In 2020, Morocco signed a normalization agreement with Israel, similar to those that Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Sudan had concluded with Israel earlier that year. ### Geography **Location:** Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Mauritania **Geographic coordinates:** 28 30 N, 10 00 W **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 716,550 sq km land: 716,300 sq km water: 250 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than twice the size of California **Land boundaries:** total: 3,523.5 km border countries (3): Algeria 1,941 km; Mauritania 1,564 km; Spain (Ceuta) 8 km and Spain (Melilla) 10.5 km note: an additional 75-meter border segment exists between Morocco and the Spanish exclave of Penon de Velez de la Gomera **Coastline:** 2,945 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** Mediterranean in the north, becoming more extreme in the interior; in the south, hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew note: data does not include former Western Sahara **Terrain:** mountainous northern coast (Rif Mountains) and interior (Atlas Mountains) bordered by large plateaus with intermontane valleys, and fertile coastal plains; the south is mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces **Elevation:** highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m lowest point: Sebkha Tah -59 m mean elevation: 909 m **Natural resources:** phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt **Land use:** agricultural land: 66.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 15.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 4.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 47.1% (2023 est.) forest: 12.8% (2023 est.) other: 20.3% (2023 est.) note: does not include the area of the former Western Sahara, which is almost exclusively desert **Irrigated land:** 17,645 sq km (2019) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Draa - 1,100 km **Population distribution:** the highest population density is found along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts; a number of densely populated agglomerations are scattered through the Atlas Mountains, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** in the north, the mountains are geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts; windstorms; flash floods; landslides; in the south, a hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility **Geography - note:** strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar; the only African nation to have both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines; the waters off the Atlantic coast are particularly rich fishing areas ### People and Society **Population:** total: 37,698,780 (2025 est.) male: 18,824,284 female: 18,874,496 **Nationality:** noun: Moroccan(s) adjective: Moroccan **Ethnic groups:** Arab-Amazigh 99%, other 1% note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara **Languages:** Arabic (official), Tamazight languages (Tamazight (official), Tachelhit, Tarifit), French (often the language of business, government, and diplomacy) major-language sample(s): كتاب ديال لحقائق متاع العالم، احسن مصدر متاع المعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: the proportion of Tamazight speakers is disputed **Religions:** Muslim 99% (official; virtually all Sunni, <0.1% Shia), other 1% (includes Christian, Jewish, and Baha'i); note - Jewish about 3,000-3,500 (2020 est.) note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 25.7% (male 4,898,154/female 4,701,786) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 12,236,752/female 12,410,567) 65 years and over: 8.4% (2024 est.) (male 1,529,357/female 1,610,969) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 51.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 38.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 13.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 7.5 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 30.9 years (2025 est.) male: 30.1 years female: 31 years **Population growth rate:** 0.81% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 16.5 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.66 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the highest population density is found along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts; a number of densely populated agglomerations are scattered through the Atlas Mountains, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 65.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data does not include former Western Sahara **Major urban areas - population:** 3.893 million Casablanca, 1.959 million RABAT (capital), 1.290 million Fes, 1.314 million Tangier, 1.050 million Marrakech, 979,000 Agadir (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 70 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 17.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 20.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 74.2 years (2024 est.) male: 72.5 years female: 76 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.24 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.09 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 65.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 87% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 34.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 13% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.7% of GDP (2021) 6.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.74 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Hospital bed density:** 0.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 98.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 72.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 89.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 27.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 10.9% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 26.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 12.3% (2025 est.) male: 23.7% (2025 est.) female: 0.9% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 3% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 58% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.5% (2018) women married by age 18: 13.7% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 6% of GDP (2023 est.) 23.3% national budget (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 15 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** in the north: land degradation and desertification, with soil erosion from farming, overgrazing, and vegetation removal; water and soil pollution from industrial-waste dumping; in the south: desertification; overgrazing; sparse water note: data does not include former Western Sahara **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification **Climate:** Mediterranean in the north, becoming more extreme in the interior; in the south, hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew note: data does not include former Western Sahara **Land use:** agricultural land: 66.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 15.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 4.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 47.1% (2023 est.) forest: 12.8% (2023 est.) other: 20.3% (2023 est.) note: does not include the area of the former Western Sahara, which is almost exclusively desert **Urbanization:** urban population: 65.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data does not include former Western Sahara **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 64.173 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 23.024 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 39.329 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 1.82 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 13.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 36.6 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 283.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 377.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 4.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 6.852 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 25.4% (2022 est.) note: data does not include former Western Sahara **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 1.063 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 212 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 9.156 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) note: data does not include former Western Sahara **Total renewable water resources:** 29 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) note: data does not include former Western Sahara **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: M'Goun (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco conventional short form: Morocco local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah local short form: Al Maghrib former: French Protectorate in Morocco, Spanish Protectorate in Morocco, Ifni, Spanish Sahara, Western Sahara etymology: the English name of Morocco derives from, respectively, the Spanish and Portuguese names Marruecos and Marrocos, which stem from Marrakesh, the Latin name for the former capital of ancient Morocco; the Arabic name, Al Maghrib, translates as "The West" **Government type:** parliamentary constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Rabat geographic coordinates: 34 01 N, 6 49 W time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: derives from the Arabic name Ribat el-Fath, from the words ribat (fortified monastery) and fath (conquest); the third Almohad sultan, Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Manṣur, gave the name to a fort on the site in the 12th century **Administrative divisions:** 12 regions; Beni Mellal-Khenifra, Casablanca-Settat, Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab, Draa-Tafilalet, Fes-Meknes, Guelmim-Oued Noun, Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Safi, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Kenitra, Souss-Massa, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima note: effective 10 December 2020, the US government recognizes Morocco's sovereignty over the territory of former Western Sahara **Legal system:** mixed system of civil law based on French civil law and Islamic (sharia) law; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest drafted 17 June 2011, approved by referendum 1 July 2011 amendment process: proposed by the king, by the prime minister, or by members in either chamber of Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by both chambers and approval in a referendum; the king can opt to submit self-initiated proposals directly to a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Morocco; if the father is unknown or stateless, the mother must be a citizen dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King MOHAMMED VI (since 30 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Aziz AKHANNOUCH (since 7 October 2021) cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the prime minister in consultation with Parliament and appointed by the monarch; the monarch chooses the ministers of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Islamic Affairs, and National Defense Administration election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; monarch appoints the prime minister from the majority party following legislative elections **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Barlaman) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Majliss-annouwab) number of seats: 395 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/8/2021 parties elected and seats per party: National Rally of Independents (RNI) (102); Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) (87); Istiqlal Party (PI) (81); Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) (34); Popular Movement (MP) (28); Progress and Socialism Party (PPS) (22); Other (41) percentage of women in chamber: 24.3% expected date of next election: September 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: House of Councillors (Majlis al-Mustacharin) number of seats: 120 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 10/5/2021 percentage of women in chamber: 11.7% expected date of next election: October 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (consists of 5-judge panels organized into civil, family matters, commercial, administrative, social, and criminal sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 12 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the Superior Council of Judicial Power, a 20-member body presided over by the monarch, which includes the Supreme Court president, the prosecutor general, representatives of the appeals and first instance courts (among them 1 woman magistrate), the president of the National Council for Human Rights (CNDH), and 5 "notable persons" appointed by the monarch; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court members - 6 designated by the monarch and 6 elected by Parliament; court president appointed by the monarch from among the court members; members serve 9-year nonrenewable terms subordinate courts: courts of appeal; High Court of Justice; administrative and commercial courts; regional and Sadad courts (for religious, civil and administrative, and penal adjudication); first instance courts **Political parties:** Action Party or PA Amal (hope) Party An-Nahj Ad-Dimocrati or An-Nahj or Democratic Way Authenticity and Modernity Party or PAM Constitutional Union Party or UC Democratic and Social Movement or MDS Democratic Forces Front or FFD Environment and Sustainable Development Party or PEDD Federation of the Democratic Left or FGD Green Left Party or PGV Istiqlal (Independence) Party or PI Moroccan Liberal Party or PML Moroccan Union for Democracy or UMD National Democratic Party National Rally of Independents or RNI Neo-Democrats Party Party of Development Reform or PRD Party of Justice and Development or PJD Party of Liberty and Social Justice or PLJS Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS Popular Movement or MP Renaissance and Virtue Party or PRV Renaissance Party Renewal and Equity Party or PRE Shoura (consultation) and Istiqlal Party Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP Unified Socialist Party or GSU Unity and Democracy Party **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Youssef AMRANI (since 27 February 2024) chancery: 3508 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161 email address and website: washingtonembmorocco@maec.gov.ma Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in the United States (diplomatie.ma) consulate(s) general: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Richard Duke BUCHAN III (since 3 December 2025) embassy: Km 5.7 Avenue Mohammed VI, Souissi, Rabat 10170 mailing address: 9400 Rabat Place, Washington DC 20521-9400 telephone: [212] 0537-637-200 FAX: [212] 0537-637-201 email address and website: https://ma.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Casablanca **International organization participation:** ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AIIB, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, CD, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNSC (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 2 March 1956 (from France) **National holiday:** Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999) **Flag:** description: red with a green pentacle (five-pointed linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag meaning: red and green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian Gulf; the pentacle represents the five pillars of Islam and the association between God and the nation history: the design dates to 1912 **National symbol(s):** pentacle symbol, lion **National color(s):** red, green **National anthem(s):** title: "Hymne Cherifien" (Hymn of the Sharif) lyrics/music: Ali Squalli HOUSSAINI/Leo MORGAN history: music adopted 1956, lyrics adopted 1970 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 9 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Medina of Fez; Medina of Marrakesh; Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou; Historic City of Meknes; Archaeological Site of Volubilis; Medina of Tétouan (formerly known as Titawin); Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador); Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida); Historic and Modern Rabat ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower middle-income North African economy; ongoing recovery from recent drought and earthquake; rebounding via tourism, manufacturing, and raw materials processing; significant trade and investment with EU; reform programs include fiscal rebalancing, state enterprise governance and private sector investments **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $350.594 billion (2024 est.) $339.603 billion (2023 est.) $328.425 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.2% (2024 est.) 3.4% (2023 est.) 1.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $9,100 (2024 est.) $8,900 (2023 est.) $8,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $154.431 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1% (2024 est.) 6.1% (2023 est.) 6.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 10.1% (2024 est.) industry: 24.1% (2024 est.) services: 54.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 61.3% (2024 est.) government consumption: 18% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 26.1% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 3.8% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 43.3% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -52.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, milk, potatoes, sugar beets, tomatoes, barley, olives, apples, tangerines/mandarins, onions (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** automotive parts, phosphate mining and processing, aerospace, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, energy, tourism **Industrial production growth rate:** 5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 12.475 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 9% (2024 est.) 9.1% (2023 est.) 9.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 22.1% (2024 est.) male: 22% (2024 est.) female: 22.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 3.9% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Average household expenditures:** on food: 34.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Remittances:** 8.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 8.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 7.7% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $38.458 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $44.819 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 21% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$891.222 million (2023 est.) -$4.8 billion (2022 est.) -$3.349 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $61.746 billion (2023 est.) $58.575 billion (2022 est.) $47.09 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Spain 20%, France 17%, Germany 6%, UK 5%, Italy 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fertilizers, cars, garments, insulated wire, tomatoes (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $73.759 billion (2023 est.) $73.81 billion (2022 est.) $60.215 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Spain 16%, China 11%, France 10%, USA 9%, Turkey 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, vehicle parts/accessories, natural gas, coal (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $37.134 billion (2024 est.) $36.328 billion (2023 est.) $32.314 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $42.262 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Moroccan dirhams (MAD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 9.942 (2024 est.) 10.131 (2023 est.) 10.161 (2022 est.) 8.988 (2021 est.) 9.497 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 14.615 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 36.379 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 462 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 2.311 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 7.781 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 78.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 15.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 10.304 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 25 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 10.344 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 96 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 25 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 296,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 684,000 barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 55.473 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 912.277 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 861.38 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.444 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 23.52 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 3.04 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 58.3 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 153 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 2 TV broadcast networks with state-run Radio-Television Marocaine (RTM) operating one network and the state partially owning the other; foreign TV is available via satellite dish; 3 radio broadcast networks, with RTM operating one; the state-owned network includes 10 regional radio channels in addition to its national service (2019) **Internet country code:** .ma **Internet users:** percent of population: 91% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2.42 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** CN **Airports:** 48 (2025) **Heliports:** 17 (2025) **Railways:** total: 2,067 km (2014) standard gauge: 2,067 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (1,022 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 94 (2023) by type: container ship 6, general cargo 5, oil tanker 2, other 81 **Ports:** total ports: 12 (2024) large: 3 medium: 1 small: 3 very small: 5 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Agadir, Casablanca, Tanger, Tangier-Mediterranean ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR): Royal Moroccan Army (includes the Moroccan Royal Guard), Royal Moroccan Navy (includes Coast Guard, marines), Royal Moroccan Air Force, Moroccan Royal Guard, Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie Ministry of Interior: General Directorate for National Security (DGSN; aka National Police), Auxiliary Forces (2025) note 1: the Royal Guard is officially part of the Army but is under the direct operational control of the Royal Military Household of His Majesty the King; it provides for the security and safety of the King and royal family; it was established in the 11th century and is considered one of the world's oldest active units still in military service note 2: the DGSN manages internal law enforcement in cities; the Gendarmerie is responsible for law enforcement in rural regions and on national highways and has a counterterrorism role; the Auxiliary Forces provide support to the Gendarmerie and DGSN **Military expenditures:** 4% of GDP (2024 est.) 4% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 4.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 4.5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 220,000 active Armed Forces (175,000 Army; 10,000 Navy; 15,000 Air Force, 20,000 Gendarmerie) (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Moroccan military's inventory is mostly a mix of older and some more modern armaments from France and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 19-25 years of age for 12-month compulsory and voluntary military service for men and women (2025) **Military deployments:** 775 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 890 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2025) **Military - note:** the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) are responsible for protecting Morocco’s national interests, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; key areas of concern for the FAR include international terrorism, maritime security, and regional challenges such as the Polisario Front in Western Sahara and Algeria; the Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), an organization that seeks the independence of Western Sahara, disputes Morocco’s claim of sovereignty over the territory; Moroccan and Polisario forces fought intermittently from 1975, when Spain relinquished colonial authority over the territory, until a 1991 cease-fire and the establishment of a UN peacekeeping mission; the Polisario withdrew from the cease-fire in November 2020, and since then there have been reports of low-intensity hostilities between Morocco and the Polisario Front across the 2,500-kilometer-long berm built in 1987 that separates the two sides; Algeria is seen as a regional rival and has openly backed the Polisario Front the FAR participates in international peacekeeping operations, as well as both bilateral and multinational training exercises; it has relations with a variety of partners including the militaries of France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and the US, as well as NATO, the Arab League, and the African Union; Morocco has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation the FAR was created in May 1956; Moroccans were recruited for service in the Spahi and Tirailleur regiments of the French Army during the period of the French protectorate (1912-1956), and Moroccans fought under the French Army during both World Wars, as well as the First Indochina War (1946-1954); the Spanish Army recruited Moroccans from the Spanish Protectorate during both the Rif War (1921-26) and the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) was established by Security Council resolution 690 in April 1991 in accordance with settlement proposals accepted in August 1988 by Morocco and the Polisario Front; MINURSO was unable to carry out all the original settlement proposals, but continues to monitor the cease-fire and reduce the threat of mines and unexploded ordnance, and has provided logistic support to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 18,848 (2024 est.) IDPs: 256 (2024 est.) --- ## Mozambique **Slug:** mozambique **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇲🇿 **Codes:** cek: mz, iso2: MZ, iso3: MOZ, iso_num: 508, genc: MOZ, stanag: MOZ, internet: .mz ### Introduction **Background:** In the first half of the second millennium A.D., northern Mozambican port towns were frequented by traders from Somalia, Ethiopia, Egypt, Arabia, Persia, and India. The Portuguese were able to wrest much of the coastal trade from Arab Muslims in the centuries after 1500, and they set up their own colonies. Portugal did not relinquish Mozambique until 1975. Large-scale emigration, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country's development until the mid-1990s. The ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free-market economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CHISSANO stepped down after 18 years in office. His elected successor, Armando GUEBUZA, served two terms and then passed executive power to Filipe NYUSI in 2015. RENAMO’s residual armed forces intermittently engaged in a low-level insurgency after 2012, but a 2016 cease-fire eventually led to the two sides signing a comprehensive peace deal in 2019. Since 2017, violent extremists -- who an official ISIS media outlet recognized as ISIS's network in Mozambique for the first time in 2019 -- have been conducting attacks against civilians and security services in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. In 2021, Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community deployed forces to support Mozambique’s efforts to counter the extremist group. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania **Geographic coordinates:** 18 15 S, 35 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 799,380 sq km land: 786,380 sq km water: 13,000 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly more than five times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of California **Land boundaries:** total: 4,783 km border countries (6): Malawi 1498 km; South Africa 496 km; Eswatini 108 km; Tanzania 840 km; Zambia 439 km; Zimbabwe 1,402 km **Coastline:** 2,470 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical to subtropical **Terrain:** mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west **Elevation:** highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 345 m **Natural resources:** coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite **Land use:** agricultural land: 52.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 7.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 45.1% (2023 est.) forest: 41.7% (2023 est.) other: 5.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,180 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Malawi (shared with Malawi and Tanzania) - 22,490 **Major rivers (by length in km):** Rio Zambeze (Zambezi) river mouth (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe) - 2,740 km; Rio Limpopo river mouth (shared with South Africa [s], Botswana, and Zimbabwe) - 1,800 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km) **Population distribution:** three large population clusters are found along the southern coast between Maputo and Inhambane, in the central area between Beira and Chimoio along the Zambezi River, and in and around the northern cities of Nampula, Cidade de Nacala, and Pemba; the northwest and southwest are the least populated areas, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces **Geography - note:** the Zambezi River flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country ### People and Society **Population:** total: 34,206,144 (2025 est.) male: 16,880,529 female: 17,325,615 **Nationality:** noun: Mozambican(s) adjective: Mozambican **Ethnic groups:** African 99% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and others), Mestizo 0.8%, other (includes European, Indian, Pakistani, Chinese) 0.2% (2017 est.) **Languages:** Makhuwa 26.1%, Portuguese (official) 16.6%, Tsonga 8.6%, Nyanja 8.1, Sena 7.1%, Lomwe 7.1%, Chuwabo 4.7%, Ndau 3.8%, Tswa 3.8%, other Mozambican languages 11.8%, other 0.5%, unspecified 1.8% (2017 est.) **Religions:** Catholic 27.3%, Islam 19.1%, Pentecostal 16.7%, Saio/Zione 16.3%, no religion 13.5%, other 4.3%, Anglican 1.7%, unknown 1.2% (2017 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 44.7% (male 7,548,247/female 7,350,012) 15-64 years: 52.4% (male 8,428,457/female 9,061,065) 65 years and over: 2.9% (2024 est.) (male 473,030/female 490,143) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 89.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 83.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 18.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 17.4 years (2025 est.) male: 16.7 years female: 17.9 years **Population growth rate:** 2.53% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 36.07 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.34 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** three large population clusters are found along the southern coast between Maputo and Inhambane, in the central area between Beira and Chimoio along the Zambezi River, and in and around the northern cities of Nampula, Cidade de Nacala, and Pemba; the northwest and southwest are the least populated areas, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 38.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.24% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.852 million Matola, 1.163 million MAPUTO (capital), 969,000 Nampula (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.2 years (2011 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 82 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 56.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 60.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 56.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 58.3 years (2024 est.) male: 57.1 years female: 59.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 4.58 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 2.26 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 87.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 48.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 63.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 12.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 51.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 36.8% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9.1% of GDP (2021) 8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.18 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 0.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 71.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 24.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 42.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 28.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 75.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 57.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 7.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 14.3% (2020 est.) male: 23% (2020 est.) female: 5.6% (2020 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 15.4% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 64.8% (2023 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 16.8% (2015) women married by age 18: 52.9% (2015) men married by age 18: 9.7% (2015) **Education expenditure:** 6% of GDP (2022 est.) 20.4% national budget (2021 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 61.7% (2022 est.) male: 74.1% (2022 est.) female: 50.9% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 10 years (2017 est.) male: 11 years (2017 est.) female: 10 years (2017 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** increased population migration to urban and coastal areas; desertification; soil erosion; deforestation; water pollution from artisanal mining; pollution of surface and coastal waters; wildlife preservation (elephant poaching for ivory) **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical to subtropical **Land use:** agricultural land: 52.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 7.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 45.1% (2023 est.) forest: 41.7% (2023 est.) other: 5.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 38.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.24% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 9.549 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: -68,287 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 6.244 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 3.373 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 17.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 320.1 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 169.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 117.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 101.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.5 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 5.2% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 372 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 25 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.076 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 217.1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique conventional short form: Mozambique local long form: Republica de Mocambique local short form: Mocambique former: Portuguese East Africa, People's Republic of Mozambique etymology: named for an offshore island; the island was named after Mussa bin BIQUE (or Mussa Ibn MALIK), an influential Arab slave trader who set himself up as sultan on the island in the 15th century **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Maputo geographic coordinates: 25 57 S, 32 35 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after the Maputo River, which drains into Maputo Bay south of the city; the river is said to be named after the son of Muagobe, a local chief in the 18th century **Administrative divisions:** 10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city (cidade)*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de Maputo*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia **Legal system:** mixed system of Portuguese civil law and customary law **Constitution:** history: previous 1975, 1990; latest adopted 16 November 2004, effective 21 December 2004 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or supported by at least one third of the Assembly of the Republic membership; passage of amendments affecting constitutional provisions, including the independence and sovereignty of the state, the republican form of government, basic rights and freedoms, and universal suffrage, requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly and approval in a referendum; referenda not required for passage of other amendments **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Mozambique dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Daniel Francisco CHAPO (since 15 January 2025) head of government: Prime Minister Maria Benvinda Delfina LEVI (since 17 January 2025) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election/appointment process: president elected directly by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for 2 consecutive terms); prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 9 October 2024 election results: 2024: Daniel CHAPO elected president in first round; percent of vote - Daniel CHAPO (FRELIMO) 65.2%, Venâncio MONDLANE (PODEMOS) 24.2%, Ossufo MOMADE (RENAMO) 6.6% expected date of next election: October 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da Republica) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 250 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 10/9/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) (171); Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique (PODEMOS) (43); Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) (28); Other (8) percentage of women in chamber: 38.3% expected date of next election: October 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 5 judges); Constitutional Council (consists of 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by the president of the republic; vice president appointed by the president in consultation with the Higher Council of the Judiciary (CSMJ) and ratified by the Assembly of the Republic; other judges elected by the Assembly; judges serve 5-year renewable terms; Constitutional Council judges appointed - 1 by the president, 5 by the Assembly, and 1 by the CSMJ; judges serve 5-year nonrenewable terms subordinate courts: Administrative Court (capital city only); provincial courts or Tribunais Judicias de Provincia; District Courts or Tribunais Judicias de Districto; customs courts; maritime courts; courts marshal; labor courts; community courts **Political parties:** Democratic Movement of Mozambique (Movimento Democratico de Mocambique) or MDM Liberation Front of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de Mocambique) or FRELIMO Mozambican National Resistance (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana) or RENAMO **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Alfredo Fabião NUVUNGA (since 19 April 2023) chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 293-7147 FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245 email address and website: washington.dc@embamoc.gov.mz https://usa.embamoc.gov.mz/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Abigail L. DRESSEL (since 11 August 2025) embassy: Avenida Marginal 5467, Maputo mailing address: 2330 Maputo Place, Washington DC 20521-2330 telephone: [258] (84) 095-8000 email address and website: MaputaConsular@state.gov https://mz.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, CPLP, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCDF, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNDSS, UNECA, UNEP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNODC, UNOPS, UNV, UNWTO, Union Latina, UPU, WCO, WFP, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 25 June 1975 (from Portugal) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 25 June (1975) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow, with a red isosceles triangle based on the left side; the black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a five-pointed yellow star with a crossed black-and-white rifle and hoe, on top of an open white book meaning: green stands for the riches of the land, white for peace, black for the African continent, yellow for the country's minerals, and red for the fight for independence; the rifle stands for defense and vigilance, the hoe for agriculture, the open book for the importance of education, and the star for Marxism and internationalism note: one of two national flags featuring a firearm; the other is Guatemala **National symbol(s):** rifle, hoe, and book **National color(s):** green, black, yellow, white, red **National anthem(s):** title: “Pátria Amada” (Lovely Fatherland) lyrics/music: Salomão J. MANHICA/unkown history: adopted 2002; the new anthem reflects the new multi-party political system **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Island of Mozambique ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income East African economy; subsistence farming dominates labor force; return to growth led by agriculture and extractive industries; Islamist insurgency threatens natural gas projects in north; ongoing foreign debt restructuring and resolution under IMF Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $51.786 billion (2024 est.) $50.844 billion (2023 est.) $48.222 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.9% (2024 est.) 5.4% (2023 est.) 4.4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $1,500 (2024 est.) $1,500 (2023 est.) $1,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $22.417 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.1% (2024 est.) 7.1% (2023 est.) 10.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 26.3% (2024 est.) industry: 24.6% (2024 est.) services: 38.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 69% (2024 est.) government consumption: 17.1% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.1% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 42.7% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -52.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** cassava, maize, sugarcane, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas, coconuts, onions (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** aluminum, petroleum products, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco, food, beverages **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.9% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 15.173 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.6% (2024 est.) 3.6% (2023 est.) 3.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 7.4% (2024 est.) male: 7.5% (2024 est.) female: 7.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 62.8% (2019 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 50.3 (2019 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.7% (2019 est.) highest 10%: 41.1% (2019 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $6.243 billion (2024 est.) expenditures: $7.223 billion (2024 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 76.6% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 22.7% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$2.498 billion (2024 est.) -$2.207 billion (2023 est.) -$6.367 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $9.358 billion (2024 est.) $9.405 billion (2023 est.) $9.409 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** India 18%, China 13%, South Africa 9%, UAE 6%, Thailand 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** coal, natural gas, aluminum, gold, precious stones (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $10.488 billion (2024 est.) $11.18 billion (2023 est.) $15.932 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** South Africa 34%, China 14%, India 13%, UAE 6%, Singapore 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, chromium ore, iron alloys, iron ore, palm oil (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $3.843 billion (2024 est.) $3.637 billion (2023 est.) $2.939 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $8.274 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** meticais (MZM) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 63.905 (2024 est.) 63.886 (2023 est.) 63.851 (2022 est.) 65.465 (2021 est.) 69.465 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 33.2% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 79.4% electrification - rural areas: 5% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 2.86 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 12.983 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 11.483 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 8.287 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.38 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 16.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 82.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 10.583 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 13,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 10.658 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 900 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.792 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 42,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 8.873 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 1.625 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 7.09 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2.832 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 5.789 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 28,300 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 17.1 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 state-run TV station supplemented by a private TV station; Portuguese state TV's African service, RTP Africa, and Brazilian-owned TV Miramar are available; state-run radio provides nearly 100% territorial coverage and broadcasts in multiple languages; a number of privately owned and community-operated stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2019) **Internet country code:** .mz **Internet users:** percent of population: 20% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 65,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** C9 **Airports:** 92 (2025) **Railways:** total: 4,787 km (2014) narrow gauge: 4,787 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 36 (2023) by type: general cargo 9, other 27 **Ports:** total ports: 11 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 5 very small: 4 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Beira, Chinde, Inhambane, Maputo, Mocambique, Pebane, Porto Belo ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces for the Defense of Mozambique (Forcas Armadas de Defesa de Mocambique, FADM): Army, Mozambique Navy, Mozambique Air Force Ministry of Interior: Mozambique National Police (PRM; includes the Rapid Intervention Unit, UIR), the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC), Border Security Force; other security forces include the Presidential Guard and the Force for the Protection of High-Level Individuals (2025) note 1: the FADM and other security forces are referred to collectively as the Mozambican Defense and Security Forces (FDS) note 2: the PRM, SERNIC, and the UIR are responsible for law enforcement and internal security; the Border Security Force is responsible for protecting the country’s international borders and for carrying out police duties within 24 miles of borders note 3: in 2023, the Mozambique Government legalized local militias that have been assisting security forces operating in Cabo Delgado against Islamic militants since 2020; this Local Force is comprised of ex-combatants and other civilians and receives training, uniforms, weapons, and logistical support from the FADM **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2024 est.) 2% of GDP (2023 est.) 2% of GDP (2022 est.) 2% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 12,000 active FADM (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the FADM's inventory consists primarily of Soviet-era armaments, although in recent years it has received some secondhand equipment from a number of countries, including India, South Africa, and the UAE, mostly as donations (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** registration for military service is mandatory for all men and women at 18 years of age; 18-35 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary service for men and women; initial 60-month service obligation (2025) **Military - note:** the FADM is responsible for external security, cooperating with police on internal security, and responding to natural disasters and other emergencies; the primary focus of the FADM is countering an insurgency in the northern province of Cabo Delgado by militants affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham terrorist group (ISIS-Mozambique; known locally as Ahl al-Sunna wal-Jama‘a); since 2017, the conflict has claimed an estimated 6,000 lives and displaced an estimated one million persons; at Mozambique's request, Rwanda and several southern African countries under the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) deployed forces to Mozambique to combat the insurgency in 2021; the SADC forces departed in 2024; as of 2025, Rwanda continued to provide approximately 3,000 military and police personnel to assist Mozambican Defense and Security Forces, along with several hundred Tanzanian troops; the EU has also provided training assistance (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Mozambique (ISIS-M) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 24,250 (2024 est.) IDPs: 718,154 (2024 est.) --- ## Namibia **Slug:** namibia **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇳🇦 **Codes:** cek: wa, iso2: NA, iso3: NAM, iso_num: 516, genc: NAM, stanag: NAM, internet: .na ### Introduction **Background:** Various ethnic groups occupied southwestern Africa prior to Germany establishing a colony over most of the territory in 1884. South Africa occupied the colony, then known as German South West Africa, in 1915 during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966, the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that became Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia gained independence in 1990, and SWAPO has governed it since, although the party has dropped much of its Marxist ideology. President Hage GEINGOB was elected in 2014 in a landslide victory, replacing Hifikepunye POHAMBA, who stepped down after serving two terms. SWAPO retained its parliamentary super majority in the 2014 elections. In 2019 elections, GEINGOB was reelected but by a substantially reduced majority, and SWAPO narrowly lost its super majority in parliament. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa **Geographic coordinates:** 22 00 S, 17 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 824,292 sq km land: 823,290 sq km water: 1,002 sq km **Area - comparative:** almost seven times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly more than half the size of Alaska **Land boundaries:** total: 4,220 km border countries (4): Angola 1,427 km; Botswana 1,544 km; South Africa 1,005 km; Zambia 244 km **Coastline:** 1,572 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic **Terrain:** mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east **Elevation:** highest point: Konigstein on Brandberg 2,573 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 1,141 m **Natural resources:** diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore **Land use:** agricultural land: 47.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 46.2% (2023 est.) forest: 9.8% (2023 est.) other: 43.1% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 80 sq km (2012) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Orange river mouth (shared with Lesotho [s], and South Africa) - 2,092 km; Okavango (shared with Angola [s], and Botswana [m]) - 1,600 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Orange (941,351 sq km) Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Lower Kalahari-Stampriet Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin **Population distribution:** population density is very low, with the largest clusters found in the extreme north-central area along the border with Angola, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** prolonged periods of drought **Geography - note:** the Namib Desert, after which the country is named, is considered to be the oldest desert in the world; some 14% of the land is protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,852,777 (2025 est.) male: 1,402,136 female: 1,450,641 **Nationality:** noun: Namibian(s) adjective: Namibian **Ethnic groups:** Ovambo 50%, Kavangos 9%, Herero 7%, Damara 7%, mixed European and African ancestry 6.5%, European 6%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, San 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5% **Languages:** Oshiwambo languages 49.7%, Nama/Damara 11%, Kavango languages 10.4%, Afrikaans 9.4%, Herero languages 9.2%, Zambezi languages 4.9%, English (official) 2.3%, other African languages 1.5%, other European languages 0.7%, other 1% (2016 est.) note: Namibia has 13 recognized national languages, including 10 indigenous African languages and 3 European languages **Religions:** Christian 97.5%, other 0.6% (includes Muslim, Baha'i, Jewish, Buddhist), unaffiliated 1.9% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 34.1% (male 482,790/female 473,306) 15-64 years: 62% (male 846,810/female 890,099) 65 years and over: 3.9% (2024 est.) (male 47,686/female 62,969) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 60.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 54 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 15.5 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 23.1 years (2025 est.) male: 22.1 years female: 23.5 years **Population growth rate:** 1.76% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 23.93 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.36 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population density is very low, with the largest clusters found in the extreme north-central area along the border with Angola, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 54.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 477,000 WINDHOEK (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 21.6 years (2013 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 139 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 27.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 24.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 65.9 years (2024 est.) male: 64.2 years female: 67.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.85 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.4 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 96.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 73.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 85.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 3.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 26.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 14.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9.4% of GDP (2021) 11.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.55 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 70.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 23.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 49% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 29.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 76.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 51% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 17.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 2.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 11.8% (2025 est.) male: 20.5% (2025 est.) female: 3.9% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 33.7% (2018 est.) **Education expenditure:** 9.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 24.6% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 87.6% (2023 est.) male: 87.9% (2023 est.) female: 87.4% (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** depletion and degradation of water and aquatic resources; desertification; land degradation; loss of biodiversity; wildlife poaching **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic **Land use:** agricultural land: 47.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 46.2% (2023 est.) forest: 9.8% (2023 est.) other: 43.1% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 54.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 3.46 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 48,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 3.412 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 11.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 2.1 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 193.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 13.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 0.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 256,700 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 19.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 61.568 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 18.61 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 201 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 39.91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Namibia conventional short form: Namibia local long form: Republic of Namibia local short form: Namibia former: German South-West Africa (Deutsch-Suedwestafrika), South-West Africa etymology: named for the coastal Namib Desert; the word namib comes from the local Nama language and means "an area where there is nothing" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Windhoek geographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 05 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is an Afrikaans word meaning "windy corner;" a local Khoikhoin chief first used the name in the 19th century and may have derived it from the name of his childhood South African village of Winterhoek **Administrative divisions:** 14 regions; Erongo, Hardap, //Karas, Kavango East, Kavango West, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, Zambezi note: the Karas region was renamed //Karas in 2013 to include the alveolar lateral click of the Khoekhoegowab language **Legal system:** mixed system of uncodified civil law based on Roman-Dutch law and customary law **Constitution:** history: adopted 9 February 1990, entered into force 21 March 1990 amendment process: passage requires majority vote of the National Assembly membership and of the National Council of Parliament and assent of the president of the republic; if the National Council fails to pass an amendment, the president can call for a referendum; passage by referendum requires two-thirds majority of votes cast; amendments that detract from or repeal constitutional articles on fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be amended, and the requisite majorities needed by Parliament to amend the constitution cannot be changed **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Namibia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Netumbo NANDI-NDAITWAH (since 21 March 2025) head of government: President Netumbo NANDI-NDAITWAH (since 21 March 2025) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among members of the National Assembly election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 27 November 2024 election results: 2024: Netumbo NANDI-NDAITWAH elected president in the first round; percent of vote -Netumbo NANDI-NDAITWAH (SWAPO) 57%, Panduleni ITULA (IPC) 26%, McHenry VENAANI (PDM) 5.10%, Bernadus SWARTBOOI (LPM) 4.72%, Job AMUPANDA (AR) 1.80%, Hendrik GAOBEAB (UDF) 1.16%; other 3.31% 2019: Hage GEINGOB reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Hage GEINGOB (SWAPO) 56.3%, Panduleni ITULA (independent) 29.4%, McHenry VENAANI (PDM) 5.3%, other .9% expected date of next election: November 2029 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly number of seats: 104 (96 directly elected; 8 appointed) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/27/2024 to 11/30/2024 parties elected and seats per party: SWAPO Party (51); Independent Patriots of Change (IPC) (20); Affirmative Repositioning (AR) (6); Landless People's Movement (LPM) (5); Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) (5); Other (9) percentage of women in chamber: 42.3% expected date of next election: November 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: National Council number of seats: 42 (all indirectly elected) electoral system: proportional representation term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 12/15/2020 percentage of women in chamber: 14.3% expected date of next election: December 2025 note: the Council primarily reviews legislation passed and referred by the National Assembly **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 3 judges in quorum sessions) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president of Namibia on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission; judges serve until age 65, but terms can be extended by the president until age 70 subordinate courts: High Court; Electoral Court, Labor Court; regional and district magistrates' courts; community courts **Political parties:** All People's Party or APP Christian Democratic Voice or CDV Landless People's Movement or LPM National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters or NEFF Popular Democratic Movement or PDM (formerly Democratic Turnhalle Alliance or DTA) Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP Republican Party or RP South West Africa National Union or SWANU South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO United Democratic Front or UDF United People's Movement or UPM **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Wilbard HELLAO (since 16 December 2025) chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443 email address and website: info@namibiaembassyusa.org https://namibiaembassyusa.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador John GIORDANO (since 29 October 2025) embassy: 38 Metje Street, Klein Windhoek, Windhoek mailing address: 2540 Windhoek Place, Washington DC 20521-2540 telephone: [264] (61) 202-5000 FAX: [264] (61) 202-5219 email address and website: ConsularWindhoek@state.gov https://na.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, CPLP (associate observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 21 March (1990) **Flag:** description: a wide red stripe edged with narrow white stripes divides the flag diagonally from lower-left corner to upper-right corner; the upper triangle is blue and has a golden-yellow, 12-ray sunburst, and the lower triangle is green meaning: red stands for the heroism of the people and their determination to build a future of equal opportunity; white stands for peace, unity, tranquility, and harmony; blue stands for the sky and the Atlantic Ocean, the sun for power and existence, and green for vegetation and agricultural resources **National symbol(s):** oryx (antelope) **National color(s):** blue, red, green, white, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Namibia, Land of the Brave" lyrics/music: Axali DOESEB history: adopted 1991 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Twyfelfontein or /Ui-//aes (c); Namib Sand Sea (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income, export-driven Sub-Saharan economy; natural resource rich; Walvis Bay port expansion for trade; high potential for renewable power generation and energy independence; major nature-based tourist locale; natural resource rich; shortage of skilled labor **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $31.154 billion (2024 est.) $30.039 billion (2023 est.) $28.761 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.7% (2024 est.) 4.4% (2023 est.) 5.4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $10,300 (2024 est.) $10,100 (2023 est.) $10,000 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $13.372 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.2% (2024 est.) 5.9% (2023 est.) 6.1% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 7.3% (2024 est.) industry: 28.9% (2024 est.) services: 54.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 79.3% (2024 est.) government consumption: 21.5% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.7% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 1.9% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 41.6% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -68% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** root vegetables, milk, maize, beef, grapes, onions, wheat, fruits, pulses, vegetables (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** mining, tourism, fishing, agriculture **Industrial production growth rate:** 1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 1.131 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 19.2% (2024 est.) 19.4% (2023 est.) 19.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 37.3% (2024 est.) male: 36.7% (2024 est.) female: 38% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 17.4% (2015 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 59.1 (2015 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1% (2015 est.) highest 10%: 47.2% (2015 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $4.415 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $4.779 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 4.64% of GDP (2019 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 33% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$2.055 billion (2024 est.) -$1.893 billion (2023 est.) -$1.605 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $5.887 billion (2024 est.) $5.729 billion (2023 est.) $5.361 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** South Africa 27%, China 12%, Botswana 8%, Belgium 7%, France 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, diamonds, radioactive chemicals, fish, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $9.199 billion (2024 est.) $8.443 billion (2023 est.) $7.43 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** South Africa 36%, China 9%, India 7%, UAE 4%, USA 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, copper ore, ships, electricity, trucks (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $3.356 billion (2024 est.) $2.956 billion (2023 est.) $2.803 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 18.329 (2024 est.) 18.446 (2023 est.) 16.356 (2022 est.) 14.779 (2021 est.) 16.463 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 56.2% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 74.8% electrification - rural areas: 33.2% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 646,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 3.891 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 169 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 2.917 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 747.409 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 1.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 26.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 70% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 24,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 900 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 26,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 350 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 23,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** proven reserves: 62.297 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 21.734 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 77,400 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 2.58 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 85 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 private and 1 state-run TV station; satellite and cable TV service available; state-run radio broadcasts in multiple languages; about a dozen private radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters available **Internet country code:** .na **Internet users:** percent of population: 64% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 104,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** V5 **Airports:** 259 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 2,628 km (2014) narrow gauge: 2,628 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 15 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, other 14 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Luderitz Bay, Walvis Bay ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Namibian Defense Force (NDF): Namibian Army, Namibian Navy, Namibian Air Force (2025) note: the Namibian Police Force is under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security; it has a paramilitary Special Field Force responsible for protecting borders and government installations **Military expenditures:** 2.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 3% of GDP (2022 est.) 3% of GDP (2021 est.) 3.4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 12,000 active Namibian Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the NDF's inventory consists mostly of Soviet-era weapons and equipment; over the past decade, it has received a limited number of newer weapons systems from China and South Africa; Namibia has a small defense industry that produces items such as armored personnel carriers (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service; no conscription (2026) **Military - note:** the NDF’s primary responsibility is defending Namibia's territorial integrity and national interests; other responsibilities include support to civil authorities and participating in peace and stability missions under the African Union, Southern African Development Community, and the UN; Namibia has bilateral defense ties with several countries, including Botswana, India, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia the NDF was created in 1990, largely from demobilized former members of the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) and the South West Africa Territorial Force (SWATF); the PLAN was the armed wing of the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO), while SWATF was an auxiliary of the South African Defense Force and comprised the armed forces of the former South West Africa, 1977-1989; from 1990-1995, the British military assisted with the forming and training the NDF (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 6,575 (2024 est.) IDPs: 1,399 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 14,796 (2024 est.) --- ## Nauru **Slug:** nauru **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇳🇷 **Codes:** cek: nr, iso2: NR, iso3: NRU, iso_num: 520, genc: NRU, stanag: NRU, internet: .nr ### Introduction **Background:** By 1000 B.C., Micronesian and Polynesian settlers inhabited Nauru, and the island was divided among 12 clans. Nauru developed in relative isolation because ocean currents made landfall on the island difficult. As a result, the Nauruan language does not clearly resemble any other in the Pacific region. In 1798, a British mariner was the first European to spot the island and by 1830, European whalers used Nauru as a supply stop, trading firearms for food. A civil war in 1878 reduced the population by more than a third. Germany forcibly annexed Nauru in 1888 by holding the 12 chiefs under house arrest until they consented to the annexation. Phosphate was discovered in 1900 and was heavily mined, although Nauru and Nauruans earned about one tenth of one percent of the profits from the phosphate deposits. Australian forces captured Nauru from Germany during World War I, and in 1919, it was placed under a joint Australian-British-New Zealand mandate with Australian administration. Japan occupied Nauru during World War II and used its residents as forced labor elsewhere in the Pacific while destroying much of the infrastructure on the island. After the war, Nauru became a UN trust territory under Australian administration. In 1962, recognizing the phosphate stocks would eventually be depleted, Australian Prime Minister Robert MENZIES offered to resettle all Nauruans on Curtis Island in Queensland, but Nauruans rejected that plan and opted for independence, which was achieved in 1968. In 1970, Nauru purchased the phosphate mining assets, and income from the mines made Nauruans among the richest people in the world. However, a series of unwise investments led to near bankruptcy by 2000. Widespread phosphate mining officially ceased in 2006. As its economy faltered, Nauru briefly tried to rebrand itself as an offshore banking haven, an initiative that ended in 2005, and the country made a successful bid for Russian humanitarian aid in 2008. In 2001, Australia set up the Nauru Regional Processing Center (NRPC), an offshore refugee detention facility, paying Nauru per person at the center. The NRPC closed in 2008 but reopened in 2012. The number of refugees steadily declined after 2014, and in 2020, the remaining people were moved to Brisbane, Australia, effectively shuttering the NRPC. However, in 2023, Australia agreed to continue funding NRPC for two years and restarted settling asylees in the center in mid-2023. The center remains the Government of Nauru’s largest source of income. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands **Geographic coordinates:** 0 32 S, 166 55 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 21 sq km land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about 0.1 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 30 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February) **Terrain:** sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center **Elevation:** highest point: Command Ridge 70 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** phosphates, fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 20% (2023 est.) arable land: 0% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 20% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 80% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** most people live in the fertile coastal areas, especially along the southwest coast **Natural hazards:** periodic droughts **Geography - note:** Nauru is the third-smallest country in the world behind the Holy See (Vatican City) and Monaco; it is the smallest country in the Pacific Ocean, the smallest country outside Europe, the world's smallest island country, and the world's smallest independent republic; situated just 53 km south of the equator, Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean -- the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia ### People and Society **Population:** total: 9,930 (2025 est.) male: 4,874 female: 5,056 **Nationality:** noun: Nauruan(s) adjective: Nauruan **Ethnic groups:** Nauruan 94.6%, I-Kiribati 2.2%, Fijian 1.3%, other 1.9% (2021 est.) **Languages:** Nauruan 93% (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English 2% (widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes), other 5% (includes Gilbertese 2% and Chinese 2%) (2011 est.) note: data represent main language spoken at home; Nauruan is spoken by 95% of the population, English by 66%, and other languages by 12% **Religions:** Protestant 60.4% (Nauruan Congregational 34.7%, Assemblies of God 11.6%, Pacific Light House 6.3%, Nauru Independent 3.6%, Baptist 1.5, Seventh Day Adventist 1.3%, other Protestant 1.4%), Roman Catholic 33.9%, other 4.2%, none 1.3%, no answer 0.3% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 29.6% (male 1,493/female 1,433) 15-64 years: 66% (male 3,220/female 3,309) 65 years and over: 4.4% (2024 est.) (male 143/female 294) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 50.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 43.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 14.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 28.2 years (2025 est.) male: 27.3 years female: 28.4 years **Population growth rate:** 0.37% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 19.64 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.55 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -9.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most people live in the fertile coastal areas, especially along the southwest coast **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.18% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 273 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 9.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 68.6 years (2024 est.) male: 65 years female: 72.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.52 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.24 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2020 est.) **Health expenditure:** 13.1% of GDP (2021) 11.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.27 physicians/1,000 population (2015) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 61% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 2.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 47.7% (2025 est.) male: 49.3% (2025 est.) female: 46.1% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 3.8% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 57.7% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.7% of GDP (2023 est.) NA 6.6% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 96.6% (2023 est.) male: 93.4% (2023 est.) female: 99.7% (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited natural freshwater resources; effects of intensive phosphate mining that left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland; air and water pollution from cadmium residue, phosphate dust, and other contaminants; rising sea levels **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February) **Land use:** agricultural land: 20% (2023 est.) arable land: 0% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 20% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 80% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.18% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 86,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 86,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 7.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 6,200 tons (2024 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 10 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Nauru conventional short form: Nauru local long form: Republic of Nauru local short form: Nauru former: Pleasant Island etymology: the island name may derive from the Nauruan word "anaoero" meaning "I go to the beach"; the former name, Pleasant Island, came from British navigator John Frean, who visited in 1798 **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: no official capital; government offices in the Yaren District time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) **Administrative divisions:** 14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baitsi, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren **Legal system:** mixed system of common law based on the English model and customary law **Constitution:** history: effective 29 January 1968 amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament; amendments to constitutional articles, such as the republican form of government, protection of fundamental rights and freedoms, the structure and authorities of the executive and legislative branches, also require two-thirds majority of votes in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Suffrage:** 20 years of age; universal and compulsory **Executive branch:** chief of state: President David ADEANG (since 30 October 2023) head of government: President David ADEANG (since 30 October 2023) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among members of Parliament election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by Parliament for 3-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 14 October 2025 election results: 2025: David ADEAGN elected president (unopposed) 2023: David ADEAGN elected president over Delvin THOMA, 10-8 expected date of next election: 2028 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 19 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: Full renewal term in office: 3 years most recent election date: 10/11/2025 percentage of women in chamber: 10.5% expected date of next election: October 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and several justices) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president to serve until age 65 subordinate courts: District Court, Family Court note: in 2017, the Nauruan Government revoked the 1976 High Court Appeals Act, which had allowed appeals beyond the Nauruan Supreme Court, and in 2018, the government formed its own appeals court **Political parties:** Nauru does not have formal political parties; alliances within the government are often formed based on extended family ties **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Lara Erab DANIEL (since 13 January 2025); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN chancery: 801 2nd Avenue, Third Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 937-0074 FAX: [1] (212) 937-0079 email address and website: nauru@onecommonwealth.org https://www.un.int/nauru/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru **International organization participation:** ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICCt, IFAD, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO **Independence:** 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 31 January (1968) **Flag:** description: blue with a narrow horizontal gold stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the left side meaning: blue stands for the Pacific Ocean; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the equator (the gold stripe), and the 12 points stand for the original tribes of Nauru; the star's white color represents phosphate, the basis of the island's wealth **National symbol(s):** frigatebird, calophyllum flower **National color(s):** blue, yellow, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Nauru Bwiema" (Nauru, Our Homeland) lyrics/music: Margaret HENDRIE/Laurence Henry HICKS history: adopted 1968 ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income Pacific island country; phosphate resource exhaustion made island interior uninhabitable; licenses fishing rights; houses Australia’s Regional Processing Centre; former tax haven; largely dependent on foreign subsidies **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $150.581 million (2024 est.) $147.976 million (2023 est.) $147.026 million (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.8% (2024 est.) 0.6% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $12,600 (2024 est.) $12,500 (2023 est.) $12,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $160.351 million (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.6% (2022 est.) 2.4% (2021 est.) 1.8% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **Agricultural products:** coconuts, tropical fruits, pork, eggs, pork offal, pork fat, chicken, papayas, vegetables, cabbages (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products **Remittances:** 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $199.74 million (2020 est.) expenditures: $157.86 million (2020 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 44.4% (of GDP) (2020 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $1.923 million (2023 est.) $2.966 million (2022 est.) $6.597 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $64.931 million (2023 est.) $78.383 million (2022 est.) $54.403 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Thailand 78%, Philippines 11%, NZ 5%, Japan 1%, Canada 1% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fish, phosphates (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports:** $150.193 million (2023 est.) $165.371 million (2022 est.) $141.185 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Australia 50%, Japan 11%, Fiji 9%, Senegal 9%, China 9% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** ships, titanium ore, refined petroleum, plastic products, other foods (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.515 (2024 est.) 1.505 (2023 est.) 1.442 (2022 est.) 1.331 (2021 est.) 1.453 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 19,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 37.893 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.922 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 88% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 12% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 500 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 0 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 10,300 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 87 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 state-owned TV station broadcasting programs from New Zealand; 1 state-owned radio station, broadcasting on AM and FM, uses Australian and British programs (2019) **Internet country code:** .nr **Internet users:** percent of population: 82% (2020 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** C2 **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 6 (2023) by type: other 6 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Nauru ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force **Military - note:** under the terms of a security deal signed in December 2024, Australia and Nauru agreed to “deepen and expand security cooperation” and “consult and consider” in the event of threats; Nauru pledged to seek Australia’s agreement before it signed any bilateral accords on maritime security, defense, and policing, and would receive Australian financial assistance in support of Nauru's police and security needs Nauru has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Nauru's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 95 (2024 est.) --- ## Navassa Island **Slug:** navassa-island **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Codes:** cek: bq, genc: XNV, stanag: UMI, internet: -, comment: ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands ### Introduction **Background:** The US claimed uninhabited Navassa Island in 1857 for its guano. Mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996, and administration of Navassa Island was transferred from the US Coast Guard to the Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it as a "unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity." The following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge, and annual scientific expeditions have continued. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 30 nm west of Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti **Geographic coordinates:** 18 25 N, 75 02 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 5 sq km land: 5.4 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about nine times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 8 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** marine, tropical **Terrain:** raised flat to undulating coral and limestone plateau; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high) **Elevation:** highest point: 200 m NNW of lighthouse 85 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** guano (mining discontinued in 1898) **Land use:** other: 100% (2018 est.) **Natural hazards:** hurricanes **Geography - note:** strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock with numerous solution holes (limestone sinkholes) but with enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig trees, scattered cactus ### People and Society **Population:** total: uninhabited ### Environment **Environmental issues:** some coral bleaching **Climate:** marine, tropical **Land use:** other: 100% (2018 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island etymology: the flat island was named "Navaza" by sailors with the Christopher COLUMBUS expedition in 1504; the name derives from the Spanish word nava, meaning "flat land or level ground" **Dependency status:** unorganized, unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior, from the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto Rico; Haiti has claimed the island since the 19th century **Legal system:** the laws of the US apply **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (territory of the US) **Flag:** the flag of the US is used ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the US --- ## Nepal **Slug:** nepal **Region:** South Asia **Flag:** 🇳🇵 **Codes:** cek: np, iso2: NP, iso3: NPL, iso_num: 524, genc: NPL, stanag: NPL, internet: .np ### Introduction **Background:** During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the principality of Gorkha united many of the other principalities and states of the sub-Himalayan region into a Nepali Kingdom. Nepal retained its independence after the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814-16, and the subsequent peace treaty laid the foundations for two centuries of amicable relations between Britain and Nepal. In 1951, the Nepali monarch ended the century-old system of hereditary rule and instituted a cabinet system that brought political parties into the government. That arrangement lasted until 1960, when political parties were again banned, but it was reinstated in 1990 with the establishment of a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist-led insurgency broke out in 1996. During the ensuing 10-year civil war between Maoist and government forces, the monarchy dissolved the cabinet and parliament. In 2001, Crown Prince DIPENDRA first massacred the royal family and then shot himself. His uncle GYANENDRA became king, and the monarchy reassumed absolute power the next year. A peace accord in 2006 led to the promulgation of an interim constitution in 2007. After a nationwide Constituent Assembly (CA) election in 2008, the newly formed CA declared Nepal a federal democratic republic, abolished the monarchy, and elected the country's first president. When the CA failed to draft a Supreme Court-mandated constitution, then-Prime Minister Baburam BHATTARAI dissolved the CA. An interim government held elections in 2013, in which the Nepali Congress (NC) won the largest share of seats. In 2014, NC formed a coalition government with the second-place Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML). Nepal's new constitution came into effect in 2015, at which point the CA became the Parliament and Khagda Prasad Sharma OLI the first post-constitution prime minister (2015-16). He resigned ahead of a no-confidence motion, and Parliament elected Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) leader Pushpa Kamal DAHAL as prime minister. The parties headed by OLI and DAHAL ran in coalition and swept the parliamentary elections in 2017, and OLI was sworn in as prime minister in 2018. OLI's efforts to dissolve parliament and hold elections were declared unconstitutional in 2021, and the opposition-supported NC leader Sher Bahadur DEUBA was named prime minister. The NC won a majority of seats in the parliamentary elections in 2022, but DAHAL then broke with the ruling coalition and partnered with OLI and the CPN-UML to become prime minister. DAHAL's first cabinet lasted about two months, until OLI withdrew his support over disagreements about ministerial assignments. In early 2023, DAHAL survived a vote of confidence and formed a coalition with the NC to remain prime minister. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Asia, between China and India **Geographic coordinates:** 28 00 N, 84 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 147,181 sq km land: 143,351 sq km water: 3,830 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than New York State **Land boundaries:** total: 3,159 km border countries (2): China 1,389 km; India 1,770 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south **Terrain:** Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south; central hill region with rugged Himalayas in north **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Everest (highest peak in Asia and highest point on earth above sea level) 8,849 m lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m mean elevation: 2,565 m **Natural resources:** quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore **Land use:** agricultural land: 26.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 12.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 12.5% (2023 est.) forest: 43.5% (2023 est.) other: 27.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 12,090 sq km (2022) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Indus (1,081,718 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin **Population distribution:** most of the population is divided nearly equally between a concentration in the southern-most plains of the Tarai region and the central hilly region; overall density is low **Natural hazards:** severe thunderstorms; flooding; landslides; drought and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons **Geography - note:** landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga -- the world's tallest and third-tallest mountains -- on the borders with China and India, respectively ### People and Society **Population:** total: 31,334,402 (2025 est.) male: 15,352,706 female: 15,981,696 **Nationality:** noun: Nepali (singular and plural) adjective: Nepali **Ethnic groups:** Chhettri 16.5%, Brahman-Hill 11.3%, Magar 6.9%, Tharu 6.2%, Tamang 5.6%, Bishwokarma 5%, Musalman 4.9%, Newar 4.6%, Yadav 4.2%, Rai 2.2%, Pariyar 1.9%, Gurung 1.9%, Thakuri 1.7%, Mijar 1.6%, Teli 1.5%, Yakthung/Limbu 1.4%, Chamar/Harijan/Ram 1.4%, Koiri/Kushwaha 1.2%, other 20% (2021 est.) note: 141 caste/ethnic groups were reported in the 2021 national census **Languages:** Nepali (official) 44.9%, Maithali 11.1%, Bhojpuri 6.2%, Tharu 5.9%, Tamang 4.9%, Bajjika 3.9%, Avadhi 3%, Nepalbhasha (Newari) 3%, Magar Dhut 2.8%, Doteli 1.7%, Urdu 1.4%, Yakthung/Limbu 1.2%, Gurung 1.1%, other 8.9% (2021 est.) major-language sample(s): विश्व तथ्य पुस्तक,आधारभूत जानकारीको लागि अपरिहार्य स्रोत (Nepali) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: 123 languages reported as mother tongue in 2021 national census; many in government and business also speak English **Religions:** Hindu 81.2%, Buddhist 8.2%, Muslim 5.1%, Kirat 3.2%, Christian 1.8%; less than 1%: Prakriti, Bon, Jains, Sikh (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 25.8% (male 4,125,244/female 3,909,135) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 10,153,682/female 10,957,011) 65 years and over: 6.4% (2024 est.) (male 961,717/female 1,015,598) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 46.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 37.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 9.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 10.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 28.1 years (2025 est.) male: 26.5 years female: 28.6 years **Population growth rate:** 0.66% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 16.66 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.62 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -4.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is divided nearly equally between a concentration in the southern-most plains of the Tarai region and the central hilly region; overall density is low **Urbanization:** urban population: 21.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.571 million KATHMANDU (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 20.4 years (2016 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 142 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 23.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 25.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 73 years (2024 est.) male: 72.2 years female: 73.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.82 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.88 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 90% of population (2022 est.) rural: 91.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 91.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 10% of population (2022 est.) rural: 8.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 8.8% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.4% of GDP (2021) 8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.01 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 0.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 96.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 89.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 90.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 3.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 10.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 9.3% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 4.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 22.9% (2025 est.) male: 40.3% (2025 est.) female: 7.6% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 18.3% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 75.1% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 5.8% (2022) women married by age 18: 34.9% (2022) men married by age 18: 7% (2022) **Education expenditure:** 3.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 10.8% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 68.7% (2019 est.) male: 79.8% (2019 est.) female: 59.4% (2019 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2023 est.) male: 14 years (2023 est.) female: 14 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); forest degradation; soil erosion; contaminated water from human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents; unmanaged solid waste; wildlife conservation; air pollution from vehicular emissions **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south **Land use:** agricultural land: 26.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 12.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 12.5% (2023 est.) forest: 43.5% (2023 est.) other: 27.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 21.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 11.357 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.025 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 9.332 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 36.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.769 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 4.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 147.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 29.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 9.32 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 210.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Nepal local long form: none local short form: Nepal etymology: the name probably comes from the Sanskrit term nepala, from the words for "fly down" and "house," which would refer to the villages at the base of the mountains **Government type:** federal parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Kathmandu geographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 E time difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name comes from the Nepalese words kath (wooden) and mandu (temple), referring to the local temples that are often still built from wood **Administrative divisions:** 7 provinces (pradesh, singular - pradesh); Bagmati, Gandaki, Karnali, Koshi, Lumbini, Madhesh, Sudurpashchim **Legal system:** English common law and Hindu legal concepts **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest approved by the Second Constituent Assembly 16 September 2015, signed by the president and effective 20 September 2015 amendment process: proposed as a bill by either house of the Federal Parliament; bills affecting a state border or powers delegated to a state must be submitted to the affected state assembly; passage of such bills requires a majority vote of that state assembly membership; bills not requiring state assembly consent require at least two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of the Federal Parliament; parts of the constitution on the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty vested in the people cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 15 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Ram Chandra POUDEL (since 13 March 2023) head of government: Prime Minister Sushila KARKI (since 12 September 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister; cabinet positions shared among Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre, and various coalition partners election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by an electoral college of the Federal Parliament and the state assemblies for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 9 March 2023 election results: 2023: Ram Chandra POUDEL elected president; electoral college vote - Ram Chandra POUDEL (NC) 33,802, Subash Chandra NEMBANG (CPN-UML) 15,518 expected date of next election: 5 March 2026 note: KARKI was sworn in as interim prime minister on 12 September 2025 after Khadga Prasad Sharma OLI resigned on 9 September following violent protests; KARKI will serve until elections are held in March 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Federal Parliament (Sanghiya Sansad) legislative structure: bicameral note: violent student-led protests in early September 2025 led to the resignation of the Prime Minister; the President dissolved Parliament on 12 September 2015 following the swearing in of an interim prime minister and set elections for 5 March 2026; the major political parties have demanded reinstatement of the Parliament **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Pratinidhi Sabha) number of seats: 275 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/20/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Nepali Congress (NC) (89); Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist, UML) (78); Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre (CPN-MC) (32); Rastriya Swatantra Party (20); Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal (RPP) (14); People's Socialist Party, Nepal (12); Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist) (10); Janamat Party (6); Democratic Socialist Party, Nepal (4); People's Freedom Party (3); Nepal Workers Peasants Party (1); Rastriya Janamorcha (1); Independents (5) percentage of women in chamber: 0% expected date of next election: 5 March 2026 note: Parliament was dissolved by the President on 12 September following violent protests, the resignation of the Prime Minister, and the appointment of an interim prime minister with new elections set for March 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly (Rastriya Sabha) number of seats: 59 (56 indirectly elected; 3 appointed) scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 1/25/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 37.3% expected date of next election: January 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and up to 20 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council, a 5-member, high-level advisory body headed by the prime minister; other judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Council, a 5-member advisory body headed by the chief justice; the chief justice serves a 6-year term; judges serve until age 65 subordinate courts: High Court; district courts **Political parties:** Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) or CPN-MC Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) or CPN-UML Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist) or CPN-US Janamat Party Janata Samajbaadi Party or JSP Loktantrik Samajwadi Party or LSP Naya Shakti Party, Nepal Nepali Congress or NC Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party (Nepal Workers' and Peasants' Party) or NWPP Rastriya Janamorcha (National People's Front) Rastriya Prajatantra Party (National Democratic Party) or RPP Rastriya Swatantra Party or RSP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Sharad Raj ARAN (since November 2025) chancery: 2730 34th Place NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534 email address and website: info@nepalembassyusa.org https://us.nepalembassy.gov.np/ consulate(s) general: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Dean R. THOMPSON (since October 2022) embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu mailing address: 6190 Kathmandu Place, Washington DC 20521-6190 telephone: [977] (1) 423-4000 FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272 email address and website: usembktm@state.gov https://np.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, BIMSTEC, CD, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNSOM, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH) **National holiday:** Constitution Day, 20 September (2015) note: replaces the previous Republic Day on 28 May as the official national day in Nepal; the Gregorian date fluctuates based on Nepal’s Hindu calendar **Flag:** description: crimson red with a blue border, in the shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller upper triangle has a stylized white moon, and the larger lower triangle has a 12-pointed white sun meaning: red stands for the rhododendron (the national flower) and victory and bravery, and the blue border for peace and harmony; the two triangles are a combination of two pennants that originally symbolized the Himalaya Mountains, but today they refer to Hinduism and Buddhism, the country's two main religions; the moon stands for the serenity of the people, as well as Himalayan shade and cool weather, and the sun for the heat and higher temperatures in the rest of the country note: Nepal is the only country with a flag that is not rectangular or square **National symbol(s):** rhododendron blossom **National color(s):** red **National anthem(s):** title: "Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka" (Hundreds of Flowers) lyrics/music: Pradeep Kumar RAI/Ambar GURUNG history: adopted 2007 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 4 (2 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Kathmandu Valley (c); Sagarmatha National Park (n); Chitwan National Park (n); Lumbini, Buddha Birthplace (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income South Asian economy; post-conflict fiscal federalism increasing stability; COVID-19 hurt trade and tourism; widening current account deficits; environmentally fragile economy from earthquakes; growing Chinese relations and investments **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $149.643 billion (2024 est.) $144.352 billion (2023 est.) $141.546 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.7% (2024 est.) 2% (2023 est.) 5.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $5,000 (2024 est.) $4,900 (2023 est.) $4,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $42.914 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 7.1% (2023 est.) 7.7% (2022 est.) 4.1% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 21.9% (2024 est.) industry: 11.4% (2024 est.) services: 55.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 86.3% (2024 est.) government consumption: 7.4% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.3% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 6.1% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 7.6% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -32.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** rice, vegetables, potatoes, sugarcane, maize, wheat, bison milk, milk, mangoes/guavas, bananas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, carpets, textiles, small rice, jute, sugar, oilseed mills, cigarettes, cement and brick production **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 8.435 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 10.8% (2024 est.) 10.7% (2023 est.) 10.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 20.8% (2024 est.) male: 19.3% (2024 est.) female: 23.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 20.3% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 30 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.7% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 24.2% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 33.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 25.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 22% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $7.625 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $9.1 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 39.9% of GDP (2021 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 17.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $1.954 billion (2024 est.) $146.66 million (2023 est.) -$3.088 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $3.744 billion (2024 est.) $2.258 billion (2023 est.) $2.106 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** India 67%, USA 12%, Germany 3%, China 2%, UK 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** knotted carpets, garments, flat-rolled iron, synthetic fibers, palm oil (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $17.777 billion (2024 est.) $13.877 billion (2023 est.) $15.227 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** India 71%, China 17%, UAE 3%, Singapore 2%, Germany 1% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, natural gas, garments, iron reductions, broadcasting equipment (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $12.456 billion (2023 est.) $9.319 billion (2022 est.) $9.639 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $5.719 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 133.727 (2024 est.) 132.115 (2023 est.) 125.199 (2022 est.) 118.134 (2021 est.) 118.345 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 91.3% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 97.7% electrification - rural areas: 93.7% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 2.853 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 9.806 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 1.1 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 1.846 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.638 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** solar: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 99% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 9,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 1.091 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 100 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1.076 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 8 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 71,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 6.604 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 408,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 29.6 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state operates 3 TV stations, as well as national and regional radio stations; 117 television channels are licensed, 71 of which are cable TV, 3 are distributed through Direct-To-Home (DTH) system, and 4 are digital terrestrial; 736 FM radio stations are licensed, and at least 314 of those are community stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .np **Internet users:** percent of population: 56% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.44 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 9N **Airports:** 51 (2025) **Heliports:** 14 (2025) **Railways:** total: 59 km (2018) narrow gauge: 59 km (2018) 0.762-m gauge ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Nepalese Armed Forces (Ministry of Defense): Nepali Army (includes Air Wing) Ministry of Home Affairs: Nepal Police, Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) (2025) note: the Nepal Police are responsible for enforcing law and order across the country; the Armed Police Force is responsible for combating terrorism, providing security during riots and public disturbances, assisting in natural disasters, and protecting vital infrastructure, public officials, and the borders; it also conducts counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations and would assist the Army in the event of an external invasion **Military expenditures:** 1% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 95,000 active Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Army's inventory includes a mix of mostly older equipment largely of British, Chinese, Indian, Russian, and South African origin; in recent years, Nepal has received limited amounts of newer hardware from several countries, including China, Indonesia, Italy, and Russia (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; upper age limit varies; no conscription (2025) **Military deployments:** 1240 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,150 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 440 Golan Heights (UNDOF); 875 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 225 Liberia (UNSMIL); 100 South Sudan/Sudan (UNISFA); 1,750 (plus about 200 police) South Sudan (UNMISS) (2025) **Military - note:** the Nepali Army is responsible for territorial defense, fulfilling Nepal's commitments to UN peacekeeping, and some domestic duties such as disaster relief/humanitarian assistance, social services, and nature conservation efforts; during the 10-year civil war that ended in 2006, it conducted counterinsurgency operations against Maoist guerrillas; the Army has a long history of supporting UN missions, having sent its first UN observers to Lebanon in 1958 and its first troop contingent to Egypt in 1974; as of 2025, 150,000 Nepali military personnel have deployed on over 40 UN missions; Nepal's key security partners are China, India, and the US the British began to recruit Nepalese citizens (Gurkhas) into the East India Company Army during the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816); the Gurkhas subsequently were brought into the British Indian Army and by 1914, there were 10 Gurkha regiments, collectively known as the Gurkha Brigade; following the partition of India in 1947, an agreement between Nepal, India, and Great Britain allowed for the transfer of the 10 regiments from the British Indian Army to the separate British and Indian armies; four regiments were transferred to the British Army, where they have since served continuously as the Brigade of Gurkhas; six Gurkha (aka Gorkha in India) regiments went to the new Indian Army; a seventh regiment was later added; Gurkhas are also recruited into the Singaporean Police and a special guard in the Sultanate of Brunei known as the Gurkha Reserve Unit (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Indian Mujahedeen note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 19,874 (2024 est.) IDPs: 18,671 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 467 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Nepal remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/nepal/ --- ## Netherlands **Slug:** netherlands **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇳🇱 **Codes:** cek: nl, iso2: NL, iso3: NLD, iso_num: 528, genc: NLD, stanag: NLD, internet: .nl ### Introduction **Background:** The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1581; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After 18 years of French domination, the Netherlands regained its independence in 1813. In 1830, Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I but suffered German invasion and occupation in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU) and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999. In 2010, the former Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and the three smallest islands -- Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba -- became special municipalities in the Netherlands administrative structure. The larger islands of Sint Maarten and Curacao joined the Netherlands and Aruba as constituent countries forming the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 2018, the Sint Eustatius island council (governing body) was dissolved and replaced by a government commissioner to restore the integrity of public administration. According to the Dutch Government, the intervention will be as "short as possible and as long as needed." ### Geography **Location:** Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany **Geographic coordinates:** 52 31 N, 5 46 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 41,543 sq km land: 33,893 sq km water: 7,650 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey **Land boundaries:** total: 1,053 km border countries (2): Belgium 478 km; Germany 575 km **Coastline:** 451 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters **Terrain:** mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Scenery (on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, now considered an integral part of the Netherlands following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles) 862 m lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m mean elevation: 30 m note: the highest point on continental Netherlands is Vaalserberg at 322 m **Natural resources:** natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 53.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 30% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 22.5% (2023 est.) forest: 10.9% (2023 est.) other: 35.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 2,969 sq km (2019) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Rijn (Rhine) river mouth (shared with Switzerland [s], Germany, and France) - 1,233 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km) **Population distribution:** an area known as the Randstad, anchored by the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, the Hague, and Utrecht, is the most densely populated region; the north tends to be less dense, but sizeable communities can be found throughout the entire country **Natural hazards:** flooding volcanism: Mount Scenery (887 m), located on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, last erupted in 1640; Round Hill (601 m), a dormant volcano also known as "The Quill," is located on the island of St. Eustatius in the Caribbean; these islands are at the northern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends south to Grenada **Geography - note:** located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine (Rijn), Meuse (Maas), and Scheldt (Schelde)); about a quarter of the country lies below sea level and only about half of the land exceeds one meter above sea level ### People and Society **Population:** total: 17,833,885 (2025 est.) male: 8,874,366 female: 8,959,519 **Nationality:** noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch **Ethnic groups:** Dutch 75.4%, EU (excluding Dutch) 6.4%, Turkish 2.4%, Moroccan 2.4%, Surinamese 2.1%, Indonesian 2%, other 9.3% (2021 est.) **Languages:** Dutch (official), Frisian (official in Fryslan province) major-language sample(s): Het Wereld Feitenboek, een onmisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: Frisian, Low Saxon, Limburgish, Romani, and Yiddish have protected status; Dutch is the official language of the three special municipalities of the Caribbean Netherlands; English is a recognized regional language on Sint Eustatius and Saba; Papiamento is a recognized regional language on Bonaire **Religions:** Roman Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.8% (includes Dutch Reformed, Protestant Church of The Netherlands, Calvinist), Muslim 5%, other 5.9% (includes Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish), none 54.1% (2019 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 15.2% (male 1,384,142/female 1,312,455) 15-64 years: 64.1% (male 5,750,034/female 5,640,691) 65 years and over: 20.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,709,924/female 1,975,132) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 56.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 23.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 33 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 42.2 years (2025 est.) male: 40.9 years female: 43.5 years **Population growth rate:** 0.3% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.68 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.7 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 2.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** an area known as the Randstad, anchored by the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, the Hague, and Utrecht, is the most densely populated region; the north tends to be less dense, but sizeable communities can be found throughout the entire country **Urbanization:** urban population: 93.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.174 million AMSTERDAM (capital), 1.018 million Rotterdam (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 30.2 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 81.9 years (2024 est.) male: 80.3 years female: 83.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.62 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.79 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 11.3% of GDP (2021) 15.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.88 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 2.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 20.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 8.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.95 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 18.7% (2025 est.) male: 21% (2025 est.) female: 16.4% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 53.5% (2023 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 12% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 19 years (2021 est.) male: 18 years (2021 est.) female: 19 years (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution, including industrial and agricultural chemicals in rivers; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters **Land use:** agricultural land: 53.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 30% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 22.5% (2023 est.) forest: 10.9% (2023 est.) other: 35.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 93.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 188.191 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 23.701 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 112.037 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 52.454 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 10 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 63.1 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 449 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 123.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 17.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 8.805 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 28.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 2.185 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 5.784 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 265.086 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 2 (2024) global geoparks and regional networks: De Hondsrug; Schelde Delta (includes Belgium) (2024) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands conventional short form: Netherlands local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden local short form: Nederland abbreviation: NL etymology: the English name is derived from the country's Dutch name, which means "the lowlands" and describes the geographic area; only about half the Netherlands is more than 1 meter (3.3 ft) above sea level **Government type:** parliamentary constitutional monarchy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands **Capital:** name: Amsterdam geographic coordinates: 52 21 N, 4 55 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October time zone note: time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, for the constituent countries in the Caribbean, the time difference is UTC-4 etymology: the name is derived from the Dutch name of the local river, the Amstel, and the Dutch word dam, which has the same meaning in English; the river name is said to derive from the Germanic words ama (current) and stelle (place) note: The Hague is the seat of government **Administrative divisions:** 12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie), 3 public entities* (openbare lichamen, singular - openbaar lichaam (Dutch); entidatnan publiko, singular - entidat publiko (Papiamento)); Bonaire*, Drenthe, Flevoland, Fryslan (Friesland), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant (North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland), Overijssel, Saba*, Sint Eustatius*, Utrecht, Zeeland (Zealand), Zuid-Holland (South Holland) note 1: the Netherlands is one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the other three, Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten, are Caribbean islands; all four are considered equal partners, but the Netherlands makes up about 98% of the Kingdom's total land area and population and administers most of the Kingdom's affairs note 2: although Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are officially incorporated into the country of the Netherlands under the broad designation of "public entities," Dutch government sources often call them "special municipalities;" Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are collectively referred to as the Caribbean Netherlands **Legal system:** civil law system based on the French system; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General **Constitution:** history: many previous to adoption of the "Basic Law of the Kingdom of the Netherlands" on 24 August 1815; revised 8 times, the latest in 1983 amendment process: proposed as an Act of Parliament by or on behalf of the king or by the Second Chamber of the States General; the Second Chamber is dissolved after its first reading of the Act; passage requires a second reading by both the First Chamber and the newly elected Second Chamber, followed by at least two-thirds majority vote of both chambers, and ratification by the king **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Netherlands dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER (since 30 April 2013) head of government: Caretaker Prime Minister Dick SCHOOF (since 3 June 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; following Second Chamber elections, the monarch usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime ministers are also appointed by the monarch note: Prime Minister Dick SCHOOF resigned on 3 June 2025 after a party withdrew from his governing coalition, but he will continue in a caretaker capacity until new elections are held, probably in the fall of 2025 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: States General (Staten-Generaal) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal) number of seats: 150 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/29/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Democrats 66 (D66) (26); Party for Freedom (PVV) (26); People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) (22); Green Left - Labour Party (PvdA) (20); Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) (18); JA21 (9); Other (29) percentage of women in chamber: 42.7% expected date of next election: October 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal) number of seats: 75 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 5/30/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 40% expected date of next election: May 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (consists of 41 judges: the president, 6 vice presidents, 31 justices, and 3 justices in exceptional service); the court is divided into criminal, civil, tax, and ombuds chambers judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the monarch from a list provided by the House of Representatives of the States General; justices appointed for life or until mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: courts of appeal; district courts, each with up to 5 subdistrict courts; Netherlands Commercial Court **Political parties:** Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA Christian Union or CU Correct Answer 2021 or JA21 Democrats 66 or D66 Denk Farmer-Citizen Movement or BBB 50Plus Forum for Democracy or FvD Green Left (GroenLinks) or GL Labor Party or PvdA New Social Contract or NSC Party for Freedom or PVV Party for the Animals or PvdD People's Party for Freedom and Democracy or VVD Reformed Political Party or SGP Socialist Party or SP Together or BIJ1 Volt Netherlands or Volt **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Birgitta TAZELAAR (since 15 September 2023) chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430 email address and website: was@minbuza.nl https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/countries/united-states/about-us/embassy-in-washington-dc consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph POPOLO (since 29 October 2025) embassy: John Adams Park 1, 2244 BZ Wassenaar mailing address: 5780 Amsterdam Place, Washington DC 20521-5780 telephone: [31] (70) 310-2209 FAX: [31] (70) 310-2207 email address and website: AmsterdamUSC@state.gov https://nl.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Amsterdam **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 26 July 1581 note: the northern provinces of the Low Countries formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration in 1581, but, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence **National holiday:** King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967) note: observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a Sunday **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of bright red (top), white, and cobalt blue history: the colors come from WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange; originally the upper band was orange, but the dye would turn red over time, so red was eventually made the permanent color note: similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is wider **National symbol(s):** lion, daisy **National color(s):** orange **National anthem(s):** title: "Het Wilhelmus" (The William) lyrics/music: Philips VAN MARNIX van Sint Aldegonde (presumed)/unknown history: adopted 1932, in use since the 17th century **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 13 (12 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Schokland and Surroundings (c); Dutch Water Defense Lines (c); Van Nellefabriek (c); Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout (c); Droogmakerij de Beemster (Beemster Polder) (c); Rietveld Schröderhuis (Rietveld Schröder House) (c); Wadden Sea (n); Seventeenth Century Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht (c); Colonies of Benevolence (c); Frontiers of the Roman Empire - The Lower German Limes (c) note: includes one site in Curacao ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, core EU- and eurozone-member economy; strong services, logistics, and tech sectors; strongly trade-oriented with heightened risks from global tensions; declining inflation aided by easing energy prices and wage growth; rising but manageable deficits and public debt; strong ratings for innovation, competitiveness, and business climate **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.276 trillion (2024 est.) $1.263 trillion (2023 est.) $1.263 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1% (2024 est.) 0.1% (2023 est.) 5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $70,900 (2024 est.) $70,700 (2023 est.) $71,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.228 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.3% (2024 est.) 3.8% (2023 est.) 10% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.7% (2024 est.) industry: 17.9% (2024 est.) services: 70.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 42.1% (2023 est.) government consumption: 24.5% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.1% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -0.1% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 88.5% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -77.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, sugar beets, potatoes, onions, pork, wheat, chicken, tomatoes, carrots/turnips, beef (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing **Industrial production growth rate:** -1.5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 10.315 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.6% (2024 est.) 3.6% (2023 est.) 3.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 8.2% (2024 est.) male: 8.4% (2024 est.) female: 7.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 14.5% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 25.7 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 11.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.6% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 21.4% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $451.11 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $455.334 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 56.5% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment, debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions **Taxes and other revenues:** 24.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $121.825 billion (2024 est.) $113.676 billion (2023 est.) $69.676 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.032 trillion (2024 est.) $1.022 trillion (2023 est.) $1.007 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 16%, Belgium 15%, France 11%, Italy 6%, USA 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, vaccines, machinery, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $884.154 billion (2024 est.) $893.132 billion (2023 est.) $915.294 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 16%, Belgium 10%, China 10%, USA 10%, UK 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, cars, natural gas (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $79.129 billion (2024 est.) $69.83 billion (2023 est.) $63.353 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 59.982 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 108.141 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 25.206 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 19.547 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 4.936 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 46.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 17.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 24.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 8.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 1 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 0.48GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 3.2% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 1 (2025) **Coal:** production: 1.761 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 12.796 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 13.586 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 24.663 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 3.247 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 70,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 840,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 137.747 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 11.788 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 31.288 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 45.129 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 66.783 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 132.608 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 185.536 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 3.98 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 23.4 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 129 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** more than 90% of households are connected to cable or satellite TV systems with a wide range of domestic and foreign channels; public service broadcast system includes multiple broadcasters, 3 with a national reach and the remainder in regional and local markets; 2 nationwide commercial TV companies, each with 3 or more stations, and many commercial TV stations in regional and local markets; nearly 600 radio stations with a mix of public and private stations **Internet country code:** .nl **Internet users:** percent of population: 97% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 7.83 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** PH **Airports:** 44 (2025) note: Includes 3 airports in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba **Heliports:** 194 (2025) **Railways:** total: 3,055 km (2020) 2,310 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 1,187 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 11, container ship 36, general cargo 521, oil tanker 27, other 592 **Ports:** total ports: 18 (2024) large: 2 medium: 4 small: 5 very small: 7 ports with oil terminals: 12 key ports: Amsterdam, Dordrecht, Europoort, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Netherlands (Dutch) Armed Forces (Nederlandse Krijgsmacht): Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Military Constabulary) (2025) note 1: the Netherlands Coast Guard and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard are civilian in nature but managed by the Royal Netherlands Navy note 2: the core missions of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee are border security, security and surveillance, and international and military police tasks note 3: the Netherlands (or National) Police maintain internal security and report to the Ministry of Justice and Security, which oversees law enforcement organizations, as do the justice ministries in Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten **Military expenditures:** 2.5% of GDP (2025 est.) 2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 43,000 active-duty professional military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory consists of a mix of domestically produced and modern European- and US-sourced equipment; the Netherlands has an advanced domestic defense industry that focuses on armored vehicles, naval ships, and air defense systems; it also participates with the US and other European countries on joint development and production of advanced weapons systems (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 17 years of age for voluntary service for men and women; the military is an all-volunteer force; conscription remains in place, but the requirement to show up for compulsory military service was suspended in 1997 (2025) **Military deployments:** 350 Lithuania (NATO); 150 Romania (NATO); approximately 800 deployed to Dutch territories in the Caribbean (2025) note: the Netherlands contributes naval assets to support freedom of the sea missions in such places as the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz; it also assists with monitoring the airspace of the eastern flank of NATO territory by means of fighter aircraft and provides some ground personnel to a variety of other NATO, UN, and EU security missions **Military - note:** the Dutch military is charged with the three core tasks of defending the country’s national territory and that of its allies, enforcing the national and international rule of law, and providing assistance during disasters and other crises; it also has some domestic security duties, including in the Dutch Caribbean territories; the military operates globally but rarely carries out its operations independently, focusing instead on working through NATO and bilaterally with regional partners; it has particularly close ties with Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and the UK, including some combined military units and staffs the Netherlands has been a member of NATO since its founding in 1949, and the Dutch military is involved in NATO missions and operations with air, ground, and naval forces, including air policing missions over the Benelux countries and Eastern Europe, NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative in the Baltic States and Eastern Europe, and several NATO naval flotillas, as well as standby units for NATO’s rapid response force; the military has previously deployed forces to NATO-led operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo and also contributes to EU- and UN-led missions; Royal Netherlands Marechaussee detachments have been included in international police units deployed by NATO (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Netherlands Space Office (NSO; established 2009) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a national space program focused on developing advanced space technologies and services based on satellite data; builds and operates a range of satellites, including communications and remote sensing (RS); researches and develops technologies related to astrophysics, atmospheric measuring instruments, planetary/exoplanetary research, propulsion systems, RS, robotics, and telecommunications; founding member of the ESA and active in the EU space community; hosts the ESA's main research and technology center; participates in building European satellite launch vehicles and a range of other European space programs, such as Copernicus Earth observation and the Galileo global navigation satellite system; participates in international programs, including the International Space Station and the Square Kilometer Array project; works with other foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Japan and the US; has a robust commercial space sector (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1960s - established space program 1974-1983 - developed advanced astronomical observatory satellites jointly with US, including the Astronomical Netherlands Satellite and the Infrared Astronomical Satellite 1985 - first Dutch citizen in space on the US Space Shuttle 2023 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration 2025 - launched the first of four planned synthetic aperture radar (SAR) remote sensing satellites ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 310,239 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 4,428 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## New Caledonia **Slug:** new-caledonia **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇳🇨 **Codes:** cek: nc, iso2: NC, iso3: NCL, iso_num: 540, genc: NCL, stanag: NCL, internet: .nc ### Introduction **Background:** The first humans settled in New Caledonia around 1600 B.C. The Lapita were skilled navigators, and evidence of their pottery around the Pacific has served as a guide for understanding human expansion in the region. Successive waves of migrants from other islands in Melanesia intermarried with the Lapita, giving rise to the Kanak ethnic group considered indigenous to New Caledonia. British explorer James COOK was the first European to visit New Caledonia in 1774, giving it the Latin name for Scotland. Missionaries first landed in New Caledonia in 1840. In 1853, France annexed New Caledonia to preclude any British attempt to claim the island. France declared it a penal colony in 1864 and sent more than 20,000 prisoners to New Caledonia in the ensuing three decades. Nickel was discovered in 1864, and French prisoners were directed to mine it. France brought in indentured servants and enslaved labor from elsewhere in Southeast Asia to work the mines, blocking Kanaks from accessing the most profitable part of the local economy. In 1878, High Chief ATAI led a rebellion against French rule. The Kanaks were relegated to reservations, leading to periodic smaller uprisings and culminating in a large revolt in 1917 that colonial authorities brutally suppressed. During World War II, New Caledonia became an important base for Allied troops, and the US moved its South Pacific headquarters to the island in 1942. Following the war, France made New Caledonia an overseas territory and granted French citizenship to all inhabitants in 1953, thereby permitting the Kanaks to move off the reservations. The Kanak nationalist movement began in the 1950s, but most voters chose to remain a territory in an independence referendum in 1958. The European population of New Caledonia boomed in the 1970s with a renewed focus on nickel mining, reigniting Kanak nationalism. Key Kanak leaders were assassinated in the early 1980s, leading to escalating violence and dozens of fatalities. The Matignon Accords of 1988 provided for a 10-year transition period. The Noumea Accord of 1998 transferred increasing governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia over a 20-year period and provided for three independence referenda. In the first held in 2018, voters rejected independence by 57% to 43%; in the second held in 2020, voters rejected independence 53% to 47%. In the third referendum held in 2021, voters rejected independence 96% to 4%; however, a boycott by key Kanak groups spurred challenges about the legitimacy of the vote. Pro-independence parties subsequently won a majority in the New Caledonian Government for the first time. France and New Caledonia officials remain in talks about the status of the territory. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia **Geographic coordinates:** 21 30 S, 165 30 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 18,575 sq km land: 18,275 sq km water: 300 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than New Jersey **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 2,254 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid **Terrain:** coastal plains with interior mountains **Elevation:** highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper **Land use:** agricultural land: 10.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 9.5% (2023 est.) forest: 48.8% (2023 est.) other: 41.1% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 100 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** most of the populace lives in the southern part of the main island, in and around the capital of Noumea **Natural hazards:** cyclones, most frequent from November to March volcanism: Matthew and Hunter Islands are historically active **Geography - note:** consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyauté, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls ### People and Society **Population:** total: 307,612 (2025 est.) male: 153,036 female: 154,576 **Nationality:** noun: New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian **Ethnic groups:** Kanak 39.1%, European 27.1%, Wallisian, Futunian 8.2%, Tahitian 2.1%, Indonesian 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1%, Vietnamese 0.9%, other 17.7%, unspecified 2.5% (2014 est.) **Languages:** French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Christian 85.2%, Muslim 2.8%, other 1.6%, unaffiliated 10.4% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 20.7% (male 32,238/female 30,858) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 104,825/female 103,349) 65 years and over: 10.8% (2024 est.) (male 14,326/female 18,571) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 46.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 16.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 6.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 34.6 years (2025 est.) male: 33.5 years female: 35.1 years **Population growth rate:** 1.11% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 13.6 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 3.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the populace lives in the southern part of the main island, in and around the capital of Noumea **Urbanization:** urban population: 72.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 198,000 NOUMEA (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 4.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 79.3 years (2024 est.) male: 75.4 years female: 83.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.82 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.89 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 99.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.5% of population (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.24 physicians/1,000 population (2018) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 46.4% (2019 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** preservation of coral reefs; prevention of invasive species; limiting erosion caused by nickel mining and forest fires **Climate:** tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid **Land use:** agricultural land: 10.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 9.5% (2023 est.) forest: 48.8% (2023 est.) other: 41.1% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 72.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 4.887 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.312 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.575 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 108,200 tons (2024 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies conventional short form: New Caledonia local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Calédonie et dépendances local short form: Nouvelle-Calédonie etymology: the name came from British explorer Captain James COOK in 1774 and uses the Latin name for Scotland, Caledonia **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (Territorial Congress); an overseas collectivity of France **Dependency status:** special collectivity of France note: independence referenda took place in 2018, 2020, and 2021, with a majority voting in each case to reject independence in favor of the status quo **Capital:** name: Noumea geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: established in 1854 as Port-de-France, the settlement was renamed Noumea in 1866 to avoid confusion with Fort-de-France in Martinique; the name Noumea may come from the local name of the peninsula the city was founded on **Administrative divisions:** 3 provinces; Province Iles (Islands Province), Province Nord (North Province), and Province Sud (South Province) **Legal system:** civil law system based on French civil law **Constitution:** history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution with changes as reflected in the Noumea Accord of 5 May 1998) amendment process: French constitution amendment procedures apply **Citizenship:** see France **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by High Commissioner Jacques BILLANT (since 3 May 2025) head of government: President of the Government Alcide PONGA (since 8 January 2025) cabinet: Cabinet elected from and by the Territorial Congress election/appointment process: French president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of New Caledonia elected by Territorial Congress for a 5-year term (no term limits) most recent election date: 8 July 2021 election results: 2025: Alcide PONGA (The Republicans) elected president by Territorial Congress with 6 of 11 votes 2021: Louis MAPOU (PALIKA) elected president by Territorial Congress with 6 of 11 votes expected date of next election: 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Territorial Congress (Congrès du Territoire) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 54 (indirectly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 5/12/2019 parties elected and seats per party: Future With Confidence 18, UNI 9, UC 9, CE 7, FLNKS 6, Oceanic Awakening 3, PT 1, LKS 1 (Anti-Independence 28, Pro-Independence 26) expected date of next election: December 2025 note 1: the Customary Senate is the assembly of the various traditional councils of the Kanaks, the indigenous population; it rules on laws affecting Kanaks note 2: New Caledonia indirectly elects 2 members to the French Senate and directly elects 2 members to the French National Assembly (see France entry for electoral details) **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; organized into civil, commercial, social, and pre-trial investigation chambers; court bench normally includes the court president and 2 counselors); Administrative Court (number of judges NA) judge selection and term of office: judge appointment and tenure based on France's judicial system subordinate courts: Courts of First Instance include: civil, juvenile, commercial, labor, police, criminal, assizes, and also a pre-trial investigation chamber; Joint Commerce Tribunal; administrative courts note: final appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are referred to the Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (in Paris); final appeals beyond the Administrative Court are referred to the Administrative Court of Appeal (in Paris) **Political parties:** Caledonia Together or CE Caledonian Union or UC Future With Confidence or AEC Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (alliance includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM) Labor Party or PT National Union for Independence or UNI Oceanian Awakening Party of Kanak Liberation or PALIKA Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS The Republicans (formerly The Rally or UMP) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas territory of France) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (overseas territory of France) **International organization participation:** ITUC (NGOs), PIF, SPC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WMO **Independence:** none (overseas collectivity of France) note: in three independence referenda, on 4 November 2018, 4 October 2020, and 12 December 2021, the majority voted to reject independence in favor of maintaining the status quo **National holiday:** Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790) note 1: the local holiday is New Caledonia Day, 24 September (1853) note 2: often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, France's national celebration commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on 14 July 1789 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are la Fête nationale (National Holiday) and le Quatorze Juillet (14th of July) **Flag:** description: the country has two official flags with equal status, the flag of France and the Kanak (ethnic Melanesian) flag; the latter consists of three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a large yellow disk shifted slightly to the left side is edged in black and displays a black fleche faîtière symbol, a native rooftop adornment **National symbol(s):** flèche faîtière (native rooftop adornment), kagu bird **National color(s):** grey, red **National coat of arms:** the emblem features two symbols of the local Kanak people: the flèche faîtière, which is a common rooftop adornment on houses, and the nautilus shell, which represents the sea; the third part of the emblem is a stylized representation of a New Caledonia pine tree **National anthem(s):** title: "Soyons unis, devenons frères" (Let Us Be United, Let Us Become Brothers) lyrics/music: Chorale Melodia (a local choir), Edouard “Gulaan” Wamedjo (Nengone)/Chorale Melodia history: adopted 2010; contains a mixture of lyrics in both French and Nengone (a local language) _____ title: "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille) lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle history: official anthem, as a self-governing French territory **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural); note - excerpted from the France entry selected World Heritage Site locales: Lagoons of New Caledonia ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income French Pacific territorial economy; enormous nickel reserves; ongoing French independence negotiations; large Chinese nickel exporter; luxury eco-tourism destination; large French aid recipient; high cost-of-living; lingering wealth disparities **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $8.469 billion (2024 est.) $8.642 billion (2023 est.) $8.678 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.5% (2022 est.) -2.1% (2021 est.) -2.4% (2020 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $34,600 (2024 est.) $35,000 (2023 est.) $33,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $10.129 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.7% (2022 est.) 0.6% (2021 est.) -0.5% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.8% (2019 est.) industry: 22.3% (2019 est.) services: 65.2% (2019 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 65.6% (2017 est.) government consumption: 23.5% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 27.9% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 21% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -37.9% (2017 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** coconuts, vegetables, fruits, pork, beef, maize, eggs, bananas, yams, oranges (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** nickel mining and smelting **Labor force:** 130,800 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 11.2% (2024 est.) 11% (2023 est.) 10.8% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 32.7% (2024 est.) male: 30.2% (2024 est.) female: 35.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 6.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 6.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 6.6% of GDP (2020 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.995 billion (2015 est.) expenditures: $1.993 billion (2015 est.) **Current account balance:** -$654.237 million (2016 est.) -$1.119 billion (2015 est.) -$1.3 billion (2014 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.92 billion (2021 est.) $1.8 billion (2020 est.) $1.79 billion (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 75%, Japan 9%, Taiwan 3%, India 3%, France 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** iron alloys, nickel, nickel ore, processed crustaceans, shellfish (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $2.26 billion (2021 est.) $2.1 billion (2020 est.) $2.48 billion (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** France 36%, Singapore 16%, Australia 15%, China 6%, NZ 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, coal, cars, aircraft, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 110.306 (2024 est.) 110.347 (2023 est.) 113.474 (2022 est.) 100.88 (2021 est.) 104.711 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 1.174 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 3.02 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 66.3 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 73.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 7.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 17.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 1.026 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1.001 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 17,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 46,600 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 263,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 92 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** the publicly owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which operates in France's overseas departments and territories, broadcasts over the RFO Nouvelle-Calédonie TV and radio stations; a small number of privately owned radio stations also broadcast **Internet country code:** .nc **Internet users:** percent of population: 82% (2017 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 56,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 21 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 23 (2023) by type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 1, other 17 **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Baie de Kouaoua, Baie Ugue, Noumea ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; Territorial Directorate of the National Police of New Caledonia (DTPN), Gendarmerie of New Caledonia (2025) **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of France, which bases land, air, and naval forces on New Caledonia (Forces Armées de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, FANC) --- ## New Zealand **Slug:** new-zealand **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇳🇿 **Codes:** cek: nz, iso2: NZ, iso3: NZL, iso_num: 554, genc: NZL, stanag: NZL, internet: .nz ### Introduction **Background:** Polynesians settled New Zealand between the late 1200s and the mid-1300s. They called the land Aotearoa, which legend holds is the name of the canoe that Kupe, the first Polynesian in New Zealand, used to sail to the country; the name Aotearoa is now in widespread use as the local Maori name for the country. By the 1500s, competition for land and resources led to intermittent fighting between different Maori tribes as large game became extinct. Dutch explorer Abel TASMAN was the first European to see the islands in 1642 but left after an encounter with local Maori. British sea captain James COOK arrived in 1769, followed by whalers, sealers, and traders. The UK only nominally claimed New Zealand and included it as part of New South Wales in Australia. Concerns about increasing lawlessness led the UK to appoint its first British Resident in New Zealand in 1832, although the position had few legal powers. In 1835, some Maori tribes from the North Island declared independence. Fearing an impending French settlement and takeover, the majority of Maori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi with the British in 1840. Land tenure issues stemming from the treaty are still being actively negotiated in New Zealand. The UK declared New Zealand a separate colony in 1841 and granted limited self-government in 1852. Different traditions of authority and land use led to a series of wars between Europeans and various Maori tribes from the 1840s to the 1870s. Along with disease, these conflicts halved the Maori population. In the 1890s, New Zealand initially expressed interest in joining independence talks with Australia but ultimately opted against it and changed its status to an independent dominion in 1907. New Zealand provided more than 100,000 troops during each World War, many of whom fought as part of the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). New Zealand reaffirmed its independence in 1947 and signed the Australia, New Zealand, and US (ANZUS) Treaty in 1951. Beginning in 1984, New Zealand began to adopt nuclear-free policies, contributing to a dispute with the US over naval ship visits that led the US to suspend its defense obligations to New Zealand in 1986, but bilateral relations and military ties have been revitalized since the 2010s with new security agreements. A key challenge for Auckland that has emerged over the past decade is balancing concerns over China’s growing influence in the Pacific region with its role as New Zealand's largest export destination. New Zealand has close ties with Australia based to a large extent on the two nations’ common origins as British colonies and their shared military history. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia **Geographic coordinates:** 41 00 S, 174 00 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 268,838 sq km land: 264,537 sq km water: 4,301 sq km note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands **Area - comparative:** almost twice the size of North Carolina; about the size of Colorado **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 15,134 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** temperate with sharp regional contrasts **Terrain:** predominately mountainous with large coastal plains **Elevation:** highest point: Aoraki/Mount Cook 3,724 m; note - the mountain's height was 3,764 m until 14 December 1991 when it lost about 10 m in an avalanche of rock and ice; erosion of the ice cap since then has brought the height down another 30 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 388 m **Natural resources:** natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone **Land use:** agricultural land: 36.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 34.6% (2023 est.) forest: 38.6% (2023 est.) other: 24.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 7,000 sq km (2014) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Taupo - 610 sq km **Population distribution:** over three quarters of New Zealanders, including the Maori, live on the North Island, primarily in urban areas **Natural hazards:** earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity volcanism: significant volcanism on North Island; Ruapehu (2,797 m) has a history of large eruptions in the past century; Taranaki has the potential to produce dangerous avalanches and lahars; other historically active volcanoes include Okataina, Raoul Island, Tongariro, and White Island; see note 2 under "Geography - note" **Geography - note:** note 1: consists of two main islands and a number of smaller islands; South Island, the larger main island, is the 12th-largest island in the world and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps; North Island is the 14th-largest island in the world and is not as mountainous, but it is marked by volcanism note 2: New Zealand lies along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes note 3: almost 90% of the population lives in cities and over three-quarters on North Island; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world ### People and Society **Population:** total: 5,207,259 (2025 est.) male: 2,607,574 female: 2,599,685 **Nationality:** noun: New Zealander(s) adjective: New Zealand **Ethnic groups:** European 64.1%, Maori 16.5%, Chinese 4.9%, Indian 4.7%, Samoan 3.9%, Tongan 1.8%, Cook Islands Maori 1.7%, English 1.5%, Filipino 1.5%, New Zealander 1%, other 13.7% (2018 est.) note: based on the 2018 census of the usually resident population; percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one ethnic group **Languages:** English (de facto official) 95.4%, Maori (de jure official) 4%, Samoan 2.2%, Northern Chinese 2%, Hindi 1.5%, French 1.2%, Yue 1.1%, New Zealand Sign Language (de jure official) 0.5%, other or not stated 17.2% (2018 est.) note: shares sum to 124.1% due to multiple responses on the 2018 census **Religions:** Christian 37.3% (Catholic 10.1%, Anglican 6.8%, Presbyterian and Congregational 5.2%, Pentecostal 1.8%, Methodist 1.6%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.2%, other 10.7%), Hindu 2.7%, Maori 1.3%, Muslim, 1.3%, Buddhist 1.1%, other religion 1.6% (includes Judaism, Spiritualism and New Age religions, Baha'i, Asian religions other than Buddhism), no religion 48.6%, objected to answering 6.7% (2018 est.) note: based on the 2018 census of the usually resident population; percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one religion **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 19% (male 503,120/female 475,490) 15-64 years: 64.2% (male 1,674,407/female 1,638,276) 65 years and over: 16.9% (2024 est.) (male 407,080/female 462,838) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 56.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 29.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 26.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 38.1 years (2025 est.) male: 37.2 years female: 38.6 years **Population growth rate:** 0.83% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 12.4 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.93 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 2.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** over three quarters of New Zealanders, including the Maori, live on the North Island, primarily in urban areas **Urbanization:** urban population: 87% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.673 million Auckland, 422,000 WELLINGTON (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 27.8 years **Maternal mortality ratio:** 7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 82.9 years (2024 est.) male: 81.2 years female: 84.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.84 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.9 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 10% of GDP (2021) 19.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.61 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 2.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 30.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 9.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 1.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 10% (2025 est.) male: 11.2% (2025 est.) female: 8.9% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 57.7% (2018 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 12.7% national budget (2023 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 19 years (2023 est.) male: 19 years (2023 est.) female: 20 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water quality and availability; rapid urbanization; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** temperate with sharp regional contrasts **Land use:** agricultural land: 36.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 34.6% (2023 est.) forest: 38.6% (2023 est.) other: 24.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 87% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 33.506 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 4.24 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 21.836 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 7.43 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 8.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 95.4 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,105.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 158.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 6.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.405 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 22% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 547 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 1.184 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 3.207 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 327 billion cubic meters (2022) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: New Zealand former: Nieuw Zeeland abbreviation: NZ etymology: the name is an anglicized form of the Dutch name Nieuw Zeeland, or "New Sea Land," which was first used in 1643 in honor of the Dutch province of Zeeland **Government type:** parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm **Capital:** name: Wellington geographic coordinates: 41 18 S, 174 47 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April time zone note: New Zealand has two time zones: New Zealand standard time (UTC+12) and Chatham Islands time (45 minutes in advance of New Zealand standard time; UTC+12:45) etymology: named in 1840 after Arthur WELLESLEY, the first Duke of Wellington, who was famous for his victory at Waterloo in 1815 and was a benefactor of the New Zealand Company that settled North Island **Administrative divisions:** 16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wellington, West Coast **Dependent areas:** Tokelau (1) **Legal system:** common law system, based on English model, with special legislation and land courts for the Maori **Constitution:** history: New Zealand has no single constitution document; the Constitution Act 1986, effective 1 January 1987, includes only part of the uncodified constitution; others include a collection of statutes or "acts of Parliament," the Treaty of Waitangi, Orders in Council, letters patent, court decisions, and unwritten conventions amendment process: proposed as bill by Parliament or by referendum called either by the government or by citizens; passage of a bill as an act normally requires two separate readings with committee reviews in between to make changes and corrections, a third reading approved by the House of Representatives membership or by the majority of votes in a referendum, and assent of the governor-general; passage of amendments to reserved constitutional provisions affecting the term of Parliament, electoral districts, and voting restrictions requires approval by 75% of the House membership or the majority of votes in a referendum **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of New Zealand dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General Dame Cindy KIRO (since 21 October 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Christopher LUXON (since 27 November 2023) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor-general on the recommendation of the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor-general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the governor-general appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime minister also appointed by the governor-general **Legislative branch:** legislature name: House of Representatives legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 120 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 3 years most recent election date: 10/14/2023 parties elected and seats per party: National Party (49); Labour Party (34); Green Party (14); ACT New Zealand (11); New Zealand First (8); Te Pāti Māori (4); Others (2) percentage of women in chamber: 45.1% expected date of next election: 7 November 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 5 justices, including the chief justice) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor-general upon the recommendation of the attorney- general; justices appointed until compulsory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; tribunals and authorities; district courts; specialized courts for issues related to employment, environment, family, Maori lands, youth, military; tribunals **Political parties:** ACT New Zealand Green Party New Zealand First Party or NZ First Labor Party National Party Te Pāti Māori **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Rosemary BANKS (since 17 June 2024) chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5277 email address and website: wshinfo@mfat.govt.nz https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/countries-and-regions/americas/united-states-of-america/ consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires David GEHRENBECK (since January 2025); note - also accredited to Samoa embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington 6011 mailing address: 4370 Auckland Place, Washington DC 20521-4370 telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000 FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490 email address and website: AucklandACS@state.gov https://nz.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Auckland **International organization participation:** ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF, SICA (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 26 September 1907 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840); Anzac Day, 25 April (1915) note: the Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand, and the second holiday commemorates the landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps in Gallipoli, Turkey, during World War I **Flag:** description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant, with four five-pointed red stars edged in white centered in the right half of the flag meaning: the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation **National symbol(s):** Southern Cross constellation (four five-pointed stars), kiwi (bird), silver fern **National color(s):** black, white, red (ochre) **National coat of arms:** the first quarter of the shield shows four stars that represent the Southern Cross constellation and three ships that symbolize New Zealand's sea trade; in the second quarter, a fleece represents the sheep farming industry; the wheat sheaf in the third quarter represents the agricultural industry; the crossed hammers in the fourth quarter represent mining; the Māori chieftain holds a taiaha (a Māori war weapon) and a European woman holds the New Zealand flag; St. Edward's crown, shown above the shield, symbolizes the British monarch **National anthem(s):** title: "God Defend New Zealand" “Aotearoa” (Māori) lyrics/music: Thomas BRACKEN [English], Thomas Henry SMITH [Maori]/John Joseph WOODS history: adopted 1940 as the national song, adopted 1977 as one of two official national anthems _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: royal anthem and one of two official national anthems; usually played only when a member of the royal family or a representative is present or when allegiance to the crown is demonstrated note: New Zealand is one of only two countries that has two national anthems of equal status (Denmark is the other) **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 natural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Te Wahipounamu – South West New Zealand (n); Tongariro National Park (m); New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, globally integrated Pacific island economy; strong agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism sectors; reliant on Chinese market for exports; recovery trajectory following deep post-pandemic recession; challenges of fiscal deficits, below-average productivity, cost of living, and drop in net migration **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $257.117 billion (2024 est.) $257.443 billion (2023 est.) $253.903 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -0.1% (2024 est.) 1.4% (2023 est.) 3.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $48,200 (2024 est.) $49,100 (2023 est.) $49,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $260.236 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.9% (2024 est.) 5.7% (2023 est.) 7.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 4.6% (2022 est.) industry: 19.6% (2022 est.) services: 67.4% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 57.5% (2022 est.) government consumption: 20.9% (2022 est.) investment in fixed capital: 25.4% (2022 est.) investment in inventories: 0.9% (2022 est.) exports of goods and services: 24% (2022 est.) imports of goods and services: -29.4% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, beef, kiwifruit, apples, grapes, lamb/mutton, potatoes, wheat, barley, chicken (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** agriculture, forestry, fishing, logs and wood articles, manufacturing, mining, construction, financial services, real estate services, tourism **Industrial production growth rate:** -1% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 3.124 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.9% (2024 est.) 3.8% (2023 est.) 3.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 14.3% (2024 est.) male: 14.6% (2024 est.) female: 14% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Average household expenditures:** on food: 12.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Remittances:** 0.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $83.167 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $91.782 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 54% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 29.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$15.978 billion (2024 est.) -$17.065 billion (2023 est.) -$21.627 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $61.799 billion (2024 est.) $59.029 billion (2023 est.) $57.485 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 28%, USA 12%, Australia 12%, Japan 6%, S. Korea 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** milk, wood, beef, butter, sheep and goat meat (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $67.998 billion (2024 est.) $68.412 billion (2023 est.) $71.35 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 20%, Australia 11%, USA 9%, S. Korea 7%, Japan 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, gas turbines, broadcasting equipment, trucks (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $22.065 billion (2024 est.) $15.487 billion (2023 est.) $14.4 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.652 (2024 est.) 1.628 (2023 est.) 1.577 (2022 est.) 1.414 (2021 est.) 1.542 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 10.643 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 40.794 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.058 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 12.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 59.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 17.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 3.011 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 2.696 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 906,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 283,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 6.75 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 12,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 154,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 40.993 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 3.97 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 3.891 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 31.149 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 121.647 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 564,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 6.78 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 115 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned Television New Zealand operates multiple TV networks; state-owned Radio New Zealand operates 3 radio networks and an external shortwave radio service to the South Pacific region; a small number of national commercial TV and radio stations and many regional commercial TV and radio stations are available; cable and satellite TV systems are available (2019) **Internet country code:** .nz **Internet users:** percent of population: 96% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.93 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** ZK **Airports:** 206 (2025) **Heliports:** 62 (2025) **Railways:** total: 4,128 km (2018) narrow gauge: 4,128 km (2018) 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 117 (2023) by type: container ship 2, general cargo 12, oil tanker 3, other 100 **Ports:** total ports: 22 (2024) large: 2 medium: 1 small: 10 very small: 9 ports with oil terminals: 14 key ports: Auckland, Bluff Harbor, Gisborne, Manukau Harbor, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Otago Harbor, Picton, Tauranga, Timaru, Wellington, Whangarei ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2025) note: the New Zealand Police, under the Minister of Police, is the primary law enforcement body agency of New Zealand and responsible for internal security **Military expenditures:** 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 8,800 active (Regular Force) New Zealand Defense Forces (4,300 Army; 2,100 Navy; 2,400 Air Force) (2025) note: the total NZDF complement is about 15,300 including the Regular Force, Reserves, and civilians **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the NZDF's inventory is comprised of domestically produced and Western-supplied weapons and equipment, including from Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 17 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2025) note: New Zealand opened up all military occupations to women in 2000; as of 2024, women accounted for about 20% of Regular Force personnel **Military deployments:** small numbers of NZ military personnel are deployed on a variety of international missions in Africa, Antarctica, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Middle East (2025) **Military - note:** the NZDF is responsible for protecting New Zealand’s sovereignty, promoting its interests, safeguarding peace and security, and conducting peacekeeping, humanitarian, and other international missions New Zealand is a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; the FPDA commits the members to consult with one another in the event or threat of an armed attack on any of the members and to mutually decide what measures should be taken, jointly or separately; there is no specific obligation to intervene militarily New Zealand has been part of the Australia, New Zealand, and US Security (ANZUS) Treaty since 1951; however, the US suspended its ANZUS security obligations to New Zealand in 1986 after Auckland implemented a policy barring nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered warships from its ports; the US and New Zealand signed the Wellington Declaration in 2010, which reaffirmed close ties between the two countries, and in 2012 signed the Washington Declaration, which provided a framework for future security cooperation and defense dialogues; in 2016, a US naval ship conducted the first bilateral warship visit to New Zealand since the 1980s; New Zealand has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** New Zealand Space Agency (NZSA; established 2016 under the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment) (2025) **Space launch site(s):** Mahia Peninsula Launch Complex (Hawke's Bay) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a national space program focused largely on the development of a commercial space sector, particularly in the field of satellites and satellite launch vehicles (SLV); manufactures and launches commercial satellites and SLVs; researches and develops a range of other space-related technologies, including propulsion systems; participates in international programs and partners with a range of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Australia, Canada, the EU, the ESA, individual European countries, South Africa, and the US; has a growing commercial space sector (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2009 - launched a 2-stage suborbital sounding rocket (Atea-1) 2018 - placed satellite in orbit on rocket built by a New Zealand-US commercial company and launched from a privately owned domestic launch site 2019 - began operations of the Kiwi Space Radar, which is designed to track debris in low Earth orbit 2021 - signed the US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration 2024 - first domestically made science payload sent to International Space Station on US rocket ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 5,622 (2024 est.) IDPs: 26 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 29 (2024 est.) --- ## Nicaragua **Slug:** nicaragua **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇳🇮 **Codes:** cek: nu, iso2: NI, iso3: NIC, iso_num: 558, genc: NIC, stanag: NIC, internet: .ni ### Introduction **Background:** The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821, and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. By 1978, violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought a civil-military coalition to power in 1979, spearheaded by Marxist Sandinista guerrillas led by Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador prompted the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista Contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. After losing free and fair elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, ORTEGA was elected president in 2006, 2011, 2016, and most recently in 2021. Municipal, regional, and national-level elections since 2008 have been marred by widespread irregularities. Democratic institutions have lost their independence under the ORTEGA regime as the president has assumed full control over all branches of government, as well as cracking down on a nationwide pro-democracy protest movement in 2018 and shuttering over 3,300 civil society organizations between 2018 and 2024. In the lead-up to the 2021 presidential election, authorities arrested over 40 individuals linked to the opposition, including presidential candidates, private sector leaders, NGO workers, human rights defenders, and journalists. Only five lesser-known presidential candidates from mostly small parties allied to ORTEGA's Sandinistas were allowed to run against ORTEGA. He then awarded the Sandinistas control of all 153 of Nicaraguan municipalities in the 2022 municipal elections, consolidating one-party rule. ### Geography **Location:** Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras **Geographic coordinates:** 13 00 N, 85 00 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 130,370 sq km land: 119,990 sq km water: 10,380 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than New York State **Land boundaries:** total: 1,253 km border countries (2): Costa Rica 313 km; Honduras 940 km **Coastline:** 910 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: natural prolongation **Climate:** tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands **Terrain:** extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes **Elevation:** highest point: Mogoton 2,085 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 298 m **Natural resources:** gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 42.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 12.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 27.4% (2023 est.) forest: 40.1% (2023 est.) other: 17.6% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,990 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lago de Nicaragua - 8,150 sq km; Lago de Managua - 1,040 sq km **Population distribution:** the overwhelming majority of the population resides in the western half of the country, with much of the urban growth centered in the capital city of Managua; coastal areas also show large population clusters **Natural hazards:** destructive earthquakes; volcanoes; landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Cerro Negro (728 m) is one of Nicaragua's most active volcanoes; its lava flows and ash have been known to cause significant damage to farmland and buildings; other historically active volcanoes include Concepcion, Cosiguina, Las Pilas, Masaya, Momotombo, San Cristobal, and Telica **Geography - note:** largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua ### People and Society **Population:** total: 6,739,380 (2025 est.) male: 3,304,133 female: 3,435,247 **Nationality:** noun: Nicaraguan(s) adjective: Nicaraguan **Ethnic groups:** Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and White) 69%, White 17%, Black 9%, Indigenous 5% **Languages:** Spanish (official) 99.5%, Indigenous 0.3%, Portuguese 0.1%, other 0.1% (2020 est.) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: English and indigenous languages found on the Caribbean coast **Religions:** Roman Catholic 44.9%, Protestant 38.7% (Evangelical 38.2, Adventist 0.5%), other 1.2%, (includes Jehovah's Witness and Church of Jesus Christ), believer but not belonging to a church 1%, agnostic or atheist 0.4%, none 13.7%, unspecified 0.2% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 25.1% (male 855,256/female 818,714) 15-64 years: 68.9% (male 2,240,297/female 2,360,244) 65 years and over: 6% (2024 est.) (male 178,347/female 224,090) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 44.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 35.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 11.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 29.5 years (2025 est.) male: 28.1 years female: 29.9 years **Population growth rate:** 0.92% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 16.07 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.14 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the overwhelming majority of the population resides in the western half of the country, with much of the urban growth centered in the capital city of Managua; coastal areas also show large population clusters **Urbanization:** urban population: 59.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.095 million MANAGUA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.2 years (2011/12 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 60 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 14.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 15.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 74.7 years (2024 est.) male: 73.2 years female: 76.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.82 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.89 (2025 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9.7% of GDP (2021) 17.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.68 physicians/1,000 population (2018) **Hospital bed density:** 0.9 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** unimproved: rural: 33.5% of population **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 23.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 56% (2023 est.) **Education expenditure:** 2.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 11% national budget (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 12 years (2023 est.) male: 12 years (2023 est.) female: 12 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; drought **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands **Land use:** agricultural land: 42.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 12.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 27.4% (2023 est.) forest: 40.1% (2023 est.) other: 17.6% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 59.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 3.806 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 3.806 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 16.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.529 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 190 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 620,000 cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.084 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 164.52 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Rio Coco (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua conventional short form: Nicaragua local long form: República de Nicaragua local short form: Nicaragua etymology: 16th-century Spanish explorer Gil GONZALEZ Davila is said to have combined the name of a local chieftain, Nicarao, with the Spanish word agua (water), referring to the two large lakes in the west of the country (Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua) **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Managua geographic coordinates: 12 08 N, 86 15 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name comes from Lake Managua, whose name is composed of the Guaraní words ama (rain) and nagua (spirit) and refers to a local deity **Administrative divisions:** 15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonoma); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Costa Caribe Norte*, Costa Caribe Sur*, Estelí, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas **Legal system:** civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 19 November 1986, effective 9 January 1987 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or assent of at least half of the National Assembly membership; passage requires approval by 60% of the membership of the next elected Assembly and promulgation by the president of the republic **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no, except in cases where bilateral agreements exist residency requirement for naturalization: 4 years **Suffrage:** 16 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007) head of government: President Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by qualified plurality vote for a 6-year term (no term limits) most recent election date: 7 November 2021 election results: 2021: Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra reelected president for a fourth consecutive term; percent of vote - Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 75.9%, Walter ESPINOZA (PLC) 14.3%, Guillermo OSORNO (CCN) 3.3%, Marcelo MONTIEL (ALN) 3.1%, other 3.4% 2016: Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra reelected president for a third consecutive term; percent of vote - Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 72.4%, Maximino RODRIGUEZ (PLC) 15%, Jose del Carmen ALVARADO (PLI) 4.5%, Saturnino CERRATO Hodgson (ALN) 4.3%, other 3.7% expected date of next election: 1 November 2026 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 91 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/7/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) (75); Liberal and Constitutionalist Party (PLC) (9); Other (6) percentage of women in chamber: 54.9% expected date of next election: November 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 16 judges organized into administrative, civil, criminal, and constitutional chambers) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges elected by the National Assembly to serve 5-year staggered terms subordinate courts: Appeals Court; first instance civil, criminal, and labor courts; military courts are independent of the Supreme Court **Political parties:** Alliance for the Republic or APRE Alternative for Change or AC (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) Autonomous Liberal Party or PAL Caribbean Unity Movement or PAMUC Christian Unity Party or PUC (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) Independent Liberal Party or PLI Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC Moskitia Indigenous Progressive Movement or MOSKITIA PAWANKA (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) Multiethnic Indigenous Party or PIM (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) Nationalist Liberal Party or PLN (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance or ALN Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path or CCN Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN Sons of Mother Earth or YATAMA The New Sons of Mother Earth Movement or MYATAMARAN (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Sammia Alicia HODGSON MCKENZIE (since 3 June 2025) chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545 email address and website: mperalta@cancilleria.gob.ni United States of America | ConsuladoDeNicaragua.com consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Elias BAUMANN (since December 2025) embassy: Kilometer 5.5 Carretera Sur, Managua mailing address: 3240 Managua Place, Washington DC 20521-3240 telephone: [505] 2252-7100, FAX: [505] 2252-7250 email address and website: ACS.Managua@state.gov https://ni.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACS, BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 15 September 1821 (from Spain) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 15 September (1821) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue, with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has a triangle with the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA in an arc over it and AMERICA CENTRAL in an arc underneath meaning: blue stands for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and white for the land between the two bodies of water history: the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America note: similar to the flag of El Salvador, which has a round emblem; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars in an "X" pattern centered on the white band **National symbol(s):** turquoise-browed motmot (bird) **National color(s):** blue, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Salve a ti, Nicaragua" (Hail to Thee, Nicaragua) lyrics/music: Salomon Ibarra MAYORGA/traditional, arranged by Luis Abraham DELGADILLO history: music was approved in 1918 and the lyrics in 1939 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Ruins of León Viejo; León Cathedral ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income Central American economy; until 2018, nearly 20 years of sustained GDP growth; recent struggles due to COVID-19, political instability, and hurricanes; significant remittances; increasing poverty and food scarcity since 2005; sanctions limit investment **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $52.989 billion (2024 est.) $51.153 billion (2023 est.) $48.985 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.6% (2024 est.) 4.4% (2023 est.) 3.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $7,700 (2024 est.) $7,500 (2023 est.) $7,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $19.694 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.6% (2024 est.) 8.4% (2023 est.) 10.5% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 14.4% (2024 est.) industry: 27.6% (2024 est.) services: 46.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 80.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 12.3% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.9% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 1.8% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 40.5% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -58.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, milk, rice, oil palm fruit, maize, plantains, cassava, groundnuts, beans, chicken (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, knit and woven apparel, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood, electric wire harness manufacturing, mining **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 3.225 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.6% (2024 est.) 4.8% (2023 est.) 5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 9% (2024 est.) male: 7.8% (2024 est.) female: 12% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 24.9% (2016 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Remittances:** 26.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 26.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 20.6% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $3.856 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $3.382 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 33.3% of GDP (2017 est.) note: official data; data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by Government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as retirement, medical care, and unemployment, debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions; Nicaragua rebased its GDP figures in 2012, which reduced the figures for debt as a percentage of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 19.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $817.618 million (2024 est.) $1.465 billion (2023 est.) -$459.6 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $8.135 billion (2024 est.) $8.248 billion (2023 est.) $7.87 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 51%, Mexico 12%, El Salvador 6%, Canada 6%, Switzerland 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** garments, gold, insulated wire, coffee, beef (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $11.437 billion (2024 est.) $10.519 billion (2023 est.) $10.213 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 24%, China 13%, Mexico 9%, Honduras 9%, Guatemala 8% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** garments, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, plastic products, fabric (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $6.105 billion (2024 est.) $5.447 billion (2023 est.) $4.404 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $6.753 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** cordobas (NIO) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 36.624 (2024 est.) 36.441 (2023 est.) 35.874 (2022 est.) 35.171 (2021 est.) 34.342 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 86.5% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 66.3% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 1.849 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 4.654 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 1.125 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 839 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 35.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 12.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 14.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 15.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 20.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 22 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 200 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 28,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 10.66 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 245,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 7.33 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** multiple terrestrial TV stations, supplemented by cable TV in most urban areas; nearly all are state-owned or affiliated; more than 300 radio stations, both state-affiliated and privately owned (2019) **Internet country code:** .ni **Internet users:** percent of population: 58% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 371,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** YN **Airports:** 39 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 5 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 1, other 3 **Ports:** total ports: 5 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 4 key ports: Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of Nicaragua (formal name is Army of Nicaragua or Ejercito de Nicaragua, EN): Land Force; Naval Force; Air Force (2025) note: both the military and the Nicaraguan National Police (Policía Nacional de Nicaragua or PNN) report directly to the president; Parapolice, which are non-uniformed, armed, and masked units with marginal tactical training and loose hierarchical organization, act in coordination with government security forces and report to the National Police; they have been used to suppress anti-government protesters **Military expenditures:** 0.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 12,000 active Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's air and ground force inventories include mostly secondhand Russian or Soviet-era equipment (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service (16-20 for cadets); no conscription; tour of duty 18-36 months (2025) **Military - note:** the military is responsible for defending Nicaragua’s independence, sovereignty, and territory; it also has some domestic security responsibilities, including border security, assisting the police, protecting natural resources, and providing disaster relief and humanitarian assistance; Nicaragua has defense ties with Cuba, Venezuela, and Russia; Russia has provided training support and equipment; in 2025, Nicaragua signed an agreement of “mutual protection” with Russia the modern Army of Nicaragua was created in 1979 as the Sandinista Popular Army (1979-1984); prior to 1979, the military was known as the National Guard, which was organized and trained by the US in the 1920s and 1930s; the first commander of the National Guard, Anastasio SOMOZA GARCIA, seized power in 1937 and ran the country as a military dictator until his assassination in 1956; his sons ran the country either directly or through figureheads until the Sandinistas came to power in 1979; the defeated National Guard was disbanded by the Sandinistas (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** National Secretariat for Extraterrestrial Space Affairs, The Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (Secretaría Nacional para Asuntos del Espacio Ultraterrestre, la Luna y otros Cuerpos Celestes, established 2021; operates under the military’s control) (2025) **Space program overview:** stated mission is to promote the development of space activities with the aim of broadening the country’s capacities in education, industry, science, and technology; has cooperated with China and Russia; is a signatory of the convention establishing the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1994 - joined UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space 2017 - Russia opened a satellite navigation system monitoring station in Nicaragua 2021 - signed convention establishing the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency 2024 - joined the China-led International Lunar Research Station project, which aims to establish a permanent base on the Moon by the 2030s ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** IDPs: 89 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Nicaragua does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Nicaragua remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/nicaragua/ **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025) --- ## Niger **Slug:** niger **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇳🇪 **Codes:** cek: ng, iso2: NE, iso3: NER, iso_num: 562, genc: NER, stanag: NER, internet: .ne ### Introduction **Background:** Nomadic peoples from the Saharan north and agriculturalists from the south settled present-day Niger. The Taureg kingdom of Takedda was one of the largest kingdoms in the north and played a prominent role in regional trade in the 14th century. In the south, the primary ethnic groups were the Songhai-Zarma in the west, the Hausa in the center, and the Kanuri in the east. When European colonizers arrived in the 19th century, the region was an assemblage of disparate local kingdoms. In the late 19th century, the British and French agreed to partition the middle regions of the Niger River, and France began its conquest of what would become the colony of Niger. France experienced determined local resistance -- particularly during the Tuareg uprising (1916-1917) -- but established a colonial administration in 1922. After achieving independence from France in 1960, Niger experienced single-party or military rule until 1991, when political pressure forced General Ali SAIBOU to allow multiparty elections. Political infighting and democratic backsliding led to coups in 1996 and 1999. In 1999, military officers restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power. TANDJA was reelected in 2004 and spearheaded a 2009 constitutional amendment allowing him to extend his presidential term. In 2010, military officers led another coup that deposed TANDJA. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou was elected in 2011 and reelected in 2016. In 2021, BAZOUM Mohamed won the presidential election, marking Niger’s first transition from one democratically elected president to another. Nonetheless, a military junta led by General Abdourahamane TIANI once again seized power in July 2023, detaining President BAZOUM and announcing the creation of a National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP). Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. It is ranked fourth to last in the world on the UN Development Program's Human Development Index of 2023/2024. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. The Nigerien Government continues its attempts to diversify the economy through increased oil production and mining projects. In addition, Niger is facing increased security concerns on its borders from various external threats including insecurity in Libya, spillover from the conflict and terrorism in Mali, and violent extremism in northeastern Nigeria. ### Geography **Location:** Western Africa, southeast of Algeria **Geographic coordinates:** 16 00 N, 8 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 1.267 million sq km land: 1,266,700 sq km water: 300 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than twice the size of Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 5,834 km border countries (7): Algeria 951 km; Benin 277 km; Burkina Faso 622 km; Chad 1,196 km; Libya 342 km; Mali 838 km; Nigeria 1,608 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south **Terrain:** predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north **Elevation:** highest point: Idoukal-n-Taghes 2,022 m lowest point: Niger River 200 m mean elevation: 474 m **Natural resources:** uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, petroleum **Land use:** agricultural land: 36.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 14% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 22.7% (2023 est.) forest: 0.8% (2023 est.) other: 62.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 2,881 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon) - 10,360-25,900 sq km note - area varies by season and year to year **Major rivers (by length in km):** Niger (shared with Guinea [s], Mali, Benin, and Nigeria [m]) - 4,200 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Lake Chad Basin, Lullemeden-Irhazer Basin, Murzuk-Djado Basin **Population distribution:** majority of the populace is located in the southernmost extreme of the country along the border with Nigeria and Benin, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** recurring droughts **Geography - note:** landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world; northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna that is suitable for livestock and limited agriculture ### People and Society **Population:** total: 27,322,555 (2025 est.) male: 13,542,629 female: 13,779,926 **Nationality:** noun: Nigerien(s) adjective: Nigerien **Ethnic groups:** Hausa 53.1%, Zarma/Songhai 21.2%, Tuareg 11%, Fulani (Peuhl) 6.5%, Kanuri 5.9%, Gurma 0.8%, Arab 0.4%, Tubu 0.4%, other/unavailable 0.9% (2006 est.) **Languages:** Hausa, Zarma, French (official), Fufulde, Tamashek, Kanuri, Gurmancema, Tagdal note: represents the most-spoken languages; Niger has 10 national languages: Arabic, Buduma, Fulfuldé, Guimancema, Hausa, Kanuri, Sonay-Zarma, Tamajaq, Tassawaq, and Tubu **Religions:** Muslim 95.5%, ethnic religionist 4.1%, Christian 0.3%, agnostics and other 0.1% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 49.5% (male 6,567,460/female 6,463,877) 15-64 years: 47.8% (male 6,146,355/female 6,451,574) 65 years and over: 2.7% (2024 est.) (male 342,388/female 371,130) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 108.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 102.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 17.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 15.3 years (2025 est.) male: 14.9 years female: 15.6 years **Population growth rate:** 3.65% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 46.29 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.24 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** majority of the populace is located in the southernmost extreme of the country along the border with Nigeria and Benin, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 17.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.437 million NIAMEY (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 18.5 years (2012 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 350 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 63 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 69.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 59.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 60.9 years (2024 est.) male: 59.3 years female: 62.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 6.55 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 3.23 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 88.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 40.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 48.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 11.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 59.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 51.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.8% of GDP (2021) 7.1% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 0.3 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 81.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 15.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 26.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 18.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 84.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 73.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 5.5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 7.5% (2025 est.) male: 13.7% (2025 est.) female: 1.2% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 34.6% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 81.3% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 12.8% national budget (2023 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 35.6% (2022 est.) male: 47.9% (2022 est.) female: 25.7% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 6 years (2017 est.) male: 7 years (2017 est.) female: 6 years (2017 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; contaminated water; inadequate potable water; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened by poaching and habitat destruction **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south **Land use:** agricultural land: 36.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 14% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 22.7% (2023 est.) forest: 0.8% (2023 est.) other: 62.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 17.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 3.132 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 622,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.457 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 52,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 59.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 137.8 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 713.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 128.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 11.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.866 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 20.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 193.247 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 38.654 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 2.351 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 34,050,000,000 cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Niger conventional short form: Niger local long form: République du Niger local short form: Niger etymology: named for the Niger River that passes through the southwest of the country; the name of the river probably comes from the local Tuareg name, egereou n-igereouen (big rivers) note: pronounced nee-ZHAIR **Government type:** formerly, semi-presidential republic Note: on 26 July 2023, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, a military junta which took control of Niger's government, dissolved all government institutions, and rules by decree **Capital:** name: Niamey geographic coordinates: 13 31 N, 2 07 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the origin of the name is unclear; one of many stories says that an African chief told his seven slaves "Wa niammane," meaning "stay here," and the name was later shortened to its present form **Administrative divisions:** 7 regions (régions, singular - région) and 1 capital district* (communauté urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder **Legal system:** note: following the 26 July 2023 military coup, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland assumed control of all government institutions and rules by decree; formerly, mixed system of civil law, based on French civil law, Islamic law, and customary law **Constitution:** history: several previous; passed by referendum 31 October 2010, entered into force 25 November 2010 amendment process: formerly proposed by the president of the republic or the National Assembly; consideration of amendments requires at least three-fourths majority vote by the Assembly; passage requires at least four-fifths majority vote; if disapproved, the proposed amendment is dropped or submitted to a referendum; constitutional articles on the form of government, the multiparty system, the separation of state and religion, disqualification of Assembly members, amendment procedures, and amnesty of participants in the 2010 coup cannot be amended note: on 26 July 2023, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, a military junta which took control of Niger's government, dissolved the country's constitution **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Niger dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: unknown **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) General Abdourahame TIANI (since 28 July 2023) head of government: CNSP Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine ZEINE (since 9 August 2023) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the CNSP election/appointment process: the CNSP rules by decree; previously, the president was directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister was appointed by the president, authorized by the National Assembly most recent election date: 27 December 2020, with a runoff held on 21 February 2021 election results: 2020/2021: Mohamed BAZOUM elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Mohamed BAZOUM (PNDS-Tarrayya) 39.3%, Mahamane OUSMANE (MODEN/FA Lumana Africa) 17%, Seini OUMAROU (MNSD-Nassara) 9%, Albade ABOUDA (MPR-Jamhuriya) 7.1%, other 27.6%; percent of vote in second round - Mohamed BAZOUM 55.7%, Mahamane OUSMANE 44.3% expected date of next election: 2030 note 1: deposed president Mohamed BAZOUM has been under house arrest since a military coup on 26 July 2023 note 2: on 26 March 2025, the CNSP leader TIANI issued a decree promulgating the Charter of the Refoundation and was sworn in as the country’s president for a transition period of five years **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Advisory Council for the Refoundation (Conseil consultatif de la refondation) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 194 (all appointed) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal most recent election date: 5/1/2025 percentage of women in chamber: 19.6% expected date of next election: April 2030 note 1: on 26 July 2023, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, a military junta which took control of Niger's government, dissolved the National Assembly; a commission recommended to the junta in February 2025 a minimum of a five-year transition to democratic rule note 2: In May 2025, Transitional President Tiani signed decrees nominating 194 members of the Advisory Council for the Refoundation (Conseil consultatif de la refondation or CCR), CCR Bureau members, and the Speaker, Mamoudou Harouna Djingarey; the first session of the CCR convened on 28 June 2025 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): High Court of Justice (consists of 7 members); Supreme Court (membership NA); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: High Judicial Court members selected from among the legislature and judiciary to 5-year terms; Constitutional Court judges nominated/elected - 1 by the president of the Republic, 1 by the president of the National Assembly, 2 by peer judges, 2 by peer lawyers, 1 law professor by peers, and 1 from within Nigerien society; all appointed by the president; judges serve 6-year nonrenewable terms with one-third of membership renewed every 2 years subordinate courts: Court of Cassation; Council of State; Court of Finances; various specialized tribunals and customary courts **Political parties:** Alliance for Democracy and the Republic Alliance for Democratic Renewal or ARD-Adaltchi-Mutuntchi Alliance of Movements for the Emergence of Niger or AMEN AMIN Congress for the Republic or CPR-Inganci Democratic Alternation for Equity in Niger Democratic and Republican Renewal-RDR-Tchanji Democratic Movement for the Emergence of Niger Falala Democratic Patriots' Rally or RPD Bazara National Movement for the Development of Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya Nigerien Democratic Movement for an African Federation or MODEN/FA Lumana Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya Nigerien Patriotic Movement or MPN-Kishin Kassa Nigerien Rally for Democracy and Peace Patriotic Movement for the Republic or MPR-Jamhuriya Peace, Justice, Progress–Generation Doubara Rally for Democracy and Progress-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a Rally for Peace and Progress or RPP Farilla Social Democratic Rally or RSD-Gaskiyya Social Democratic Party or PSD-Bassira note: after the 26 July 2023 military coup, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland dissolved the National Assembly and prohibited all political party activity **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Hassane IDI (since 3 August 2023) chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 FAX: [1] (202) 483-3169 email address and website: communication@embassyofniger.org http://www.embassyofniger.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Kathleen FITZGIBBON (since 2 December 2023) embassy: BP 11201, Niamey mailing address: 2420 Niamey Place, Washington DC 20521-2420 telephone: [227] 20-72-26-61 FAX: [227] 20-73-55-60 email address and website: consulateniamey@state.gov https://ne.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU (suspended), CD, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC, MIGA, MINUSCA, MNJTF, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 3 August 1960 (from France) **National holiday:** Republic Day, 18 December (1958) note: commemorates the founding of the Republic of Niger, which predated independence from France in 1960 **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green, with an orange disk centered on the white band meaning: orange stands for the northern Sahara regions, white for purity and innocence, and green for hope and the fertile and productive southern and western areas, as well as the Niger River; the orange disc represents the sun and the people's sacrifices note: similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered on the white band **National symbol(s):** zebu **National color(s):** orange, white, green **National anthem(s):** title: "L'Honneur de la Patrie" (The Honor of the Fatherland) lyrics/music: a government-appointed committee wrote both the lyrics and the music history: adopted 2023; replaced previous national anthem, "La Nigérienne" (The Nigerien), that was adopted in 1961 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (1 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves (n); W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (n); Historic Agadez (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income Sahel economy; major instability and humanitarian crises limit economic activity; COVID-19 eliminated recent antipoverty gains; economy rebounding since December 2020 Nigerian border reopening and new investments; uranium resource rich **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $47.921 billion (2024 est.) $44.199 billion (2023 est.) $43.474 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 8.4% (2024 est.) 1.7% (2023 est.) 11.9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $1,800 (2024 est.) $1,700 (2023 est.) $1,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $19.538 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 9.1% (2024 est.) 3.7% (2023 est.) 4.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 33.8% (2024 est.) industry: 17.8% (2024 est.) services: 45.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 59.2% (2024 est.) government consumption: 11.8% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 18.7% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 31.2% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -20.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** millet, cowpeas, sorghum, onions, milk, sugarcane, cabbages, cassava, groundnuts, tomatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** uranium mining, petroleum, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses **Industrial production growth rate:** 12.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 10.486 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 0.4% (2024 est.) 0.5% (2023 est.) 0.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 0.3% (2024 est.) male: 0.4% (2024 est.) female: 0.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 45.5% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 32.9 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.8% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 27.8% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 3.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $2.325 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $2.785 billion (2019 est.) **Current account balance:** -$2.333 billion (2023 est.) -$2.5 billion (2022 est.) -$2.099 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.223 billion (2023 est.) $1.376 billion (2022 est.) $1.487 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UAE 31%, France 23%, China 18%, India 6%, Sweden 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, oil seeds, uranium and thorium ore, radioactive chemicals, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $3.808 billion (2023 est.) $4.194 billion (2022 est.) $4.027 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 26%, France 15%, India 12%, Nigeria 7%, UAE 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** rice, aircraft parts, iron structures, refined petroleum, centrifuges (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Debt - external:** $3.793 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 19.5% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 66.1% electrification - rural areas: 7.7% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 377,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.645 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 1.213 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 372.245 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 97% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 427,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 426,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 400 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 90 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 18,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 150 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 26.805 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 26.872 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 1.772 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 172,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 17.2 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 66 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-run TV station; 3 private TV stations provide a mix of local and foreign programming; state-run radio has the only radio station with national coverage; about 30 private local radio stations; as many as 100 community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available **Internet country code:** .ne **Internet users:** percent of population: 23% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 14,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 5U **Airports:** 26 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Nigerien Air Force, Niger Gendarmerie Ministry of Interior, Public Safety and Decentralization: Niger National Guard, National Police (2025) note 1: the Niger Gendarmerie (GN) and the Niger National Guard (GNN) are paramilitary forces; the GN has primary responsibility for rural security while the GNN is responsible for domestic security and the protection of high-level officials and government buildings note 2: the Directorate of Territorial Surveillance under the National Police is charged with border management **Military expenditures:** 2.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 2% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 50,000 active Armed Forces, including Gendarmerie; estimated 15-20,000 National Guard (2025) note: in 2020, the Nigerien Government announced it intended to increase the size of the FAN to 50,000 by 2025 and 100,000 by 2030 **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the FAN's inventory is comprised of older, typically Soviet-era weapons and equipment, along with smaller quantities of more modern armaments such as unmanned aerial vehicles/drones, air defense systems, and armored vehicles; suppliers over the past decade include China, France, Russia, South Africa, Türkiye, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 is the legal minimum age for selective compulsory or voluntary military service for unmarried men and women; 24-month service term (2025) **Military - note:** the military of Niger is responsible for territorial defense, but most of its focus is on internal and border security operations; the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS) and the al-Qaida affiliate Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) terrorist groups are active in western Niger and in adjacent strongholds in Burkina Faso and Mali, while the Nigeria-based Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa groups threaten southeast Niger; parts of Niger also face spillover from communal, criminal, and vigilante violence in neighboring Nigeria; since the 2023 coup, some former ethnic separatist rebels have taken up arms in support of deposed President BAZOUM the military has played a role in Niger's domestic politics since its establishment in 1960-61; prior to seizing control of the government in 2023, it attempted coups in 1974, 1996, 1999, 2010, and 2021, and ruled the country for much of the period before 1999 (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Boko Haram; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – West Africa (ISIS-WA); Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM); al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 421,795 (2024 est.) IDPs: 891,565 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Niger remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/niger/ --- ## Nigeria **Slug:** nigeria **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇳🇬 **Codes:** cek: ni, iso2: NG, iso3: NGA, iso_num: 566, genc: NGA, stanag: NGA, internet: .ng ### Introduction **Background:** In ancient and pre-colonial times, the area of present-day Nigeria was occupied by a variety of ethnic groups with different languages and traditions. These included large Islamic kingdoms such as Borno, Kano, and the Sokoto Caliphate dominating the north, the Benin and Oyo Empires that controlled much of modern western Nigeria, and more decentralized political entities and city states in the south and southeast. In 1914, the British amalgamated their separately administered northern and southern territories into a Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. Nigeria achieved independence from Britain in 1960 and transitioned to a federal republic with three constituent states in 1963 under President Nnamdi AZIKIWE. This structure served to enflame regional and ethnic tension, contributing to a bloody coup led by predominately southeastern military officers in 1966 and a countercoup later that year masterminded by northern officers. In the aftermath of this tension, the governor of Nigeria’s Eastern Region, centered on the southeast, declared the region independent as the Republic of Biafra. The ensuring civil war (1967-1970), resulted in more than a million deaths, many from starvation. While the war forged a stronger Nigerian state and national identity, it contributed to long-lasting mistrust of the southeast’s predominantly Igbo population. Wartime military leader Yakubu GOWON ruled until a bloodless coup by frustrated junior officers in 1975. This generation of officers, including Olusegun OBASANJO, Ibrahim BABANGIDA, and Muhammadu BUHARI, who would all later serve as president, continue to exert significant influence in Nigeria to the present day. Military rule predominated until the first durable transition to civilian government and adoption of a new constitution in 1999. The elections of 2007 marked the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history. National and state elections in 2011 and 2015 were generally regarded as credible. The 2015 election was also heralded for the fact that the then-umbrella opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, defeated the long-ruling (since 1999) People's Democratic Party and assumed the presidency, marking the first peaceful transfer of power from one party to another. Presidential and legislative elections in 2019 and 2023 were deemed broadly free and fair despite voting irregularities, intimidation, and violence. The government of Africa's most populous nation continues to face the daunting task of institutionalizing democracy and reforming a petroleum-based economy whose revenues have been squandered through decades of corruption and mismanagement. In addition, Nigeria faces increasing violence from Islamic terrorism, largely in the northeast, large scale criminal banditry, secessionist violence in the southeast, and competition over land and resources nationwide. ### Geography **Location:** Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon **Geographic coordinates:** 10 00 N, 8 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 923,768 sq km land: 910,768 sq km water: 13,000 sq km **Area - comparative:** about six times the size of Georgia; slightly more than twice the size of California **Land boundaries:** total: 4,477 km border countries (4): Benin 809 km; Cameroon 1,975 km; Chad 85 km; Niger 1,608 km **Coastline:** 853 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north **Terrain:** southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north **Elevation:** highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 380 m **Natural resources:** natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 76.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 40.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 27.6% (2023 est.) forest: 19.1% (2023 est.) other: 4.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 2,188 sq km (2017) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Niger, Chad, and Cameroon) - 10,360-25,900 sq km note - area varies by season and year to year **Major rivers (by length in km):** Niger river mouth (shared with Guinea [s], Mali, Benin, and Niger) - 4,200 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Lake Chad Basin, Lullemeden-Irhazer Aquifer System **Population distribution:** largest population of any African nation; significant population clusters are scattered throughout the country, with the highest density areas being in the south and southwest, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** periodic droughts; flooding **Geography - note:** the Niger River enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rainforests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea ### People and Society **Population:** total: 244,344,065 (2025 est.) male: 123,511,557 female: 120,832,508 **Nationality:** noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian **Ethnic groups:** Hausa 30%, Yoruba 15.5%, Igbo (Ibo) 15.2%, Fulani 6%, Tiv 2.4%, Kanuri/Beriberi 2.4%, Ibibio 1.8%, Ijaw/Izon 1.8%, other 24.9% (2018 est.) note: Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups **Languages:** English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani, over 500 additional indigenous languages **Religions:** Muslim 53.5%, Roman Catholic 10.6%, other Christian 35.3%, other 0.6% (2018 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 40.4% (male 48,856,606/female 46,770,810) 15-64 years: 56.2% (male 66,897,900/female 66,187,584) 65 years and over: 3.4% (2024 est.) (male 3,759,943/female 4,274,287) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 78 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 72.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 17 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 19.4 years (2025 est.) male: 19.1 years female: 19.6 years **Population growth rate:** 2.39% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 33.56 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.42 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** largest population of any African nation; significant population clusters are scattered throughout the country, with the highest density areas being in the south and southwest, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 54.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 15.946 million Lagos, 4.348 million Kano, 3.875 million Ibadan, 3.840 million ABUJA (capital), 3.480 million Port Harcourt, 1.905 million Benin City (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 20.4 years (2018 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 993 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 65.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 58.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 48.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 62.2 years (2024 est.) male: 60.4 years female: 64.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 4.59 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 2.23 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 93.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 63.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 79.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 6.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 36.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 20.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.1% of GDP (2021) 4.3% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.38 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 81.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 41.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 62.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 18.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 58.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 37.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 8.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 4.49 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 3.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 2.6% (2025 est.) male: 4.8% (2025 est.) female: 0.3% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 24.4% (2021 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 67.6% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 12.3% (2021) women married by age 18: 30.3% (2021) men married by age 18: 1.6% (2021) note: due to prolonged insecurity concerns, some parts of states, including Borno state, were not sampled **Education expenditure:** 0.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 3% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 63.2% (2021 est.) male: 73.7% (2021 est.) female: 53.3% (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** urban air and water pollution; rapid deforestation; soil degradation; loss of arable land; water, air, and soil pollution from oil spills **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Tropical Timber 2006 **Climate:** varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north **Land use:** agricultural land: 76.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 40.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 27.6% (2023 est.) forest: 19.1% (2023 est.) other: 4.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 54.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 114.397 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.962 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 72.425 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 39.01 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 56 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 2,794.3 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,991.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 729.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 362.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 27.615 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 4.7% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.965 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 5.51 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 286.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria etymology: named for the Niger River that flows through the west of the country to the Atlantic Ocean; the name of the river probably comes from the local Tuareg name, egereou n-igereouen (big rivers) **Government type:** federal presidential republic **Capital:** name: Abuja geographic coordinates: 9 05 N, 7 32 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the newly built city of Abuja replaced Lagos as the capital city in 1991; Abuja takes its name from a nearby town, now renamed Suleja, that was named after Abu JA ("Abu the Red") in 1828 **Administrative divisions:** 36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 5 May 1999, effective 29 May 1999 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses and approval by the Houses of Assembly of at least two thirds of the states; amendments to constitutional articles on the creation of a new state, fundamental constitutional rights, or constitution-amending procedures requires at least four-fifths majority vote by both houses of the National Assembly and approval by the Houses of Assembly in at least two thirds of the states; passage of amendments limited to the creation of a new state require at least two-thirds majority vote by the proposing National Assembly house and approval by the Houses of Assembly in two thirds of the states **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Nigeria dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 15 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Bola Ahmed Adekunle TINUBU (since 29 May 2023) head of government: President Bola Ahmed Adekunle TINUBU (since 29 May 2023) cabinet: Federal Executive Council appointed by the president but constitutionally required to include at least one member from each of the 36 states election/appointment process: president directly elected by qualified-majority popular vote with at least 25% of the votes cast in 24 of Nigeria's 36 states; president elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 25 February 2023 election results: 2023: Bola Ahmed Adekunle TINUBU elected president; percent of vote - Bola Ahmed Adekunle TINUBU (APC) 36.6%, Atiku ABUBAKAR (PDP) 29.1%, Peter OBI (LP) 25.4%, Rabiu KWANKWASO (NNPP) 6.4%, other 2.5% 2019: Muhammadu BUHARI elected president; percent of vote - Muhammadu BUHARI (APC) 53%, Atiku ABUBAKAR (PDP) 39%, other 8% expected date of next election: 27 February 2027 note: the president is chief of state, head of government, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives number of seats: 360 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 2/25/2023 parties elected and seats per party: All Progressives Congress (APC) (180); People's Democratic Party (PDP) (116); Labour Party (LP) (35); New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) (19); Other (10) percentage of women in chamber: 4.2% expected date of next election: February 2027 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 109 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 2/25/2023 parties elected and seats per party: All Progressives Congress (APC) (59); People's Democratic Party (PDP) (36); Labour Party (LP) (8); Other (6) percentage of women in chamber: 3.7% expected date of next election: February 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 15 justices) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, a 23-member independent body of federal and state judicial officials; judge appointments confirmed by the Senate; judges serve until age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; Federal High Court; High Court of the Federal Capital Territory; Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory; Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory; state court system similar in structure to federal system **Political parties:** Accord Party or ACC Africa Democratic Congress or ADC All Progressives Congress or APC All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA Labor Party or LP New Nigeria People’s Party or NNPP Peoples Democratic Party or PDP Young Progressive Party or YPP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Samson Sunday ITEGBOJE (since 22 October 2024) chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 800-7201 (ext. 100) FAX: [1] (202) 362-6541 email address and website: info@nigeriaembassyusa.org https://www.nigeriaembassyusa.org/ consulate(s) general: Atlanta, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Richard MILLS, Jr. (since 25 July 2024) embassy: Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central District Area, Abuja mailing address: 8320 Abuja Place, Washington DC 20521-8320 telephone: [234] (9) 461-4000 FAX: [234] (9) 461-4036 email address and website: AbujaACS@state.gov https://ng.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Lagos **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, C, CD, D-8, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC, MIGA, MINURSO, MNJTF, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 1 October 1960 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960) **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of green (left side), white, and green meaning: green stands for the country's forests and natural resources, and white for peace and unity **National symbol(s):** eagle **National color(s):** green, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Nigeria, We Hail Thee" lyrics/music: Lillie Jean WILLIAMS/Frances BERDA history: adopted 2024 note: Parliament voted in 2024 to revert to the former national anthem used from 1960 to 1978 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Sukur Cultural Landscape; Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove ### Economy **Economic overview:** largest African market economy; enormous but mostly lower middle income labor force; major oil exporter; key telecommunications and finance industries; susceptible to energy prices; regional leader in critical infrastructure; primarily agrarian employment **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.318 trillion (2024 est.) $1.275 trillion (2023 est.) $1.239 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.4% (2024 est.) 2.9% (2023 est.) 3.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $5,700 (2024 est.) $5,600 (2023 est.) $5,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $187.76 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 33.2% (2024 est.) 24.7% (2023 est.) 18.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 20.4% (2024 est.) industry: 29.6% (2024 est.) services: 47% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** cassava, yams, maize, oil palm fruit, rice, taro, bananas, vegetables, sorghum, groundnuts (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** crude oil, coal, tin, columbite; rubber products, wood; hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 113.35 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3% (2024 est.) 3.1% (2023 est.) 3.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 5.1% (2024 est.) male: 3.7% (2024 est.) female: 6.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 40.1% (2018 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 35.1 (2018 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 59.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.9% (2018 est.) highest 10%: 26.7% (2018 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 11.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 5.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $37.298 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $59.868 billion (2019 est.) **Current account balance:** $17.215 billion (2024 est.) $6.423 billion (2023 est.) $1.019 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $57.536 billion (2024 est.) $60.261 billion (2023 est.) $69.091 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 10%, Spain 9%, France 8%, Netherlands 7%, India 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, natural gas, gold, fertilizers, cocoa beans (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $57.73 billion (2024 est.) $65.423 billion (2023 est.) $77.049 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 26%, Singapore 14%, Belgium 8%, India 6%, USA 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, tanks and armored vehicles, wheat, plastics, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $38.612 billion (2024 est.) $32.035 billion (2023 est.) $35.564 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $45.009 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** nairas (NGN) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1,478.965 (2024 est.) 645.194 (2023 est.) 425.979 (2022 est.) 401.152 (2021 est.) 358.811 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 60.5% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 89% electrification - rural areas: 27% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 4.094 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 34.135 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 2.4 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 5.974 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 77.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 22.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 1.322 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 1.326 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 17 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 600 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2.144 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 1.514 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 527,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 36.89 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 38.248 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 19.885 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 16.324 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 5.761 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 7.993 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 103,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 165 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 71 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** nearly 70 federal government-controlled national and regional TV stations; all 36 states operate TV stations; several private TV stations; cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; network of federal government-controlled national, regional, and state radio stations; roughly 40 state government-owned radio stations; about 20 private radio stations; transmissions of international broadcasters are available; transition to digital completed in three states in 2018 (2019) **Internet country code:** .ng **Internet users:** percent of population: 39% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 117,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 5N **Airports:** 50 (2025) **Heliports:** 15 (2025) **Railways:** total: 3,798 km (2014) standard gauge: 293 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 3,505 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge note: as of the end of 2018, there were only six operational locomotives in Nigeria primarily used for passenger service; the majority of the rail lines are in a severe state of disrepair and need to be replaced **Merchant marine:** total: 928 (2023) by type: general cargo 23, oil tanker 128, other 777 **Ports:** total ports: 28 (2024) large: 2 medium: 1 small: 1 very small: 24 ports with oil terminals: 23 key ports: Antan Oil Terminal, Bonny, Lagos, Pennington Oil Terminal ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN): Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy (includes Coast Guard), Nigerian Air Force Ministry of Interior: Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC); Ministry of Police Affairs: Nigeria Police Force (NPF) (2025) note 1: the NSCDC is a paramilitary agency commissioned to assist the military in the management of threats to internal security, including attacks and natural disasters note 2: some states have created local security forces in response to increased violence, insecurity, and criminality that have exceeded the response capacity of federal government security forces, but official security forces remained the constitutional prerogative of the federal government; in 2023, the federal government began deploying thousands of "agro rangers" across 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory to help safeguard farmland and mediate conflicts, especially in areas hit by farmer-herder clashes **Military expenditures:** 0.6% of GDP (2024) 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information varies; estimated 140,000 active Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory consists primarily of imported weapons systems from a range of countries, including Brazil, China, France, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Korea, Türkiye, and the US; Nigeria is developing a defense-industry capacity, including small arms, light armored personnel vehicles, and small-scale naval production (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025) **Military deployments:** 180 Sudan/South Sudan (UNISFA); 200 Gambia (ECOWAS); 150 Guinea-Bissau (ECOWAS) (2025) note: Nigeria has committed an Army combat brigade (approximately 3,000 troops) to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), a regional counter-terrorism force comprised of troops from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger; MNJTF conducts operations against Boko Haram and other terrorist groups operating in the general area of the Lake Chad Basin and along Nigeria's northeast border; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own country territories, although cross‐border operations are conducted periodically **Military - note:** the Nigerian military is responsible for defending against external aggression, maintaining the country's territorial integrity, securing national borders, participating in international peacekeeping and other security missions, suppressing insurrection, and aiding civil authorities in restoring order, as well as other duties such as providing humanitarian assistance; its primary concerns are internal and maritime security; in the northeast part of the country, the military is conducting operations against the Boko Haram (BH) and Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in West Africa (ISIS-WA) terrorist groups, where it has deployed as many as 70,000 troops at times and terrorist-related violence has killed an estimated 35-40,000 people, mostly civilians, since 2009; in the northwest, the military faces threats from criminal gangs--locally referred to as bandits--and violence associated with long-standing farmer-herder conflicts, as well as BH and ISIS-WA terrorists; the military also continues to protect the oil industry in the Niger Delta region against militants and criminal activity and since 2021, has deployed troops alongside other security forces to quell renewed agitation in the state of Biafra; maritime security concerns include piracy and the protection of natural resources in the Gulf of Guinea the Nigerian military traces its origins to the Nigeria Regiment of the West African Frontier Force (WAFF), a multi-regiment force formed by the British colonial office in 1900 to garrison Great Britain's West African colonies; the WAFF (the honorary title "Royal" was added later) served in both World Wars; in 1956, the Nigeria Regiment of the Royal WAFF was renamed the Nigerian Military Forces (NMF) and in 1958, the colonial government of Nigeria took over control of the NMF from the British War Office; the Nigerian Armed Forces were established following independence in 1960 (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** National Space Research and Development Agency (NARSDA; established 1999); Defense Space Administration (DSA; established 2014) (2025) note: NARSDA originated from the National Centre for Remote Sensing, the National Committee on Space Applications (both established in 1987), and the Directorate of Science (established 1993) **Space program overview:** has a national space program that focuses on acquiring satellites for agricultural and environmental applications, meteorology, mining and disaster monitoring, security, and socio-economic development; designs, builds (mostly with foreign assistance), and operates satellites; processes overhead imagery data for analysis and sharing; developing additional capabilities in satellite and satellite payload production, including remote sensing technologies; has a sounding rocket program for researching rockets and rocket propulsion, with goal of launching domestically produced satellites into space from a Nigerian spaceport by 2030; works with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Algeria, Bangladesh, Belarus, China, Ghana, India, Japan, Kenya, Mongolia, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, the UK, the US, and Vietnam; has a government-owned satellite company and a small commercial aerospace sector (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2003 - first remote sensing (RS) microsatellite (NigeriaSat-1) built jointly with the UK and launched by Russia 2007 - first communications satellite (NigSatCom-1) built and launched by China (failed in orbit, 2008) 2011 - first domestically built remote sensing (RS) satellite (NigeriaSat-X) launched by Russia 2019 - inaugurated a geospatial data analysis center 2022 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space exploration 2023 - first military reconnaissance RS satellite (DelSat-1) launched by China ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Boko Haram; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – West Africa; Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis-Sudan (Ansaru) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 127,131 (2024 est.) IDPs: 3,709,022 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Niue **Slug:** niue **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇳🇺 **Codes:** cek: ne, iso2: NU, iso3: NIU, iso_num: 570, genc: NIU, stanag: NIU, internet: .nu ### Introduction **Background:** Voyagers from Samoa first settled on Niue around A.D. 900, and a second main group of settlers came from Tonga around 1500. With only one reliable source of fresh water, conflict was high on the island. Samoan and Tongan customs heavily influenced Niuean culture, including the formation of an island-wide elected kingship system in the early 1700s. In 1774, British explorer James COOK landed on the island and named it Savage Island because of the Niueans' hostility. Missionaries arrived in 1830 but were also largely unsuccessful at staying on the island until 1846, when a Niuean trained as a Samoan missionary returned to the island and provided a space from which the missionaries could work. In addition to converting the population, the missionaries worked to stop the violent conflicts and helped establish the first parliament in 1849. Great Britain established a protectorate over Niue in 1900. The following year, Niue was annexed to New Zealand and included as part of the Cook Islands. Niue’s remoteness and cultural and linguistic differences with the Cook Islands led New Zealand to separate Niue into its own administration in 1904. The island became internally self-governing in 1974; it is an independent member of international organizations but is in free association with New Zealand, which is responsible for defense and foreign affairs. In September 2023, the US recognized Niue as a sovereign and independent state. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga **Geographic coordinates:** 19 02 S, 169 52 W **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 260 sq km land: 260 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** 1.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 64 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; modified by southeast trade winds **Terrain:** steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau **Elevation:** highest point: unnamed elevation 1.4 km east of Hikutavake 80 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** arable land, fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 18.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 10.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 3.8% (2023 est.) forest: 72.6% (2023 est.) other: 9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** population distributed around the peripheral coastal areas of the island **Natural hazards:** tropical cyclones **Geography - note:** one of world's largest coral islands; the only major break in the surrounding coral reef occurs in the central western part of the coast ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,815 (2024 est.) male: 877 (2024 est.) female: 938 (2024 est.) **Nationality:** noun: Niuean(s) adjective: Niuean **Ethnic groups:** Niuean 65.4%, part-Niuean 14%, non-Niuean 20.6% (2017 est.) note: data represent the resident population **Languages:** Niuean 46% (official, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan), Niuean and English 32%, English (official) 11%, Niuean and others 5%, other 6% (2011 est.) **Religions:** Ekalesia Niue 61.7%, Latter Day Saints 8.7%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, other 8.2%, not stated 5.1%, none 3.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4% (2017 est.) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 64.6 (2024) youth dependency ratio: 38.2 (2024) elderly dependency ratio: 26.4 (2024) potential support ratio: 3.8 (2024) **Population growth rate:** -0.03% (2021 est.) **Population distribution:** population distributed around the peripheral coastal areas of the island **Urbanization:** urban population: 48.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1,000 ALOFI (capital) (2018) **Life expectancy at birth:** male: 71.8 years (2016) female: 75.7 years (2016 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 97% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 3% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.8% of GDP (2020) 6.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 97.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 2.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 50% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 8.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.89 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.6% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 99.5% (2022 est.) male: 100% (2022 est.) female: 100% (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash-and-burn agriculture **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; modified by southeast trade winds **Land use:** agricultural land: 18.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 10.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 3.8% (2023 est.) forest: 72.6% (2023 est.) other: 9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 48.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 9,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 9,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 6.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Niue former: Savage Island etymology: the origin of the name is obscure; in Niuean, the word translates as "behold the coconut;" the former name, Savage Island, was the result of an acrimonious meeting in 1774 between English explorer Captain James COOK and local people note: pronunciation falls between nyu-way and new-way, but not like new-wee **Government type:** parliamentary democracy **Dependency status:** self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974; Niue is fully responsible for internal affairs; under the Niue Constitution Act of 1974, New Zealand provides necessary economic and administrative assistance to Niue, as well as assistance with foreign affairs, defense, and security if requested **Capital:** name: Alofi geographic coordinates: 19 01 S, 169 55 W time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: a traditional name for an area of the island; became the name for the newly declared capital in the 20th century **Administrative divisions:** no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 14 villages are considered second-order **Legal system:** English common law **Constitution:** history: several previous (New Zealand colonial statutes); latest 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act 1974) amendment process: proposed by the Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership in each of three readings and approval by at least two-thirds majority votes in a referendum; passage of amendments to a number of sections, including Niue’s self-governing status, British nationality and New Zealand citizenship, external affairs and defense, economic and administrative assistance by New Zealand, and amendment procedures, requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly and at least two thirds of votes in a referendum **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General of New Zealand Cindy KIRO (since 21 October 2021); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner Mark GIBBS (since 5 March 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Dalton TAGELAGI; also referred to as premier (since 10 June 2020) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister indirectly elected by the Legislative Assembly for a 3-year term most recent election date: 8 May 2023 election results: Dalton TAGELAGI reelected prime minister; Legislative Assembly vote - Dalton TAGELAGI (independent) 16, O'Love JACOBSEN (independent) 4 expected date of next election: 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Niue Assembly (Fono Ekepule) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 20 electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 3 years most recent election date: 29 April 2023 parties elected and seats per party: independents (20) percentage of women in chamber: 15% expected date of next election: April 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and up to 3 judges) judge selection and term of office: Niue chief justice appointed by the governor general on the advice of the Cabinet and tendered by the premier; other judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the Cabinet and tendered by the chief justice and the minister of justice; judges serve until age 68 subordinate courts: High Court note: the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) is the final appeal court beyond the Niue Court of Appeal **Political parties:** none **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) note: on 25 September 2023, the US officially established diplomatic relations with Niue **International organization participation:** ACP, AOSIS, FAO, IFAD, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO **Independence:** 19 October 1974 (Niue became a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand) **National holiday:** Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) **Flag:** description: yellow with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant; the UK flag has five yellow five-pointed stars, with a large star on a blue disk in the center and smaller stars on each arm of the red cross meaning: the large star represents Niue, and the smaller stars symbolize links with New Zealand; yellow stands for sunshine, as well as the warmth and friendship between Niue and New Zealand **National symbol(s):** yellow five-pointed star **National color(s):** yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Ko e Iki he Lagi" (The Lord in Heaven) lyrics/music: unknown/unknown, prepared by Sioeli FUSIKATA history: adopted 1974 title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: in use since 1745 ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income self-governing New Zealand territorial economy; environmentally fragile; massive emigration; post-pandemic tourism rebound; postage stamps, small-scale agricultural processing, and subsistence farming; most recent Asian Development Bank member **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $18.7 million (2021 est.) $19.9 million (2020 est.) $20.9 million (2019 est.) **Real GDP per capita:** $11,100 (2021 est.) $11,800 (2020 est.) $12,400 (2019 est.) note: data are in 2009 dollars **Agricultural products:** coconuts, taro, fruits, sweet potatoes, tropical fruits, yams, vegetables, lemons/limes, bananas, pork (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** handicrafts, food processing **Exports - partners:** USA 54%, Germany 8%, Canada 5%, UK 5%, Guatemala 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** abrasive powder, coin (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports - partners:** NZ 87%, Fiji 6%, UAE 2%, Slovakia 1%, Australia 1% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, plastic products, machine parts, construction vehicles, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.652 (2024 est.) 1.628 (2023 est.) 1.577 (2022 est.) 1.414 (2021 est.) 1.542 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 3,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 3 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 400,000 kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 61 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 989 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 54 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 state-owned TV station, with many of the programs supplied by Television New Zealand; 1 state-owned radio station broadcasting in AM and FM (2019) **Internet country code:** .nu **Internet users:** percent of population: 80% (2024 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 70 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 5, container ship 2, general cargo 29, oil tanker 4, other 30 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Alofi ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular indigenous military forces; Niue Police Department **Military - note:** under the Niue Constitution Act of 1974, New Zealand provides assistance with foreign affairs, defense, and security if requested by the Niue government --- ## Norfolk Island **Slug:** norfolk-island **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇳🇫 **Codes:** cek: nf, iso2: NF, iso3: NFK, iso_num: 574, genc: NFK, stanag: NFK, internet: .nf ### Introduction **Background:** Polynesians lived on Norfolk Island between 1200 and 1500, but the remote island was uninhabited by the time British explorer James COOK landed on the island in 1774. Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In 1856, almost 200 Pitcairn Islanders -- descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions -- were relocated to Norfolk Island because of overcrowding on the Pitcairn Islands. Some returned to the Pitcairn Islands over the next few years, but most settled permanently on Norfolk Island and recreated their previous land tenure and governance structures. Norfolk Island retained a great degree of local control until 1897, when it became a dependency of New South Wales. During World War II, Norfolk Island was an airbase and an important refueling stop in the South Pacific. In 1976, an Australian judge recommended Norfolk Island be incorporated fully into Australia, which Norfolk Islanders rejected. After an appeal to the UN, Australia granted limited self-government to Norfolk Island in 1979. With growing financial troubles during the 2000s, Australia abolished the Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly in 2015, reduced Norfolk Island’s autonomy in 2016, and suspended the local council in 2020. Most services are provided by a mix of the Australian Capital Territory and the states of New South Wales and Queensland. These moves were unpopular on Norfolk Island, which has sought to have its self-government restored and as of 2024, the Australian Government was working with Norfolk Island to establish a new local governing body. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia **Geographic coordinates:** 29 02 S, 167 57 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 36 sq km land: 36 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about 0.2 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 32 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation **Terrain:** volcanic island with mostly rolling plains **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Bates 319 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 25% (2023 est.) arable land: 0% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 25% (2023 est.) forest: 12.2% (2023 est.) other: 62.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** population concentrated around the capital of Kingston **Natural hazards:** tropical cyclones (especially May to July) **Geography - note:** most of the 32-km (20-mi) coastline consists of almost inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in one small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is located ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,739 (2021) male: 823 female: 916 **Nationality:** noun: Norfolk Islander(s) adjective: Norfolk Islander(s) **Ethnic groups:** Australian 22.8%, English 22.4%, Pitcairn Islander 20%, Scottish 6%, Irish 5.2% (2011 est.) note: respondents were able to identify up to two ancestries; percentages represent a proportion of all responses from people in Norfolk Island, including those who did not identify an ancestry; only top responses are shown **Languages:** English (official) 44.9%, Norfolk (official, a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian) 40.3%, Fijian 1.8%, other 6.8%, unspecified 6.2% (2016 est.) note: data represent language spoken at home **Religions:** Protestant 46.8% (Anglican 29.2%, Uniting Church in Australia 9.8%, Presbyterian 2.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.7%, other 2.2%), Roman Catholic 12.6%, other Christian 2.9%, other 1.4%, none 26.7%, unspecified 9.5% (2016 est.) **Population growth rate:** 0.01% (2014 est.) **Population distribution:** population concentrated around the capital of Kingston ### Environment **Environmental issues:** inadequate solid-waste management; most freshwater obtained through rainwater catchment; preservation of unique ecosystem **Climate:** subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation **Land use:** agricultural land: 25% (2023 est.) arable land: 0% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 25% (2023 est.) forest: 12.2% (2023 est.) other: 62.8% (2023 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island conventional short form: Norfolk Island etymology: named by British explorer Captain James COOK after Edward HOWARD, the ninth Duke of Norfolk, in 1774 **Government type:** administered as an overseas territory of Australia note: the Norfolk Island Regional Council, which began operations 1 July 2016, is responsible for planning and managing a variety of public services, including those funded by the Government of Australia **Dependency status:** administered as a territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Government through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities, & Regional Development **Capital:** name: Kingston geographic coordinates: 29 03 S, 167 58 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends first Sunday in April etymology: the name blends the words "king's" and "town;" the English king at the time of the town's settlement in the late 18th century was GEORGE III **Legal system:** English common law and the laws of Australia **Constitution:** history: previous 1913, 1957; latest effective 7 August 1979 **Citizenship:** see Australia **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia General Sam MOSTYN (since 1 July 2024) head of government: Administrator George PLANT (since 1 June 2023) election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia for a 2-year term and represents the monarch and Australia **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Norfolk Island Regional Council legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 5 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 5/28/2016 parties elected and seats per party: independent (5) percentage of women in chamber: 20% expected date of next election: March 2021 (postponed) **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Norfolk Island (consists of the chief justice and several justices) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor general of Australia from among justices of the Federal Court of Australia; justices serve until mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Petty Court of Sessions; specialized courts, including a Coroner's Court and the Employment Tribunal note: appeals beyond the Supreme Court of Norfolk Island are heard by the Federal Court and the High Court of Australia **Political parties:** Norfolk Island Labor Party Norfolk Liberals **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (territory of Australia) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (territory of Australia) **International organization participation:** UPU **Independence:** none (territory of Australia) **National holiday:** Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June (1856) **Flag:** description: three vertical bands of green (left side), white, and green, with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered on the white band meaning: green stands for the island's rich vegetation, and the native pine tree is an island symbol note: resembles Canada's flag in its use of only two colors and depiction of a symbol based on a native tree in the central white band; also resembles Nigeria's green-and-white tri-band flag **National symbol(s):** Norfolk Island pine **National coat of arms:** Norfolk Island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, and in 1980, Queen Elizabeth II granted it a separate coat of arms (pictured); in the center is the island’s symbol, the Norfolk Island Pine, with Britain’s lion and Australia’s kangaroo supporting the shield; the island’s motto, “Inasmuch,” comes from a verse in the Bible’s Gospel of Matthew **National anthem(s):** title: "Come Ye Blessed" lyrics/music: New Testament/John Prindle SCOTT history: the local anthem, whose lyrics come from the Bible's Book of Matthew (25:34-36, 40), is also known as "The Pitcairn Anthem;" _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: royal anthem, as an Australian overseas territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income Australian territorial economy; key tourism and re-exportation industries; small labor force and declining participation creating more part-time jobs; former tax haven; increasing medical cannabis exporter; little transportation infrastructure **Agricultural products:** Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry **Industries:** tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete **Exports - partners:** USA 31%, Belgium 9%, Philippines 7%, Israel 6%, Singapore 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** pine seeds, lumber, cars and vehicle parts, soybeans, lactose syrup (2021) top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports - partners:** Australia 52%, Fiji 13%, NZ 12%, Saudi Arabia 12%, Malaysia 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, plastics, electrical lighting/signalling equipment, cars, machinery (2023) **Exchange rates:** Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.515 (2024 est.) 1.505 (2023 est.) 1.442 (2022 est.) 1.331 (2021 est.) 1.453 (2020 est.) ### Communications **Broadcast media:** 1 local radio station; broadcasts of several Australian radio and TV stations available via satellite (2009) **Internet country code:** .nf **Internet users:** percent of population: 46.1% (2021 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Kingston ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of Australia --- ## North Macedonia **Slug:** north-macedonia **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇲🇰 **Codes:** cek: mk, iso2: MK, iso3: MKD, iso_num: 807, genc: MKD, stanag: FYR, internet: .mk ### Introduction **Background:** North Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991 under the name of "Macedonia." Greece objected to the new country’s name, insisting it implied territorial pretensions to the northern Greek province of Macedonia, and democratic backsliding for several years stalled North Macedonia's movement toward Euro-Atlantic integration. Immediately after Macedonia declared independence, Greece sought to block its efforts to gain UN membership if the name "Macedonia" was used. The country was eventually admitted to the UN in 1993 as "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia," and at the same time it agreed to UN-sponsored negotiations on the name dispute. In 1995, Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, but the issue of the name remained unresolved amid ongoing negotiations. As an interim measure, the US and over 130 other nations recognized Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia. Ethnic Albanian grievances over perceived political and economic inequities escalated into an armed conflict in 2001 that eventually led to the internationally brokered Ohrid Framework Agreement, which ended the fighting and established guidelines for constitutional amendments and new laws that enhanced the rights of minorities. In 2018, the government adopted a new law on languages, which elevated the Albanian language to an official language at the national level and kept the Macedonian language as the sole official language in international relations, but ties between ethnic Macedonians and ethnic Albanians remain complicated. In 2018, Macedonia and Greece signed the Prespa Agreement whereby Macedonia agreed to change its name to North Macedonia, and the agreement went in to force on 12 February 2019. North Macedonia joined NATO in 2020 after amending its constitution as agreed and opened EU accession talks in 2022 after a two-year veto by Bulgaria over identity, language, and historical disputes. The 2014 legislative and presidential election triggered a political crisis that lasted almost three years and escalated in 2015 when the opposition party began releasing wiretapped material revealing alleged widespread government corruption and abuse. The country still faces challenges, including fully implementing reforms to overcome years of democratic backsliding, stimulating economic growth and development, and fighting organized crime and corruption. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Europe, north of Greece **Geographic coordinates:** 41 50 N, 22 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 25,713 sq km land: 25,433 sq km water: 280 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Vermont; almost four times the size of Delaware **Land boundaries:** total: 838 km border countries (5): Albania 181 km; Bulgaria 162 km; Greece 234 km; Kosovo 160 km; Serbia 101 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall **Terrain:** mountainous with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River **Elevation:** highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m lowest point: Vardar River 50 m mean elevation: 741 m **Natural resources:** low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 49.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 16.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 31.5% (2023 est.) forest: 40.9% (2023 est.) other: 9.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 844 sq km (2016) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations **Natural hazards:** high seismic risks **Geography - note:** landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,137,556 (2025 est.) male: 1,065,634 female: 1,071,922 **Nationality:** noun: Macedonian(s) adjective: Macedonian **Ethnic groups:** Macedonian 58.4%, Albanian 24.3%, Turkish 3.9%, Romani 2.5%, Serb 1.3%, other 2.3%, no ethnic affiliation data available 7.2% (2021 est.) note: data represent total resident population; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 6.5–13% of North Macedonia’s population **Languages:** Macedonian (official) 61.4%, Albanian (official) 24.3%, Turkish 3.4%, Romani 1.7%, other (includes Aromanian (Vlach) and Bosnian) 2%, unspecified 7.2% (2021 est.) major-language sample(s): Книга на Светски Факти, неопходен извор на основни информации. (Macedonian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: data represent mother tongue; minority languages are co-official with Macedonian in municipalities where at least 20% of the population are speakers, with Albanian co-official in Tetovo, Brvenica, Vrapciste, and other municipalities, Turkish in Centar Zupa and Plasnica, Romani in Suto Orizari, Aromanian in Krusevo, Serbian in Cucer Sandevo **Religions:** Orthodox 46.1%, Islam 32.2%, Christian 13.2%, Other 7.2%; less than 1%: atheist, Catholic, other religions, not specified, Protestant (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16% (male 176,423/female 164,945) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 740,649/female 719,627) 65 years and over: 15.6% (2024 est.) (male 147,655/female 186,323) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 46.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 23.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 23.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 40.9 years (2025 est.) male: 39.4 years female: 41.6 years **Population growth rate:** 0.08% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.07 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.62 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations **Urbanization:** urban population: 59.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 611,000 SKOPJE (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 26.9 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 77.3 years (2024 est.) male: 75.3 years female: 79.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.53 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.74 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 97.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 97.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 2.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 2.2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8.5% of GDP (2021) 12.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.94 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 4.2 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 22.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 0.9% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 66.1% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.3% (2019) women married by age 18: 7.5% (2019) **Literacy:** female: 97.8% (2018 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2022 est.) male: 14 years (2022 est.) female: 15 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution from metallurgical plants, smoke from wood-burning stoves, and vehicle emissions **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall **Land use:** agricultural land: 49.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 16.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 31.5% (2023 est.) forest: 40.9% (2023 est.) other: 9.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 59.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 7.369 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 3.014 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 3.682 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 673,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 28.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 627,000 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 4.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 305.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 31.54 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 139 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 6.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of North Macedonia conventional short form: North Macedonia local long form: Republika Severna Makedonija local short form: Severna Makedonija former: Democratic Federal Macedonia, People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia, Republic of Macedonia etymology: the name derives from the ancient kingdom of Macedon (7th to 2nd centuries B.C.), whose name origin is unclear; it may derive from the mythological Macedon, the son of the Greek god Zeus; alternatively, it may come from the Greek word makednos, meaning "tail," or the Illyrian word maketia, meaning "cattle" **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Skopje geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 21 26 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name is of Illyrian or Macedonian origin, and the meaning is unclear; derives from Scupi, its name during the Roman era **Administrative divisions:** 80 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina) and 1 city* (grad); Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Caska, Centar Zupa, Cesinovo-Oblesevo, Cucer Sandevo, Debar, Debarca, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rostuse, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Skopje*, Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vrapciste, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci *the Greater Skopje area is composed of 10 municipalities: Aerodrom, Butel, Centar, Chair, Gazi Baba, Gjorce Petrov, Karposh, Kisela Voda, Saraj, and Shuto Orizari **Legal system:** civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts **Constitution:** history: several previous (since 1944); latest adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic, by the government, by at least 30 members of the Assembly, or by petition of at least 150,000 citizens; final approval requires a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of North Macedonia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA (since 12 May 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Hristijan MICKOSKI (since 23 June 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Assembly by simple majority vote election/appointment process: president directly elected using a modified 2-round system; a candidate can only be elected in the first round with an absolute majority from all registered voters; in the second round, voter turnout must be at least 40% for the result to be valid; president elected for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the Assembly usually elects the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister most recent election date: 24 April and 8 May 2024 election results: 2024: Hristijan MICKOSKI elected prime minister; Assembly vote - 77 for, 22 against 2024: Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA elected president in the second round; percent of vote - Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA (VMRO-DPMNE) 69%, Stevo PENDAROVSKI (SDSM) 31% 2024: Talat XHAFERI elected caretaker prime minister; Assembly vote - 65 for (opposition boycott) 2022: Dimitar KOVACEVSKI elected prime minister; Assembly vote - NA expected date of next election: 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Assembly of the Republic (Sobranie) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 123 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 5/8/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Coalition "Your Macedonia" (led by VMRO-DPMNE) (58); Coalition "European Front" (led by the Democratic Union for Integration – DUI) (18); Coalition "For a European Future" (led by the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia – SDSM) (18); Coalition VLEN (14); ZNAM (Movement "I know": For our Macedonia) (6); The Left (Levica) (6) percentage of women in chamber: 39.2% expected date of next election: May 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 22 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Judicial Council, a 7-member body of legal professionals, and appointed by the Assembly; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the Assembly for nonrenewable, 9-year terms subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Basic Courts **Political parties:** Alliance for Albanians or AfA or ASH Alternative (Alternativa) or AAA Besa Movement or BESA Citizen Option for Macedonia or GROM Democratic Alliance or DS Democratic Movement or LD Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSH Democratic Party of Serbs or DPSM Democratic Renewal of Macedonia or DOM Democratic Union for Integration or BDI European Democratic Party or PDE Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - People's Party or VMRO-NP Liberal Democratic Party or LDP New Social-Democratic Party or NSDP Social Democratic Union of Macedonia or SDSM Socialist Party of Macedonia or SPM Srpska Stranka in Macedonia or SSM The Left (Levica) The People Movement or LP Turkish Democratic Party or TDP Turkish Movement Party or THP We Can! (coalition includes SDSM/BESA/VMRO-NP, DPT, LDP) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Zoran POPOV (since 16 September 2022) chancery: 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-0501 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2104 email address and website: washington@mfa.gov.mk United States (mfa.gov.mk) consulate(s) general: Chicago, Detroit, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Angela AGGELER (since 8 November 2022) embassy: Str. Samoilova, Nr. 21, 1000 Skopje mailing address: 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 telephone: [389] (2) 310-2000 FAX: [389] (2) 310-2499 email address and website: SkopjeACS@state.gov https://mk.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** BIS, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU (candidate country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO note: North Macedonia is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership **Independence:** 8 September 1991 (referendum endorsed independence from Yugoslavia) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 8 September (1991), also known as National Day **Flag:** description: a red field with a yellow sun (the Sun of Liberty) in the center, with eight broadening rays extending to the edges meaning: the red and yellow colors have long been associated with Macedonia **National symbol(s):** eight-rayed sun **National color(s):** red, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Denes nad Makedonija" (Today Over Macedonia) lyrics/music: Vlado MALESKI/Todor SKALOVSKI history: written in 1943 and adopted in 1991, the song previously served as the anthem of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia, when it was part of Yugoslavia **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid Region; Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income European economy; GDP growth driven by private consumption, public infrastructure investments, and wage growth; stalled progress on EU accession; public debt rising due to high pensions, wages, and interest payments; structural challenges of emigration, low productivity growth, and governance **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $43.844 billion (2024 est.) $42.668 billion (2023 est.) $41.801 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.8% (2024 est.) 2.1% (2023 est.) 2.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $24,500 (2024 est.) $23,300 (2023 est.) $22,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $16.685 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.5% (2024 est.) 9.4% (2023 est.) 14.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 6% (2024 est.) industry: 22.7% (2024 est.) services: 59.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 67.9% (2024 est.) government consumption: 16.8% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 28.4% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 62.7% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -75.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** chillies/peppers, milk, wheat, potatoes, grapes, barley, cabbages, maize, watermelons, tomatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, iron, steel, cement, energy, pharmaceuticals, automotive parts **Industrial production growth rate:** 1.8% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 779,200 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 13.5% (2024 est.) 13.2% (2023 est.) 14.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 30.3% (2024 est.) male: 29.2% (2024 est.) female: 32.3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 21.8% (2019 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 33.5 (2019 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 30.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.9% (2019 est.) highest 10%: 22.9% (2019 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 2.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.3% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $4.787 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $5.514 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 39.3% of GDP (2017 est.) note: official data from Ministry of Finance; data cover central government debt; this data excludes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; includes treasury debt held by foreign entitites; excludes debt issued by sub-national entities; there are no debt instruments sold for social funds **Taxes and other revenues:** 17.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$374.385 million (2024 est.) $56.573 million (2023 est.) -$868.965 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $10.445 billion (2024 est.) $10.691 billion (2023 est.) $10.123 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 39%, Serbia 8%, Bulgaria 6%, Greece 5%, Czechia 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** reaction and catalytic products, insulated wire, electricity, garments, seats (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $12.644 billion (2024 est.) $12.748 billion (2023 est.) $13.009 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** UK 12%, Germany 10%, Greece 9%, China 9%, Serbia 8% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** platinum, refined petroleum, laboratory ceramic ware, cars, natural gas (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $5.252 billion (2024 est.) $5.015 billion (2023 est.) $4.12 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $5.637 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Macedonian denars (MKD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 56.873 (2024 est.) 56.947 (2023 est.) 58.574 (2022 est.) 52.102 (2021 est.) 54.144 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 2.467 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 5.896 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 7.081 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 7.232 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 993.662 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 68.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 4.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 2.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 24% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 4 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 5.344 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 58,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 41,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 332 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 24,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 348.078 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 347.981 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 56.104 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 456,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 1.98 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 108 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** public TV broadcaster Macedonian Radio and Television operates 5 national terrestrial TV channels and 2 satellite TV channels; 11 regional TV stations broadcast nationally; 29 regional and local broadcasters; a large number of cable operators offer domestic and international programming; the public radio broadcaster operates 3 stations; 4 privately owned national radio stations and 60 regional and local operators (2023) **Internet country code:** .mk **Internet users:** percent of population: 87% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 515,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** Z3 **Airports:** 13 (2025) **Heliports:** 13 (2025) **Railways:** total: 699 km (2020) 313 km electrified ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Army of the Republic of North Macedonia (ARSM or ARNM): joint force with air, ground, reserve, special operations, and support forces (2025) note: the Police of Macedonia maintain internal security, including migration and border enforcement, and report to the Ministry of the Interior **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2025 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 6,000 active military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is a mix of Russian/Soviet-era armaments and growing quantities of more modern equipment from countries such as Türkiye, the UK, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2007 (2025) note: as of 2024, women made up about 10% of the military's full-time personnel **Military - note:** the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia (ARSM) is responsible for the defense of the country’s territory and independence, fulfilling North Macedonia’s commitments to NATO and European security, and contributing to EU, NATO, and UN peace and security missions; the ARSM has participated in multinational missions and operations in Afghanistan (NATO), Bosnia and Herzegovina (EU), Eastern Europe (NATO), Iraq (NATO), Kosovo (NATO), and Lebanon (UN); a key area of focus over the past decade has been improving capabilities and bringing the largely Soviet-era-equipped ARSM up to NATO standards; it has increased its participation in NATO training exercises since becoming the 30th member of the Alliance in 2020 and currently has small numbers of combat troops deployed to Bulgaria and Romania as part of NATO’s Enhance Forward Presence mission implemented because of Russian military aggression against Ukraine (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 20,937 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 159 (2024 est.) --- ## Northern Mariana Islands **Slug:** northern-mariana-islands **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇲🇵 **Codes:** cek: cq, iso2: MP, iso3: MNP, iso_num: 580, genc: MNP, stanag: MNP, internet: .mp ### Introduction **Background:** Austronesian people settled the Northern Mariana Islands around 1500 B.C. These people became the indigenous Chamorro and were influenced by later migrations, including Micronesians in the first century A.D. and island Southeast Asians around 900. Spanish explorer Ferdinand MAGELLAN sailed through the Mariana Islands in 1521, and Spain claimed them in 1565. Spain formally colonized the Mariana Islands in 1668 and administered the archipelago from Guam. Spain’s brutal repression of the Chamorro, along with new diseases and intermittent warfare, reduced the indigenous population by about 90% in the 1700s. With a similar dynamic occurring on Guam, Spain forced the Chamorro from the Northern Mariana Islands to resettle there. By the time they returned, many other Micronesians, including Chuukese and Yapese, had already settled on their islands. In 1898, Spain ceded Guam to the US after the Spanish-American War but sold the Northern Mariana Islands to Germany under the German-Spanish Treaty of 1899. Germany administered the territory from German New Guinea but took a hands-off approach to day-to-day life. Following World War I, Japan administered the islands under a League of Nations mandate. Japan focused on sugar production and brought in thousands of Japanese laborers, who quickly outnumbered the Chamorro on the islands. During World War II, Japan invaded Guam from the Northern Mariana Islands and used Marianan Chamorro as translators with Guamanian Chamorro, creating friction between the two Chamorro communities that continues to this day. The US captured the Northern Mariana Islands in 1944 after the Battle of Saipan and later administered them as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI). On four occasions in the 1950s and 1960s, voters opted for integration with Guam, which Guam rejected in 1969. In 1978, the Northern Mariana Islands was granted self-governance separate from the rest of the TTPI, and in 1986, islanders were granted US citizenship, with the territory coming under US sovereignty as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). In 2009, the CNMI became the final US territory to elect a nonvoting delegate to the US Congress. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines **Geographic coordinates:** 15 12 N, 145 45 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 464 sq km land: 464 sq km water: 0 sq km note: consists of 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian **Area - comparative:** 2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 1,482 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October **Terrain:** the southern islands in this north-south trending archipelago are limestone, with fringing coral reefs; the northern islands are volcanic, with active volcanoes on several islands **Elevation:** highest point: Agrihan Volcano 965 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** arable land, fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 1.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.8% (2023 est.) forest: 53% (2023 est.) other: 45.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** approximately 90% of the population lives on the island of Saipan **Natural hazards:** active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November) **Geography - note:** strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean ### People and Society **Population:** total: 50,946 (2025 est.) male: 26,931 female: 24,015 **Nationality:** noun: NA (US citizens) adjective: NA **Ethnic groups:** Asian 50% (includes Filipino 35.3%, Chinese 6.8%, Korean 4.2%, and other Asian 3.7%), Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 34.9% (includes Chamorro 23.9%, Carolinian 4.6%, and other Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 6.4%), other 2.5%, two or more ethnicities or races 12.7% (2010 est.) **Languages:** Philippine languages 32.8%, Chamorro (official) 24.1%, English (official) 17%, other Pacific island languages 10.1% (includes Carolinian (official), Chinese 6.8%, other Asian languages 7.3%, other 1.9% (2010 est.) **Religions:** Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 22.1% (male 6,066/female 5,231) 15-64 years: 67.7% (male 18,206/female 16,377) 65 years and over: 10.2% (2024 est.) (male 2,772/female 2,466) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 48.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 32.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 16.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 6.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 32.6 years (2025 est.) male: 31.8 years female: 33.2 years **Population growth rate:** -0.33% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 15.8 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.91 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -13.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** approximately 90% of the population lives on the island of Saipan **Urbanization:** urban population: 92.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.36% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 51,000 SAIPAN (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.17 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.16 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 11.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 77.1 years (2024 est.) male: 75 years female: 79.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.53 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.17 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 99.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.6% of population (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 38.2% (2020 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** contamination of groundwater on Saipan; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species **Climate:** tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October **Land use:** agricultural land: 1.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.8% (2023 est.) forest: 53% (2023 est.) other: 45.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 92.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.36% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 32,800 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 36% (2016 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Mariana Islands District abbreviation: CNMI etymology: Spain named the islands in 1667 in honor of the Spanish Queen, MARIANA of Austria **Government type:** a commonwealth in political union with and under the sovereignty of the US; republican form of government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches **Dependency status:** commonwealth in political union with and under the sovereignty of the US; federal funds administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs **Capital:** name: Saipan geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the origin of the name is unclear; it probably comes from a local word meaning "deserted" or "uninhabited," but stories vary on how it came to be used **Administrative divisions:** no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 4 municipalities are considered second-order: Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian **Legal system:** the laws of the US apply, except for customs and some aspects of taxation **Constitution:** history: partially effective 9 January 1978 (Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands); fully effective 4 November 1986 (Covenant Agreement) amendment process: proposed by constitutional convention, by public petition, or by the Legislature; ratification of proposed amendments requires approval by voters at the next general election or special election; amendments proposed by constitutional convention or by petition become effective if approved by a majority of voters and at least two-thirds majority of voters in each of two senatorial districts; amendments proposed by the Legislature are effective if approved by majority vote **Citizenship:** see United States **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal note: inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025) head of government: Governor David M. APATANG (since 24 July 2025) cabinet: Sworn in by CNMI Chief Justice Alexandro Castro on Thursday, 24 July 2025 election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of electors chosen from each state; president and vice president serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of the Northern Mariana Islands do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican party presidential primary elections; governor directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds, if needed most recent election date: 8 November 2022, with a runoff held on 25 November 2022 election results: 2022: Arnold PALACIOS elected governor in second round; percent of vote in first round - Ralph TORRES (Republican) 38.8%; Arnold PALACIOS (independent) 32.2%, Tina SABLAN (Democrat) 28%; percent of vote in second round - Arnold PALACIOS 54%, Ralph TORRES 46%; David APATANG (independent) elected lieutenant governor 2018: Ralph TORRES elected governor; percent of vote - Ralph TORRES (Republican) 62.2%, Juan BABAUTA (independent) 37.8%; Arnold PALACIOS elected lieutenant governor expected date of next election: 2026 **Legislative branch:** note: the Northern Mariana Islands delegate to the US House of Representatives can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the "Committee of the Whole House," but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) (consists of the chief justice and 2 associate justices); US Federal District Court (consists of 1 judge) judge selection and term of office: CNMI Supreme Court judges appointed by the governor and confirmed by the CNMI Senate; judges appointed for 8-year terms and another term if directly elected in a popular election; US Federal District Court judges appointed by the US president and confirmed by the US Senate; judges appointed for renewable 10-year terms subordinate courts: Superior Court note: US Federal District Court jurisdiction limited to US federal laws; appeals beyond the CNMI Supreme Court are referred to the US Supreme Court **Political parties:** Democratic Party Republican Party **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (commonwealth in political union with the US) **International organization participation:** PIF (observer), SPC, UPU **Independence:** none (commonwealth in political union with the US) **National holiday:** Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978) **Flag:** description: blue with a five-pointed white star on a gray latte stone (a traditional foundation stone) in the center, surrounded by a mwáár or head lei (wreath) meaning: blue stands for the Pacific Ocean, the star for the Commonwealth, and the latte stone and mwáár for Marianas culture; the mwáár is made from four kinds of flowers: flores mayo (Plumeria), ylang-ylang or langilang (Cananga odorata), angagha or peacock flower (Caesalpinia pulcherrima), and teibwo or Pacific basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) **National symbol(s):** latte stone **National color(s):** blue, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Gi Talo Gi Halom Tasi" (In the Middle of the Sea) "Satil Matawal Pacifico" (Carolinian) lyrics/music: Jose S. PANGELINAN [Chamoru], David PETER [Carolinian]/Wilhelm GANZHOM history: adopted 1996 _____ title: "The Star-Spangled Banner" lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH history: official anthem, as a US commonwealth ### Economy **Economic overview:** US Pacific island commonwealth economy; growing Chinese and Korean tourist destination; hit hard by 2018 typhoon; dependent on energy imports; exempt from some US labor and immigration laws; longstanding garment production **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.242 billion (2016 est.) $933 million (2015 est.) $845 million (2014 est.) note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy; data are in 2013 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 16.6% (2022 est.) 5% (2021 est.) -29.1% (2020 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.096 billion (2022 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Agricultural products:** vegetables and melons, fruits and nuts; ornamental plants; livestock, poultry, eggs; fish and aquaculture products **Industries:** tourism, banking, construction, fishing, handicrafts, other services **Budget:** revenues: $389.6 million (2016 est.) expenditures: $344 million (2015 est.) **Exports:** $244 million (2022 est.) $55 million (2021 est.) $128 million (2020 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Sweden 21%, Singapore 20%, Hong Kong 12%, UK 8%, India 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** scrap iron, refined petroleum, scrap copper, hydraulic engines, integrated circuits (2021) top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $777 million (2022 est.) $666 million (2021 est.) $556 million (2020 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Singapore 63%, Japan 12%, Hong Kong 8%, Taiwan 4%, Philippines 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, jewelry, trunks and cases, flavored water (2023) **Exchange rates:** the US dollar is used ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 19,500 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 42 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 20,500 (2004 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2004) **Broadcast media:** 1 TV station on Saipan; multi-channel cable TV services are available on Saipan; 9 licensed radio stations (2009) **Internet country code:** .mp **Internet users:** percent of population: 25.1% (2021 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 4 (2025) **Heliports:** 7 (2025) **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Rota, Saipan, Tinian ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the US --- ## Norway **Slug:** norway **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇳🇴 **Codes:** cek: no, iso2: NO, iso3: NOR, iso_num: 578, genc: NOR, stanag: NOR, internet: .no ### Introduction **Background:** Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off after King Olav TRYGGVASON adopted Christianity in 994; conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Norway remained neutral in World War I and proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but Nazi Germany nonetheless occupied the country for five years (1940-45). In 1949, Norway abandoned neutrality and became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. Key domestic issues include immigration and integration of ethnic minorities, maintaining the country's extensive social safety net with an aging population, and preserving economic competitiveness. ### Geography **Location:** Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden **Geographic coordinates:** 62 00 N, 10 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 323,802 sq km land: 304,282 sq km water: 19,520 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than New Mexico **Land boundaries:** total: 2,566 km border countries (3): Finland 709 km; Sweden 1,666 km; Russia 191 km **Coastline:** 25,148 km note: includes the mainland at 2,650 km, as well as long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations at 22,498 km; length of island coastlines is 58,133 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm **Climate:** temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast **Terrain:** glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north **Elevation:** highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m mean elevation: 460 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 2.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.5% (2023 est.) forest: 33.3% (2023 est.) other: 64% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 337 sq km (2016) **Population distribution:** most people live in the south; population clusters are found along the North Sea coast in the southwest and Skaggerak in the southeast; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated **Natural hazards:** rockslides, avalanches volcanism: Beerenberg (2,227 m) on Jan Mayen Island in the Norwegian Sea is the country's only active volcano **Geography - note:** about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much-indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of the most rugged and longest coastlines in the world ### People and Society **Population:** total: 5,541,823 (2025 est.) male: 2,797,553 female: 2,744,270 **Nationality:** noun: Norwegian(s) adjective: Norwegian **Ethnic groups:** Norwegian 81.5% (includes about 60,000 Sami), other European 8.9%, other 9.6% (2021 est.) **Languages:** Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities major-language sample(s): Verdens Faktabok, den essensielle kilden for grunnleggende informasjon. (Norwegian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: Sami has three dialects (Lule, North Sami, and South Sami) and is an official language in nine municipalities in the northernmost counties of Finnmark, Nordland, and Troms **Religions:** Church of Norway (Evangelical Lutheran - official) 67.5%, Muslim 3.1%, Roman Catholic 3.1%, other Christian 3.8%, other 2.6%, unspecified 19.9% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16.3% (male 461,979/female 438,243) 15-64 years: 64.5% (male 1,820,692/female 1,734,818) 65 years and over: 19.1% (2024 est.) (male 498,301/female 555,700) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 55.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 25 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 30.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.3 (2025 est.) note: data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands **Median age:** total: 41 years (2025 est.) male: 40.1 years female: 41.5 years **Population growth rate:** 0.57% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.35 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 3.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most people live in the south; population clusters are found along the North Sea coast in the southwest and Skaggerak in the southeast; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 84% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands **Major urban areas - population:** 1.086 million OSLO (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 29.8 years (2020 est.) note: data is calculated based on actual age at first births **Maternal mortality ratio:** 1 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 1.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 1.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 82.9 years (2024 est.) male: 81.3 years female: 84.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.58 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.77 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8.1% of GDP (2022) 17.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.98 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 3.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 23.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 6.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 12% (2025 est.) male: 12.6% (2025 est.) female: 11.3% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 57.4% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0% (2022) women married by age 18: 0% (2022) **Education expenditure:** 5.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 14.5% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 19 years (2023 est.) male: 18 years (2023 est.) female: 20 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and affecting lakes and fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast **Land use:** agricultural land: 2.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.5% (2023 est.) forest: 33.3% (2023 est.) other: 64% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 84% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 38.535 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.929 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 25.576 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 10.029 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 31 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 99.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 33 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 6.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.15 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 35.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 773.41 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.071 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 844.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 393 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 5 (2025) global geoparks and regional networks: Gea Norvegica; Fjord Coast; Magma; Sunnhordland; Trollfjell (2025) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway conventional short form: Norway local long form: Kongeriket Norge local short form: Norge etymology: derives from the Old Norse words norre and vegr, meaning "northern way," and refers to the long coastline of western Norway **Government type:** parliamentary constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Oslo geographic coordinates: 59 55 N, 10 45 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name may derive from the Old Norwegian word os, meaning "estuary" and referring to the city's location on a fjord; alternatively, the name may come from As, a Scandinavian god, and Lo, a nearby river **Administrative divisions:** 12 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Agder, Innlandet, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Oslo, Rogaland, Romsdal, Troms og Finnmark, Trondelag, Vestfold og Telemark, Vestland, Viken (2024) **Dependent areas:** Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard (3) **Legal system:** mixed system of civil, common, and customary law; Supreme Court can advise on legislative acts **Constitution:** history: drafted spring 1814, adopted 16 May 1814, signed by Constituent Assembly 17 May 1814 amendment process: proposals submitted by members of Parliament or by the government within the first three years of Parliament's four-year term; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in the next elected Parliament **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Norway dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991) head of government: Prime Minister Jonas Gahr STORE (since 14 October 2021) cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch, approved by Parliament election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the monarch usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister, with the approval of Parliament **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Stortinget) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 169 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 9/8/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Labour Party (53); Progress Party (47); Conservative Party (24); Socialist Left Party (9); Center Party (9); Red Party (9); Other (18) percentage of women in chamber: 40.2% expected date of next election: September 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (consists of the chief justice and 18 associate justices) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the monarch (King in Council) on the recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Board; justices can serve until mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal or Lagmennsrett; regional and district courts; Conciliation Boards; ordinary and special courts note: in addition to professionally trained judges, elected lay judges sit on the bench with professional judges in the Courts of Appeal and district courts **Political parties:** Center Party or Sp Christian Democratic Party or KrF Conservative Party or H Green Party or MDG Labor Party or Ap Liberal Party or V Patient Focus or PF Progress Party or FrP Red Party or R Socialist Left Party or SV **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Anniken Scharning HUITFELDT (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 469-3990 email address and website: emb.washington@mfa.no https://www.norway.no/en/usa/ consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Eric MEYER (since August 2024) embassy: Morgedalsvegen 36, 0378 Oslo mailing address: 5460 Oslo Place, Washington DC 20521-5460 telephone: [47] 21-30-85-40 FAX: [47] 22-56-27-51 email address and website: OsloACS@state.gov https://no.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EITI (implementing country), ESA, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 7 June 1905 (union with Sweden declared dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union); notable earlier dates: ca. 872 (traditional unification of Norwegian kingdoms by HARALD Fairhair); 1397 (Kalmar Union of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden); 1524 (Denmark-Norway); 17 May 1814 (Norwegian constitution adopted); 4 November 1814 (Sweden-Norway union confirmed) **National holiday:** Constitution Day, 17 May (1814) **Flag:** description: red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the the cross is shifted to the left side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) meaning: the colors represent Norway's past political unions with Denmark (red and white) and Sweden (blue) **National symbol(s):** lion **National color(s):** red, white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (Yes, We Love This Country) lyrics/music: Bjornstjerne BJORNSON/Rikard NORDRAAK history: in use since 1864, but never officially adopted _____ title: "Kongesangen" (Song of the King) lyrics/music: Gustav JENSEN history: royal anthem; uses the tune of "God Save the King," the United Kingdom's anthem note: since 2011, the patriotic song “Mitt lille land” has been called a new national anthem and is sometimes performed at patriotic events, but it is not used as often as “Ja, vi elsker dette landet” **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 8 (7 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Bryggen (c); Urnes Stave Church (c); Røros Mining Town and the Circumference (c); Rock Art of Alta (c); Vegaøyan – The Vega Archipelago (c); Struve Geodetic Arc (c); West Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord (n); Rjukan-Notodden Industrial Heritage Site (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, non-EU economy with trade links via European Economic Area (EEA); key role in European energy security as leader in oil, gas, and electricity exports; major fishing, forestry, and oil(?) extraction industries; oil sovereign fund supports generous welfare system; low unemployment; inflation moderating but remains above target level **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $507.68 billion (2024 est.) $497.236 billion (2023 est.) $496.877 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.1% (2024 est.) 0.1% (2023 est.) 3.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $91,100 (2024 est.) $90,100 (2023 est.) $91,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $483.727 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.1% (2024 est.) 5.5% (2023 est.) 5.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2% (2024 est.) industry: 37% (2024 est.) services: 51.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 37.7% (2023 est.) government consumption: 22% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.7% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 2.6% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 47.9% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -32.5% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, barley, potatoes, oats, wheat, pork, chicken, beef, eggs, carrots/turnips (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum and gas, shipping, fishing, aquaculture, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 3.042 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4% (2024 est.) 3.6% (2023 est.) 3.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 11.6% (2024 est.) male: 12.3% (2024 est.) female: 10.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 12.2% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 26.9 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 11.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.5% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 22% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $261.945 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $178.156 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 36.5% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data exclude treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions **Taxes and other revenues:** 27.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $82.511 billion (2024 est.) $84.104 billion (2023 est.) $170.714 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $229.205 billion (2024 est.) $230.882 billion (2023 est.) $323.875 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 18%, UK 17%, Sweden 9%, Denmark 7%, Netherlands 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** natural gas, crude petroleum, fish, refined petroleum, aluminum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $162.467 billion (2024 est.) $156.11 billion (2023 est.) $160.649 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Sweden 11%, Germany 11%, China 11%, USA 7%, Netherlands 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, refined petroleum, ships, nickel, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $81.242 billion (2024 est.) $80.459 billion (2023 est.) $72.077 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 10.746 (2024 est.) 10.563 (2023 est.) 9.614 (2022 est.) 8.59 (2021 est.) 9.416 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 41.1 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 127.335 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 30.978 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 13.232 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 7.025 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 9.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 89.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 120,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 1.096 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 60,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1.042 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 2.02 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 229,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 8.122 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 121.637 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 5.082 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 117.597 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 104.744 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.544 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 206.961 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 145,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 6.09 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 112 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned public radio and TV broadcaster operates 3 nationwide TV stations, 3 nationwide radio stations, and 16 regional radio stations; roughly a dozen privately owned TV stations broadcast nationally, and another 25 locally; nearly 75% of households have access to multi-channel cable or satellite TV; 2 privately owned radio stations broadcast nationwide, with another 240 local stations; Norway was the first country to phase out FM radio in favor of Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) (2019) **Internet country code:** .no **Internet users:** percent of population: 99% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2.49 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 46 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** LN **Airports:** 146 (2025) **Heliports:** 113 (2025) **Railways:** total: 3,848 km (2020) 2,482 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 1,720 (2022) by type: bulk carrier 109, container ship 1, general cargo 274, oil tanker 95, other 1,241 **Ports:** total ports: 141 (2024) large: 1 medium: 10 small: 34 very small: 90 size unknown: 6 ports with oil terminals: 54 key ports: Bergen, Drammen, Hammerfest, Harstad, Horten, Karsto, Mongstad, Oslo, Stavanger, Tromso, Trondheim ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Norwegian Armed Forces (Forsvaret or "the Defense"): Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige Norske Sjoeforsvaret; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret), Home Guard (Heimevernet, HV) (2025) note: the Norwegian Police Service is under the Ministry of Justice and Public Security **Military expenditures:** 3.4% of GDP (2025 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 27,000 active military personnel; approximately 40,000 Home Guard (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military has an inventory of modern, domestically produced and imported Western European and US armaments; Norway's defense industry participates in joint development and production of weapons systems with other European countries (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 17 (men) or 18 (women) for voluntary military service; all Norwegian citizens 19-44 are subject to selective compulsory military service; 19-month service obligation for those selected (12 months plus 4-5 refresher training periods) (2025) note 1: Norway has had compulsory military service since 1907; individuals conscripted each year are selected from a larger cohort who are evaluated through online assessments and physical tests note 2: Norway was the first NATO country to allow women to serve in all combat arms branches of the military (1985); it also has an all-female special operations unit known as Jegertroppen (The Hunter Troop), which was established in 2014 **Military deployments:** around 100 Lithuania (NATO); Norway also deploys air and naval assets in support of other NATO operations (2025) **Military - note:** the Norwegian Armed Forces (Forsvaret) are responsible for protecting Norway and its allies, including monitoring Norway’s airspace, digital, land, and maritime areas, maintaining the country’s borders and sovereignty, contributing to NATO and UN missions, and providing support to civil society, such as assisting the police, search and rescue, and maritime counterterrorism efforts; the military’s territorial and sovereignty defense missions are complicated by Norway’s vast sea areas, numerous islands, long and winding fjords, and difficult and mountainous terrain; a key area of emphasis is its far northern border with Russia Norway is one of the original members of NATO, and the Alliance is a key component of Norway’s defense policy; the Forsvaret participates in NATO exercises, missions, and operations, including air policing of NATO territory, NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence mission in the Baltic States and Eastern Europe, and standing naval missions, as well as operations in non-NATO areas, such as the Middle East the Forsvaret also cooperates closely with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO; established 2009), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; Norway contributes to the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, a pool of high-readiness military forces from 10 Baltic and Scandinavian countries designed to respond to a wide range of contingencies in the High North, North Atlantic, and Baltic Sea regions; Norway has close military ties with the US, including rotational US military deployments and an agreement allowing for mutual defense activities and US military forces to access some Norwegian facilities the Forsvaret's origins go back to the leidangen, defense forces which were established along the coastline in the 10th century to protect the Norwegian coast (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA, aka Norsk Romsenter; established 1987) (2025) **Space launch site(s):** Andøya Space Center (Andøya Island; note - first operational spaceport in continental Europe) (2025) **Space program overview:** jointly designs and builds satellites with foreign partners, including communications, remote sensing (RS), scientific, and navigational/positional satellites; develops and launches sounding rockets; researches and produces a range of other space-related technologies, including satellite/space launch vehicle (SLV) and space station components, telescopes, and robotics; conducts solar and telecommunications research; member of the ESA; participates in international programs such as the International Space Station; hosts training on the island of Svalbard for Mars landing missions; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Canada, ESA/EU member states, Japan, Russia, and the US; has an active and advanced private-sector space industry that works with domestic and foreign space programs (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1962 - launched first research rocket 1992 - began operating first communications satellite (THOR-1) 2010 - built first satellite (AISSat-1) to monitor from polar orbit Automatic Identification Signals from ships (launched by India) 2017 - launched two microsatellites (NorSat-1 and -2) to track commercial sea vessels 2025 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 129,894 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 1,621 (2024 est.) --- ## Oman **Slug:** oman **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇴🇲 **Codes:** cek: mu, iso2: OM, iso3: OMN, iso_num: 512, genc: OMN, stanag: OMN, internet: .om ### Introduction **Background:** The inhabitants of the area of present-day Oman have long prospered from Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, the nascent sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British political and military advisors increased, although the sultanate never became a British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said overthrew his father and ruled as sultan for the next five decades. His extensive modernization program opened the country to the outside world. He prioritized strategic ties to the UK and US, and his moderate, independent foreign policy allowed Oman to maintain good relations with its neighbors and avoid external entanglements. In 2011, the popular uprisings that swept the Middle East and North Africa inspired demonstrations in Oman that called for more jobs and economic benefits and an end to corruption. In response, QABOOS implemented economic and political reforms such as granting Oman’s legislative body more power and authorizing direct elections for its lower house. Additionally, the sultan increased unemployment benefits and issued a royal directive mandating a national public- and private-sector job creation plan. As part of the government's efforts to decentralize authority and allow greater citizen participation in local governance, Oman successfully conducted its first municipal council elections in 2012. QABOOS, Oman's longest reigning monarch, died in 2020. His cousin, HAYTHAM bin Tariq Al Said, former Minister of Heritage and Culture, was sworn in as Oman's new sultan the same day. ### Geography **Location:** Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and the UAE **Geographic coordinates:** 21 00 N, 57 00 E **Map references:** Middle East **Area:** total : 309,500 sq km land: 309,500 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** twice the size of Georgia **Land boundaries:** total: 1,561 km border countries (3): Saudi Arabia 658 km; UAE 609 km; Yemen 294 km **Coastline:** 2,092 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south **Terrain:** central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south **Elevation:** highest point: Jabal Shams 3,004 m lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m mean elevation: 310 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas **Land use:** agricultural land: 4.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.4% (2023 est.) forest: 0% (2023 est.) other: 95.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,162 sq km (2022) **Major aquifers:** Arabian Aquifer System **Population distribution:** the vast majority of the population is located in and around the Al Hagar Mountains in the north; another smaller cluster is found around the city of Salalah in the far south; most of the country remains sparsely populated **Natural hazards:** summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts **Geography - note:** consists of Oman proper and two northern exclaves, Musandam and Al Madhah; the former is a peninsula that occupies a strategic location adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz ### People and Society **Population:** total: 3,969,824 (2025 est.) male: 2,130,080 female: 1,839,744 **Nationality:** noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani **Ethnic groups:** Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African **Languages:** Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Swahili, Urdu, Indian dialects major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 85.9%, Christian 6.4%, Hindu 5.7%, other and unaffiliated 2% (2020 est.) note: Omani citizens represent approximately 56.4% of the population and are overwhelming Muslim (Ibadhi and Sunni sects each constitute about 45% and Shia about 5%); Christians, Hindus, and Buddhists account for roughly 5% of Omani citizens **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 29.8% (male 594,909/female 566,682) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 1,428,141/female 1,155,438) 65 years and over: 4% (2024 est.) (male 73,076/female 83,746) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 50.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 44.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 16.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 27.5 years (2025 est.) male: 28.1 years female: 26.3 years **Population growth rate:** 1.7% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 20.65 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 3.17 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the vast majority of the population is located in and around the Al Hagar Mountains in the north; another smaller cluster is found around the city of Salalah in the far south; most of the country remains sparsely populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 88.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.650 million MUSCAT (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.24 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.16 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 13 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 13.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 77.4 years (2024 est.) male: 75.5 years female: 79.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.61 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.27 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 94.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 76.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 92.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 5.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 23.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 7.6% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.4% of GDP (2021) 8.3% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.99 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 1.2 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 27% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 11.6% (2025 est.) male: 17.9% (2025 est.) female: 0.4% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 11.2% (2017 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 55.8% (2020 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 14.2% national budget (2022 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 97.3% (2022 est.) male: 98.6% (2022 est.) female: 94.9% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2021 est.) male: 13 years (2021 est.) female: 14 years (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited natural freshwater resources; high levels of soil and water salinity in the coastal plains; beach pollution from oil spills; industrial effluents in the water table and aquifers; desertification due to high winds driving desert sand into arable lands **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south **Land use:** agricultural land: 4.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.4% (2023 est.) forest: 0% (2023 est.) other: 95.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 88.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 84.073 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 661,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 28.611 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 54.8 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 34.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 673.6 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 36.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 62.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 9.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.308 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 130 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 238 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.547 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 1.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman former: Sultanate of Muscat and Oman etymology: the origin of the name is uncertain, but it may date back at least 2,000 years, with an "Omana" mentioned by Pliny the Elder (1st century A.D.) and an "Omanon" by Ptolemy (2nd century A.D.); it is said to derive from Oman ben Ibrahim al Khalil (Oman ben Kahtan), who founded the state **Government type:** absolute monarchy **Capital:** name: Muscat geographic coordinates: 23 37 N, 58 35 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name derives from the Arabic name for the city, Masqat, which is said to mean "hidden" and refers to the range of hills that isolate the port city from the rest of the country **Administrative divisions:** 11 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafaza); Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Buraymi, Al Wusta, Az Zahirah, Janub al Batinah (Al Batinah South), Janub ash Sharqiyah (Ash Sharqiyah South), Masqat (Muscat), Musandam, Shamal al Batinah (Al Batinah North), Shamal ash Sharqiyah (Ash Sharqiyah North), Zufar (Dhofar) **Legal system:** mixed system of Anglo-Saxon law and Islamic law **Constitution:** history: promulgated by royal decree 6 November 1996 (the Basic Law of the Sultanate of Oman serves as the constitution); amended by royal decree in 2011 amendment process: promulgated by the sultan or proposed by the Council of Oman and drafted by a technical committee as stipulated by royal decree and then promulgated through royal decree **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Oman dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: unknown **Suffrage:** 21 years of age; universal note: members of the military and security forces by law cannot vote **Executive branch:** chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister HAITHAM bin Tarik Al Said (since 11 January 2020) head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister HAITHAM bin Tarik Al Said (since 11 January 2020) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch note: the monarch is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Majles legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Shura Council (Majles A'Shura) number of seats: 90 (all directly elected) electoral system: other systems scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/1/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 0% expected date of next election: October 2027 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: State Council (Majles Addawla) number of seats: 87 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/29/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 20.9% expected date of next election: November 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 5 judges) judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the 9-member Supreme Judicial Council (chaired by the monarch) and appointed by the monarch; judges appointed for life subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Administrative Court; Courts of First Instance; sharia courts; magistrates' courts; military courts **Political parties:** note: organized political parties are banned in Oman, and loyalties tend to form around tribal affiliations **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Talal Sulaiman AL-RAHBI (since 24 July 2025) chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933 email address and website: washington@fm.gov.om Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman, Washington, USA - FM.gov.om **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Ana ESCROGIMA (since 4 December 2023) embassy: P.C. 115, Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos, Muscat mailing address: 6220 Muscat Place, Washington DC 20521 telephone: [968] 2464-3400 FAX: [968] 2464-3740 email address and website: ConsularMuscat@state.gov https://om.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese) **National holiday:** National Day, 18 November note: celebrates Oman's independence from Portugal in 1650 and the birthday of Sultan QABOOS bin Said al Said, who reigned from 1970 to 2020 **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), red, and green, with a vertical red band on the left side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath on top of crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band meaning: white stands for peace and prosperity, red for battles against foreign invaders, and green for the Jebel al Akhdar (Green Mountains) and fertility **National symbol(s):** khanjar dagger on top of two crossed swords **National color(s):** red, white, green **National anthem(s):** title: "Nashid as-Salaam as-Sultani" (The Sultan's Anthem) lyrics/music: Rashid bin Uzayyiz al KHUSAIDI/James Frederick MILLS, arranged by Bernard EBBINGHAUS history: adopted 1932; new lyrics written after QABOOS bin Said al Said came to power in 1970; first performed by the band of the HMS Hawkins as a salute to the Sultan during a 1932 visit to Muscat; the ship's bandmaster did the arrangement **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 5 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Bahla Fort; Archaeological Sites of Bat; Land of Frankincense; Aflaj Irrigation Systems of Oman; Ancient Qalhat ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, oil-based economy; large welfare system; growing government debt; citizenship-based labor force growth policy; US free trade agreement; diversifying portfolio; high female labor force participation **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $193.591 billion (2024 est.) $190.403 billion (2023 est.) $188.169 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.7% (2024 est.) 1.2% (2023 est.) 8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $36,700 (2024 est.) $37,700 (2023 est.) $39,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $106.943 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1% (2023 est.) 2.5% (2022 est.) 1.7% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2.6% (2024 est.) industry: 54.2% (2024 est.) services: 46.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 37.8% (2023 est.) government consumption: 19.1% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.3% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 2.4% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 61.1% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -44.8% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** vegetables, dates, milk, tomatoes, sorghum, chillies/peppers, goat milk, cucumbers/gherkins, cantaloupes/melons, cabbages (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas production; construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 2.696 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.2% (2024 est.) 3.2% (2023 est.) 3.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 13.9% (2024 est.) male: 11% (2024 est.) female: 30.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Average household expenditures:** on food: 18.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $29.334 billion (2018 est.) expenditures: $35.984 billion (2018 est.) **Public debt:** 46.9% of GDP (2017 est.) note: excludes indebtedness of state-owned enterprises **Current account balance:** $2.638 billion (2023 est.) $4.362 billion (2022 est.) -$4.836 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $64.749 billion (2023 est.) $69.483 billion (2022 est.) $46.572 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 43%, India 6%, Saudi Arabia 5%, UAE 5%, South Africa 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, semi-finished iron, fertilizers (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $47.412 billion (2023 est.) $46.682 billion (2022 est.) $37.216 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** UAE 25%, Saudi Arabia 12%, India 8%, China 7%, Qatar 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, crude petroleum, iron ore, iron pipes (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $18.287 billion (2024 est.) $17.455 billion (2023 est.) $17.606 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Omani rials (OMR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.384 (2024 est.) 0.384 (2023 est.) 0.384 (2022 est.) 0.384 (2021 est.) 0.384 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 11.589 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 40.738 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 4.267 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 96% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 82,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 70,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 323,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 1.056 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 218,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 5.373 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 41.726 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 28.646 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 15.536 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 1.924 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 651.287 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 296.586 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 436,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 6.35 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 state-run TV broadcaster; TV stations transmitting from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, and Yemen available via satellite TV; state-run radio operates multiple stations; first private radio station began operating in 2007, and several additional stations now operating (2019) **Internet country code:** .om **Internet users:** percent of population: 95% (2024 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 562,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** A4O **Airports:** 37 (2025) **Heliports:** 20 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 57 (2023) by type: general cargo 11, other 46 **Ports:** total ports: 7 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 4 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 6 key ports: Duqm, Khawr Khasab, Mina Al Fahl, Mina Raysut, Sohar ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF): Royal Army of Oman (RAO), Royal Navy of Oman (RNO), Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), Royal Guard of Oman (RGO), Sultan's Special Forces Royal Oman Police (ROP): Civil Defense, Immigration, Infrastructure Security Police, Coast Guard Police, Special Security Police, Special Task Force (2024) note: in addition to its policing duties, the ROP conducts many administrative functions similar to the responsibilities of a Ministry of Interior in other countries **Military expenditures:** 6% of GDP (2024 est.) 5.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 8% of GDP (2021 est.) 11% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 40,000 active Sultan's Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the SAF's inventory includes a mix of older and some more modern weapons systems from a variety of suppliers, particularly the UK and the US; other suppliers have included China, EU countries, South Africa, and Türkiye (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025) note: women have served since 2011 **Military - note:** the Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF) are responsible for defending the country, ensuring internal security, and protecting the monarchy; it trains with foreign partners such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the UK, and the US; the SAF has a security relationship with the British military going back to the 18th century; today, the SAF and the British maintain a joint training base in Oman, and the British military uses the facilities at Al Duqm Port; in 2019, the US obtained access to the port, expanding on previous military cooperation agreements in 2014, 2010, and 1980; Oman also allows other nations to use some of its maritime facilities, including China; the SAF is part of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region Oman's naval forces conduct maritime security operations along the country’s long coastline, including patrolling, ensuring freedom of navigation in the key naval chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz, and countering piracy and smuggling; Oman participates in the US-led, multinational Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), which operates multinational task forces conducting maritime security in regional waters (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 714 (2024 est.) --- ## Pacific Ocean **Slug:** pacific-ocean **Region:** Oceans **Codes:** cek: zn ### Introduction **Background:** The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five ocean basins (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres Straits. The International Hydrographic Organization decision in 2000 to delimit a fifth world ocean basin, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south. For convenience and because of its immense size, the Pacific Ocean is often divided at the Equator and designated as the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean. ### Geography **Location:** body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere **Geographic coordinates:** 0 00 N, 160 00 W **Area:** total : 168.723 million sq km note: includes Arafura Sea, Bali Sea, Banda Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Celebes Sea, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Flores Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, Java Sea, Philippine Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, Solomon Sea, South China Sea, Sulu Sea, Tasman Sea, and other tributary water bodies **Area - comparative:** about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global surface; almost equal to the total land area of the world **Coastline:** 135,663 km **Climate:** planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May to December **Ocean volume:** ocean volume: 669.88 million cu km percent of World Ocean total volume: 50.1% **Major ocean currents:** the clockwise North Pacific Gyre formed by the warm northward flowing Kuroshio Current in the west, the eastward flowing North Pacific Current in the north, the southward flowing cold California Current in the east, and the westward flowing North Equatorial Current in the south; the counterclockwise South Pacific Gyre composed of the southward flowing warm East Australian Current in the west, the eastward flowing South Pacific Current in the south, the northward flowing cold Peru (Humbolt) Current in the east, and the westward flowing South Equatorial Current in the north **Bathymetry:** continental shelf: the following are examples of features on the continental shelf of the Pacific Ocean: Arafura Shelf (Figure 5) Sahul Shelf (Figure 5) Sunda Shelf (Figure 5) Taiwan Banks (Figure 5) continental slope: the following are examples of features on the continental slope of the Pacific Ocean: Pribilof Canyon (Figure 2) Zhemchug Canyon (Figure 2; deepest submarine canyon) abyssal plains: the following are examples of features on the abyssal plains of the Pacific Ocean: Aleutian Basin (Figure 2) Central Pacific Basin (Figure 2) Northeast Pacific Basin (Figure 2) Northwest Pacific Basin (Figure 2) Philippine Basin (Figure 4) Southwest Pacific Basin (Figure 4) Tasman Basin (Figure 4) mid-ocean ridge: the following are examples of mid-ocean ridges on the floor of the Pacific Ocean: East Pacific Rise (Figure 3) Pacific-Antarctic Ridge (Figure 3) undersea terrain features: the following are examples of undersea terrain features on the floor of the Pacific Ocean: Caroline Seamounts (Figure 5) East Mariana Ridge (Figure 4) Emperor Seamount Chain (Figure 2) Hawaiian Ridge (Figure 2) Lord Howe Seamount Chain (Figure 4) Louisville Ridge (Figure 4) Kapingamarangi (Ontong-Java) Rise (Figure 5; largest submarine plateau) Macclesfield Bank (Figure 5) Marshall Seamounts (Figure 2) Magellan Seamounts (Figure 2) Mid-Pacific Seamounts (Figure 2) Reed Tablemount (Figure 5) Shatsky Rise (Figure 2; third-largest submarine plateau) Tonga-Kermadec Ridge (Figure 4) ocean trenches: the following are examples of ocean trenches on the floor of the Pacific Ocean: Aleutian Trench (Figure 2) Chile Trench (Figure 3) Izu-Ogasawara Trench (Figure 2) Japan Trench (Figure 2) Kermadec Trench (Figures 3, 4) Kuril-Kamchatka Trench (Figure 2) Manus Trench (Figure 4) Mariana Trench (Figures 2, 4; deepest ocean trench) Middle America Trench (Figure 3) Nansei-Shoto Trench (Figure 5) Palau Trench (Figures 2, 4) Philippine Trench (Figure 4) Peru-Chile Trench (Figure 3) South New Hebrides Trench (Figure 4) Tonga Trench (Figures 3, 4) Yap Trench (Figures 2, 4) atolls: the following are examples of atolls in the Pacific Ocean, and because they are also countries or territories, they have entries in The World Factbook with additional information: Federated States of Micronesia French Polynesia Kiribati Marshall Islands Midway Island Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu Wake Island **Elevation:** highest point: sea level lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m mean depth: -4,080 m ocean zones: the ocean is divided into three zones based on depth and light level; sunlight entering the water may travel about 1,000 m into the oceans under the right conditions, but there is rarely any significant light below 200 m euphotic zone: the upper 200 m (656 ft) is also called "sunlight" zone; only a small amount of light penetrates beyond this depth dysphotic zone: between 200 m (656 ft) and 1,000 m (3,280 ft), and also called the twilight zone; the intensity of light rapidly dissipates as depth increases, and photosynthesis is no longer possible aphotic zone: below 1,000 m (3,280 ft) and also called the midnight zone; sunlight does not penetrate to these depths note: the Pacific Ocean is the deepest ocean basin **Natural resources:** oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish **Natural hazards:** surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire; 80% of tsunamis, caused by volcanic or seismic events, occur within the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Niño/La Niña phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December **Geography - note:** the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean; much of the Pacific Ocean's rim lies along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes; the Pacific Ocean is the deepest ocean basin, averaging 4,000 m (13,123 ft) in depth ### Environment **Environmental issues:** pollution from sources such as sewage, nutrient runoff from agriculture, plastic pollution, and toxic waste; habitat destruction; overfishing; sea level-rise and ocean acidification; endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea **Climate:** planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May to December **Marine fisheries:** the Pacific Ocean fisheries are the most important in the world, accounting for 58.1%, or 45,800,000 mt, of the global marine capture in 2020; of the six regions delineated by the Food and Agriculture Organization in the Pacific Ocean, the following are the most important: Northwest Pacific region (Region 61) is the world’s most important fishery, producing 24.3% of the global catch or 19,150,000 mt in 2020; it encompasses the waters north of 20º north latitude and west of 175º west longitude, with the major producers including China (29,080726 mt), Japan (3,417,871 mt), South Korea (1,403,892 mt), and Taiwan (487,739 mt); the principal catches include Alaska pollock, Japanese anchovy, chub mackerel, and scads Western Central Pacific region (Region 71) is the world’s second most important fishing region producing 16.8%, or 13,260,000 mt, of the global catch in 2020; tuna is the most important species in this region; the region includes the waters between 20º North and 25º South latitude and west of 175º West longitude with the major producers including Indonesia (6,907,932 mt), Vietnam (4,571,497 mt), Philippines (2,416,879 mt), Thailand (1,509,574 mt), and Malaysia (692,553 mt); the principal catches include skipjack and yellowfin tuna, sardinellas, and cephalopods Southeast Pacific region (Region 87) is the third largest fishery in the world, producing 10.7%, or 8,400,000 mt, of the global catch in 2020; this region includes the nutrient-rich waters off the west coast of South America between 5º North and 60º South latitude and east of 120º West longitude, with the major producers including Peru (4,888,730 mt), Chile (3,298,795 mt), and Ecuador (1,186,249 mt); the principal catches include Peruvian anchovy (68.5% of the catch), jumbo flying squid, and Chilean jack mackerel Pacific Northeast region (Region 67) is the eighth largest fishery in the world, producing 3.6% of the global catch or 2,860,000 mt in 2020; this region encompasses the waters north of 40º North latitude and east of 175º West longitude, including the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea, with the major producers including the US (3,009,568 mt), Canada (276,677 mt), and Russia (6,908 mt); the principal catches include Alaska pollock, Pacific cod, and North Pacific hake Regional fisheries bodies: Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna, Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, International Council for the Exploration of the Seas, North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission, North Pacific Fisheries Commission, South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission ### Government **Country name:** etymology: named by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand MAGELLAN while circumnavigating the world in 1520; he called it "Mar Pacifico," which means "peaceful sea" in both Portuguese and Spanish, because he encountered no storms during the crossing --- ## Pakistan **Slug:** pakistan **Region:** South Asia **Flag:** 🇵🇰 **Codes:** cek: pk, iso2: PK, iso3: PAK, iso_num: 586, genc: PAK, stanag: PAK, internet: .pk ### Introduction **Background:** The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of modern-day Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The partition in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India created lasting tension between the two countries. They have fought two wars and a limited conflict -- in 1947-48, 1965, and 1999 respectively -- over the Kashmir territory, a dispute that continues to this day. A third war in 1971 -- in which India assisted an indigenous movement reacting to Bengali marginalization in Pakistani politics -- resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. Pakistan has been engaged in a decades-long armed conflict with militant groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant networks that target government institutions and civilians. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north **Geographic coordinates:** 30 00 N, 70 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 796,095 sq km land: 770,875 sq km water: 25,220 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly more than five times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of California **Land boundaries:** total: 7,257 km border countries (4): Afghanistan 2,670 km; China 438 km; India 3,190 km; Iran 959 km **Coastline:** 1,046 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north **Terrain:** divided into three major geographic areas: the northern highlands, the Indus River plain in the center and east, and the Balochistan Plateau in the south and west **Elevation:** highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m mean elevation: 900 m **Natural resources:** arable land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone **Land use:** agricultural land: 46.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 39.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.5% (2023 est.) forest: 4.1% (2023 est.) other: 49.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 194,200 sq km (2022) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Indus river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 3,610 km; Sutlej river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 1,372 km; Chenab river mouth (shared with India [s]) - 1,086 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Indian Ocean drainage: Indus (1,081,718 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Indus Basin **Population distribution:** the Indus River and its tributaries attract most of the settlement, with Punjab province the most densely populated **Natural hazards:** frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) **Geography - note:** controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and India ### People and Society **Population:** total: 257,047,044 (2025 est.) male: 130,727,015 female: 126,320,029 **Nationality:** noun: Pakistani(s) adjective: Pakistani **Ethnic groups:** Punjabi 44.7%, Pashtun (Pathan) 15.4%, Sindhi 14.1%, Saraiki 8.4%, Muhajirs 7.6%, Baloch 3.6%, other 6.3% **Languages:** Punjabi 38.8%, Pashto (alternate name, Pashtu) 18.2%, Sindhi 14.6%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 12.2%, Urdu 7.1%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2.4%, Brahui 1.2%, other 2.4% major-language sample(s): دنیا کا قاموس، ایک لازمی زریہ بنیادی معلومات کا (Urdu) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: data represent population by mother tongue; English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries) **Religions:** Muslim 96.4%, Hindu 1.6%, Christian 1.4%; less than 1%: scheduled castes, Qadiani/Ahmadi, other, Sikh. (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 34.4% (male 44,330,669/female 42,529,007) 15-64 years: 60.7% (male 78,321,834/female 74,833,003) 65 years and over: 4.9% (2024 est.) (male 5,735,294/female 6,613,764) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 64 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 55.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 8.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 12.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 23.2 years (2025 est.) male: 22.8 years female: 23 years **Population growth rate:** 1.82% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 25.05 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.79 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the Indus River and its tributaries attract most of the settlement, with Punjab province the most densely populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 38% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 17.236 million Karachi, 13.979 million Lahore, 3.711 million Faisalabad, 2.415 million Gujranwala, 2.412 million Peshawar, 1.232 million ISLAMABAD (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 22.8 years (2017/18 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 155 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 50.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 56 deaths/1,000 live births female: 46.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 70.3 years (2024 est.) male: 68.2 years female: 72.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.25 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.59 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 92.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 89.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 90.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 7.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 10.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 9.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 2.9% of GDP (2021) 5.6% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.16 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Hospital bed density:** 0.5 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 90.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 76.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 81.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 9.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 23.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 18.5% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 8.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 15.5% (2025 est.) male: 25.7% (2025 est.) female: 5.4% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 23.1% (2018 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 63.4% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 3.6% (2018) women married by age 18: 18.3% (2018) men married by age 18: 4.7% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 1.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 9.8% national budget (2023 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 58.9% (2021 est.) male: 69.1% (2021 est.) female: 48.5% (2021 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 8 years (2022 est.) male: 8 years (2022 est.) female: 7 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural freshwater resources; most of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution and noise pollution in urban areas **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north **Land use:** agricultural land: 46.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 39.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.5% (2023 est.) forest: 4.1% (2023 est.) other: 49.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 38% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 212.655 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 59.937 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 93.713 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 59.006 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 50.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 1,625.2 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 5,381.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 700.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 128.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 30.76 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.8% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 9.65 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 172.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 246.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan conventional short form: Pakistan local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan local short form: Pakistan former: West Pakistan etymology: the name is said to have been proposed in the early 1930s by Muslim students at Cambridge University, created from the initials of Punjab, Afghanistan, and Kashmir; the word pak also means "pure" in Persian or Pashto, and the Persian suffix -stan means "place of" or "country," so Pakistan literally means "Land of the Pure" **Government type:** federal parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Islamabad geographic coordinates: 33 41 N, 73 03 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "city of Islam" and derives from the Arabic islam, referring to the Islamic faith, and the Persian suffix -abad, meaning "inhabited place" or "city" **Administrative divisions:** 4 provinces, 2 Pakistan-administered areas*, and 1 capital territory**; Azad Kashmir*, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh **Legal system:** common law system with Islamic law influence **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest endorsed 12 April 1973, passed 19 April 1973, entered into force 14 August 1973 (suspended and restored several times) amendment process: proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Pakistan dual citizenship recognized: yes, but limited to select countries residency requirement for naturalization: 4 out of the previous 7 years and including the 12 months preceding application **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal note: women and non-Muslims have joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Asif Ali ZARDARI (since 10 March 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz SHARIF (since 3 March 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment process: president indirectly elected for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms) by the Electoral College, which consists of members of the Senate, National Assembly, and provincial assemblies; prime minister elected for a 5-year term by the National Assembly most recent election date: 9 March 2024 election results: 2024: Asif Ali ZARDARI elected president; National Assembly vote - Asif Ali ZARDARI (PPP) 411 votes, Mehmood Khan ACHAKZALI (PMAP) 181 votes; Shehbaz SHARIF elected prime minister; National Assembly vote - Shehbaz SHARIF (PML-N) 201, Omar AYUB (PTI) 92 expected date of next election: 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Majlis-E-Shoora) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly number of seats: 336 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 2/8/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) (75); Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) (54); Muttahida Quami Movement Pakistan (MQMP) (17); Independents (101); Other (16) percentage of women in chamber: 17% expected date of next election: February 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 96 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 4/2/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 18.8% expected date of next election: March 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Pakistan (consists of the chief justice and 16 judges) judge selection and term of office: justices nominated by an 8-member parliamentary committee on the recommendation of the Judicial Commission, a 9-member body of judges and other judicial professionals, and appointed by the president; justices can serve until age 65 subordinate courts: High Courts; Federal Shariat Court; provincial and district civil and criminal courts; specialized courts for issues, such as taxation, banking, and customs **Political parties:** Awami National Party or ANP Awami Muslim League or AML Balochistan Awami Party or BAP Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M Grand Democratic Alliance or GDA (alliance of several parties) Hazara Democratic Party or HDP Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party Jamaat-e-Islami or JI Jamhoori Wattan Party or JWP Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl or JUI-F Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Pakistan or MWM Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal or MMA (alliance of several parties) Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan or MQM-P National Party or NP Pakistan Muslim League or PML-Z Pakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-F Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or PML-N Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam or PML-Q Pakistan Peoples Party or PPP Pakistan Rah-e-Haq Party or PRHP Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI (Pakistan Movement for Justice) Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party or PMAP or PKMAP Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan or TLP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Rizwan Saeed SHEIKH (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 3517 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 243-6500 FAX: [1] (202) 686-1534 email address and website: consularsection@embassyofpakistanusa.org https://embassyofpakistanusa.org/ consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Natalie A. BAKER (since January 2025) embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad mailing address: 8100 Islamabad Place, Washington, DC 20521-8100 telephone: [92] 051-201-4000 FAX: [92] 51-2338071 email address and website: ACSIslamabad@state.gov https://pk.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar **International organization participation:** ADB, AIIB, ARF, ASEAN (sectoral dialogue partner), C, CERN (associate member), CICA, CP, D-8, ECO, FAO, G-11, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNSOS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 14 August 1947 (from British India) **National holiday:** Pakistan Day, 23 March, also referred to as Pakistan Resolution Day (1940) or Republic Day (1956) note: commemorates the adoption of the Lahore Resolution on 23 March 1940, which called for the creation of independent Muslim states, and also the adoption of Pakistan's first constitution on 23 March 1956, during the transition to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan **Flag:** description: green with a vertical white band on the left side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field meaning: the crescent, star, and color green are all traditional Islamic symbols; the white band symbolizes the role of religious minorities **National symbol(s):** five-pointed star between the horns of a waxing crescent moon, jasmine **National color(s):** green, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Qaumi Tarana" (National Anthem) lyrics/music: Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez JULLANDHURI/Ahmed Ghulamali CHAGLA history: adopted 1954; also known as "Pak sarzamin shad bad" (Blessed Be the Sacred Land) **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 6 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro; Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi; Taxila; Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore; Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta; Rohtas Fort ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower middle-income South Asian economy; extremely high debt; endemic corruption; regional disputes with India and Afghanistan hinder investment; falling inflation, IMF relief programs, and strong agricultural output slowly contributing to economic recovery **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.39 trillion (2024 est.) $1.346 trillion (2023 est.) $1.347 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.2% (2024 est.) 0% (2023 est.) 4.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $5,500 (2024 est.) $5,400 (2023 est.) $5,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $373.072 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 12.6% (2024 est.) 30.8% (2023 est.) 19.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 23.5% (2024 est.) industry: 20% (2024 est.) services: 50.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 85.2% (2024 est.) government consumption: 8.5% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 11.2% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 1.7% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 10.4% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -17.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, bison milk, wheat, milk, rice, maize, potatoes, cotton, mangoes/guavas, chicken (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp **Industrial production growth rate:** -1.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 83.644 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.5% (2024 est.) 5.5% (2023 est.) 5.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 9.9% (2024 est.) male: 9.8% (2024 est.) female: 10.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 21.9% (2018 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 29.6 (2018 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 37.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 4.2% (2018 est.) highest 10%: 25.5% (2018 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 9.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 7.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 8% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $40.774 billion (2015 est.) expenditures: $49.558 billion (2015 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Current account balance:** $699.22 million (2024 est.) -$1.039 billion (2023 est.) -$12.216 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $40.219 billion (2024 est.) $36.215 billion (2023 est.) $38.967 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 14%, UAE 10%, China 9%, Germany 7%, UK 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** garments, fabric, refined petroleum, rice, cotton fabric (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $66.844 billion (2024 est.) $58.069 billion (2023 est.) $76.594 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 25%, Qatar 11%, UAE 9%, Saudi Arabia 8%, Indonesia 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** natural gas, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, palm oil, plastics (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $18.408 billion (2024 est.) $13.73 billion (2023 est.) $9.927 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $89.148 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 278.581 (2024 est.) 280.356 (2023 est.) 204.867 (2022 est.) 162.906 (2021 est.) 161.838 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 95% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 93% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 43.512 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 145.357 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 481.25 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 25.811 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 60.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 14.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 19.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 6 (2025) Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 1 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 3.26GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 17.4% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 1 (2025) **Coal:** production: 13.765 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 30.191 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 900 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 16.185 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2.857 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 91,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 645,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 540 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 27.476 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 36.323 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 8.847 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 592.219 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 14.076 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 2.54 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 193 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 77 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 120 satellite TV stations; 42 media companies/channels; state-run Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) is the largest TV network, serves over 85 percent of the population with 9 TV channels; over 100 private cable and satellite channels; state-owned Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC or Radio Pakistan) has the largest radio audience, particularly in rural areas, with AM/SW/FM stations covering most of the country (2022) **Internet country code:** .pk **Internet users:** percent of population: 27% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 3.36 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** AP **Airports:** 117 (2025) **Heliports:** 48 (2025) **Railways:** total: 11,881 km (2021) narrow gauge: 389 km (2021) 1.000-m gauge broad gauge: 11,492 km (2021) 1.676-m gauge (286 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 60 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 5, oil tanker 9, other 46 **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Gwadar, Karachi, Muhamamad Bin Qasim ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Pakistan Armed Forces: Pakistan Army (includes National Guard), Pakistan Navy (includes Pakistan Marines, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force Ministry of Interior: Frontier Constabulary, Frontier Corps, National Police, Pakistan Coast Guard, Punjab (Pakistan) Rangers, Sindh (Pakistan) Rangers (2025) note: the National Guard is a paramilitary force and one of the Army's reserve forces; other Army reserves include the Pakistan Army Reserve, the Frontier Corps, and the Pakistan Rangers **Military expenditures:** 2.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 3% of GDP (2023 est.) 4% of GDP (2022 est.) 4% of GDP (2021 est.) 4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 650,000 active Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is a mix of mostly imported and some domestically produced armaments; the majority of its imported weapons are from China; other suppliers include France, Russia, Türkiye, Ukraine, the UK, and the US; Pakistan also has a domestic defense industry, which produces or co-produces such items as armored vehicles, aircraft, missiles, naval vessels (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 16-28 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; lower and upper age limits vary by military branch, position, and role; personnel cannot be deployed for combat until age 18 (2025) **Military deployments:** 1,400 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 300 MONUSCO; 300 South Sudan (UNMISS); 575 Sudan (UNISFA) (2025) **Military - note:** the Pakistan military is responsible for external defense but also has a domestic security role; its chief external focus is India; the military is the lead security agency in many areas of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and has for decades conducted operations against various internal militant groups; it is also one of the longest serving and largest contributors to UN peacekeeping missions; China is its closest security partner the military operates largely independently and without effective civilian oversight; it has ruled the country for more than 30 years since independence in 1947 and continues to play a significant role in Pakistan's political arena; it also has a large stake in the country’s economic sector and is involved in a diverse array of commercial activities, including banking, construction of public projects, employment services, energy and power generation, fertilizer, food, housing, real estate, and security services Pakistan has fought four wars and several skirmishes with India; three of the wars have been over the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir, the status of which has been unsettled since the UK's 1947 withdrawal and the partition and independence of India and Pakistan; a fragile cease-fire was reached in 2003, revised in 2018, and reaffirmed in 2021, although the militarized Line of Control which serves as the border remains contested, and India has accused Pakistan of backing armed separatists and terrorist organizations in the territory New Delhi controls; in the Spring of 2025, Indian held Pakistan responsible for a terrorist attack in India-controlled Kashmir and retaliated, sparking a brief cross-border conflict involving aircraft, artillery, drone, and missile strikes the Kashmir dispute also includes the Siachen Glacier, located in the Karakoram Mountain Range, which was seized by India in 1984 with Pakistan attempting to retake the area several times between 1985 and 1995; despite the 2003 cease-fire, both sides continue to maintain a permanent military presence there with outposts at altitudes above 20,000 feet (over 6,000 meters) where most casualties are due to extreme weather and the hazards of operating in the high mountain terrain of the world’s highest conflict, including avalanches, exposure, and altitude sickness (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO; established 1961) (2025) **Space launch site(s):** none; missile test sites at Somiani (Balochistan) and Tilla Jogian (Punjab) (2025) **Space program overview:** space program dates back to the early 1960s, but funding shortfalls and shifts in priority toward ballistic missile development in the 1980s and 1990s hampered the program’s development; now has a strengthened focus on acquiring satellites and reaching agreements with other space powers for additional capabilities; manufactures and operates satellites; researching and developing other space-related capabilities and technologies, such as satellite payloads; also conducts research in areas such as astronomy, astrophysics, environmental monitoring, and space sciences; works with China, Russia, and Turkey (cooperated with the UK and US prior to the 1990s) (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1962-1972 - launched about 200 sounding rockets with some US assistance 1990 - first domestically built experimental satellite (Badr-1) launched by China 2001 - first remote sensing (RS) satellite (Badr-2) built jointly with the UK and launched by Russia 2011 - first digital communications satellite (PakSat-1R) launched by China 2017 - successfully test-launched ballistic missile system (Shaheed-III) 2023 - joined China’s International Lunar Research Station program 2024 - first lunar orbiter/satellite (iCube Qamar) launched by China and deployed from China's Chang'e-6 spacecraft 2025 - first fully domestic RS satellite (PRSC-EO1) launched by China; selected country's first astronauts to be trained by China for mission to China's space station ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): al-Qa’ida; al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS); Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA); Haqqani Network (HQN); Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HUJI); Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Hizbul Mujahideen; Indian Mujahedeen; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan (ISIS-K); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – India (ISI); Islamic State of ash-Sham – Pakistan (ISP); Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU); Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM); Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Lashkar i Jhangvi (LJ); Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LeT); The Resistance Front (TRF); Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) note 1: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide note 2: the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), an armed separatist group that targets security forces and civilians, has been active in Pakistan since the 2000s, mainly in ethnic Baloch areas of the country; in 2019, the US designated BLA as Specially Designated Global Terrorists ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 1,759,332 (2024 est.) IDPs: 224,813 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 60 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Palau **Slug:** palau **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇵🇼 **Codes:** cek: ps, iso2: PW, iso3: PLW, iso_num: 585, genc: PLW, stanag: PLW, internet: .pw ### Introduction **Background:** Humans arrived in the Palauan archipelago from Southeast Asia around 1000 B.C. and developed a complex, highly organized matrilineal society where high-ranking women picked the chiefs. The islands were the westernmost part of the widely scattered Pacific islands north of New Guinea that Spanish explorers named the Caroline Islands in the 17th century. The 18th and 19th centuries saw occasional visits of whalers and traders as Spain gained some influence in the islands and administered it from the Philippines. Spain sold Palau to Germany in 1899 after losing the Philippines in the Spanish-American War. Japan seized Palau in 1914, was granted a League of Nations mandate to administer the islands in 1920, and made Koror the capital of its South Seas Mandate in 1922. By the outbreak of World War II, there were four times as many Japanese living in Koror as Palauans. In 1944, the US invasion of the island of Peleliu was one of the bloodiest island fights of the Pacific War. After the war, Palau became part of the US-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Palau voted against joining the Federated States of Micronesia in 1978 and adopted its own constitution in 1981, which stated that Palau was a nuclear-free country. In 1982, Palau signed a Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the US, which granted Palau financial assistance and access to many US domestic programs in exchange for exclusive US military access and defense responsibilities. However, many Palauans saw the COFA as incompatible with the Palauan Constitution because of the US military’s nuclear arsenal, and seven referenda failed to achieve ratification. Following a constitutional amendment and eighth referendum in 1993, the COFA was ratified and entered into force in 1994 when the islands gained their independence. Its funding was renewed in 2010. Palau has been on the frontlines of combatting climate change and protecting marine resources. In 2011, Palau banned commercial shark fishing and created the world’s first shark sanctuary. In 2017, Palau began stamping the Palau Pledge into passports, reminding visitors to act in ecologically and culturally responsible ways. In 2020, Palau banned coral reef-toxic sunscreens and expanded its fishing prohibition to include 80% of its exclusive economic zone. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines **Geographic coordinates:** 7 30 N, 134 30 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 459 sq km land: 459 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 1,519 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November **Terrain:** varying topography from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals **Land use:** agricultural land: 9.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 4.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.3% (2023 est.) forest: 90.6% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** most of the population is located on the southern end of the main island of Babelthuap **Natural hazards:** typhoons (June to December) **Geography - note:** westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes world-famous Rock Islands ### People and Society **Population:** total: 21,947 (2025 est.) male: 11,257 female: 10,690 **Nationality:** noun: Palauan(s) adjective: Palauan **Ethnic groups:** Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 70.6%, Carolinian 1.2%, Asian 26.5%, other 1.7% (2020 est.) **Languages:** Palauan (official on most islands) 65.2%, other Micronesian 1.9%, English (official) 19.1%, Filipino 9.9%, Chinese 1.2%, other 2.8% (2015 est.) note: Sonsoralese is official in Sonsoral; Tobian is official in Tobi; Angaur and Japanese are official in Angaur **Religions:** Roman Catholic 46.9%, Protestant 30.9% (Evangelical 24.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 5%, other Protestant 1.4%), Modekngei 5.1% (indigenous to Palau), Muslim 4.9%, other 12.3% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 17.5% (male 1,976/female 1,849) 15-64 years: 71.3% (male 8,647/female 6,935) 65 years and over: 11.2% (2024 est.) (male 612/female 1,845) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 41.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 24.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 16.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 35.5 years (2025 est.) male: 34.1 years female: 37.4 years **Population growth rate:** 0.38% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 11.53 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.52 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is located on the southern end of the main island of Babelthuap **Urbanization:** urban population: 82.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 277 NGERULMUD (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.25 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.33 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 89 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 10.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 75.2 years (2024 est.) male: 72 years female: 78.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.7 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.83 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 16.4% of GDP (2021) 9.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.81 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 99% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 55.3% (2016) **Tobacco use:** total: 16.3% (2025 est.) male: 25.2% (2025 est.) female: 6.8% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 48.3% (2020 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 9.8% national budget (2023 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 100% (2020 est.) male: 100% (2020 est.) female: 100% (2020 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2023 est.) male: 14 years (2023 est.) female: 16 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing; rising sea level; coral bleaching; drought **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November **Land use:** agricultural land: 9.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 4.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.3% (2023 est.) forest: 90.6% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 82.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 7.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 9,400 tons (2024 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Palau conventional short form: Palau local long form: Beluu er a Belau local short form: Belau former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Palau District etymology: from the Palauan name for the islands, Belau, which likely derives from the Palauan word beluu, meaning "village" **Government type:** presidential republic in free association with the US **Capital:** name: Ngerulmud geographic coordinates: 7 30 N, 134 37 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name comes from a Palauan term meaning "place of fermented angelfish;" the site of the capital was the traditional location for women to gather and offer fermented angelfish to the gods **Administrative divisions:** 16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol **Legal system:** mixed system of civil, common, and customary law **Constitution:** history: ratified 9 July 1980, effective 1 January 1981 amendment process: proposed by a constitutional convention (held at least once every 15 years with voter approval), by public petition of at least 25% of eligible voters, or by a resolution adopted by at least three fourths of National Congress members; passage requires approval by a majority of votes in at least three fourths of the states in the next regular general election **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Palau dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: note - no procedure for naturalization **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. (since 21 January 2021) head of government: President Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. (since 21 January 2021) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate; also includes the vice president; the Council of Chiefs consists of chiefs from each of the states who advise the president on issues concerning traditional laws, customs, and their relationship to the constitution and laws election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on separate ballots by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 5 November 2024 election results: 2024: Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. elected president in second round; percent of vote - Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. (independent) 57.7%, Tommy REMENGESAU (independent) 42.1%, other 0.2% 2020: Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. elected president in second round; percent of vote - Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. (independent) 56.7%, Raynold OILUCH (independent) 43.3% expected date of next election: November 2028 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Congress (Olbiil Era Kelulau) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Delegates number of seats: 16 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/5/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 25% expected date of next election: November 2028 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 15 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/5/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 13.3% expected date of next election: November 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 3 associate justices organized into appellate trial divisions; the Supreme Court organization also includes the Common Pleas and Land Courts) judge selection and term of office: justices nominated by a 7-member independent body consisting of judges, presidential appointees, and lawyers and appointed by the president; judges can serve until mandatory retirement at age 65 subordinate courts: National Court and other inferior courts **Political parties:** although not expressly forbidden by law, Palau does not have political parties or coalitions **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA (since 12 November 1997) chancery: 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 349-8598 FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281 email address and website: info@palauembassy.org https://www.palauembassy.org/ consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Joel EHRENDREICH (since 29 September 2023) embassy: Omsangel/Beklelachieb, Airai 96940 mailing address: 4260 Koror Place, Washington, DC 20521-4260 telephone: [680] 587-2920 FAX: [680] 587-2911 email address and website: ConsularKoror@state.gov https://pw.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, IOC, IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WIPO **Independence:** 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship) **National holiday:** Constitution Day, 9 July (1981); Independence Day, 1 October (1994) **Flag:** description: light blue with a large yellow disk to the left side meaning: blue stands for the ocean, and the disk for the moon, which is considered a symbol of peace, love, and tranquility **National symbol(s):** bai (native meeting house) **National color(s):** blue, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Belau rekid" (Our Palau) lyrics/music: multiple/Ymesei O. EZEKIEL history: adopted 1980 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Rock Islands Southern Lagoon ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income Pacific island economy; environmentally fragile; subsistence agriculture and fishing industries; US aid reliance; rebounding post-pandemic tourism industry and services sector; very high living standard and low unemployment **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $280.025 million (2023 est.) $274.866 million (2022 est.) $278.538 million (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.9% (2023 est.) -1.3% (2022 est.) -13.8% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $15,800 (2023 est.) $15,500 (2022 est.) $15,700 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $281.849 million (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.2% (2024 est.) 12.8% (2023 est.) 12.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 3% (2023 est.) industry: 9.9% (2023 est.) services: 76.7% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 77.8% (2022 est.) government consumption: 36.3% (2022 est.) investment in fixed capital: 36.6% (2022 est.) investment in inventories: 1.8% (2022 est.) exports of goods and services: 13.5% (2022 est.) imports of goods and services: -74.3% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** coconuts, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish, pigs, chickens, eggs, bananas, papaya, breadfruit, calamansi, soursop, Polynesian chestnuts, Polynesian almonds, mangoes, taro, guava, beans, cucumbers, squash/pumpkins (various), eggplant, green onions, kangkong (watercress), cabbages (various), radishes, betel nuts, melons, peppers, noni, okra **Industries:** tourism, fishing, subsistence agriculture **Industrial production growth rate:** -19.5% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Remittances:** 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $127.757 million (2020 est.) expenditures: $152.398 million (2020 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 85.2% of GDP (2019 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 18.1% (of GDP) (2020 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$135.428 million (2022 est.) -$115.739 million (2021 est.) -$115.61 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $24.48 million (2022 est.) $10.566 million (2021 est.) $52.897 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** India 41%, Turkey 26%, Taiwan 10%, USA 9%, Japan 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports:** $216.681 million (2022 est.) $169.938 million (2021 est.) $207.224 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Italy 32%, China 25%, USA 11%, Turkey 10%, Japan 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum, additive manufacturing machines, cars, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** the US dollar is used ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 99.9% electrification - rural areas: 100% ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 6,150 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 24,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 135 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** no broadcast TV stations; a cable TV network covers the major islands and provides access to 4 local cable stations, rebroadcasts (on a delayed basis) of a number of US stations, as well as access to a number of real-time satellite TV channels; about a half dozen radio stations (1 government-owned) (2019) **Internet country code:** .pw **Internet users:** percent of population: 27% (2004 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** T8 **Airports:** 3 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 427 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 49, container ship 8, general cargo 200, oil tanker 52, other 118 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Malakal Harbor ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; the Bureau of Public Safety (Ministry of Justice) has divisions for police functions and maritime security (2025) **Military - note:** under the Compact of Free Association between Palau and the US, the US is responsible for the defense of Palau, and the US military is granted access to the islands; the COFA also allows citizens of Palau to serve in the US armed forces Palau has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Palau's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 5 (2024 est.) --- ## Panama **Slug:** panama **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇵🇦 **Codes:** cek: pm, iso2: PA, iso3: PAN, iso_num: 591, genc: PAN, stanag: PAN, internet: .pa ### Introduction **Background:** Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela that was named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the union dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land known as the Panama Canal Zone on either side of the structure. The US Army Corps of Engineers built the Panama Canal between 1904 and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the subsequent decades. With US help, Panamanian dictator Manuel NORIEGA was deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the Canal, and remaining US military bases were transferred to Panama by the end of 1999. An ambitious expansion project to more than double the Canal's capacity by allowing for more Canal transits and larger ships was carried out between 2007 and 2016. ### Geography **Location:** Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica **Geographic coordinates:** 9 00 N, 80 00 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 75,420 sq km land: 74,340 sq km water: 1,080 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than South Carolina **Land boundaries:** total: 687 km border countries (2): Colombia 339 km; Costa Rica 348 km **Coastline:** 2,490 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin **Climate:** tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May) **Terrain:** interior mostly steep, rugged mountains with dissected, upland plains; coastal plains with rolling hills **Elevation:** highest point: Volcan Baru 3,475 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 360 m **Natural resources:** copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 29.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 7.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 20.3% (2023 est.) forest: 62.3% (2023 est.) other: 8.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 394 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Laguna de Chiriqui - 900 sq km **Population distribution:** population is concentrated towards the center of the country, particularly around the Canal, but a sizeable segment of the populace also lives in the far west around David; the eastern third of the country is sparsely inhabited **Natural hazards:** occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area **Geography - note:** strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge that connects North and South America; controls the Panama Canal, which links the North Atlantic Ocean with the North Pacific Ocean via the Caribbean Sea ### People and Society **Population:** total: 4,536,008 (2025 est.) male: 2,284,105 female: 2,251,903 **Nationality:** noun: Panamanian(s) adjective: Panamanian **Ethnic groups:** Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and White) 65%, Indigenous 12.3% (Ngabe 7.6%, Kuna 2.4%, Embera 0.9%, Bugle 0.8%, other 0.4%, unspecified 0.2%), Black or African descent 9.2%, Mulatto 6.8%, White 6.7% (2010 est.) **Languages:** Spanish (official), Indigenous languages (including Ngabere (Guaymi), Buglere, Kuna, Embera, Wounaan, Naso (Teribe), and Bri Bri), Panamanian English Creole (a mixture of English and Spanish with elements of Ngabere, also known as Guari Guari and Colon Creole), English, Chinese (Yue and Hakka), Arabic, French Creole, other (Yiddish, Hebrew, Korean, Japanese) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Evangelical 55%, Roman Catholic 33.4%, none 10.1%, unspecified 1.5% (2023 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 25% (male 574,336/female 544,180) 15-64 years: 64.8% (male 1,465,907/female 1,433,023) 65 years and over: 10.1% (2024 est.) (male 211,014/female 241,781) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 54.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 38.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 16 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 6.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 31.7 years (2025 est.) male: 31 years female: 31.9 years **Population growth rate:** 1.44% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 17.11 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.48 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 2.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population is concentrated towards the center of the country, particularly around the Canal, but a sizeable segment of the populace also lives in the far west around David; the eastern third of the country is sparsely inhabited **Urbanization:** urban population: 69.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.977 million PANAMA CITY (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 37 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 13.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 79.2 years (2024 est.) male: 76.4 years female: 82.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.33 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.13 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 86.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 13.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.3% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9.7% of GDP (2021) 22.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.63 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 1.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 96.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 70.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 88% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 3.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 29.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 12% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 22.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 6.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 5.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 4.5% (2025 est.) male: 7.4% (2025 est.) female: 1.7% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.9% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 53.2% (2023 est.) **Education expenditure:** 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 16.3% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 96.3% (2024 est.) male: 97.3% (2024 est.) female: 95.9% (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2016 est.) male: 12 years (2016 est.) female: 14 years (2016 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution from agricultural runoff; deforestation of tropical rainforest; land degradation and soil erosion in Panama Canal; air pollution in urban areas; effects of mining **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May) **Land use:** agricultural land: 29.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 7.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 20.3% (2023 est.) forest: 62.3% (2023 est.) other: 8.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 69.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 23.458 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1.969 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 20.389 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 1.101 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 11.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.472 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 14.2% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 759.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 6.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 446.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 139.304 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Panama conventional short form: Panama local long form: República de Panama local short form: Panama etymology: origin is unclear; may come from a Guarani word meaning "place of many fish" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Panama City geographic coordinates: 8 58 N, 79 32 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: origin is unclear; may come from a Guaraní word meaning "place of many fish" **Administrative divisions:** 10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 4 indigenous regions* (comarcas); Bocas del Toro, Chiriquí, Coclé, Colon, Darien, Embera-Wounaan*, Guna Yala*, Herrera, Los Santos, Naso Tjer Di*, Ngabe-Bugle*, Panama, Panama Oeste, Veraguas **Legal system:** civil law system; Supreme Court of Justice reviews legislative acts **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest effective 11 October 1972 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly, by the Cabinet, or by the Supreme Court of Justice; passage requires approval by one of two procedures: 1) absolute majority vote of the Assembly membership in each of three readings and by absolute majority vote of the next elected Assembly in a single reading without textual modifications; 2) absolute majority vote of the Assembly membership in each of three readings, followed by absolute majority vote of the next elected Assembly in each of three readings with textual modifications, and approval in a referendum **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President José Raúl MULINO Quintero (since 1 July 2024) head of government: President José Raúl MULINO Quintero (since 1 July 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple-majority popular vote for a 5-year term; president eligible for a single non-consecutive term) most recent election date: 5 May 2024 election results: 2024: José Raúl MULINO Quintero elected president; percent of vote - José Raúl MULINO Quintero (RM) 34.2%, Ricardo Alberto LOMBANA González (MOCA) 24.6%, Martín Erasto TORRIJOS Espino (PP) 16%, Alberto ROUX Moses (CD) 11.4%, Zulay RODRÍGUEZ Lu (independent) 6.6%, José Gabriel CARRIZO Jaén (PRD) 5.9%, other 1.3% 2019: Laurentino "Nito" CORTIZO Cohen elected president; percent of vote - Laurentino CORTIZO Cohen (PRD) 33.3%, Romulo ROUX (CD) 31%, Ricardo LOMBANA (independent) 18.8%, Jose BLANDON (Panameñista Party) 10.8%, Ana Matilde GOMEZ Ruiloba (independent) 4.8%, other 1.3% expected date of next election: May 2029 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 71 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 5/5/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Realizing Goals (RM) (14); Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) (13); Democratic Change (CD) (8); Panamenista Party (8); Independents (20); Other (8) percentage of women in chamber: 21.7% expected date of next election: May 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 9 magistrates and 9 alternates and divided into civil, criminal, administrative, and general business chambers) judge selection and term of office: magistrates appointed by the president for staggered 10-year terms subordinate courts: appellate courts or Tribunal Superior; Labor Supreme Courts; Court of Audit; circuit courts or Tribunal Circuital (2 each in 9 of the 10 provinces); municipal courts; electoral, family, maritime, and adolescent courts **Political parties:** Alliance Party or PA Alternative Independent Socialist Party or PAIS Another Way Movement or MOCA Democratic Change or CD Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA Panameñista Party (formerly the Arnulfista Party) Popular Party or PP (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC) Realizing Goals Party or RM **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador José Miguel ALEMÁN HEALY (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407 FAX: [1] (202) 483-8413 email address and website: info@embassyofpanama.org https://www.embassyofpanama.org/ consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin Marino CABRERA (since 5 May 2025) embassy: Building 783, Demetrio Basilio Lakas Avenue, Clayton mailing address: 9100 Panama City PL, Washington, DC 20521-9100 telephone: [507] 317-5000 FAX: [507] 317-5568 email address and website: Panama-ACS@state.gov https://pa.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACS, BCIE, CAN (observer), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA, UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 3 November 1903 (from Colombia); 28 November 1821 (from Spain) **National holiday:** Independence Day (Separation Day), 3 November (1903) **Flag:** description: divided into four equal rectangles; one of the top quadrants is white (left side) with a five-pointed blue star in the center, and the other is plain red; one of the bottom quadrants is plain blue (left side), and the other is white with a five-pointed red star in the center meaning: blue and red stand for the main political parties, and white for peace between them; the blue star stands for the civic virtues of purity and honesty, and the red star for authority and law **National symbol(s):** harpy eagle **National color(s):** blue, white, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Himno Istmeno" (Isthmus Hymn) lyrics/music: Jeronimo DE LA OSSA/Santos A. JORGE history: adopted 1925 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 6 (3 cultural, 3 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Caribbean Fortifications (c); Darien National Park (n); Talamanca Range-La Amistad National Park (n); Panamá Viejo and Historic District of Panamá (c); Coiba National Park (n); The Colonial Transisthmian Route of Panamá (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income Central American economy; increasing Chinese trade; US dollar user; canal expansion fueling broader infrastructure investment; services sector dominates economy; historic money-laundering and illegal drug hub **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $164.484 billion (2024 est.) $159.908 billion (2023 est.) $148.891 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.9% (2024 est.) 7.4% (2023 est.) 10.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $36,400 (2024 est.) $35,900 (2023 est.) $33,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $86.26 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 0.7% (2024 est.) 1.5% (2023 est.) 2.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2.6% (2024 est.) industry: 26.3% (2024 est.) services: 68.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 46.7% (2023 est.) government consumption: 12.2% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 32.3% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 5.4% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 46.5% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -43.1% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, rice, bananas, oranges, oil palm fruit, chicken, plantains, maize, milk, pineapples (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling **Industrial production growth rate:** -2.6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 2.206 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 6.6% (2024 est.) 6.6% (2023 est.) 8.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 16.8% (2024 est.) male: 13.4% (2024 est.) female: 22.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 21.8% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 48.9 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 15.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.2% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 36.9% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $7.57 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $12.046 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 7.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $1.672 billion (2024 est.) -$2.581 billion (2023 est.) $28.769 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $37.376 billion (2024 est.) $37.905 billion (2023 est.) $35.717 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 25%, Japan 10%, USA 6%, Thailand 5%, Costa Rica 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** copper ore, ships, refined petroleum, bananas, fish (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $30.887 billion (2024 est.) $35.927 billion (2023 est.) $32.646 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 15%, Colombia 13%, China 13%, Ecuador 13%, Japan 11% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, ships, refined petroleum, nitrogen compounds, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $6.856 billion (2024 est.) $6.757 billion (2023 est.) $6.876 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** balboas (PAB) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1 (2024 est.) 1 (2023 est.) 1 (2022 est.) 1 (2021 est.) 1 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 95% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 99% electrification - rural areas: 100% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 4.485 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 11.777 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 404.9 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 234 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 924.16 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 38.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 6.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 47.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 863,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 863,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 131,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 564.786 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 564.786 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 78.01 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 774,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 6.98 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 157 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** multiple privately owned TV networks and a government-owned educational TV station; multi-channel cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; more than 100 commercial radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .pa **Internet users:** percent of population: 78% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 809,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** HP **Airports:** 77 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 77 km (2014) standard gauge: 77 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 8,174 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 2732, container ship 671, general cargo 1,428, oil tanker 866, other 2,477 **Ports:** total ports: 12 (2024) large: 0 medium: 3 small: 3 very small: 5 size unknown: 1 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Bahia de las Minas, Balboa, Pedregal, Puerto Armuelles, Puerto Colon, Puerto Cristobal ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces Ministry of Public Security: National Police (Policía Nacional, PN), National Aeronaval Service (Servicio Nacional Aeronaval, SENAN), National Border Service (Servicio Nacional de Fronteras, SENAFRONT) (2025) note 1: collectively, the security forces are known as the Panamanian Public Forces note 2: the PNP includes a special forces directorate with counterterrorism and counternarcotics units; SENAFRONT has four regionally based border security brigades, plus a specialized brigade comprised of special forces, counternarcotics, maritime, and rapid reaction units **Military expenditures:** 1.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 30,000 Ministry of Public Security personnel (2025) **Military - note:** the Panamanian Public Forces focus on law enforcement, border control, and maritime security; the National Police are responsible for internal law enforcement and public order, while the National Border Service (SENAFRONT) handles border security; the Aeronaval Service is responsible for carrying out air and naval operations that include some internal security responsibilities; key areas of focus are countering narcotics trafficking and securing the border, particularly along the frontier with Colombia where SENAFRONT maintains a significant presence Panama created a paramilitary National Guard (Guardia Nacional de Panamá) in the 1950s from the former National Police (established 1904); the National Guard subsequently evolved into more of a military force with some police responsibilities; it seized power in a coup in 1968 and military officers ran the country until 1989; in 1983, the National Guard was renamed the Panama Defense Force (PDF); the PDF was disbanded after the 1989 US invasion and the current national police forces were formed in 1990; the armed forces were officially abolished under the 1994 Constitution (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Tren de Aragua (TdA) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 10,801 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 928 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025) --- ## Papua New Guinea **Slug:** papua-new-guinea **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇵🇬 **Codes:** cek: pp, iso2: PG, iso3: PNG, iso_num: 598, genc: PNG, stanag: PNG, internet: .pg ### Introduction **Background:** Papua New Guinea (PNG) occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea; the western half is part of Indonesia. PNG was first settled between 50,000 and 60,000 years ago. Its harsh geography of mountains, jungles, and numerous river valleys kept many of the arriving groups isolated, giving rise to PNG’s ethnic and linguistic diversity. Around 500 B.C., Austronesian voyagers settled along the coast. Spanish and Portuguese explorers periodically visited the island starting in the 1500s, but none made it into the country’s interior. American and British whaling ships frequented the islands off the coast of New Guinea in the mid-1800s. In 1884, Germany declared a protectorate -- and eventually a colony -- over the northern part of what would become PNG and named it German New Guinea; days later the UK followed suit on the southern part and nearby islands and called it Papua. Most of their focus was on the coastal regions, leaving the highlands largely unexplored. The UK put its colony under Australian administration in 1902 and formalized the act in 1906. At the outbreak of World War I, Australia occupied German New Guinea and continued to rule it after the war as a League of Nations Mandate. The discovery of gold along the Bulolo River in the 1920s led prospectors to venture into the highlands, where they found about 1 million people living in isolated communities. The New Guinea campaign of World War II lasted from January 1942 to the Japanese surrender in August 1945. After the war, Australia combined the two territories and administered PNG as a UN trusteeship. In 1975, PNG gained independence and became a member of the Commonwealth. Between 1988-1997, a secessionist movement on the island province of Bougainville, located off the eastern PNG coast, fought the PNG Government, resulting in 15,000-20,000 deaths. In 1997, the PNG Government and Bougainville leaders reached a cease-fire and subsequently signed a peace agreement in 2001. The Autonomous Bougainville Government was formally established in 2005. Bougainvilleans voted in favor of independence in a 2019 non-binding referendum. The Bougainville and PNG governments are in the process of negotiating a roadmap for independence, which requires approval by the PNG parliament. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia **Geographic coordinates:** 6 00 S, 147 00 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 462,840 sq km land: 452,860 sq km water: 9,980 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than California **Land boundaries:** total: 824 km border countries (1): Indonesia 824 km **Coastline:** 5,152 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm note: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines **Climate:** tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation **Terrain:** mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 667 m **Natural resources:** gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries **Land use:** agricultural land: 3.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.4% (2023 est.) forest: 75.2% (2023 est.) other: 21.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Sepik river source and mouth (shared with Indonesia) - 1,126 km; Fly river source and mouth (shared with Indonesia) - 1,050 km **Population distribution:** population concentrated in the highlands and eastern coastal areas on the island of New Guinea; predominantly a rural distribution with only about one fifth of the population residing in urban areas **Natural hazards:** active volcanism; frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis volcanism: severe volcanic activity; Ulawun (2,334 m), one of Papua New Guinea's potentially most dangerous volcanoes, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Rabaul (688 m) destroyed the city of Rabaul in 1937 and 1994; Lamington erupted in 1951, killing 3,000 people; Manam's 2004 eruption forced the island's abandonment; other historically active volcanoes include Bam, Bagana, Garbuna, Karkar, Langila, Lolobau, Long Island, Pago, St. Andrew Strait, Victory, and Waiowa; see note 2 under "Geography - note" **Geography - note:** note 1: shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; highlands that trend from east to west break up New Guinea into diverse ecoregions; one of world's largest swamps lies along the southwest coast note 2: Papua New Guinea is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes ### People and Society **Population:** total: 10,273,996 (2025 est.) male: 5,206,211 female: 5,067,785 **Nationality:** noun: Papua New Guinean(s) adjective: Papua New Guinean **Ethnic groups:** Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian **Languages:** Tok Pisin (official), English (official), Hiri Motu (official), some 839 living indigenous languages are spoken (about 12% of the world's total) note: Tok Pisin, a creole language, is widely used and understood; English is spoken by 1%-2%; Hiri Motu is spoken by less than 2% **Religions:** Protestant 64.3% (Evangelical Lutheran 18.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.9%, Pentecostal 10.4%, United Church 10.3%, Evangelical Alliance 5.9%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.8%, Salvation Army 0.4%), Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 5.3%, non-Christian 1.4%, unspecified 3.1% (2011 est.) note: data represent only the citizen population; roughly 0.3% of the population are non-citizens, consisting of Christian 52% (predominantly Roman Catholic), other 10.7% , none 37.3% **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 37.1% (male 1,902,272/female 1,825,471) 15-64 years: 58.9% (male 2,991,479/female 2,923,410) 65 years and over: 4% (2024 est.) (male 198,511/female 205,090) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 69.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 62.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 14.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 21.9 years (2025 est.) male: 21.6 years female: 21.9 years **Population growth rate:** 2.22% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 27.57 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population concentrated in the highlands and eastern coastal areas on the island of New Guinea; predominantly a rural distribution with only about one fifth of the population residing in urban areas **Urbanization:** urban population: 13.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.91% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 410,000 PORT MORESBY (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 21.9 years (2016/18) note: data represents median age a first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 189 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 31.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 35.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 28.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 70.1 years (2024 est.) male: 68.3 years female: 71.9 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.72 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.82 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 86.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 44.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 50.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 13.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 55.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 49.8% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 2.3% of GDP (2021) 7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.06 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 0.2 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 57.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 18.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 23.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 42.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 81.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 76.4% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 21.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 38.9% (2025 est.) male: 53.4% (2025 est.) female: 23.8% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 66.9% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 8% (2018) women married by age 18: 27.3% (2018) men married by age 18: 3.7% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 0.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.5% national budget (2023 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 70.1% (2017 est.) male: 78.4% (2017 est.) female: 61.6% (2017 est.) **People - note:** the indigenous population of Papua New Guinea (PNG) is one of the most heterogeneous in the world; PNG has several thousand separate communities, most with only a few hundred people; divided by language, customs, and tradition, some of these communities have engaged in low-scale tribal conflict with their neighbors for millennia; the advent of modern weapons and modern migrants into urban areas has greatly magnified the impact of this lawlessness ### Environment **Environmental issues:** rainforest loss as a result of commercial demand for tropical timber; soil erosion, water-quality degradation, and loss of habitat from logging; effects of large-scale mining projects (discharge of heavy metals, cyanide, and acids into rivers); severe drought; land degradation from poor farming practices; poor fishing practices; coastal pollution due to runoff and oil spills **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation **Land use:** agricultural land: 3.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.4% (2023 est.) forest: 75.2% (2023 est.) other: 21.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 13.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.91% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 5.798 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 4.467 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 1.33 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 8.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 6.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 223.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 167.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 801 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea conventional short form: Papua New Guinea local short form: Papuaniugini former: German New Guinea, British New Guinea, Territory of Papua and New Guinea abbreviation: PNG etymology: the name derives from the Malay word pua-pua, describing the tightly curled hair of the Papuan people; Spanish explorer Ynigo ORTIZ de RETEZ applied the term "Nueva Guinea" to the island in 1545 because he thought the locals resembled the peoples of the Guinea coast of Africa **Government type:** parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm **Capital:** name: Port Moresby geographic coordinates: 9 27 S, 147 11 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: Papua New Guinea has two time zones, including Bougainville (UTC+11) etymology: named in 1873 by Captain John MORESBY in honor of his father, British Admiral Sir Fairfax MORESBY (1786-1877) **Administrative divisions:** 20 provinces, 1 autonomous region*, and 1 district**; Bougainville*, Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Hela, Jiwaka, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital**, New Ireland, Northern, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain, West Sepik **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law and customary law **Constitution:** history: adopted 15 August 1975, effective at independence 16 September 1975 amendment process: proposed by the National Parliament; passage has prescribed majority vote requirements depending on the constitutional sections being amended – absolute majority, two-thirds majority, or three-fourths majority **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Papua New Guinea dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Grand Chief Sir Bob DADAE (since 28 February 2017) head of government: Prime Minister James MARAPE (since 30 May 2019) cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general nominated by the National Parliament and appointed by the chief of state; following legislative elections, the governor general usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister, pending a National Parliament vote election results: James MARAPE reelected prime minister; National Parliament vote - 105 out of 118 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Parliament legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 118 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 7/4/2022 to 7/22/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Papua & Niugini Union Pati (PANGU) (39); People's National Congress Party (PNC) (15); United Resource Party (URP) (11); Others (40); Independents (10) percentage of women in chamber: 2.7% expected date of next election: July 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, deputy chief justice, 35 justices, and 5 acting justices); National Courts (consists of 13 courts located in the provincial capitals, with a total of 19 resident judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the governor general on advice of the National Executive Council (cabinet) after consultation with the National Justice Administration minister; deputy chief justice and other justices appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, a 5-member body that includes the Supreme Court chief and deputy chief justices, the chief ombudsman, and a member of the National Parliament; full-time citizen judges appointed for 10-year renewable terms; non-citizen judges initially appointed for 3-year renewable terms and after first renewal can serve until age 70; appointment and tenure of National Court resident judges NA subordinate courts: district, village, and juvenile courts, military courts, taxation courts, coronial courts, mining warden courts, land courts, traffic courts, committal courts, grade five courts **Political parties:** Destiny Party Liberal Party Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP Melanesian Liberal Party or MLP National Alliance Party or NAP Our Development Party or ODP Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU PATI Papua New Guinea Greens Party Papua New Guinea National Party Papua New Guinea Party or PNGP People's First Party or PFP People's Movement for Change or PMC People's National Congress Party or PNC People’s National Party People's Party or PP People's Progress Party or PPP People's Reform Party or PRP Social Democratic Party or SDP Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party or THE United Labor Party or ULP United Resources Party or URP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Arnold Karibone AMET (since 5 September 2025) chancery: 1825 K Street NW, Suite 1010, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680 FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679 email address and website: info@pngembassy.org http://www.pngembassy.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Ann Marie YASTISHOCK (since 22 February 2024); note - also accredited to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu embassy: Harbour City Road, Konedobu, Port Moresby, NCD, Papua New Guinea mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby Pl, Washington DC 20521-4240 telephone: [675] 308-9100 email address and website: ConsularPortMoresby@state.gov https://pg.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ADB, AOSIS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (observer), C, CD, CP, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 16 September 1975 (from the Australia-administered UN trusteeship) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 16 September (1975) **Flag:** description: divided diagonally from upper-left corner; the upper triangle is red and has a soaring yellow bird of paradise in the center; the lower triangle is black with five five-pointed white stars of the Southern Cross constellation meaning: red, black, and yellow are the country's traditional colors; the bird of paradise is an emblem of regional tribal culture and represents the emergence of Papua New Guinea as a nation; the Southern Cross symbolizes the country's connection with Australia and several other countries in the South Pacific **National symbol(s):** bird of paradise **National color(s):** red, black **National coat of arms:** Papua New Guinea's coat of arms was adopted on July 1, 1971, and features the country's national symbol, the Raggiana bird-of-paradise; the bird stands for the nation's freedom and rich natural environment; the traditional spear under the bird represents the country's ethnic groups and the protection of its heritage, and the Kundu drum, which is used in ceremonies, represents local artistic traditions and communication **National anthem(s):** title: "O Arise, All You Sons" lyrics/music: Thomas SHACKLADY history: adopted 1975 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Kuk Early Agricultural Site ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower-middle-income Pacific island economy; primarily informal agrarian sector; natural-resource-rich and key exporter of liquified natural gas; collapse in betel nut prices, tighter monetary policy, and improved foreign-exchange availability contributing to declining inflation; challenges include lack of progress in infrastructure, agricultural reform, and corruption **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $45.487 billion (2024 est.) $43.697 billion (2023 est.) $42.093 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.1% (2024 est.) 3.8% (2023 est.) 5.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $4,300 (2024 est.) $4,200 (2023 est.) $4,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $32.538 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 0.6% (2024 est.) 2.3% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 17.2% (2024 est.) industry: 37.2% (2024 est.) services: 41.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 43.7% (2017 est.) government consumption: 19.7% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 10% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0.4% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 49.3% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -22.3% (2017 est.) **Agricultural products:** oil palm fruit, coconuts, bananas, fruits, sweet potatoes, game meat, yams, root vegetables, vegetables, sugarcane (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** oil and gas; mining (gold, copper, and nickel); palm oil processing; plywood and wood chip production; copra crushing; construction; tourism; fishing; livestock (pork, poultry, cattle) and dairy farming; spice products (turmeric, vanilla, ginger, cardamom, chili, pepper, citronella, and nutmeg) **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 3.66 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.8% (2024 est.) 2.7% (2023 est.) 2.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 3.8% (2024 est.) male: 4.6% (2024 est.) female: 3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $5.518 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $6.856 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 52.4% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 15.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $4.183 billion (2023 est.) $4.567 billion (2022 est.) $3.284 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $12.93 billion (2023 est.) $14.862 billion (2022 est.) $11.032 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 28%, Japan 25%, Australia 17%, Taiwan 8%, India 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** natural gas, gold, copper ore, palm oil, nickel (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $7.192 billion (2023 est.) $8.568 billion (2022 est.) $6.43 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Australia 27%, China 24%, Singapore 15%, Malaysia 9%, Japan 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, trucks, rice, plastic products, excavation machinery (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $3.901 billion (2023 est.) $3.983 billion (2022 est.) $3.24 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $7.011 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** kina (PGK) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 3.59 (2023 est.) 3.519 (2022 est.) 3.509 (2021 est.) 3.46 (2020 est.) 3.388 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 19% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 65.1% electrification - rural areas: 14.2% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 1.148 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 4.399 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 328.234 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 76.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 21.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 2,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 32,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 30,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 159.656 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 11.57 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 677.736 million cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 10.892 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 183.125 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 8.781 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 173,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 4.1 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 5 TV stations: 1 commercial (TV Wan), 2 state-run (National Broadcasting Corporation and EMTV); 1 digital free-to-view network, and 1 satellite network (Click TV or PNGTV); the state-run NBC operates 3 radio networks with multiple repeaters and about 20 provincial stations; several commercial radio stations with multiple transmission points as well as several community stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are accessible (2023) **Internet country code:** .pg **Internet users:** percent of population: 24% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 22,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** P2 **Airports:** 569 (2025) **Heliports:** 3 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 205 (2023) by type: container ship 6, general cargo 89, oil tanker 4, other 106 **Ports:** total ports: 22 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 6 very small: 16 ports with oil terminals: 8 key ports: Kavieng Harbor, Kieta, Port Moresby, Rabaul, Vanimo, Wewak Harbor ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF): Land, Air, Maritime elements Ministry of Internal Security: Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) (2025) **Military expenditures:** 0.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 4,000 active PNGDF (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the PNGDF is lightly armed; the Land Force has no heavy weapons while the Air and the Maritime forces have a handful of light aircraft and small patrol boats provided by Australia and New Zealand (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-27 (30 for officers) for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025) **Military - note:** the Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF) is tasked with defense of the country and its territories against external attack, as well as internal security and socio-economic development duties; following some inter-tribal violence in Wapenamanda in 2024, the PNGDF was given arrest powers since 2023, Papua New Guinea has signed bilateral defense cooperation agreements with Australia, Indonesia, the UK, and the US; the 2023 defense cooperation agreement with the US allowed the US military to develop and operate out of bases in PNG with the PNG Government’s approval; PNG has also military relations with France and New Zealand and has discussed a security cooperation agreement with China the PNGDF was established in 1973, and its primary combat unit, the Royal Pacific Islands Regiment (RPIR), is descended from Australian Army infantry battalions comprised of native soldiers and led by Australian officers and non-commissioned officers formed during World War II to help fight the Japanese; the RPIR was disbanded after the war, but reestablished in 1951 as part of the Australian Army where it continued to serve until PNG gained its independence in 1975, when it became part of the PNGDF (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 10,983 (2024 est.) IDPs: 107,985 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Papua New Guinea does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; therefore, Papua New Guinea remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/papua-new-guinea/ --- ## Paracel Islands **Slug:** paracel-islands **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Codes:** cek: pf, genc: XPR, stanag: -, internet: - ### Introduction **Background:** The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island. China has occupied all the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. China has built a military installation on Woody Island with an airfield and artificial harbor, and it has scattered garrisons on some of the other islands. Taiwan and Vietnam also claim the Paracel Islands. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines **Geographic coordinates:** 16 30 N, 112 00 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 8 sq km ca. land: 7.75 sq km ca. water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** land area is about 13 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 518 km **Climate:** tropical **Terrain:** mostly low and flat **Elevation:** highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m lowest point: South China Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** none **Land use:** other: 100% (2018 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** a population of over 1,000 Chinese resides on Woody Island, the largest of the Paracels; there are scattered Chinese garrisons on some other islands **Natural hazards:** typhoons **Geography - note:** composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,230 (2024 est.) **Population growth rate:** 0.75% (2021 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Population distribution:** a population of over 1,000 Chinese resides on Woody Island, the largest of the Paracels; there are scattered Chinese garrisons on some other islands ### Environment **Environmental issues:** harm to reef systems from China's use of dredged sand and coral to build artificial islands; damage to ecosystem from human activities, including military operations, infrastructure construction, and tourism **Climate:** tropical **Land use:** other: 100% (2018 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands ### Transportation **Airports:** 2 (2025) **Heliports:** 7 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military - note:** occupied by China, which is assessed to maintain 20 outposts or bases in the Paracels (Antelope, Bombay, and North reefs; Drummond, Duncan, Lincoln, Middle, Money, North, Pattle, Quanfu, Robert, South, Tree, Triton, Woody, and Yagong islands; South Sand and West Sand; Observation Bank); Woody Island is the main military base and includes an airstrip with aircraft hangers, naval facilities, surveillance radars, and defenses such as surface-to-air missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles (2025) --- ## Paraguay **Slug:** paraguay **Region:** South America **Flag:** 🇵🇾 **Codes:** cek: pa, iso2: PY, iso3: PRY, iso_num: 600, genc: PRY, stanag: PRY, internet: .py ### Introduction **Background:** Several Indigenous groups, principally belonging to the Guarani language family, inhabited the area of modern Paraguay before the arrival of the Spanish in the early 16th century, when the territory was incorporated into the Viceroyalty of Peru. Paraguay achieved its independence from Spain in 1811 with the help of neighboring states. In the aftermath of independence, a series of military dictators ruled the country until 1870. During the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1864-70) -- fought against Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay -- Paraguay lost two thirds of its adult males and much of its territory. The country stagnated economically for the next half-century and experienced a tumultuous series of political regimes. Following the Chaco War of 1932-35 with Bolivia, Paraguay gained a large part of the Chaco lowland region. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER ended in 1989, and Paraguay has held relatively free and regular presidential elections since the country's return to democracy. ### Geography **Location:** Central South America, northeast of Argentina, southwest of Brazil **Geographic coordinates:** 23 00 S, 58 00 W **Map references:** South America **Area:** total : 406,752 sq km land: 397,302 sq km water: 9,450 sq km **Area - comparative:** about three times the size of New York State; slightly smaller than California **Land boundaries:** total: 4,655 km border countries (3): Argentina 2,531 km; Bolivia 753 km; Brazil 1,371 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west **Terrain:** grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere **Elevation:** highest point: Cerro Pero 842 m lowest point: junction of Río Paraguay and Río Paraná 46 m mean elevation: 178 m **Natural resources:** hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone **Land use:** agricultural land: 54.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 42.4% (2023 est.) forest: 36.9% (2023 est.) other: 7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,362 sq km (2012) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Río de la Plata/Paraná (shared with Brazil [s], Argentina, and Uruguay [m]) - 4,880 km; Paraguay river mouth (shared with Brazil [s] and Argentina) - 2,549 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Paraná (2,582,704 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Guarani Aquifer System **Population distribution:** most of the population resides in the eastern half of the country; to the west lies the Gran Chaco (a semi-arid lowland plain), which accounts for 60% of the land territory, but only 2% of the overall population **Natural hazards:** local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June) **Geography - note:** landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population concentrated in eastern and southern part of country ### People and Society **Population:** total: 7,604,044 (2025 est.) male: 3,809,407 female: 3,794,637 **Nationality:** noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan **Ethnic groups:** Mestizo (mixed Spanish and Indigenous ancestry) 95%, other 5% **Languages:** Spanish (official) and Guarani (official) 46.3%, only Guarani 34%, only Spanish 15.2%, other (includes Portuguese, German, other Indigenous languages) 4.1%, no response 0.4% (2012 est.) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: data represent predominant household language **Religions:** Roman Catholic 80.4%, Protestant 7% (Evangelical (non-specific) 6.7%, Evangelical Pentecostal <0.1%, Adventist <0.1%, Protestant (non-specific) <0.1%), Believer (not belonging to the church) 5.7%, other 0.6%, agnostic <0.1%, none 0.2%, unspecified 6.2% (2023 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 22.2% (male 850,191/female 821,237) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 2,582,021/female 2,561,962) 65 years and over: 9.4% (2024 est.) (male 337,164/female 369,974) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 46.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 32.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 14.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 32.3 years (2025 est.) male: 31.6 years female: 32 years **Population growth rate:** 1.06% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 15.66 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.97 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population resides in the eastern half of the country; to the west lies the Gran Chaco (a semi-arid lowland plain), which accounts for 60% of the land territory, but only 2% of the overall population **Urbanization:** urban population: 63.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.511 million ASUNCION (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 22.9 years (2008 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 58 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 21.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 26.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 78.8 years (2024 est.) male: 76.2 years female: 81.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.88 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.92 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8% of GDP (2021) 17.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.89 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 1 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 94.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 5.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.9% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 20.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 5.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 9.3% (2025 est.) male: 15.5% (2025 est.) female: 3.3% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 1.3% (2016 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 54.8% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 3.6% (2016) women married by age 18: 21.6% (2016) **Education expenditure:** 3.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 11.7% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 94.9% (2024 est.) male: 95.4% (2024 est.) female: 94.3% (2024 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; water pollution; toxic dumping in rivers and streams; loss of wetlands; inadequate means for waste disposal in urban areas **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban, Tropical Timber 2006 **Climate:** subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west **Land use:** agricultural land: 54.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 42.4% (2023 est.) forest: 36.9% (2023 est.) other: 7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 63.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 7.509 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 7.507 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 12.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 37.3 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 813 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 101.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 10 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.819 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 18.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 362 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 154 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.897 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 387.77 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay local long form: República del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay etymology: derives from the river of the same name; the river's name may come from the Guarani words para (water or river) and guay (born) **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Asunción geographic coordinates: 25 16 S, 57 40 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "assumption" in Spanish; the Spanish founded the city on August 15, 1537, the Catholic feast day for the Assumption of the Virgin Mary **Administrative divisions:** 17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*, Boquerón, Caaguazú, Caazapá, Canindeyú, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guairá, Itapúa, Misiones, Ñeembucú, Paraguarí, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro **Legal system:** civil law system with influences from Argentine, Spanish, Roman, and French civil law models; Supreme Court of Justice reviews legislative acts **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest approved and promulgated 20 June 1992 amendment process: proposed at the initiative of at least one quarter of either chamber of the National Congress, by the president of the republic, or by petition of at least 30,000 voters; passage requires a two-thirds majority vote by both chambers and approval in a referendum **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Paraguay dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 75 **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Santiago PEÑA Palacios (since 15 August 2023) head of government: President Santiago PEÑA Palacios (since 15 August 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple-majority popular vote for a single 5-year term most recent election date: 30 April 2023 election results: 2023: Santiago PEÑA Palacios elected president; percent of vote - Santiago PEÑA Palacios (ANR) 43.9%, Efraín ALEGRE (PLRA) 28.3%, Paraguayo "Payo" CUBAS Colomés (PCN) 23.6%, other 4.2% 2018: Mario ABDO BENÍTEZ elected president; percent of vote - Mario ABDO BENÍTEZ (ANR) 49%, Efraín ALEGRE (PLRA) 45.1%, other 5.9% expected date of next election: April 2028 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Congress (Congreso) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados) number of seats: 80 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 4/30/2023 parties elected and seats per party: National Republican Association/Colorado Party (ANR) (48); Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA) - Alliances (23); National Crusade Party (CN) (4); Other (5) percentage of women in chamber: 23.8% expected date of next election: April 2028 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Cámara de Senadores) number of seats: 45 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 4/30/2023 parties elected and seats per party: National Republican Association/Colorado Party (ANR) (23); Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA) - Alliances (12); National Crusade Party (CN) (5); Other (5) percentage of women in chamber: 22.2% expected date of next election: April 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 9 justices divided 3 each into the Constitutional Court, Civil and Commercial Chamber, and Criminal Division) judge selection and term of office: justices proposed by the Council of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura, a 6-member independent body, and appointed by the Chamber of Senators with presidential concurrence; judges can serve until mandatory retirement at age 75 subordinate courts: appellate courts; first instance courts; minor courts, including justices of the peace **Political parties:** Asociacion Nacional Republicana (National Republican Association) - Colorado Party or ANR Avanza Pais coalition or AP Frente Guasu (Broad Front coalition) or FG GANAR Alliance (Great Renewed National Alliance) (alliance between PLRA and Guasú Front) Movimiento Hagamos or MH Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos (National Union of Ethical Citizens) or UNACE Partido Cruzada Nacional (National Crusade Party) or PCN; note - formerly Movimiento Cruzada Nacional Partido del Movimiento al Socialismo or P-MAS Partido Democratica Progresista (Progressive Democratic Party) or PDP Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN Partido Liberal Radical Autentico (Authentic Radical Liberal Party) or PLRA Partido Pais Solidario or PPS Partido Popular Tekojoja or PPT Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PPQ **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Gustavo Alfredo LEITE Gusinky (since 5 September 2025) chancery: 2209 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508 email address and website: gabineteembaparusa@mre.gov.py Embajada de la República del Paraguay ante los Estados Unidos de América :: The Embassy (mre.gov.py) consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Robert ALTER (since July 2025) embassy: 1776 Mariscal Lopez Avenue, Asuncion mailing address: 3020 Asuncion Place, Washington DC 20521-3020 telephone: [595] (21) 248-3000 FAX: [595] (21) 213-728 email address and website: ParaguayACS@state.gov https://py.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, PROSUR, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 14-15 May 1811 (from Spain) note: the uprising against Spanish authorities took place during the night of 14-15 May 1811, so both days are celebrated in Paraguay **National holiday:** Independence Day, 14-15 May (1811) (observed 15 May); 14 May is celebrated as Flag Day **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue, with an emblem centered on the white band; the emblem on one side of the flag is the national coat of arms, which has a five-pointed yellow star in a green wreath with the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY around it, all inside two circles; the other side of the flag has a circular treasury seal (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words PAZ Y JUSTICIA) meaning: red stands for bravery and patriotism, white for integrity and peace, and blue for liberty and generosity note 1: resembles the flag of the Netherlands, which does not have a central emblem note 2: one of three national flags that differ on each side -- the others are Moldova and Saudi Arabia **National symbol(s):** lion **National color(s):** red, white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "Paraguayos, Republica o muerte!" (Paraguayans, the Republic or Death!) lyrics/music: Francisco Esteban ACUNA de Figueroa/Remberto GIMENEZ history: adopted 1846 (lyrics) and 1934 (music) **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Jesuit Missions of La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangue ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income South American economy; COVID-19 hit while still recovering from 2019 Argentina-driven recession; global hydroelectricity leader; major corruption and money-laundering locale; highly agrarian economy; significant income inequality **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $112.919 billion (2024 est.) $108.316 billion (2023 est.) $103.159 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.2% (2024 est.) 5% (2023 est.) 0.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $16,300 (2024 est.) $15,800 (2023 est.) $15,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $44.458 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.8% (2024 est.) 4.6% (2023 est.) 9.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 10.7% (2024 est.) industry: 32.5% (2024 est.) services: 48.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 67% (2024 est.) government consumption: 12.6% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 1.8% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 37.2% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -39.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** soybeans, sugarcane, maize, cassava, wheat, rice, milk, beef, oranges, bananas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** sugar processing, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel, base metals, electric power **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 3.502 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 6.1% (2024 est.) 5.8% (2023 est.) 6.8% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 14.1% (2024 est.) male: 11% (2024 est.) female: 18.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 24.7% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 44.4 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 29.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.8% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 34.4% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $7.751 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $9.397 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 10.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$1.666 billion (2024 est.) -$176.597 million (2023 est.) -$2.948 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $17.395 billion (2024 est.) $18.581 billion (2023 est.) $14.971 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Argentina 33%, Brazil 25%, Chile 10%, USA 2%, Uruguay 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** soybeans, beef, electricity, corn, soybean meal (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $18.377 billion (2024 est.) $17.848 billion (2023 est.) $17.088 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 33%, Brazil 24%, USA 8%, Argentina 7%, Germany 2% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, fertilizers, cars, pesticides (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $9.886 billion (2023 est.) $9.519 billion (2022 est.) $9.661 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $13.783 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** guarani (PYG) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 7,560.248 (2024 est.) 7,288.872 (2023 est.) 6,982.752 (2022 est.) 6,774.163 (2021 est.) 6,771.097 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 8.928 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 14.835 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 24.202 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 5.209 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** hydroelectricity: 99.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 700 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 10 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 100 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 52,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 25.733 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 206,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 8.67 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 127 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** 6 privately owned TV stations; about 75 commercial and community radio stations; 1 state-owned radio network (2019) **Internet country code:** .py **Internet users:** percent of population: 78% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 878,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** ZP **Airports:** 83 (2025) **Heliports:** 29 (2025) **Railways:** total: 30 km (2014) standard gauge: 30 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 108 (2023) by type: container ship 2, general cargo 22, oil tanker 5, other 79 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Puerto de Asuncion ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of Paraguay (Fuerzas Armadas de Paraguay; aka Armed Forces of the Nation or Fuerzas Armadas de la Nación): Paraguayan Army (Ejército Paraguayo), Paraguayan Navy (Armada Paraguaya; includes marines), Paraguayan Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Paraguaya) Ministry of Internal Affairs: National Police of Paraguay (Policía Nacional del Paraguay, PNP) (2025) **Military expenditures:** 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 15,000 active duty Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is comprised of mostly older or obsolescent equipment from a variety of foreign suppliers, particularly Brazil and the US; in recent years, the military has received small quantities of more modern equipment, such as light attack aircraft from Brazil and secondhand helicopters from Taiwan (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 years of age for voluntary service for men and women; all men 18-25 are required to perform military service for at least 12 months (2025) **Military - note:** the Paraguayan military is responsible for external defense and has a role in domestic security duties; it provides support for natural disasters and cooperates with the National Police and other internal security organizations in combating the Paraguayan People’s Army (Ejército del Pueblo Paraguayo or EPP) and transnational criminal organizations, largely narcotics traffickers; the EPP is a small, domestic criminal/guerrilla group operating in the rural northern part of the country along the border with Brazil; the activities of the EPP and its offshoots—Marsical López’s Army (EML) and the Armed Peasant Association (ACA)—have consisted largely of isolated attacks on remote police and army posts, or against ranchers and peasants accused of aiding Paraguayan security forces the Paraguayan military has deployed small numbers of troops on UN peacekeeping missions and cooperates with neighboring countries, such as Argentina and Brazil, on security issues, particularly organized crime and narco-trafficking in what is known as the Tri-Border Area; Paraguay has not fought a war against a neighboring country since the Chaco War with Bolivia in the 1930s (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Space Agency of Paraguay (Agencia Especial del Paraguay, AEP; established 2014) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a small, recently established space program focused on the acquisition of satellites, satellite data, and the technologies and capabilities to manufacture satellites, as well as promoting domestic expertise and industry; a priority is acquiring remote sensing capabilities to support socio-economic development, including resource mapping, weather, and crop monitoring; has built a cube satellite with foreign assistance; operates satellites; cooperates with foreign space agencies and industries, including those of India, Japan, Taiwan, the US, and member states of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2017 - organized country’s first international conference on space issues 2021 - first research/technology-demonstrator cube satellite (Guaranisat-1) built jointly with Japan, launched by US, and deployed from International Space Station; signed protocols for the establishment of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency 2025 - developing Guarani-Sat-2, which will be Paraguay's second satellite and the first designed and built domestically ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Hizballah note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 7,649 (2024 est.) IDPs: 141 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 5 (2024 est.) --- ## Peru **Slug:** peru **Region:** South America **Flag:** 🇵🇪 **Codes:** cek: pe, iso2: PE, iso3: PER, iso_num: 604, genc: PER, stanag: PER, internet: .pe ### Introduction **Background:** Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peru declared its independence in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces were defeated in 1824. After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980 but experienced economic problems and the growth of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, an economic slump and the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian measures in the late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime, which led to his resignation in 2000. A caretaker government oversaw a new election in 2001 that installed Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique as the new head of government - Peru's first democratically elected president of indigenous ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA Perez who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, presided over a robust economic rebound. Former army officer Ollanta HUMALA Tasso was elected president in 2011 and carried on the market-oriented economic policies of the three preceding administrations. Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard won a very narrow runoff in the 2016 presidential election. Facing impeachment after evidence surfaced of his involvement in a vote-buying scandal, KUCZYNSKI offered his resignation in 2018, and First Vice President Martin Alberto VIZCARRA Cornejo was sworn in as president. In 2019, VIZCARRA invoked his constitutional authority to dissolve Peru's Congress after months of battling with the body over anticorruption reforms. New congressional elections in 2020 resulted in an opposition-led legislature. The Congress impeached VIZCARRA for a second time and removed him from office after accusations of corruption and mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of vacancies in the vice-presidential positions, the President of the Peruvian Congress, Manuel MERINO, became the next president. His ascension to office was not well received, and large protests forced his resignation later in 2020. Francisco SAGASTI assumed the position of President of Peru after being appointed President of the Congress the previous day. Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones won presidential election in 2021 but was impeached and ousted the following year; his vice president, Dina BOLUARTE, assumed the presidency by constitutional succession in 2022. ### Geography **Location:** Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador **Geographic coordinates:** 10 00 S, 76 00 W **Map references:** South America **Area:** total : 1,285,216 sq km land: 1,279,996 sq km water: 5,220 sq km **Area - comparative:** almost twice the size of Texas; slightly smaller than Alaska **Land boundaries:** total: 7,062 km border countries (5): Bolivia 1,212 km; Brazil 2,659 km; Chile 168 km; Colombia 1,494 km; Ecuador 1,529 km **Coastline:** 2,414 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 200 nm; note: the US does not recognize this claim exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm **Climate:** varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes **Terrain:** western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva) **Elevation:** highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,746 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 1,555 m **Natural resources:** copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas **Land use:** agricultural land: 19.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 14.2% (2023 est.) forest: 52.9% (2023 est.) other: 28% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 25,800 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lago Titicaca (shared with Bolivia) - 8,030 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Amazon river source (shared with Brazil [m]) - 6,400 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Amazon Basin **Population distribution:** approximately one third of the population resides along the desert coastal belt in the west, with a strong focus on the capital city of Lima; the Andean highlands, or sierra, contain roughly half of the population; the eastern slopes of the Andes and adjoining rainforest are sparsely populated **Natural hazards:** earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity volcanism: volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains; Ubinas (5,672 m) is the country's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes include El Misti, Huaynaputina, Sabancaya, and Yucamane; see note 2 under "Geography - note" **Geography - note:** note 1: shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316-m (17,441-ft) peak, is the ultimate source of the Amazon River note 2: Peru is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes note 3: on 19 February 1600, Mount Huaynaputina in the southern Peruvian Andes erupted in the largest volcanic explosion in South America in historical times; intermittent eruptions lasted until 5 March 1600 and pumped an estimated 16 to 32 million metric tons of particulates into the atmosphere, reducing the amount of sunlight reaching the earth's surface and affecting weather worldwide; over the next two-and-a-half years, millions died around the globe in famines from bitterly cold winters, cool summers, and the loss of crops and animals ### People and Society **Population:** total: 32,768,614 (2025 est.) male: 16,016,448 female: 16,752,166 **Nationality:** noun: Peruvian(s) adjective: Peruvian **Ethnic groups:** Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and White) 60.2%, Indigenous 25.8%, White 5.9%, African descent 3.6%, other (includes Chinese and Japanese descent) 1.2%, unspecified 3.3% (2017 est.) **Languages:** Spanish (official) 82.9%, Quechua (official) 13.6%, Aymara (official) 1.6%, Ashaninka 0.3%, other native languages (includes many minor Amazonian languages) 0.8%, other 0.2%, none 0.1%, unspecified 0.7% (2017 est.) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Catholic 76%, Evangelical Christian 15.7%, no religion 5.1%, other religions 3.2% (2017 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 25.8% (male 4,293,229/female 4,119,269) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 10,546,502/female 11,041,106) 65 years and over: 8% (2024 est.) (male 1,112,825/female 1,487,318) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 50.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 38.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 12 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 30.4 years (2025 est.) male: 29.1 years female: 31.3 years **Population growth rate:** 0.55% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 16.43 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.79 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** approximately one third of the population resides along the desert coastal belt in the west, with a strong focus on the capital city of Lima; the Andean highlands, or sierra, contain roughly half of the population; the eastern slopes of the Andes and adjoining rainforest are sparsely populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 78.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 11.204 million LIMA (capital), 959,000 Arequipa, 904,000 Trujillo (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 21.9 years (2013 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 51 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 10.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 68.9 years (2024 est.) male: 65.4 years female: 72.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.12 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.04 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 97.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 84.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 15.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.2% of GDP (2021) 16.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.69 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 1.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 94.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 65.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 88.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 5.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 34.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 11.9% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 19.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 5.74 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 5.7% (2025 est.) male: 9.5% (2025 est.) female: 2.1% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.7% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 52.7% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 2% (2020) women married by age 18: 14.1% (2020) **Education expenditure:** 4.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 19.2% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 93.7% (2024 est.) male: 97% (2024 est.) female: 90.7% (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2017 est.) male: 15 years (2017 est.) female: 15 years (2017 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes; overfishing **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes **Land use:** agricultural land: 19.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 14.2% (2023 est.) forest: 52.9% (2023 est.) other: 28% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 78.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 58.903 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.177 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 34.863 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 21.863 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 31.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 233.6 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 623.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 317 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 51.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 8.357 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 9.2% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 3.141 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 1.666 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 21.112 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 1.88 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Colca y Volcanes de Andagua (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Peru conventional short form: Peru local long form: República del Perú local short form: Perú etymology: the name may derive from the Guarani word biru, meaning "river" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Lima geographic coordinates: 12 03 S, 77 03 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is an early Spanish mispronunciation of the Quechua name Rimak, referring to a god and deriving from the word rima (to speak); Quechua priests used to speak to worshippers from inside statues of their gods **Administrative divisions:** 24 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento), 1 province* (provincia), and 1 constitutional province** (provincia constitucional); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao**, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huánuco, Ica, Junín, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali **Legal system:** civil law system **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest promulgated 29 December 1993, enacted 31 December 1993 amendment process: proposed by Congress, by the president of the republic with the approval of the Council of Ministers or by petition of at least 0.3% of voters; passage requires absolute majority approval by the Congress membership, followed by approval in a referendum; a referendum is not required if Congress approves the amendment by greater than two-thirds majority vote in each of two successive sessions **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70 **Executive branch:** chief of state: President José Enrique JERÍ Oré (since 10 October 2025) head of government: President José Enrique JERÍ Oré (since 10 October 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for nonconsecutive terms) most recent election date: 11 April 2021, with a runoff on 6 June 2021 election results: 2021: Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones (PL) 18.9%, Keiko Sofia FUJIMORI Higuchi (FP) 13.4%, Rafael LOPEZ ALIAGA Cazorla (RP) 11.8%, Hernando DE SOTO Polar (Social Integration Party) 11.6%, Yonhy LESCANO Ancieta (AP) 9.1%, Veronika MENDOZA Frisch (JP) 7.9%, Cesar ACUNA Peralta (APP) 6%, George FORSYTH Sommer (VN) 5.7%, Daniel Belizario URRESTI Elera (PP) 5.6%, other 10%; percent of vote second round - Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones 50.1%, Keiko Sofia FUJIMORI Higuchi 49.9% 2016: Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi (FP) 39.9%, Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard (PPK) 21.1%, Veronika MENDOZA (FA) 18.7%, Alfredo BARNECHEA (AP) 7%, Alan GARCIA (APRA) 5.8%, other 7.5%; percent of vote in second round - Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard 50.1%, Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi 49.9% expected date of next election: 12 April 2026 note 1: First Vice President Dina Ercilia BOLUARTE Zegarra assumed the office of the president on 7 December 2022 after President Jose Pedro CASTILLO Terrones was impeached and arrested; on 10 October 2025, the president of the Congress, José Enrique JERÍ Oré, was sworn in as the new president after Congress overwhelmingly voted to remove BOLUARTE from office note 2: Prime Minister Ernesto ÁLVAREZ (since 14 October 2025) does not exercise executive power; this power rests with the president note 3: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la República) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 130 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 4/11/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Free Peru (PL) (37); Popular Force (FP) (24); Popular Action (AP) (16); Alliance for Progress (APP) (15); Go on Country - Social Integration Party (AvP) (10); Popular Renewal (RP) (9); We Are Peru" (SP) - Purple Party (PM) (9); Other (10) percentage of women in chamber: 41.5% expected date of next election: April 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 16 judges and divided into civil, criminal, and constitutional-social sectors) judge selection and term of office: justices proposed by the National Board of Justice (a 7-member independent body), nominated by the president, and confirmed by the Congress; justices can serve until mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Constitutional Guarantees; Superior Courts or Cortes Superiores; specialized civil, criminal, and mixed courts; 2 types of peace courts in which professional judges and selected members of the local communities preside **Political parties:** Advance the Nation (Avanza País) or AvP Alliance for Progress (Alianza para el Progreso) or APP Broad Front (Frente Amplio) or FA Free Peru (Perú Libre) or PL Front for Hope (Frente Esperanza) Magisterial Block of National Concentration (Bloque Magisterial de Concertación Nacional) or BMCN National Victory (Victoria Nacional) or VN Peru Bicentennial (Perú Bicentenario) or PB Popular Action (Acción Popular) or AP Popular Force (Fuerza Popular) or FP Popular Renewal (Renovación Popular) or RP Purple Party (Partido Morado) Social Integration Party (Avanza País - Partido de Integración Social) Together For Perú (Juntos por el Peru) or JP We Are Peru (Somos Perú) of SP We Can Peru (Podemos Perú) or PP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Alfredo Santiago Carlos FERRERO DIEZ CANSECO (since 27 February 2024) chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124 email address and website: Webadmin@embassyofperu.us Embassy of Peru in the United States - E-United States - Platform of the Peruvian State (www.gob.pe) consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Hartford (CT), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (NJ), San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Bernardo NAVARRO; Chargé d’Affaires Joan PERKINS (since 18 April 2025) embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17 s/n, Surco, Lima 33 mailing address: 3230 Lima Place, Washington DC 20521-3230 telephone: [51] (1) 618-2000 FAX: [51] (1) 618-2724 email address and website: lima_webmaster@state.gov https://pe.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** AIIB, APEC, BIS, CAN, CD, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 28 July 1821 (from Spain) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 28-29 July (1821) **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of red (left side), white, and red, with the coat of arms centered on the white band; the coat of arms has a shield with a vicuna, a cinchona tree, and a yellow cornucopia spilling out coins meaning: the vicuna represents fauna, the cinchona tree is the source of quinine, and the cornucopia symbolizes mineral wealth; red stands for blood shed for independence, and white for peace **National symbol(s):** vicuna (a camelid related to the llama) **National color(s):** red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Himno Nacional del Peru" (National Anthem of Peru) lyrics/music: Jose DE LA TORRE Ugarte/Jose Bernardo ALZEDO history: adopted 1821 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 13 (9 cultural, 2 natural, 2 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Cuzco (c); Machu Picchu (m); Chavin (c); Historic Lima (c); Huascarán National Park (n); Chan Chan (c); Manú National Park (n); Lines and Geoglyphs of Nazca (c); Rio Abiseo National Park (m); Historic Arequipa (c); Sacred City of Caral-Supe (c); Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income South American economy; strong post-COVID rebound tempered by political uncertainty and climate risks; exports driven by mineral extraction and agriculture; large informal sector and uneven access to public services; stable fiscal position and financial sector **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $535.911 billion (2024 est.) $518.771 billion (2023 est.) $520.872 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.3% (2024 est.) -0.4% (2023 est.) 2.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $15,700 (2024 est.) $15,300 (2023 est.) $15,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $289.222 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2% (2024 est.) 6.5% (2023 est.) 8.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 6.1% (2024 est.) industry: 32.2% (2024 est.) services: 52.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 61.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 13.4% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.8% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -1.4% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 28.5% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -22.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, potatoes, rice, bananas, milk, maize, chicken, oil palm fruit, cassava, grapes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** mining and refining of minerals; steel, metal fabrication; petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas and natural gas liquefaction; fishing and fish processing, cement, glass, textiles, clothing, food processing, beer, soft drinks, rubber, machinery, electrical machinery, chemicals, furniture **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 18.918 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.9% (2024 est.) 4.9% (2023 est.) 3.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 8.8% (2024 est.) male: 7.9% (2024 est.) female: 9.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 27.5% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 40.7 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 26.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 30.6% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $48.003 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $55.34 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 35.2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 15.9% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $6.39 billion (2024 est.) $881.934 million (2023 est.) -$9.972 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $83.325 billion (2024 est.) $72.97 billion (2023 est.) $71.39 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 34%, USA 14%, Canada 5%, India 4%, Switzerland 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** copper ore, gold, refined copper, refined petroleum, grapes (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $67.16 billion (2024 est.) $63.776 billion (2023 est.) $69.936 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 26%, USA 21%, Brazil 7%, Argentina 5%, Mexico 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, trucks, broadcasting equipment (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $79.246 billion (2024 est.) $71.394 billion (2023 est.) $72.328 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $38.102 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** nuevo sol (PEN) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 3.744 (2023 est.) 3.835 (2022 est.) 3.881 (2021 est.) 3.495 (2020 est.) 3.337 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 96.2% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 99% electrification - rural areas: 85.1% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 16.164 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 53.3 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 47.696 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 6.638 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 44.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 49.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 1.382 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 973,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1.261 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 446,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.567 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 118,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 255,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 858.89 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 14.647 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 9.675 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 4.883 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 300.159 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 30.923 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.4 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 42.6 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 10 major TV networks of which only one, Television Nacional de Peru, is state owned; multi-channel cable TV services are available; in excess of 5,000 radio stations including a substantial number of local-language stations (2021) **Internet country code:** .pe **Internet users:** percent of population: 80% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 3.53 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** OB **Airports:** 174 (2025) **Heliports:** 7 (2025) **Railways:** total: 1,854.4 km (2017) standard gauge: 1,730.4 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (34 km electrified) narrow gauge: 124 km (2014) 0.914-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 111 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 9, other 101 **Ports:** total ports: 20 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 3 very small: 16 ports with oil terminals: 16 key ports: Bahia de Matarani, Iquitos, Puerto del Callao, Talara ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of Peru (Fuerzas Armadas del Perú or FAP): Peruvian Army (Ejercito del Peru), Peruvian Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru, MGP, includes naval infantry and General Directorate of Captaincies and Coast Guards, DICAPI), Air Force of Peru (Fuerza Aerea del Peru, FAP) Ministry of the Interior: Peruvian National Police (Policía Nacional del Perú, PNP) (2025) **Military expenditures:** 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information varies; approximately 85,000 active-duty Armed Forces (50,000 Army; 25,000 Navy; 10,000 Air Force); approximately 75,000 National Police (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory consists of mostly older or secondhand armaments originating from a range of countries, including Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Korea, Spain, and the US; Peru has a small defense industry, including a shipyard that builds and upgrades naval vessels; it also has defense industrial cooperation agreements with several countries, including Russia, South Korea, Spain, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service (12-24 months) (2025) note: as of 2024, women made up about 11% of the active-duty military **Military deployments:** 225 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025) **Military - note:** the Peruvian Armed Forces (FAP) are responsible for external defense in addition to some domestic security responsibilities in designated emergency areas and in exceptional circumstances; key areas of focus include counterinsurgency, counternarcotics, cyber defense, disaster relief, and maritime security operations; the FAP supported the police during anti-government protests in early 2023; it has contributed to UN missions since 1958 and has ties to regional militaries, particularly Colombia, as well as those of numerous other countries such as China, Russia, Spain, and the US; the FAP’s last external conflict was a brief border war with Ecuador in 1995 the Special Command of the Valley of the Apurimac, Ene, and Mantaro rivers (CE-VRAEM) is responsible for combating the remnants of the Shining Path terrorist group (aka Sendero Luminoso) and includes several thousand air, ground, naval, police, and special forces personnel; the FAP also provides aircraft, vehicles, and logistical support to the command (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** National Aerospace Research and Development Commission (Comisión Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Aeroespacia, CONIDA; established 1974) (2025) **Space launch site(s):** in 2024, Peru announced an initiative to develop a future spaceport in Talara (Piura department) **Space program overview:** focuses on acquiring satellites, applying space applications such as data satellite imagery, and building small rockets; has built a small science/technology satellite; operates satellites and processes satellite imagery data; builds and launches sounding rockets with goal of developing a satellite/space launch vehicle (SLV); researching, developing, and acquiring technologies for manufacturing satellites and satellite payloads, including remote sensing (RS) capabilities; member of Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) since its formation in 2021; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Brazil, China, the ESA, individual ESA member states (particularly France and Germany), India, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, and the US, as well as other ALCE signatories (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2006 - launched first sounding rocket/space probe (Paulet-1) 2013 - first domestically built scientific/research satellite (PUCP-SAT-1) launched by Russia; launched first domestically built rocket (Paulet 1-B) capable of reaching the stratosphere 2016 - first remote sensing satellite (PeruSat-1) acquired from France and launched on European rocket 2024 - signed US-led Artemis Accords on space and lunar exploration ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso); Tren de Aragua (TdA) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 546,699 (2024 est.) IDPs: 83,441 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 32 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Philippines **Slug:** philippines **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇵🇭 **Codes:** cek: rp, iso2: PH, iso3: PHL, iso_num: 608, genc: PHL, stanag: PHL, internet: .ph ### Introduction **Background:** The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during the 16th century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. Led by Emilio AGUINALDO, the Filipinos conducted an insurgency against US rule from 1899-1902, although some fighting continued in outlying islands as late as 1913. In 1935, the Philippines became a self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected president and was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a 10-year transition. The islands fell under Japanese occupation during World War II, and US forces and Filipinos fought together during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Republic of the Philippines attained its independence. Twenty-one years of authoritarian rule under Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986, when a "people power" movement in Manila ("EDSA 1") forced him into exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Several coup attempts hampered her presidency, and progress on political stability and economic development faltered until Fidel RAMOS was elected president in 1992. The US closed its last military bases on the islands the same year. Joseph ESTRADA was elected president in 1998. His vice-president, Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, succeded him in 2001 after ESTRADA's stormy impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and another "people power" movement ("EDSA 2") demanded his resignation. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected president in 2004. Corruption allegations marred her presidency, but the Philippine economy was one of the few to avoid contraction after the 2008 global financial crisis. Benigno AQUINO III was elected as president in 2010, followed by Rodrigo DUTERTE in 2016. During his term, DUTERTE pursued a controversial drug war that garnered international criticism for alleged human rights abuses. Ferdinand MARCOS, Jr. was elected president in 2022 with the largest popular vote in a presidential election since his father's ouster. For decades, the country has been challenged by armed ethnic separatists, communist rebels, and Islamic terrorist groups, particularly in the southern islands and remote areas of Luzon. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam **Geographic coordinates:** 13 00 N, 122 00 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 300,000 sq km land: 298,170 sq km water: 1,830 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 36,289 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 nm from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea as wide as 285 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October) **Terrain:** mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m mean elevation: 442 m **Natural resources:** timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper **Land use:** agricultural land: 42.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 18.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 18.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 5% (2023 est.) forest: 24.7% (2023 est.) other: 32.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 16,270 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Laguna de Bay - 890 sq km **Population distribution:** population concentrated in areas with good farmland; highest concentrations are northwest and south-central Luzon, the southeastern extension of Luzon, and the islands of the Visayan Sea, particularly Cebu and Negros; Manila is home to one eighth of the national population **Natural hazards:** astride typhoon belt, usually affected by several cyclonic storms each year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Taal (311 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Mayon (2,462 m), the country's most active volcano, erupted in 2009 and forced over 33,000 to be evacuated; other historically active volcanoes include Biliran, Babuyan Claro, Bulusan, Camiguin, Camiguin de Babuyanes, Didicas, Iraya, Jolo, Kanlaon, Makaturing, Musuan, Parker, Pinatubo, and Ragang; see note 2 under "Geography - note" **Geography - note:** note 1: for decades, the Philippine archipelago was reported as having 7,107 islands; in 2016, the national mapping authority reported that hundreds of new islands had been discovered and increased the number of islands to 7,641, though not all of the new islands have been verified note 2: the Philippines is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes note 3: the Philippines sits on the Pacific typhoon belt, and an average of 9 typhoons make landfall on the islands each year, with about 5 being destructive; the country is the most exposed in the world to tropical storms ### People and Society **Population:** total: 112,904,458 (2025 est.) male: 56,846,416 female: 56,058,042 **Nationality:** noun: Filipino(s) adjective: Philippine **Ethnic groups:** Tagalog 26%, Bisaya/Binisaya 14.3%, Ilocano 8%, Cebuano 8%, Illonggo 7.9%, Bikol/Bicol 6.5%, Waray 3.8%, Kapampangan 3%, Maguindanao 1.9%, Pangasinan 1.9%, other local ethnicities 18.5%, foreign ethnicities 0.2% (2020 est.) **Languages:** Tagalog 39.9%, Bisaya/Binisaya 16%, Hiligaynon/Ilonggo 7.3%, Ilocano 7.1%, Cebuano 6.5%, Bikol/Bicol 3.9%, Waray 2.6%, Kapampangan 2.4%, Maguindanao 1.4%, Pangasinan/Panggalato 1.3%, other languages/dialects 11.2%, unspecified 0.4% (2020 est.) major-language sample(s): Ang World Factbook, ang mapagkukunan ng kailangang impormasyon. (Tagalog) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: data represent percentage of households; unspecified Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English are official languagesTaga; eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan **Religions:** Roman Catholic 78.8%, Muslim 6.4%, Iglesia ni Cristo 2.6%, other Christian 3.9%, other 8.2%, none/unspecified <0.1 (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 30.2% (male 18,234,279/female 17,462,803) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 38,381,583/female 37,613,294) 65 years and over: 5.6% (2024 est.) (male 2,611,230/female 3,973,874) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 48 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 39.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 8.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 11.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 27.1 years (2025 est.) male: 25.1 years female: 26.3 years **Population growth rate:** 0.74% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 16.02 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.8 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population concentrated in areas with good farmland; highest concentrations are northwest and south-central Luzon, the southeastern extension of Luzon, and the islands of the Visayan Sea, particularly Cebu and Negros; Manila is home to one eighth of the national population **Urbanization:** urban population: 48.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 14.667 million MANILA (capital), 1.949 million Davao, 1.025 million Cebu City, 931,000 Zamboanga, 960,000 Antipolo, 803,000 Cagayan de Oro City, 803,000 Dasmarinas (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 23.6 years (2022 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 84 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 18.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 24.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 70.8 years (2024 est.) male: 67.3 years female: 74.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.94 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.94 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 97.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 92.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 7.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.1% of GDP (2022) 9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.79 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Hospital bed density:** 1 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 96.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 92.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 3.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 7.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.5% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 6.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 4.85 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 3.34 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 19.2% (2025 est.) male: 34.4% (2025 est.) female: 3.7% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 16.7% (2021 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 55.6% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 1.5% (2022) women married by age 18: 9.4% (2022) **Education expenditure:** 3.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 15.2% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 98.5% (2020 est.) male: 98.4% (2020 est.) female: 97% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 12 years (2021 est.) male: 12 years (2021 est.) female: 13 years (2021 est.) **People - note:** one of only two predominantly Christian nations in Southeast Asia, the other being Timor-Leste ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation, especially in watershed areas; illegal mining and logging; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers; coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps; coastal erosion; dynamite fishing; wildlife extinction **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October) **Land use:** agricultural land: 42.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 18.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 18.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 5% (2023 est.) forest: 24.7% (2023 est.) other: 32.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 48.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 156.228 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 88.581 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 61.597 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 6.05 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 25.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 230.7 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,662.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 452.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 39.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 14.632 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 49.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 9.498 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 13.602 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 67.937 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 479 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Bohol Island (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines conventional short form: Philippines local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas local short form: Pilipinas etymology: named in honor of King PHILLIP II of Spain by Spanish explorer Ruy LOPEZ de VILLALOBOS, who visited the islands in 1543 **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Manila geographic coordinates: 14 36 N, 120 58 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: derives from the Tagalog word may, meaning "there is," and nila, the local name for a shrub in the indigo family **Administrative divisions:** 81 provinces and 38 chartered cities provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao de Oro, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, Dinagat Islands, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela, Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La Union, Leyte, Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay chartered cities: Angeles, Bacolod, Baguio, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Caloocan, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Davao, General Santos, Iligan, Iloilo, Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Lucena, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Naga, Navotas, Olongapo, Ormoc, Paranaque, Pasay, Pasig, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, San Juan, Santiago, Tacloban, Taguig, Valenzuela, Zamboanga **Legal system:** mixed system of civil, common, Islamic (sharia), and customary law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest ratified 2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987 amendment process: proposed by Congress if supported by three fourths of the membership, by a constitutional convention called by Congress, or by public petition; passage by either of the three proposal methods requires a majority vote in a national referendum **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; withdrew from the ICCt in March 2019 **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Philippines dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Ferdinand "BongBong" MARCOS, Jr. (since 30 June 2022) head of government: President Ferdinand "BongBong" MARCOS, Jr. (since 30 June 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the Commission of Appointments, an independent body of 25 Congressional members that includes the Senate president (ex officio chairman) and is appointed by the president election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on separate ballots by simple-majority popular vote for a single 6-year term most recent election date: 9 May 2022 election results: 2022: Ferdinand MARCOS, Jr. elected president; percent of vote - Ferdinand MARCOS, Jr. (PFP) 58.7%, Leni ROBREDO (independent) 27.9%, Manny PACQUIAO (PROMDI) 6.8%, other 6.6%; Sara DUTERTE-Carpio elected vice president; percent of vote Sara DUTERTE-Carpio (Lakas-CMD) 61.5%, Francis PANGILINAN (LP) 17.8%, Tito SOTTO 15.8%, other 4.9% 2016: Rodrigo DUTERTE elected president; percent of vote - Rodrigo DUTERTE (PDP-Laban) 39%, Manuel "Mar" ROXAS (LP) 23.5%, Grace POE (independent) 21.4%, Jejomar BINAY (UNA) 12.7%, Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO (PRP) 3.4%; Leni ROBREDO elected vice president; percent of vote Leni ROBREDO (LP) 35.1%, Ferdinand MARCOS, Jr. (independent) 34.5%, Alan CAYETANO 14.4%, Francis ESCUDERO (independent) 12%, other 4% expected date of next election: 9 May 2028 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Congress (Kongreso) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan) number of seats: 317 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 3 years most recent election date: 5/12/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Lakas-CMD party (103), National Unity Party (NUP) (32), Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) 31, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) (27), Nacionalista Party (NP) (22), Liberal Party (LP) (6), others (28), independents (11) percentage of women in chamber: 28.3% expected date of next election: May 2028 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Senado) number of seats: 24 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 5/12/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) (2); Nacionalista Party (NP) (3); Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) (2); Lakas- CMD party (1); Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KANP) (1); Liberal Party (1); Independents (2) percentage of women in chamber: 20.8% expected date of next election: May 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of a chief justice and 14 associate justices) judge selection and term of office: justices are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council, a constitutionally created, 6-member body that recommends Supreme Court nominees; justices serve until age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; Sandiganbayan (special court for corruption cases of government officials); Court of Tax Appeals; regional, metropolitan, and municipal trial courts; sharia courts **Political parties:** Democratic Action (Aksyon Demokratiko) Alliance for Change (Hugpong ng Pagbabago or HNP) Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KANP) Lakas ng EDSA-Christian Muslim Democrats or Lakas-CMD Liberal Party or LP Nacionalista Party or NP Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC National Unity Party or NUP Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan or PDP-Laban Partido Federal ng Pilipinas or PFP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Manuel del Gallego ROMUALDEZ (since 29 November 2017) chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614 email address and website: info@phembassy-us.org The Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Washington D.C. (philippineembassy-dc.org) consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Tamuning (Guam) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador MaryKay Loss CARLSON (since 22 July 2022) embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila 1000 mailing address: 8600 Manila Place, Washington DC 20521-8600 telephone: [63] (2) 5301-2000 FAX: [63] (2) 5301-2017 email address and website: acsinfomanila@state.gov https://ph.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CD, CICA (observer), CP, EAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 4 July 1946 (from the US) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 12 June (1898) note: 12 June 1898 was the date of independence from Spain; 4 July 1946 was the date of independence from the US **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red; a white equilateral triangle is based on the left side; the center of the triangle has a yellow sun with eight rays, each split into smaller rays; the triangle's corners each have a small five-pointed yellow star meaning: blue stands for peace and justice, red for courage, and the triangle for equality; the rays represent the first eight provinces that sought independence from Spain, and the stars represent the country's three parts: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao history: the design dates to 1897 note: in wartime, the flag is flown upside-down with the red band at the top **National symbol(s):** three stars and sun, Philippine eagle **National color(s):** red, white, blue, yellow **National coat of arms:** the coat of arms was adopted on 3 July 1946; the three gold stars represent the major island groups of Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao; the rays of the sun represent the provinces of the Philippines; the American eagle and lion of Spain represent the nation's colonial past **National anthem(s):** title: "Lupang Hinirang" (Chosen Land) lyrics/music: collectively/Julian FELIPE history: music adopted 1898 and lyrics adopted 1956; only sung in Tagalog **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 6 (3 cultural, 3 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Baroque Churches of the Philippines (c); Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (n); Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras (c); Historic Vigan (c); Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park (n); Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** growing Southeast Asian economy; commercial rebound led by transportation, construction and financial services; electronics exports recovering from sector slowdown; significant remittances; interest rate rises following heightened inflation; uncertainties due to increased regional tensions with China **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.202 trillion (2024 est.) $1.137 trillion (2023 est.) $1.078 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5.7% (2024 est.) 5.5% (2023 est.) 7.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $10,400 (2024 est.) $9,900 (2023 est.) $9,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $461.618 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.2% (2024 est.) 6% (2023 est.) 5.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 9.1% (2024 est.) industry: 27.7% (2024 est.) services: 63.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 76.1% (2024 est.) government consumption: 14.5% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.6% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.1% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 25.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -40.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, rice, coconuts, maize, bananas, vegetables, tropical fruits, plantains, pineapples, cassava (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** semiconductors and electronics assembly, business process outsourcing, food and beverage manufacturing, construction, electric/gas/water supply, chemical products, radio/television/communications equipment and apparatus, petroleum and fuel, textile and garments, non-metallic minerals, basic metal industries, transport equipment **Industrial production growth rate:** 5.6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 50.979 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.2% (2024 est.) 2.3% (2023 est.) 2.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 6.6% (2024 est.) male: 5.6% (2024 est.) female: 8.3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 15.5% (2023 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 39.3 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 37.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.9% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 31.6% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 8.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 8.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 9.4% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $65.069 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $93.871 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenditures (excluding grants and social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 39.9% of GDP (2017 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 14.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$17.514 billion (2024 est.) -$12.387 billion (2023 est.) -$18.261 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $106.99 billion (2024 est.) $103.588 billion (2023 est.) $98.832 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 19%, USA 13%, Hong Kong 12%, Japan 11%, Germany 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** integrated circuits, machine parts, gold, insulated wire, semiconductors (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $161.154 billion (2024 est.) $151.441 billion (2023 est.) $152.638 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 25%, Indonesia 8%, Japan 8%, S. Korea 6%, USA 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** integrated circuits, refined petroleum, cars, crude petroleum, coal (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $106.195 billion (2024 est.) $103.742 billion (2023 est.) $96.04 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $63.241 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Philippine pesos (PHP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 57.291 (2024 est.) 55.63 (2023 est.) 54.478 (2022 est.) 49.255 (2021 est.) 49.624 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 94.8% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 98% electrification - rural areas: 91.1% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 29.174 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 100.824 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 10.693 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 77.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 9.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 14.457 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 42.859 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 8.151 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 36.542 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 361 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 10,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 457,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 138.5 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 2.325 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 3.12 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 794.289 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 98.543 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 17.654 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 4.42 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 134 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 115 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** multiple national private TV and radio networks; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; more than 400 TV stations; about 1,500 cable TV providers with more than 2 million subscribers; over 1,400 radio stations; was scheduled to move to digital by the end of 2023 (2019) **Internet country code:** .ph **Internet users:** percent of population: 84% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 7.51 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** RP **Airports:** 256 (2025) **Heliports:** 416 (2025) **Railways:** total: 77 km (2017) standard gauge: 49 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 28 km (2017) 1.067-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 2,203 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 52, container ship 43, general cargo 955, oil tanker 207, other 946 **Ports:** total ports: 70 (2024) large: 2 medium: 4 small: 8 very small: 56 ports with oil terminals: 22 key ports: Batangas City, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Manila, San Fernando Harbor, Subic Bay ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force Department of Transportation: Philippine Coast Guard (PCG); Department of the Interior: Philippine National Police Force (PNP) (2025) note 1: the PCG is an armed and uniformed service that would be attached to the AFP during a conflict note 2: the Philippine Government also arms and supports civilian militias; the AFP controls the Civilian Armed Force Geographical Units, while the Civilian Volunteer Organizations fall under PNP command **Military expenditures:** 1.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 145,000 active Armed Forces (105,000 Army; 25,000 Navy, including about 8,000 Marine Corps; 15,000 Air Force) (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the AFP is equipped with a mix of imported weapons systems from more than a dozen countries, including Brazil, Israel, South Korea, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** some variations in age based on the branch of service, but generally 18-27 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025) note: as of 2023, women made up about 8% of the active military; women have attended the Philippine Military Academy and trained as combat soldiers since 1993 **Military - note:** the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are responsible for territorial defense and assisting with internal security; much of the AFP's operational focus is on internal security alongside the Philippines National Police, particularly in the south, where several separatist insurgent, terrorist, and criminal groups operate and a considerable portion of the AFP is typically deployed; additional combat operations are conducted against the Communist People’s Party/New People’s Army, which is active mostly on Luzon, as well as the Visayas and areas of Mindanao; prior to a peace deal in 2014, the AFP fought a decades-long conflict against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a separatist organization based mostly on the island of Mindanao, which had up to 40,000 fighters under arms maritime security is also a priority; the AFP's naval forces conduct naval interdiction missions in support of security operations on the southern islands, including joint maritime patrols with Indonesia and Malaysia; rising tensions with China over disputed waters and land features in the South China Sea since 2012 have spurred the AFP to place more emphasis on blue-water naval capabilities, including acquiring larger warships such as guided missile frigates, corvettes, offshore patrol vessels, and landing platform dock (LPD) amphibious assault ships the Philippine military was formally organized during the American colonial period as the Philippine Army; they were established by the National Defense Act of 1935 and comprised of both Filipinos and Americans; the US and Philippines agreed to a mutual defense treaty in 1951; based on agreements signed in 2014 and 2023, the Philippine Government allows the rotational presence of US military forces, aircraft, and ships at up to nine bases in the Philippines; also in 2023, the US agreed to assist in modernizing Philippine defense capabilities, deepen interoperability, enhance bilateral planning and information-sharing, and combat transnational and nonconventional threats (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA; established 2019) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a small space program focused on acquiring satellites and related technologies, largely for climate studies, national security, and risk management; also prioritizing development of space expertise and industry; manufactures and operates satellites (mostly micro- and nano-sized), including remote sensing and scientific/experimental; has relations with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, the ESA (and some of its member states), India, Japan, Russia, and the US (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1994 - formed a consortium of companies to acquire and operate satellites 1996 - acquired first communications satellite (Agila-1) from Indonesia after it was already in orbit 2014 - initiated a scientific remote sensing (RS) microsatellite development program in collaboration with Japan, resulting in first RS microsatellite (Diwata-1) being deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) in 2016 2018 - first domestically designed and built scientific/technology-demonstrator cube satellite (Maya-1) deployed from ISS; second RS microsatellite (Diwata-2) developed with assistance from and launched by Japan 2023 - signed agreement with the ESA and EU to expand cooperation on Earth observation/RS data sharing 2025 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space exploration ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Abu Sayyaf Group; Communist Party of the Philippines/New People's Army (CPP/NPA); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – East Asia (ISIS-EA) in the Philippines note 1: ISIS-EA factions include Daulah Islamiya-Lanao (aka Maute Group), Daulah Islamiya-Maguindanao, Daulah Islamiya-Socsargen, ISIS-aligned elements of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), ISIS-aligned elements of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and rogue elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) note 2: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 2,342 (2024 est.) IDPs: 1,158,643 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 30 (2024 est.) --- ## Pitcairn Islands **Slug:** pitcairn-islands **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇵🇳 **Codes:** cek: pc, iso2: PN, iso3: PCN, iso_num: 612, genc: PCN, stanag: PCN, internet: .pn ### Introduction **Background:** Polynesians were the first settlers on the four tiny islands that are now called the Pitcairn Islands, but all four were uninhabited by the time Europeans discovered them in 1606. Pitcairn Island -- the only one now inhabited -- was rediscovered by a British explorer in 1767. In 1789, Fletcher CHRISTIAN led a mutiny on the HMS Bounty, and after several months of searching for Pitcairn Island, he landed on it with eight other mutineers and their Tahitian companions. They lived in isolation and evaded detection by English authorities until 1808, when only one man, 10 women, and 23 children remained. In 1831, with the population of 87 proving too big for the island, the British attempted to move all the islanders to Tahiti, but they were soon returned to Pitcairn Island. The island became an official British colony in 1838, and in 1856, the British again determined that the population of 193 was too high and relocated all the residents to Norfolk Island. Several families returned in 1858 and 1864, bringing the island’s population to 43, and almost all of the island’s current population are descendants of these returnees. The UK annexed the nearby uninhabited islands of Henderson, Oeno, and Ducie in 1902 and incorporated them into the Pitcairn Islands colony in 1938. The population peaked at 233 in 1937 as outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has since thinned the population. Only two children were born between 1986 and 2012, and in 2005, a couple became the first outsiders to obtain citizenship in more than a century. Since 2013, the Pitcairn Islands has tried to attract new migrants but has had no applicants because it requires prospective migrants to front significant sums of money and prohibits employment during a two-year trial period, at which point the local council can deny long-term resident status. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and New Zealand **Geographic coordinates:** 25 04 S, 130 06 W **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 47 sq km land: 47 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about three-tenths the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 51 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March) **Terrain:** rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs **Elevation:** highest point: Palwala Valley Point on Big Ridge 347 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 74.5% (2022 est.) other: 25.5% (2022 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** a handful of inhabitants, most residing near the village of Adamstown **Natural hazards:** occasional tropical cyclones (especially November to March), but generally only heavy tropical storms; landslides **Geography - note:** Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger island of Pitcairn is inhabited, but it has no port or natural harbor; supplies must be transported by longboat from larger ships stationed offshore ### People and Society **Population:** total: 50 (2025 est.) **Nationality:** noun: Pitcairn Islander(s) adjective: Pitcairn Islander **Ethnic groups:** descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives **Languages:** English (official), Pitkern (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect) **Religions:** Seventh Day Adventist 100% **Population growth rate:** 0% (2014 est.) **Population distribution:** a handful of inhabitants, most residing near the village of Adamstown ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement) **Climate:** tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March) **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 74.5% (2022 est.) other: 25.5% (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands etymology: named after English midshipman Robert PITCAIRN, who first sighted the island in 1767 **Government type:** parliamentary democracy **Dependency status:** overseas territory of the UK **Capital:** name: Adamstown geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 05 W time difference: UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after John ADAMS (1767–1829), the last survivor of the Bounty mutineers who settled on Pitcairn Island in 1790 **Legal system:** local island by-laws **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest drafted 10 February 2010, presented 17 February 2010, effective 4 March 2010 **Citizenship:** see United Kingdom **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal with three years of residency **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Iona THOMAS (since 9 August 2022) head of government: Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Shawn CHRISTIAN (since 5 November 2025) cabinet: none election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor and commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor directly elected by majority popular vote for a 3-year term most recent election date: 5 November 2025 election results: Shawn CHRISTIAN elected mayor and chairman of the Island Council expected date of next election: November 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Island Council legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 10 (directly elected and appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 2 years note: the councilors and the deputy mayor serve 2-year terms, the mayor serves a 3-year term, and the administrator is appointed by the governor for an indefinite term most recent election date: 6 November 2019 parties elected and seats per party: independent (5) percentage of women in chamber: 60% expected date of next election: N/A note: the Council includes 5 councilors, the mayor, and the deputy mayor (who are elected by popular vote) and 3 ex officio non-voting members -- the administrator, who serves as both the head of government and the representative of the governor of Pitcairn Islands, the governor, and the deputy governor **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Pitcairn Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, 2 judges, and the Supreme Court chief justice, an ex-officio member); Pitcairn Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 2 judges) judge selection and term of office: all judges of both courts appointed by the governor of the Pitcairn Islands on the instructions of the British monarch through the Secretary of State; all judges can serve until retirement, normally at age 75 subordinate courts: Magistrate's Court note: appeals beyond the Pitcairn Court of Appeal are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) **Political parties:** none **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK) **International organization participation:** SPC, UPU **Independence:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **National holiday:** Official birthday of King Charles III, usually celebrated the second Saturday in June (1948); Discovery Day (Pitcairn Day), 2 July (1767) **Flag:** description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the right half of the flag; the green field features a yellow anchor with a Bible over it (both were on the HMS Bounty); a Pitcairn Island wheelbarrow is on the crest, with a flowering twig of miro (a local plant) meaning: the green, yellow, and blue of the shield represents the island rising from the ocean **National anthem(s):** title: "We From Pitcairn Island" lyrics/music: unknown/Frederick M. LEHMAN history: serves as a local anthem _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as a UK overseas territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** small South Pacific British island territorial economy; exports primarily postage stamps, handicraft goods, honey, and tinctures; extremely limited infrastructure; dependent upon UK and EU aid; recent border reopening post-COVID-19 **Agricultural products:** honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; goats, chickens; fish **Industries:** postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey **Exports - partners:** UK 21%, Canada 19%, Tanzania 12%, Colombia 11%, Spain 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fertilizers, sulfur, refined petroleum, excavation machinery, ethylene polymers (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 59%, NZ 37%, Italy 2%, UAE 1%, Brazil 1% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** construction vehicles, refined petroleum, beef, computers, other foods (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.652 (2024 est.) 1.628 (2023 est.) 1.577 (2022 est.) 1.414 (2021 est.) 1.542 (2020 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - mobile cellular:** No traditional public cellular network. Satellite-based internet (Starlink) and VoIP apps (WhatsApp, Viber) are available. **Broadcast media:** satellite TV from Fiji-based Sky Pacific offering a wide range of international channels **Internet country code:** .pn **Internet users:** percent of population: 96.2% (2021 est.) ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the UK --- ## Poland **Slug:** poland **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇵🇱 **Codes:** cek: pl, iso2: PL, iso3: POL, iso_num: 616, genc: POL, stanag: POL, internet: .pl ### Introduction **Background:** Poland's history as a state began near the middle of the 10th century. By the mid-16th century, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth ruled a vast tract of land in Central and Eastern Europe. During the 18th century, internal disorder weakened the nation, and in a series of agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland among themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state following the war. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union Solidarity that over time became a political force with over 10 million members. Free elections in 1989 and 1990 won Solidarity control of the parliament and the presidency, bringing the communist era to a close. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004. ### Geography **Location:** Central Europe, east of Germany **Geographic coordinates:** 52 00 N, 20 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 312,685 sq km land: 304,255 sq km water: 8,430 sq km **Area - comparative:** about twice the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than New Mexico **Land boundaries:** total: 2,865 km border countries (6): Belarus 375 km; Czechia 699 km; Germany 467 km; Lithuania 100 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 209 km; Slovakia 517 km; Ukraine 498 km **Coastline:** 440 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties **Climate:** temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers **Terrain:** mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border **Elevation:** highest point: Rysy 2,499 m lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m mean elevation: 173 m **Natural resources:** coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 47.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 36.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 9.8% (2023 est.) forest: 31% (2023 est.) other: 21% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,327 sq km (2016) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Zalew Szczecinski/Stettiner Haff (shared with Germany) - 900 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Wisla (Vistula) river source and mouth (shared with Belarus and Ukraine) - 1,213 km note: longest river in Poland **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** population concentrated in the southern area around Krakow and the central area around Warsaw and Lodz, with an extension to the northern coastal city of Gdansk **Natural hazards:** flooding **Geography - note:** historically an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain ### People and Society **Population:** total: 38,364,679 (2025 est.) male: 18,303,261 female: 20,061,418 **Nationality:** noun: Pole(s) adjective: Polish **Ethnic groups:** Polish 96.9%, Silesian 1.1%, German 0.2%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 1.7% (2011 est.) note: represents ethnicity declared first **Languages:** Polish (official) 98.2%, Silesian 1.4%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.2% (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): Księga Faktów Świata, niezbędne źródło podstawowych informacji. (Polish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note 1: shares of languages sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; data represent language spoken at home note 2: Poland also recognizes Kashub as a regional language; Czech, Hebrew, Yiddish, Belarusian, Lithuanian, German, Armenian, Russian, Slovak, and Ukrainian as national minority languages; and Karaim, Lemko, Romani (Polska Roma and Bergitka Roma), and Tatar as ethnic minority languages **Religions:** Roman Catholic 70.7%, refused to answer 20.9%, no religion 6.9%; less than 1 percent: Orthodox, Jehovah Witness, Evangelic of Augsburg, Greek Catholic, Pentecostal, other Protestant, not stated, old Catholic Mariavite Church, other Christians, Islam, Buddhist, Polish Catholic Church, other, Baptist Union of Poland, Pagan, Seventh Day Adventist, Hindu, other Catholic (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 14.2% (male 2,830,048/female 2,676,300) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 12,513,402/female 13,036,977) 65 years and over: 19.8% (2024 est.) (male 3,097,965/female 4,591,618) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 52.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 21.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 31.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 43.4 years (2025 est.) male: 41.5 years female: 44.3 years **Population growth rate:** -0.98% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 8.03 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 11.56 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -6.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population concentrated in the southern area around Krakow and the central area around Warsaw and Lodz, with an extension to the northern coastal city of Gdansk **Urbanization:** urban population: 60.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.798 million WARSAW (capital), 769,000 Krakow (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 27.9 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 2 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.7 years (2024 est.) male: 72.8 years female: 80.9 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.33 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.65 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 95.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 82.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 90.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 17.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 9.6% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.7% of GDP (2022) 10.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.03 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 6.1 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 23.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 10.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 5.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 21.6% (2025 est.) male: 25.6% (2025 est.) female: 17.8% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 0.7% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 58.6% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 10% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 17 years (2023 est.) male: 16 years (2023 est.) female: 18 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution (despite environmental policy improvements) because of coal-burning in homes and power plants; acid rain leading to forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources; disposal of hazardous wastes **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic- Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants **Climate:** temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers **Land use:** agricultural land: 47.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 36.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 9.8% (2023 est.) forest: 31% (2023 est.) other: 21% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 60.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 264.031 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 132.101 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 95.095 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 36.835 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 18.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 954.2 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 595.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 292 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 36.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 12.758 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 38.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 2.113 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 6.44 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 1.28 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 60.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 3 (2024) global geoparks and regional networks: Land of Extinct Volcanoes; Muskauer Faltenbogen / Łuk Mużakowa (includes Germany); Holy Cross Mountains (2024) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Poland conventional short form: Poland local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska local short form: Polska former: Polish People's Republic etymology: the name probably comes from the Slavic word pole (field or plain), indicating the flat nature of the country **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Warsaw geographic coordinates: 52 15 N, 21 00 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the origin of the name is unknown; Warszawa was the name of a fishing village, and several legends link the city's founding to a man named Wars or Warsz **Administrative divisions:** 16 provinces or voivodships (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie (Lower Silesia), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Kuyavia-Pomerania), Lodzkie (Lodz), Lubelskie (Lublin), Lubuskie (Lubusz), Malopolskie (Lesser Poland), Mazowieckie (Masovia), Opolskie (Opole), Podkarpackie (Subcarpathia), Podlaskie, Pomorskie (Pomerania), Slaskie (Silesia), Swietokrzyskie (Holy Cross), Warminsko-Mazurskie (Warmia-Masuria), Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland), Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania) **Legal system:** civil law system; judicial review of legislative, administrative, and other governmental acts; constitutional law rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1997, approved by referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997 amendment process: proposed by at least one fifth of Sejm deputies, by the Senate, or by the president of the republic; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in the Sejm and absolute majority vote in the Senate; amendments to articles relating to sovereignty, personal freedoms, and constitutional amendment procedures also require passage by majority vote in a referendum **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Poland dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Karol NAWROCKI (since 6 August 2025) head of government: Prime Minister Donald TUSK (since 11 December 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president, and approved by the Sejm election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister, deputy prime ministers, and Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm; all presidential candidates resign their party affiliation most recent election date: 18 May 2025, with the second round on 1 June 2025 election results: 2025: Karol NAWROCKI elected president in second round; percent of vote - Karol NAWROCKI (PiS) 50.9%, Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 49.1%; NAWROCKI takes office 6 August 2025 2025: First round Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 31.4%, Karol NAWROCKI 29.5% (PiS), Slawomir MENTZEN 14.8%, Grzegorz BRAUN 6.3%, and Szymon HOLOWNIA 5.0%; second round to be held on 1 June 2025; 2020: Andrzej DUDA reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51%, Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 49% 2015: Andrzej DUDA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51.5%, Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI (independent) 48.5% expected date of next election: July 2030 **Legislative branch:** legislative structure: bicameral note: the designation "National Assembly" (or Zgromadzenie Narodowe) is only used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Sejm number of seats: 460 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/15/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Law and Justice (PiS) (194); Civic Coalition (KO) (157); The Third Way (65); The New Left (Nowa Lewica) (26); Other (18) percentage of women in chamber: 31.3% expected date of next election: October 2027 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Senat) number of seats: 100 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/15/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Civic Coalition (KO) (41); Law and Justice (PiS) (34); The Third Way (11); The New Left (Nowa Lewica) (9); Independents (5) percentage of women in chamber: 19% expected date of next election: October 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Sad Najwyzszy (consists of the first president of the Supreme Court and 120 justices organized in criminal, civil, labor and social insurance, and extraordinary appeals and public affairs and disciplinary chambers); Constitutional Tribunal (consists of 15 judges, including the court president and vice president) judge selection and term of office: president of the Supreme Court nominated by the General Assembly of the Supreme Court and selected by the president of Poland; other judges nominated by the 25-member National Judicial Council and appointed by the president of Poland; judges serve until retirement, usually at age 65, but tenure can be extended; Constitutional Tribunal judges chosen by the Sejm for single 9-year terms subordinate courts: administrative courts; military courts; local, regional and appellate courts subdivided into military, civil, criminal, labor, and family courts **Political parties:** Civic Coalition Confederation Free Republicans Polish Coalition or PSL The Left United Right or PiS **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Bogdan Adam KLICH (since 21 November 2024) chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 499-1700 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2152 email address and website: washington.amb.sekretariat@msz.gov.pl https://www.gov.pl/web/usa-en/embassy-washington consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas ROSE (since 6 November 2025) embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31, 00-540 Warsaw mailing address: 5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010 telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000 FAX: [48] (22) 504-2088 email address and website: acswarsaw@state.gov https://pl.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Krakow **International organization participation:** Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 14 April 966 (adoption of Christianity, traditional founding date), 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created) **National holiday:** Constitution Day, 3 May (1791) **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red meaning: colors derive from the Polish emblem, a white eagle on a red field note: similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco, which are red (top) and white **National symbol(s):** white crowned eagle **National color(s):** white, red **National coat of arms:** Poland’s coat of arms was designed in 1927 by noted Polish graphic artist and educator Zygmunt Kaminski. The white crowned eagle is the national symbol, and white and red are the national colors, with white representing purity and truth and red symbolizing courage and the blood shed for freedom. **National anthem(s):** title: "Mazurek Dabrowskiego" (Dabrowski's Mazurka) lyrics/music: Jozef WYBICKI/traditional history: adopted 1927; **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 17 (15 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Krakow (c); Historic Warsaw (c); Medieval Torun (c); Wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian Region (c); Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork (c); Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines (c); Auschwitz Birkenau Concentration Camp (c); Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (n); Białowieza Forest (n); Old City of Zamość (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, diversified, EU-member economy; significant growth in GDP, trade, and investment since joining EU in 2004; private consumption and EU-funded public investments driving GDP growth; increased social spending, flooding recovery costs, and defense spending have added to public debt **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.649 trillion (2024 est.) $1.602 trillion (2023 est.) $1.598 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.9% (2024 est.) 0.2% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $45,100 (2024 est.) $43,700 (2023 est.) $43,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $914.696 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.8% (2024 est.) 11.5% (2023 est.) 14.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2.6% (2024 est.) industry: 26.4% (2024 est.) services: 59.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 57.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 20.8% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 16.9% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.8% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 52.3% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -48.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugar beets, milk, wheat, maize, potatoes, triticale, apples, rapeseed, barley, rye (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles **Industrial production growth rate:** -0.6% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 18.245 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.5% (2024 est.) 2.8% (2023 est.) 2.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 9.9% (2024 est.) male: 10.1% (2024 est.) female: 9.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 12.2% (2023 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 28.9 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 18.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 6.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.3% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 23.1% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $291.603 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $328.497 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 50.6% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities, the data include subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions **Taxes and other revenues:** 18% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $1.789 billion (2024 est.) $14.535 billion (2023 est.) -$15.822 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $478.579 billion (2024 est.) $471.571 billion (2023 est.) $436.388 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 25%, UK 6%, Czechia 6%, France 6%, Italy 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** vehicle parts/accessories, electric batteries, plastic products, cars, seats (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $441.945 billion (2024 est.) $423.797 billion (2023 est.) $421.765 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 22%, China 12%, Italy 5%, Netherlands 4%, USA 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, cars, garments, vehicle parts/accessories, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $223.115 billion (2024 est.) $193.783 billion (2023 est.) $166.664 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** zlotych (PLN) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 3.981 (2024 est.) 4.204 (2023 est.) 4.458 (2022 est.) 3.862 (2021 est.) 3.9 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 64.806 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 159.639 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 11.403 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 15.14 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 8.549 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 72.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 14.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 4.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 96.72 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 99.932 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 10.805 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 10.041 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 27.758 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 24,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 743,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 113 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 5.345 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 20.602 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 747.124 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 15.111 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 91.492 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 103.651 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 4.41 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 53.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 138 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-run public TV operates 2 national channels supplemented by 16 regional and several niche channels; privately owned entities operate several national TV networks and some special interest channels; many privately owned local channels; roughly half of all households are linked to satellite or cable TV systems with access to foreign TV; state-run public radio operates 5 national networks and 17 regional stations; 2 privately owned national radio networks, several commercial stations, and many privately owned local radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .pl **Internet users:** percent of population: 86% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 10.1 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** SP **Airports:** 318 (2025) **Heliports:** 16 (2025) **Railways:** total: 19,461 km (2020) 11,946 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 152 (2023) by type: general cargo 6, oil tanker 6, other 140 **Ports:** total ports: 10 (2024) large: 2 medium: 2 small: 4 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Gdansk, Gdynia, Port Polnochny, Szczecin ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Polish Armed Forces (Polskie Siły Zbrojne): Land Forces (Wojska Ladowe), Navy (Marynarka Wojenna), Air Force (Sily Powietrzne), Special Forces (Wojska Specjalne), Territorial Defense Forces (Wojska Obrony Terytorialnej), Cyberspace Defense Forces (Wojska Obrony Cyberprzestrzeni) Ministry of Interior and Administration: Polish National Police (Policja); Border Guard (Straż Graniczna or SG) (2025) **Military expenditures:** 4.5% of GDP (2025 est.) 3.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 3.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 235,000 active military personnel (2025) note: a new national defense law in 2022 set a goal to double the size of Poland’s armed forces to 300,000 personnel, including 250,000 professional soldiers and 50,000 territorials **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory consists of a mix of some Soviet-era and a growing amount of more modern, NATO-compatible weapons systems; in recent years, significant suppliers of armaments have included Finland, South Korea, and the US; Poland has a domestic defense sector that produces or provides upgrades to various weapons systems, particularly ground systems such as tanks and other armored vehicles; it also cooperates with the European and US defense sectors (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription; professional soldiers serve on a permanent basis (for an unspecified period of time) or on a contract basis (for a specified period of time); initial contract period is 24 months (2025) note 1: as of 2024, women made up about 16.5% of the military's full-time personnel note 2: in 2022, Poland announced a new 12-month voluntary military service program with recruits going through a one-month basic training period with a military unit, followed by 11 months of specialized training; upon completion of service, the volunteers would be allowed to join the Territorial Defense Forces or the active reserve, and have priority to join the professional army and be given preference for employment in the public sector; the program is part of an effort to increase the size of the Polish military **Military deployments:** 250 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); up to 300 Latvia (NATO); 190 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025) note: Poland has obligated about 2,500 troops to the Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine joint military brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG), which was established in 2014; the brigade is headquartered in Poland and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units; units affiliated with the multinational brigade remain within the structures of the armed forces of their respective countries until the brigade is activated for participation in an international operation **Military - note:** the Polish Armed Forces are responsible for defense of the country's sovereignty and territory, deterring potential threats, and fulfilling Poland's commitments to NATO, EU, and European security; Poland’s geographic location on NATO’s eastern flank and its history of foreign invasion underpin the Polish military’s focus on territorial and border defense; in peacetime, the Armed Forces provide support to the Border Guard; other security concerns include hybrid threats from Russia and Belarus, such as cyberattacks, sabotage, and weaponized migration; since the 2010s, Poland has taken steps to enhance the security of its borders with Russia and Belarus since 2014, Poland has hosted several NATO military formations designed to enhance the defense of Poland and NATO’s eastern flank, including a US-led multinational NATO ground force battlegroup as part of the Alliance’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative, NATO fighter detachments at Malbork Air Base, a NATO-led divisional headquarters (Multinational Division Northeast), which coordinates training and preparation activities of its respective subordinate battlegroups in Poland and Lithuania, and a corps-level NATO field headquarters (Multinational Corps Northeast); Poland also has increased the the US military presence in the country; Poland participates in a variety of EU and NATO military deployments in Africa, the Baltic States, Southern Europe, and the Middle East; Poland also provided support to the NATO mission in Afghanistan (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Polish Space Agency (POLSA; established 2014; operational in 2015) (2025) **Space program overview:** builds satellites, including nano/cube remote sensing (RS) and scientific/technology satellites; researches and develops communications, RS, navigational, and other scientific applications for satellite payloads; creating infrastructure for data from meteorological and environmental satellites; researches and develops other space-related technologies, including sensors and robotic probes for interplanetary landers, and launcher systems; space program is integrated with the ESA and the EU; participates in a variety of ESA/EU and international programs; cooperates with a variety of other foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Brazil, Canada, China, ESA/EU member states (particularly France, Germany, Italy), India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Ukraine, UK, and the US; has a commercial space sector with more than 300 active enterprises (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1978 - first Polish astronaut in space on Soviet spacecraft 1991 - began cooperating with the ESA 1994 - began participating in Russia's Koronas solar research missions 2012 - joined ESA; first domestically built scientific nanosatellite (PW-Sat) launched on European rocket 2021 - joined US-led Artemis Accords for lunar and space exploration 2024 - successfully launched domestically developed experimental suborbital rocket (ILR-33 Amber 2K) to altitude of 101 kms 2025 - first Polish astronaut and scientific mission on International Space Station ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 1,019,863 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 1,486 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Portugal **Slug:** portugal **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇵🇹 **Codes:** cek: po, iso2: PT, iso3: PRT, iso_num: 620, genc: PRT, stanag: PRT, internet: .pt ### Introduction **Background:** A global maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of Brazil, its wealthiest colony, in 1822. A revolution deposed the monarchy in 1910, and for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup ushered in broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986. ### Geography **Location:** Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain **Geographic coordinates:** 39 30 N, 8 00 W **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 92,090 sq km land: 91,470 sq km water: 620 sq km note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Virginia **Land boundaries:** total: 1,224 km border countries (1): Spain 1,224 km **Coastline:** 1,793 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south **Terrain:** the west-flowing Tagus River divides the country: the north is mountainous toward the interior, while the south is characterized by rolling plains **Elevation:** highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 372 m **Natural resources:** fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 43.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 10.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 9.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 23.6% (2023 est.) forest: 36.6% (2023 est.) other: 5.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 5,662 sq km (2019) **Population distribution:** concentrations are primarily along or near the Atlantic coast; both Lisbon and the second largest city, Porto, are coastal cities **Natural hazards:** Azores subject to severe earthquakes volcanism: limited volcanic activity in the Azores Islands; Fayal or Faial (1,043 m) last erupted in 1958; most volcanoes have not erupted in centuries; historically active volcanoes include Agua de Pau, Furnas, Pico, Picos Volcanic System, San Jorge, Sete Cidades, and Terceira **Geography - note:** Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar; they are two of the four North Atlantic archipelagos that make up Macaronesia; the others are the Canary Islands (Spain) and Cabo Verde ### People and Society **Population:** total: 10,194,277 (2025 est.) male: 4,831,166 female: 5,363,111 **Nationality:** noun: Portuguese (singular and plural) adjective: Portuguese **Ethnic groups:** Portuguese 95%; citizens from Portugal’s former colonies in Africa, Asia (Han Chinese), and South America (Brazilian) and other foreign born 5% **Languages:** Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official, but locally used) **Religions:** Catholic 68.1%, not applicable 12.9%, no religion 12.0%, no response 2.2%, Protestant 1.8%, other 1.0%; less than 1%: other Christians, Orthodox, Muslim (2021 est.) note: data represent population 15 years of age and older **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 12.7% (male 662,419/female 631,284) 15-64 years: 65% (male 3,264,766/female 3,371,087) 65 years and over: 22.3% (2024 est.) (male 908,578/female 1,369,043) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 54.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 19.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 35 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 46.8 years (2025 est.) male: 44.3 years female: 48.3 years **Population growth rate:** -0.11% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 8.03 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 10.92 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 1.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** concentrations are primarily along or near the Atlantic coast; both Lisbon and the second largest city, Porto, are coastal cities **Urbanization:** urban population: 67.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.44% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.001 million LISBON (capital), 1.325 million Porto (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 29.9 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 15 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 2.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 81.9 years (2024 est.) male: 78.8 years female: 85.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.46 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.71 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 97.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 2.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 10.6% of GDP (2022) 14.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 5.85 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 3.5 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 20.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 10.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 6.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.34 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 20.7% (2025 est.) male: 26.1% (2025 est.) female: 15.9% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 0.9% (2016 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 50.6% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 10.4% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 18 years (2022 est.) male: 17 years (2022 est.) female: 18 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** soil erosion; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in urban centers and coastal areas **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south **Land use:** agricultural land: 43.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 10.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 9.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 23.6% (2023 est.) forest: 36.6% (2023 est.) other: 5.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 67.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.44% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 38.272 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 20,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 29.525 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 8.727 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 7.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 5.268 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 23.5% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 920.03 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.83 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 3.419 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 77.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 6 (2024) global geoparks and regional networks: Açores; Arouca; Estrela; Naturtejo da Meseta Meridional; Oeste; Terras de Cavaleiros (2024) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Portuguese Republic conventional short form: Portugal local long form: Republica Portuguesa local short form: Portugal etymology: name derives from the Roman designation "Portus Cale," meaning "Port of Cale;" Cale was located in present-day northern Portugal, and its name is said to come from the Latin word calere (to be warm) because the harbor never iced over **Government type:** semi-presidential republic **Capital:** name: Lisbon geographic coordinates: 38 43 N, 9 08 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October time zone note: Portugal has two time zones, including the Azores (UTC-1) etymology: the origin of the name is unclear; some trace it back to the legendary Greek hero Ulysses; others claim a derivation from the Phoenician alis-ubbo, or "joyful bay" **Administrative divisions:** 18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa (Lisbon), Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu **Legal system:** civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1976, effective 25 April 1976 amendment process: proposed by the Assembly of the Republic; adoption requires two-thirds majority vote of Assembly members **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Portugal dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years; 6 years if from a Portuguese-speaking country **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA (since 9 March 2016) head of government: Prime Minister Antonio Luis MONTENEGRO (since 2 April 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister most recent election date: 24 January 2021 election results: 2021: Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA (PSD) 60.7%, Ana GOMES (ran as an independent but is a member of PS) 13%, Andre VENTURA (CH) 11.9%, João FERREIRA (PCP-PEV) 4.3%, other 10.1% 2016: Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA elected president in the first round; percent of vote - Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA (PSD) 52%, António SAMPAIO DA NOVOA (independent) 22.9%, Marisa MATIAS (BE) 10.1%, Maria DE BELEM ROSEIRA (PS) 4.2%, other 10.8% expected date of next election: January 2026 note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative body to the president **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da Republica) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 230 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 5/18/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Social Democratic Party (PPD/PSD) - Democratic and Social Centre - People's Party (CDS-PP) (88); Chega (CH) (60); Socialist Party (PS) (58); Other (24) percentage of women in chamber: 35.7% expected date of next election: September 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (consists of 12 justices); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 13 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court justices nominated by the president and appointed by the Assembly of the Republic; judges can serve for life; Constitutional Court judges - 10 elected by the Assembly and 3 elected by the other Constitutional Court judges; judges elected for 6-year nonrenewable terms subordinate courts: Supreme Administrative Court (Supremo Tribunal Administrativo); Audit Court (Tribunal de Contas); appellate, district, and municipal courts **Political parties:** Democratic Alliance or AD (2024 electoral alliance in the Azores, includes PSD, CDS-PP, PPM) Democratic and Social Center/People's Party (Partido do Centro Democratico Social-Partido Popular) or CDS-PP Ecologist Party "The Greens" or "Os Verdes" (Partido Ecologista-Os Verdes) or PEV Enough (Chega) Liberal Initiative (Iniciativa Liberal) or IL LIVRE or L People-Animals-Nature Party (Pessoas-Animais-Natureza) or PAN People's Monarchist Party or PPM Portuguese Communist Party (Partido Comunista Portugues) or PCP Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata) or PSD (formerly the Partido Popular Democratico or PPD) Socialist Party (Partido Socialista) or PS The Left Bloc (Bloco de Esquerda) or BE or O Bloco Unitary Democratic Coalition (Coligacao Democratica Unitaria) or CDU (includes PCP and PEV) (2024) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco Antonio DUARTE LOPES (since 7 June 2022) chancery: 2012 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 350-5400 FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726 email address and website: info.washington@mne.pt https://washingtondc.embaixadaportugal.mne.gov.pt/en/ consulate(s) general: Boston, Newark (NJ), New York, San Francisco consulate(s): New Bedford (MA), Providence (RI) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador John Joseph ARRIGO (since 30 September 2025) embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisboa mailing address: 5320 Lisbon Place, Washington DC 20521-5320 telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300 FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109 email address and website: conslisbon@state.gov https://pt.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores) **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, CPLP, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 1 December 1640 (independence reestablished after 60 years of Spanish rule); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed) **National holiday:** Portugal Day (Dia de Portugal), 10 June (1580) note: also called Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis DE CAMOES (1524-80) died **Flag:** description: two vertical bands of green (left side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths), with the national coat of arms (armillary sphere and national shield) centered on the dividing line meaning: explanations for the color meanings are ambiguous, but a popular interpretation says that green symbolizes hope and red the blood of those defending the nation **National symbol(s):** armillary sphere (a spherical astrolabe for modeling objects in the sky) **National color(s):** red, green **National anthem(s):** title: "A Portugesa" (The Song of the Portuguese) lyrics/music: Henrique LOPES DE MENDOCA/Alfredo KEIL history: adopted 1911; originally written to protest the Portuguese monarchy's acquiescence to the 1890 British ultimatum forcing Portugal to give up areas of Africa **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 17 (16 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Évora (c); Central Zone of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores (c); Cultural Landscape of Sintra (c); Laurisilva of Madeira (n); Historic Guimarães (c); Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon (c); Convent of Christ in Tomar (c); Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley and Siega Verde (c); University of Coimbra – Alta and Sofia (c); Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income EU and eurozone economy; strong services sector led by tourism and banking; tight labor market; growth driven by private consumption, trade surplus, and public investment from EU funds; declining public debt **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $448.226 billion (2024 est.) $439.745 billion (2023 est.) $428.547 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.9% (2024 est.) 2.6% (2023 est.) 7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $41,900 (2024 est.) $41,600 (2023 est.) $41,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $308.683 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.4% (2024 est.) 4.3% (2023 est.) 7.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2% (2024 est.) industry: 18.4% (2024 est.) services: 66.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 62% (2023 est.) government consumption: 16.8% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.1% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.4% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 47.5% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -46.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, tomatoes, olives, grapes, maize, pork, potatoes, chicken, apples, oranges (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** textiles, clothing, footwear, wood and cork, paper and pulp, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, automobiles and auto parts, base metals, minerals, porcelain and ceramics, glassware, technology, telecommunications; dairy products, wine, other foodstuffs; ship construction and refurbishment; tourism, plastics, financial services, optics **Industrial production growth rate:** 1.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 5.464 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 6.4% (2024 est.) 6.6% (2023 est.) 6.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 21.2% (2024 est.) male: 21.6% (2024 est.) female: 20.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 16.4% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 36.3 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 17.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.5% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 28.8% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $112.802 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $109.044 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 125.7% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions **Taxes and other revenues:** 22.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $6.708 billion (2024 est.) $1.624 billion (2023 est.) -$5.356 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $144.237 billion (2024 est.) $137.934 billion (2023 est.) $126.953 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Spain 21%, France 11%, Germany 10%, USA 8%, UK 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** cars, garments, vehicle parts/accessories, unpackaged medicine, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $136.976 billion (2024 est.) $133.617 billion (2023 est.) $132.193 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Spain 33%, Germany 11%, France 7%, Netherlands 5%, China 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, crude petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, refined petroleum, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $42.434 billion (2024 est.) $35.243 billion (2023 est.) $32.232 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 25.409 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 50.317 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 3.422 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 13.656 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 5.129 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 25.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 12.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 29% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 24.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 7.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 7,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 6,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 3 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 8,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 204,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 4.325 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 4.251 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 73.285 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 5.53 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 53 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 12.9 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 124 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** Radio e Televisao de Portugal, the publicly owned TV broadcaster, operates 4 domestic channels and external service channels to Africa; roughly 40 domestic TV stations; widespread access to international broadcasters, with more than half of households connected to multi-channel cable or satellite TV systems; publicly owned radio operates 3 national networks and provides regional and external services; several privately owned national radio stations and about 300 regional and local commercial radio stations **Internet country code:** .pt **Internet users:** percent of population: 86% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 4.6 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** CR, CS **Airports:** 128 (2025) **Heliports:** 65 (2025) **Railways:** total: 2,526 km (2020) 1,696 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 888 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 110, container ship 299, general cargo 191, oil tanker 29, other 259 **Ports:** total ports: 18 (2024) large: 3 medium: 2 small: 4 very small: 9 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Aveiro, Funchal, Lagos, Lisboa, Sines ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Portuguese Armed Forces (Forças Armadas Portuguesa): Portuguese Army (Exercito Portuguesa), Portuguese Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps, aka Corpo de Fuzileiros or Corps of Fusiliers), Portuguese Air Force (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP) Ministry of Internal Administration: Public Security Police (Polícia de Segurança Pública, PSP) , National Republican Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana, GNR) (2025) note: the PSP has jurisdiction in cities while the GNR has jurisdiction in rural areas; the GNR is a national gendarmerie force comprised of military personnel with law enforcement, internal security, civil defense, disaster response, and coast guard duties; it is responsible to both the Ministry of Internal Administration and to the Ministry of National Defense; it is not part of the Armed Forces, but may be placed under its operational command in the event of a national emergency **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2025 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 25,000 active-duty military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory includes mostly European- and US-origin weapons systems along with smaller amounts of domestically produced equipment; Portugal's defense industry is noted for its shipbuilding (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-30 years of age for voluntary or contract military service for men and women (upper age limit varies by military branch, position, role); no compulsory military service (abolished 2004) but conscription possible if insufficient volunteers available; contract service lasts for an initial period of 2-6 years, and can be extended to a maximum of 20 years of service; initial voluntary military service lasts 12 months; reserve obligation to age 35 (2025) **Military deployments:** the Portuguese Armed Forces have more than 1,100 military personnel deployed around the world engaged in missions supporting the EU, NATO, the UN, and partner nations; key deployments include 225 troops in the Central African Republic under the UN and about 350 troops supporting NATO's forward presence in Lithuania and Romania; it also participates in NATO air policing and maritime patrolling operations (2025) **Military - note:** the Portuguese military is responsible for external defense, humanitarian operations, and fulfilling Portugal’s commitments to European and international security; maritime security has long been a key component of the military's portfolio, and Portugal has one of the world's oldest navies Portugal was one of the original signers of the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949 establishing NATO, and the Alliance forms a key pillar of Portugal’s defense policy; Portugal is also a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy, and it regularly participates in a variety of EU and NATO, as well as UN deployments around the world; the military’s largest commitments include air, ground, and naval forces under NATO-led missions and standing task forces in the Baltics, Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean Sea; the military also participates in exercises with NATO partners (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Portuguese Space Agency (Agência Espacial Portuguesa; aka Portugal Space; established 2019) (2025) **Space launch site(s):** in August 2025, Portugal granted a license to a commercial consortium to build and operate a space launch center on the island of Santa Maria in the Azores; the first orbital launches are expected in 2027 (2025) **Space program overview:** largely focuses on the acquisition and operation of satellites; researches and develops a range of space-related technologies with an emphasis on small satellites for remote sensing (RS), navigational, science/technology, and telecommunications, as well as satellite launch services; space program is integrated with the ESA and involved in a variety of ESA and EU space programs; works with the space agencies and industries of a range of countries, including Algeria, Angola, Brazil, China, India, Japan, Morocco, South Korea, and the US; also cooperates with international organizations and projects such as the Europe South Observatory and the Square Kilometer Array; one of the objectives of the country's national space strategy is to expand its commercial space sector (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1993 - first technology demonstrator microsatellite (PoSat-1) launched on a European rocket 2000 - joined the ESA 2020 - launched strategic plan for space development (Portugal Space 2030), which included building a spaceport, developing a reusable rocket/satellite launch vehicle, growing the country's domestic commercial space sector, and establishing an Earth observation/remote sensing satellite constellation 2024 - first Portuguese communications satellite (PoSat-2) launched by US as part of a planned constellation of 12 ocean-monitoring/maritime communication satellites 2026 - signed US-led Artemis Accords outlining best practices for responsible space exploration ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 71,166 (2024 est.) IDPs: 21 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 31 (2024 est.) --- ## Puerto Rico **Slug:** puerto-rico **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇵🇷 **Codes:** cek: rq, iso2: PR, iso3: PRI, iso_num: 630, genc: PRI, stanag: PRI, internet: .pr ### Introduction **Background:** Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, Puerto Rico was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 after Christopher COLUMBUS' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Popularly elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted that provided for internal self-government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters chose not to alter the existing political status with the US, but the results of a 2012 vote left open the possibility of American statehood. A referendum held in late 2020 showed a narrow preference for statehood. Economic recession on the island has led to a net population loss since about 2005, as large numbers of residents moved to the US mainland. In 2017, Hurricane Maria was the worst storm to hit the island in eight decades, and damage was estimated in the tens of billions of dollars. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic **Geographic coordinates:** 18 15 N, 66 30 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 9,104 sq km land: 8,959 sq km water: 145 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 501 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation **Terrain:** mostly mountains with coastal plain in north; precipitous mountains to the sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas **Elevation:** highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 261 m **Natural resources:** some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil **Land use:** agricultural land: 19% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 11.6% (2023 est.) forest: 50.3% (2023 est.) other: 30.6% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 220 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** population clusters tend to be found along the coast, with the largest of these in and around San Juan; an exception is a sizeable population located in the interior of the island immediately south of the capital around Caguas; most of the interior, particularly in the western half of the island, is dominated by the Cordillera Central mountains, where population density is low **Natural hazards:** periodic droughts; hurricanes **Geography - note:** important location along the Mona Passage, a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well-watered; south coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,984,841 (2025 est.) male: 1,400,771 female: 1,584,070 **Nationality:** noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens) adjective: Puerto Rican **Ethnic groups:** White 75.8%, Black/African American 12.4%, other 8.5% (includes American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, other Pacific Islander, and others), mixed 3.3% (2010 est.) note: 99% of the population is Latino **Languages:** Spanish, English major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 56%, Protestant 33% (largely Pentecostal), other 2%, atheist 1%, none 7% (2014 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 12.5% (male 191,649/female 184,597) 15-64 years: 62.6% (male 904,406/female 986,778) 65 years and over: 24.9% (2024 est.) (male 322,698/female 429,322) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 60.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 19.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 41.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 46.7 years (2025 est.) male: 44.2 years female: 47.8 years **Population growth rate:** -1.1% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 7.78 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 10.48 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -8.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population clusters tend to be found along the coast, with the largest of these in and around San Juan; an exception is a sizeable population located in the interior of the island immediately south of the capital around Caguas; most of the interior, particularly in the western half of the island, is dominated by the Cordillera Central mountains, where population density is low **Urbanization:** urban population: 93.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.440 million SAN JUAN (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 11 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 82.1 years (2024 est.) male: 78.9 years female: 85.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.27 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.62 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.06 physicians/1,000 population (2018) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 40.9% (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 16% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 92.4% (2017 est.) male: 92.4% (2017 est.) female: 92.4% (2017 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 17 years (2023 est.) male: 16 years (2023 est.) female: 18 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** soil erosion; occasional droughts cause water shortages; industrial pollution **Climate:** tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation **Land use:** agricultural land: 19% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 11.6% (2023 est.) forest: 50.3% (2023 est.) other: 30.6% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 93.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 18.833 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.49 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 11.801 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 4.542 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.171 million tons (2024 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 796 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 2.365 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 113.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 7.1 billion cubic meters (2022) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico conventional short form: Puerto Rico abbreviation: PR etymology: Christopher COLUMBUS originally named the island San Juan Bautista (Saint John the Baptist) and the capital city and main port Cuidad de Puerto Rico (Rich Port City); over time, the names were shortened and transposed **Government type:** unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches; note - reference Puerto Rican Federal Relations Act, 2 March 1917, as amended by Public Law 600, 3 July 1950 **Dependency status:** unincorporated organized territory of the US with commonwealth status; policy relations between Puerto Rico and the US conducted under the jurisdiction of the Office of the President **Capital:** name: San Juan geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 66 07 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Spanish explorer Juan PONCE de Leon named the city in 1511 both for himself and for his name saint, Saint John **Administrative divisions:** no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 78 municipalities (municipios, singular - municipio) are considered second-order: Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta, Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas, Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio, Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama, Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao, Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca, Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce, Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja, Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco **Legal system:** civil law system based on the Spanish civil code, within the framework of the US federal system **Constitution:** history: previous 1900 (Organic Act, or Foraker Act); latest ratified by referendum 3 March 1952, approved 3 July 1952, effective 25 July 1952 amendment process: proposed by a concurrent resolution of at least two-thirds majority by the total Legislative Assembly membership; approval requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses and approval by a majority of voters in a special referendum; if passed by at least three-fourths Assembly vote, the referendum can be held concurrently with the next general election; constitutional articles such as the republican form of government or the bill of rights cannot be amended **Citizenship:** see United States **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal note: residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025) head of government: Governor Jenniffer GONZÁLEZ-COLÓN (since 2 January 2025) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by governor with the consent of the Legislative Assembly election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of electors chosen from each state; president and vice president serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of Puerto Rico do not vote in elections for US president and vice president, but they can vote in Democratic and Republican party presidential primary elections; governor directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term (no term limits) most recent election date: 5 November 2024 election results: 2024: Jenniffer GONZÁLEZ-COLÓN elected governor; percent of vote - Jenniffer GONZÁLEZ-COLÓN (PNP) 39.4%, Juan DALMAU Ramírez (PIP) 32.7%, Jesús Manuel ORTIZ (PPD) 21.1%, Javier JIMÉNEZ (PD) 6.7%, other 0.1% 2020: Pedro PIERLUISI elected governor; percent of vote - Pedro PIERLUISI (PNP) 32.9%, Carlos DELGADO (PPD) 31.6%, Alexandra LUGARO (independent) 14.2%, Juan DALMAU (PIP) 13.7%, other 7.6% expected date of next election: 7 November 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa) legislative structure: bicameral term in office: 4 years note: Puerto Rico directly elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 4-year term as a commissioner to the US House of Representatives; the commissioner can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House but not when legislation is submitted for a 'full floor' House vote; election of commissioner last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2022) **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Camara de Representantes) number of seats: 51 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/3/2020 parties elected and seats per party: PPD (26); PNP (21); MVC (2); PIP (1); PD (1) percentage of women in chamber: 19.6% expected date of next election: November 2024 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Senado) number of seats: 30 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/3/2020 parties elected and seats per party: PPD (12); NP (10); MVC (2); PD (1); PIP (1); independent (1) percentage of women in chamber: 48.1% expected date of next election: November 2024 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 8 associate justices) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by majority Senate vote; judges serve until compulsory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; First Instance Court comprised of superior and municipal courts **Political parties:** Citizens' Victory Movement (Movimiento Victoria Ciudadana) or MVC Democratic Party of Puerto Rico New Progressive Party or PNP (pro-US statehood) Popular Democratic Party or PPD (pro-commonwealth) Project Dignity (Projecto Dignidad) or PD Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP (pro-independence) Republican Party of Puerto Rico **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (territory of the US) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (territory of the US with commonwealth status) **International organization participation:** AOSIS (observer), Caricom (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WFTU (NGOs) **Independence:** none (territory of the US with commonwealth status) **National holiday:** US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25 July (1952) **Flag:** description: five equal horizontal bands of red alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the left side has a large five-pointed white star in the center meaning: the star stands for the country; the three sides of the triangle stand for the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government; blue stands for the sky and the coastal waters, red for the blood shed by warriors, and white for liberty, victory, and peace note: design initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed **National symbol(s):** Puerto Rican spindalis (bird), coqui (frog) **National color(s):** red, white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "La Borinquena" (The Puerto Rican) lyrics/music: Manuel Fernandez JUNCOS/Felix Astol ARTES history: music adopted 1952, lyrics adopted 1977; the local anthem's name refers to the local name for the island, Borinquen; the music was originally composed as a dance in 1867 and gained popularity in the early 20th century _____ title: "The Star-Spangled Banner" lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH history: official anthem, as a US commonwealth **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural); note - excerpted from the US entry selected World Heritage Site locales: La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site ### Economy **Economic overview:** US Caribbean island territorial economy; hit hard by COVID-19 and hurricanes; declining labor force and job growth after a decade of continuous recession; capital-based industry and tourism; high poverty; energy import-dependent **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $141.344 billion (2024 est.) $136.926 billion (2023 est.) $136.247 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.2% (2024 est.) 0.5% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $44,100 (2024 est.) $42,700 (2023 est.) $42,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $125.842 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.3% (2022 est.) 2.4% (2021 est.) -0.5% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.7% (2024 est.) industry: 48% (2024 est.) services: 51.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 76% (2024 est.) government consumption: 8.2% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 14.6% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.2% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 51.9% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -42.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, plantains, bananas, tomatoes, chicken, oranges, mangoes/guavas, pineapples, eggs, pumpkins/squash (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism **Labor force:** 1.152 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.5% (2024 est.) 5.8% (2023 est.) 6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 12.5% (2024 est.) male: 14% (2024 est.) female: 9.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Budget:** revenues: $9.268 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: $9.974 billion (2017 est.) **Exports:** $65.368 billion (2024 est.) $63.563 billion (2023 est.) $59.712 billion (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Italy 15%, Netherlands 15%, Belgium 9%, Japan 8%, Germany 8%, Austria 8%, Spain 7%, China 5% (2019) **Exports - commodities:** packaged medicines, medical cultures/vaccines, hormones, orthopedic and medical appliances, sulfur compounds (2019) top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $53.898 billion (2024 est.) $56.889 billion (2023 est.) $52.15 billion (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Ireland 38%, Singapore 9%, Switzerland 8%, South Korea 5% (2019) **Imports - commodities:** nitrogen compounds, sulfur compounds, refined petroleum, medical cultures/vaccines, cars (2019) **Exchange rates:** the US dollar is used ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 6.898 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 18.669 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.224 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 94.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 4.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 1.124 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 500 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1.124 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 80,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 2.315 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 15.627 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 2.331 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 86.286 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 773,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 4.1 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** more than 30 TV stations; cable TV subscription services are available; roughly 125 radio stations **Internet country code:** .pr **Internet users:** percent of population: 87% (2022 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 751,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 20 (2025) **Heliports:** 40 (2025) **Ports:** total ports: 14 (2024) large: 0 medium: 3 small: 4 very small: 7 ports with oil terminals: 7 key ports: Arroyo, Ensenada Honda, Mayaguez, Playa de Guanica, Playa de Guayanilla, Playa de Ponce, San Juan ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Puerto Rico Police; Puerto Rico (US) National Guard (Guardia Nacional de Puerto Rico or GNPR) (2025) note: the GNPR was created by order of the US Congress in June 1919; the organization traces its lineage and history to Spanish militias created in 1511 and is one of the oldest organizations in the US National Guard system **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the US ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** IDPs: 146 (2024 est.) --- ## Qatar **Slug:** qatar **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇶🇦 **Codes:** cek: qa, iso2: QA, iso3: QAT, iso_num: 634, genc: QAT, stanag: QAT, internet: .qa ### Introduction **Background:** Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar within the last 60 years transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant hydrocarbon revenues. Former Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, who overthrew his father in a bloodless coup in 1995, ushered in wide-sweeping political and media reforms, unprecedented economic investment, and a growing Qatari regional leadership role, in part through the creation of the pan-Arab satellite news network Al-Jazeera and Qatar's mediation of some regional conflicts. In the 2000s, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and by 2007, Doha had attained the highest per capita income in the world. Qatar did not experience domestic unrest or violence like that seen in other Near Eastern and North African countries in 2011, due in part to its immense wealth and patronage network. In mid-2013, HAMAD peacefully abdicated, transferring power to his son, the current Amir TAMIM bin Hamad. TAMIM is popular with the Qatari public for his role in shepherding the country through an economic embargo from some other regional countries, for his efforts to improve the country's healthcare and education systems, and for his expansion of the country's infrastructure in anticipation of hosting international sporting events. Qatar became the first country in the Arab world to host the FIFA Men’s World Cup in 2022. Following the outbreak of regional unrest in 2011, Doha prided itself on its support for many popular revolutions, particularly in Libya and Syria. This stance was to the detriment of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which temporarily recalled their respective ambassadors from Doha in 2014. TAMIM later oversaw a warming of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE in November 2014 following Kuwaiti mediation and signing of the Riyadh Agreement. This reconciliation, however, was short-lived. In 2017, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE (the "Quartet") cut diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar in response to alleged violations of the agreement, among other complaints. They restored ties in 2021 after signing a declaration at the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in Al Ula, Saudi Arabia. In 2022, the United States designated Qatar as a major non-NATO ally. ### Geography **Location:** Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia **Geographic coordinates:** 25 30 N, 51 15 E **Map references:** Middle East **Area:** total : 11,586 sq km land: 11,586 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** almost twice the size of Delaware; slightly smaller than Connecticut **Land boundaries:** total: 87 km border countries (1): Saudi Arabia 87 km **Coastline:** 563 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line **Climate:** arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers **Terrain:** mostly flat and barren desert **Elevation:** highest point: Tuwayyir al Hamir 103 m lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m mean elevation: 28 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, fish, natural gas **Land use:** agricultural land: 6.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.4% (2023 est.) forest: 0.1% (2023 est.) other: 93.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 130 sq km (2022) **Major aquifers:** Arabian Aquifer System **Population distribution:** most of the population is clustered in or around the capital of Doha on the eastern side of the peninsula **Natural hazards:** haze, dust storms, sandstorms common **Geography - note:** the peninsula occupies a strategic location in the central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,568,426 (2025 est.) male: 1,970,605 female: 597,821 **Nationality:** noun: Qatari(s) adjective: Qatari **Ethnic groups:** non-Qatari 88.4%, Qatari 11.6% (2015 est.) **Languages:** Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 65.2%, Christian 13.7%, Hindu 15.9%, Buddhist 3.8%, folk religion <0.1%, Jewish <0.1%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 13.1% (male 168,844/female 165,905) 15-64 years: 85.4% (male 1,767,294/female 411,977) 65 years and over: 1.5% (2024 est.) (male 24,997/female 13,071) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 17.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 15.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 1.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 54.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 34.4 years (2025 est.) male: 35.7 years female: 28.1 years **Population growth rate:** 0.57% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 9.19 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 1.42 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is clustered in or around the capital of Doha on the eastern side of the peninsula **Urbanization:** urban population: 99.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.66% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 798,000 Ar-Rayyan, 658,000 DOHA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 4.29 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.91 male(s)/female total population: 3.32 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 6.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 80.3 years (2024 est.) male: 78.2 years female: 82.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.9 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.94 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 2.9% of GDP (2021) 7.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.02 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 1.1 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 35.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 19.2% (2025 est.) male: 24.6% (2025 est.) female: 2.3% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.3% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 64.6% (2020 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.2% of GDP (2020 est.) 9.3% national budget (2020 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2022 est.) male: 12 years (2022 est.) female: 15 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air, land, and water pollution; limited natural freshwater resources; limited conservation of oil and wildlife **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 6.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.4% (2023 est.) forest: 0.1% (2023 est.) other: 93.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 99.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.66% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 127.783 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 10,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 27.781 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 99.991 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 59 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 1,040.8 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 9.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 64.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 5.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.001 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 582.862 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 40.18 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 311.156 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 58 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar etymology: the name may derive from the Arabic word katran, meaning "tar" or "resin" in reference to the area's oil and natural gas reserves note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation is GAT-tar or COT-tar **Government type:** absolute monarchy **Capital:** name: Doha geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is derived from the Arabic ad-dawha, meaning "the big tree," and probably referred to a large tree at the site of the original fishing village **Administrative divisions:** 8 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Khawr wa adh Dhakhirah, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Ash Shamal, Ash Shihaniyah, Az Za'ayin, Umm Salal **Legal system:** mixed system of civil law and Islamic (sharia) law (in family and personal matters) **Constitution:** history: previous 1972 (provisional); latest drafted 2 July 2002, approved by referendum 29 April 2003, endorsed 8 June 2004, effective 9 June 2005 amendment process: proposed by the Amir or by one third of Advisory Council members; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Advisory Council members and approval and promulgation by the emir; articles pertaining to the rule of state and its inheritance, functions of the emir, and citizen rights and liberties cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Qatar dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 20 years; 15 years if an Arab national **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Amir TAMIM bin Hamad Al Thani (since 25 June 2013) head of government: Prime Minister and Foreign Minister MUHAMMAD bin Abd al-Rahman Al Thani (since 7 March 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the amir election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the amir **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Shura Council (Majlis Al-Shura) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 49 (all appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/9/2025 percentage of women in chamber: 6.1% expected date of next election: September 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (consists of the court president and several judges); Supreme Constitutional Court (consists of the chief justice and 6 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Supreme Judiciary Council, a 9-member independent body consisting of judiciary heads appointed by the amir; judges appointed for 3-year renewable terms; Supreme Constitutional Court members nominated by the Supreme Judiciary Council and appointed by the monarch; term of appointment NA subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Administrative Court; Courts of First Instance; sharia courts; Courts of Justice; Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Center, established in 2009, provides dispute resolution services for institutions and bodies in Qatar, as well as internationally **Political parties:** political parties are banned **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Meshal bin Hamad AL THANI (since 24 April 2017) chancery: 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 FAX: [1] (202) 237-0682 email address and website: info.dc@mofa.gov.qa https://washington.embassy.qa/en/home consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Stefanie ALTMAN-WINANS (since June 2025) embassy: 22 February Street, Al Luqta District, P.O. Box 2399, Doha mailing address: 6130 Doha Place, Washington DC 20521-6130 telephone: [974] 4496-6000 FAX: [974] 4488-4298 email address and website: PasDoha@state.gov https://qa.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, CICA (observer), EITI (implementing country), FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 3 September 1971 (from the UK) **National holiday:** National Day, 18 December (1878), anniversary of Al Thani family accession to the throne; Independence Day, 3 September (1971) **Flag:** description: maroon with a broad, serrated white band on the left side meaning: maroon stands for the blood shed in Qatari wars, and white for peace; the nine-pointed serrated edge is a reference to Qatar's status as the ninth member of the "reconciled emirates" after the Qatari-British treaty of 1916 -- the other eight members are Bahrain and the seven that make up the UAE **National symbol(s):** a white serrated band with nine white points on top of a maroon field **National color(s):** maroon, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Al-Salam Al-Amiri" (Peace be to the Emir) lyrics/music: Sheikh MUBARAK bin Saif al-Thani/Abdul Aziz Nasser OBAIDAN history: adopted 1996 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Al Zubarah Archaeological Site ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, oil-and-gas-based Middle Eastern economy; implementing “National Vision 2030” government strategy for economic development, diversification, and favorable business conditions to boost investment and employment; expansion of LNG sector expected to boost growth; Islamic finance leader **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $317.064 billion (2024 est.) $308.522 billion (2023 est.) $304.903 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.8% (2024 est.) 1.2% (2023 est.) 4.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $110,900 (2024 est.) $116,200 (2023 est.) $114,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $217.983 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.3% (2024 est.) 3% (2023 est.) 5% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.3% (2024 est.) industry: 58.5% (2024 est.) services: 45.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 19.5% (2022 est.) government consumption: 12.9% (2022 est.) investment in fixed capital: 30.6% (2022 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2022 est.) exports of goods and services: 68.6% (2022 est.) imports of goods and services: -31.6% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** dates, chicken, tomatoes, camel milk, vegetables, cucumbers/gherkins, pumpkins/squash, eggs, sheep milk, eggplants (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** liquefied natural gas, crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizer, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair **Industrial production growth rate:** 1.6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 2.123 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 0.2% (2024 est.) 0.2% (2023 est.) 0.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 0.4% (2024 est.) male: 0.1% (2024 est.) female: 1.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 35.1 (2017 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 14.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.6% (2017 est.) highest 10%: 25.8% (2017 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $65.922 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $57.258 billion (2019 est.) **Current account balance:** $38.117 billion (2024 est.) $36.453 billion (2023 est.) $63.118 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $125.216 billion (2024 est.) $128.709 billion (2023 est.) $161.693 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 18%, India 11%, S. Korea 10%, Japan 7%, Pakistan 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** natural gas, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, plastics, fertilizers (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $69.692 billion (2024 est.) $72.174 billion (2023 est.) $74.52 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 12%, China 12%, UAE 9%, UK 7%, India 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** gas turbines, cars, aircraft, iron pipes, ships (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $53.987 billion (2024 est.) $51.539 billion (2023 est.) $47.389 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 3.64 (2024 est.) 3.64 (2023 est.) 3.64 (2022 est.) 3.64 (2021 est.) 3.64 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 11.4 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 51.965 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.177 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 99.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** exports: 300 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 4,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 1.818 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 268,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 25.244 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 171.805 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 48.034 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 124.747 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 23.861 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 814.308 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 525,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 4.68 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 154 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-controlled TV and radio licensing and access to local media markets; home of satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera, which was originally state-owned but is now independent; local radio includes state, private, and international broadcasters on FM frequencies; satellite TV available (2019) **Internet country code:** .qa **Internet users:** percent of population: 100% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 347,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** A7 **Airports:** 8 (2025) **Heliports:** 12 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 123 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 5, container ship 4, general cargo 4, oil tanker 2, other 108 **Ports:** total ports: 6 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 2 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Al Rayyan Terminal, Al Shaheen Terminal, Doha, Jazirat Halul, Ras Laffan, Umm Said ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Qatar Armed Forces (QAF): Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF, includes Emiri Guard), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN, includes Coast Guard), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF) Ministry of Interior: General Directorate of Public Security, General Directorate of Coasts and Border Security, Internal Security Force (ISF or Lekhwiya) (2025) **Military expenditures:** 5% of GDP (2023 est.) 5% of GDP (2022 est.) 4% of GDP (2021 est.) 4% of GDP (2020 est.) 3.4% of GDP (2019 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 15,000 active-duty Qatar Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Qatari military's inventory is a mix of older and modern weapons systems, mostly from Türkiye, the US, and various European countries, including France, Germany, and Italy (2025) note: in the 2010s, Qatar embarked on a military expansion and modernization program with large air, ground, and naval equipment purchases **Military service age and obligation:** typically 18-30 for voluntary service for men and women; compulsory military service for men 18-35; compulsory service is from 4-12 months, depending on educational and professional circumstances (2025) note: the military incorporates about 2,000 conscripts annually and recruits foreign contract soldiers to overcome manpower limitations **Military - note:** Qatar's military is responsible for territorial defense and maritime security; the military is in the midst of a large equipment acquisition program designed to enhance its capabilities and Qatar's regional standing; Qatar has military ties with a variety of countries, including France, the UK, the US, Turkey, and member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); it hosts the regional headquarters for the US Central Command (CENTCOM; established 1983) and several thousand US military forces at various military facilities, including the Al Udeid Air Base; Qatar has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; Qatar also hosts Turkish military forces at two bases established in 2014 and 2019; the Qatari military is part of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 349 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 1,200 (2024 est.) --- ## Romania **Slug:** romania **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇷🇴 **Codes:** cek: ro, iso2: RO, iso3: ROU, iso_num: 642, genc: ROU, stanag: ROU, internet: .ro ### Introduction **Background:** The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia -- for centuries under the control of the Turkish Ottoman Empire -- secured their autonomy through the Treaty of Paris in 1856. They were de facto linked in 1859 and formally united in 1862 under the new name of Romania. The country joined the Allied Powers in World War I and subsequently acquired new territories -- most notably Transylvania -- that more than doubled its size. In 1940, Romania allied with the Axis powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former communists dominated the government until 1996 when they were swept from power. Romania joined NATO in 2004, the EU in 2007, and the Schengen Area for air and sea travel in 2024. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine **Geographic coordinates:** 46 00 N, 25 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 238,391 sq km land: 229,891 sq km water: 8,500 sq km **Area - comparative:** twice the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oregon **Land boundaries:** total: 2,844 km border countries (5): Bulgaria 605 km; Hungary 424 km; Moldova 683 km; Serbia 531 km; Ukraine 601 km **Coastline:** 225 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms **Terrain:** central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Moldavian Plateau on the east by the Eastern Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps **Elevation:** highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m lowest point: Black Sea 0 m mean elevation: 414 m **Natural resources:** petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 55.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 36.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 17% (2023 est.) forest: 30.2% (2023 est.) other: 14.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 5,280 sq km (2022) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Dunărea (Danube) river mouth (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine) - 2,888 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** urbanization is not particularly high, and the population distribution is fairly even throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations **Natural hazards:** earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides **Geography - note:** controls the most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine; the Carpathian Mountains dominate the center of the country, and the Danube River forms much of the southern boundary with Serbia and Bulgaria ### People and Society **Population:** total: 17,985,252 (2025 est.) male: 8,659,102 female: 9,326,150 **Nationality:** noun: Romanian(s) adjective: Romanian **Ethnic groups:** Romanian 89.3%, Hungarian 6%, Romani 3.4%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.1%, other 0.9% (2021 est.) note: data represent individuals who declared an ethnic group in the 2021 national census; 13% did not respond; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 5–11% of Romania's population **Languages:** Romanian (official) 91.6%, Hungarian 6.3%, Romani 1.2%, other 0.7% (2021 est.) major-language sample(s): Cartea informativa a lumii, sursa indispensabila pentru informatii de baza. (Romanian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: data represent individuals who declared a maternal language in the 2021 national census; 13.1% did not respond **Religions:** Romanian Orthodox 85.3%, Roman Catholic 4.5%, Reformed 3%, Pentecostal 2.5%, other 4.7% (2021 est.) note: data represent individuals who declared a religion in the 2021 national census; 13.9% did not respond **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 15.4% (male 1,441,359/female 1,362,304) 15-64 years: 62% (male 5,618,366/female 5,632,718) 65 years and over: 22.6% (2024 est.) (male 1,688,070/female 2,405,338) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 61.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 24.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 36.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 45.8 years (2025 est.) male: 44 years female: 46.9 years **Population growth rate:** -0.86% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 8.45 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 14.28 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** urbanization is not particularly high, and the population distribution is fairly even throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations **Urbanization:** urban population: 54.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.776 million BUCHAREST (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 27.1 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 12 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.9 years (2024 est.) male: 73.4 years female: 80.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.63 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.79 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.5% of GDP (2021) 11.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.63 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 7.1 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 97.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 77.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 88.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 22.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 11.5% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 22.5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 10.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 5.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 26.7% (2025 est.) male: 36.2% (2025 est.) female: 17.9% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 56% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.5% (2021) women married by age 18: 6.9% (2021) **Education expenditure:** 3.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 8.8% national budget (2022 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 99.2% (2021 est.) male: 99% (2021 est.) female: 99.3% (2021 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2023 est.) male: 13 years (2023 est.) female: 14 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** soil erosion, degradation, and desertification; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms **Land use:** agricultural land: 55.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 36.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 17% (2023 est.) forest: 30.2% (2023 est.) other: 14.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 54.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 61.416 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 13.07 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 30.902 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 17.444 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 14.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 325.6 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 355.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 247.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 11.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 5.42 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 1.256 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 3.94 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 2.955 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 212.01 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 2 global geoparks and regional networks: Buzău; Haţeg (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Romania local long form: none local short form: Romania former: Kingdom of Romania, Romanian People's Republic, Socialist Republic of Romania etymology: the name derives from the Latin Romani, meaning "people from Rome;" the area was an outpost of the Roman Empire in the 2nd century A.D., and the current name was adopted when Moldavia and Wallachia merged in 1861 **Government type:** semi-presidential republic **Capital:** name: Bucharest geographic coordinates: 44 26 N, 26 06 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name is said to come from a shepherd named Bucur who is reputed to have founded the town in 1457, but a settlement probably already existed on the site; the name may come from the personal name of an early landowner **Administrative divisions:** 41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti (Bucharest)*, Buzau, Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dambovita, Dolj, Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov, Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Valcea, Vrancea **Legal system:** civil law system **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 21 November 1991, approved by referendum and effective 8 December 1991 amendment process: initiated by the president of Romania through a proposal by the government, by at least one fourth of deputies or senators in Parliament, or by petition of eligible voters representing at least half of Romania’s counties; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by both chambers or – if mediation is required - by three-fourths majority vote in a joint session, followed by approval in a referendum; articles, including those on national sovereignty, form of government, political pluralism, and fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Romania dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Nicușor DAN (since 26 May 2025) head of government: Prime Minister Ilie BOLOJAN (since 23 June 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president with consent of Parliament most recent election date: 18 May 2025 election results: 2025: Nicușor DAN elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Nicușor DAN (unaffiliated) 53.6%, George SIMION (AUR) 46.4% 2019: Klaus IOHANNIS reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Klaus IOHANNIS (PNL) 66.1%, Viorica DANCILA (PSD) 33.9% expected date of next election: 2030 note: the prime ministerial position will be rotated in 2027 from BOLOJAN to another coalition party member as part of a power-sharing agreement **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament of Romania (Parlamentul României) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Camera Deputatilor) number of seats: 331 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 12/1/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Social Democratic Party (PSD) (86); Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) (63); National Liberal Party (PNL) (49); Save Romania Union (USR) (40); S.O.S. Romania (28); Party of Young People (POT) (24); Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) (22) percentage of women in chamber: 22.4% expected date of next election: November 2028 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Senatul) number of seats: 136 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 12/1/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Social Democratic Party (PSD) (36); Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) (28); National Liberal Party (PNL) (22); Save Romania Union (USR) (19); S.O.S. Romania (12); Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) (10); Party of Young People (POT) (7) percentage of women in chamber: 20.9% expected date of next election: November 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): High Court of Cassation and Justice (consists of 111 judges organized into civil, penal, commercial, contentious administrative and fiscal business, and joint sections); Supreme Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members) judge selection and term of office: High Court of Cassation and Justice judges appointed by the president upon nomination by the Superior Council of Magistracy, a 19-member body of judges, prosecutors, and law specialists; judges appointed for 6-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court members - 6 elected by Parliament and 3 appointed by the president; members serve 9-year, nonrenewable terms subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; regional tribunals; first instance courts; military and arbitration courts **Political parties:** Alliance for the Fatherland or APP Alliance for the Unity of Romanians or AUR Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party or PNT-CD Civic Hungarian Party Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR Ecologist Party of Romania or PER Force of the Right or FD Greater Romania Party or PRM Green Party National Liberal Party or PNL Popular Movement Party or PMP PRO Romania or PRO Romanian Nationhood Party or PNR Save Romania Union Party or USR Social Democratic Party or PSD Social Liberal Humanist Party or PUSL (formerly Humanist Power Party (Social-Liberal) or PPU-SL) S.O.S. Romania The Right Alternative or AD United Romania Party or PRU We are Renewing the European Project in Romania or REPER **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Dan-Andrei MURARU (since 15 September 2021) chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4829 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748 email address and website: washington@mae.ro https://washington.mae.ro/en consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Michael L. DICKERSON (since 20 May 2025) embassy: 4-6, Dr. Liviu Librescu Blvd., District 1, Bucharest, 015118 mailing address: 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 telephone: [40] (21) 200-3300 FAX: [40] (21) 200-3442 email address and website: ACSBucharest@state.gov https://ro.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire; 13 July 1878 (independence recognized by the Treaty of Berlin); 26 March 1881 (kingdom proclaimed); 30 December 1947 (republic proclaimed) **National holiday:** Unification Day (unification of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918) **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of blue (left side), yellow, and red meaning: the colors come from the principalities of Walachia (red and yellow) and Moldavia (red and blue), which united in 1862 to form Romania history: modeled on the French flag; the national coat of arms that used to be centered on the yellow band has been removed note: similar to the flag of Chad, which has a darker blue band; also resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova **National symbol(s):** golden eagle **National color(s):** blue, yellow, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Desteapta-te romane!" (Wake up, Romanian!) lyrics/music: Andrei MURESIANU/Anton PANN history: adopted 1990; the anthem was written during the 1848 Revolution **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 11 (9 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Danube Delta (n); Churches of Moldavia (c); Monastery of Horezu (c); Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania (c); Dacian Fortresses of the Orastie Mountains (c); Historic Center of Sighişoara (c); Wooden Churches of Maramureş (c); Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe (n); Roșia Montană Mining Landscape (c); Brâncuși Monumental Ensemble of Târgu Jiu (c); Frontiers of the Roman Empire – Dacia (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, EU-member economy; euro membership delayed over macroeconomic indicators; persistent inflation, but consumption and EU-funded investments driving recovery; skilled labor shortage; high public debt and budget deficit; challenges include fiscal sustainability and political instability **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $774.376 billion (2024 est.) $768.126 billion (2023 est.) $750.091 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 0.8% (2024 est.) 2.4% (2023 est.) 4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $40,600 (2024 est.) $40,300 (2023 est.) $39,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $382.768 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 5.7% (2024 est.) 10.4% (2023 est.) 13.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 3.3% (2024 est.) industry: 25% (2024 est.) services: 62.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 63.5% (2024 est.) government consumption: 18.3% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 25.7% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -1.4% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 35.6% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -41.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, maize, milk, sunflower seeds, barley, rapeseed, potatoes, grapes, plums, apples (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** electric machinery and equipment, auto assembly, textiles and footwear, light machinery, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining, mining, timber, construction materials **Industrial production growth rate:** -0.9% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 8.263 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.4% (2024 est.) 5.6% (2023 est.) 5.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 21.3% (2024 est.) male: 21.1% (2024 est.) female: 21.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 21.1% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 32.3 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 25.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 6.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.9% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 22.6% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 2.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 3% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $93.691 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $112.799 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 50.9% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 16.2% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$31.988 billion (2024 est.) -$24.461 billion (2023 est.) -$27.326 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $136.253 billion (2024 est.) $136.488 billion (2023 est.) $129.286 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 19%, Italy 10%, France 6%, UK 5%, Hungary 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** cars, vehicle parts/accessories, insulated wire, garments, wheat (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $159.575 billion (2024 est.) $153.427 billion (2023 est.) $149.209 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 19%, Italy 8%, Hungary 6%, Poland 6%, China 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** vehicle parts/accessories, packaged medicine, cars, crude petroleum, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $73.391 billion (2024 est.) $73 billion (2023 est.) $55.81 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** lei (RON) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 4.598 (2024 est.) 4.574 (2023 est.) 4.688 (2022 est.) 4.16 (2021 est.) 4.244 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 19.748 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 48.73 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 13.106 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 10.088 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 5.817 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 32.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 18% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 3.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 13% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 32.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 2 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 1.3GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 18.9% (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 14.752 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 15.533 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 290,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 736,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 291 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 67,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 220,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 600 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 9.632 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 9.395 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 2.231 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 2.793 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 105.48 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 59.377 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.72 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 22.8 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 118 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** a mixture of public and private TV stations; 7 public (2 national, 5 regional) and 187 private TV stations using terrestrial broadcasting, plus 11 public and 86 private TV stations using satellite broadcasting; state-owned public radio broadcaster operates 4 national networks, as well as regional and local stations; 502 private radio stations using terrestrial broadcasting, and 26 using satellite broadcasting **Internet country code:** .ro **Internet users:** percent of population: 89% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 6.63 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** YR **Airports:** 103 (2025) **Heliports:** 24 (2025) **Railways:** total: 10,628 km (2020) 4,030 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 127 (2023) by type: general cargo 9, oil tanker 7, other 111 **Ports:** total ports: 11 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 1 very small: 8 ports with oil terminals: 4 key ports: Basarabi, Braila, Cernavoda, Constanta, Danube-Black Sea Canal, Galati, Mangalia, Medgidia, Midia, Sulina, Tulcea ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Romanian Armed Forces (Forțele Armate Române or Armata Română): Romanian Land Forces, Romanian Naval Forces, Romanian Air Force Ministry of Internal Affairs: Romanian Police, Romanian Gendarmerie, Romanian Border Police (2025) **Military expenditures:** 2.3% of GDP (2025 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 70,000 active Armed Forces (2025) note: in 2025, the Romanian Government announced plans to increase the size of the Armed Forces by 35,000 personnel by 2030 **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory includes a considerable amount of Soviet-era and older domestically produced weapons systems, although in recent years Romania has launched an effort to acquire more modern and NATO-standard equipment from European countries and the US, including aircraft and armored vehicles (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** typically 18-35 years of age for voluntary service for men and women; compulsory service ended in 2007 (2025) note: in 2025, the Romanian Government approved a voluntary service plan for citizens aged 18 to 35 to apply for a four-month basic military training programme, open to both men and women who have not completed active military service or not already in reserve; participants would subsequently be registered as reservists **Military deployments:** 470 Bosnia Herzegovina (EUFOR); 200 Kosovo (KFOR/NATO); up to 120 Poland (NATO); Romania also has small numbers of military personnel deployed on other international missions under the EU, NATO, and UN (2025) **Military - note:** the Romanian Armed Forces are responsible for territorial defense, fulfilling the country's commitments to European security, and contributing to multinational peacekeeping operations; the military has a variety of concerns, including Russian aggression against Ukraine, Russia's activities in the Black Sea and in Moldova, cyber attacks, hybrid threats, and terrorism; a key focus for the military is equipment modernization Romania joined NATO in 2004, and its membership forms a key pillar of the country’s defense policy; it hosts a NATO multinational divisional headquarters (Multinational Division Southeast) and a French-led ground force battlegroup as part of NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence initiative in the southeastern part of the Alliance, which came about in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine; NATO allies have also sent detachments of fighters to augment the Romanian Air Force since 2014 because of aggressive Russian activity in the Black Sea region; the Romanian military trains with NATO and its member states and has participated in NATO- and EU-led multinational missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Poland; it also participates in UN peacekeeping missions (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Romanian Space Agency (Agentia Spatiala Romania, ROSA; established 1991) (2025) **Space program overview:** develops and produces a range of capabilities and technologies, including satellites, satellite launch vehicles, remote sensing, human space flight, navigation, and telecommunications; program is integrated into the ESA; participates in EU and international space programs; works with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial space entities, including those of Azerbaijan, China, Japan, Russia, and the US; also works bilaterally with ESA member states, particularly Bulgaria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy; has an active space-industry sector with over 50 entities (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1967-1968 - began participating in Soviet Intercosmos program and established the Romanian Commission for Space Activities to coordinate national space activities 1981 - first Romanian in space on Soviet spacecraft 2010 - domestically developed commercial rocket launched to an altitude of 40,000 m (24.9 mi) 2012 - first domestically produced scientific/experimental microsatellite (Goliat) launched (failed to operate) 2022 - joined US-led Artemis Accords for space exploration 2023 - digital amateur-radio-repeater microsatellite (ROM-2) launched on US commercial rocket ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 184,991 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 297 (2024 est.) --- ## Russia **Slug:** russia **Region:** Central Asia **Flag:** 🇷🇺 **Codes:** cek: rs, iso2: RU, iso3: RUS, iso_num: 643, genc: RUS, stanag: RUS, internet: .ru ### Introduction **Background:** Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy emerged from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and gradually conquered and absorbed surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new ROMANOV dynasty continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific. Under PETER I (1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia. Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament and other reforms. Devastating defeats and food shortages in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and to the overthrow of the ROMANOV Dynasty in 1917. The communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53) strengthened communist control and Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. After defeating Germany in World War II as part of an alliance with the US (1939-1945), the USSR expanded its territory and influence in Eastern Europe and emerged as a global power. The USSR was the principal US adversary during the Cold War (1947-1991). The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the decades following Stalin's rule, until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize communism. His initiatives inadvertently released political and economic forces that by December 1991 led to the dissolution of the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent states. In response to the ensuing turmoil during President Boris YELTSIN's term (1991-99), Russia shifted toward a centralized authoritarian state under President Vladimir PUTIN (2000-2008, 2012-present) in which the regime seeks to legitimize its rule through managed elections, populist appeals, a foreign policy focused on enhancing the country's geopolitical influence, and commodity-based economic growth. In 2014, Russia purported to annex Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and occupied large portions of two eastern Ukrainian oblasts. In sporadic fighting over the next eight years, more than 14,000 civilians were killed or wounded as a result of the Russian invasion in eastern Ukraine. On 24 February 2022, Russia escalated its conflict with Ukraine by invading the country on several fronts in what has become the largest conventional military attack on a sovereign state in Europe since World War II. The invasion received near-universal international condemnation, and many countries imposed sanctions on Russia and supplied humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine. In September 2022, Russia unilaterally declared its annexation of four Ukrainian oblasts -- Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia -- even though none were fully under Russian control. The annexations remain unrecognized by the international community. ### Geography **Location:** North Asia bordering the Arctic Ocean, extending from Eastern Europe (the portion west of the Urals) to the North Pacific Ocean **Geographic coordinates:** 60 00 N, 100 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 17,098,242 sq km land: 16,377,742 sq km water: 720,500 sq km **Area - comparative:** approximately 1.8 times the size of the US **Land boundaries:** total: 22,407 km border countries (14): Azerbaijan 338 km; Belarus 1,312 km; China (southeast) 4,133 km and China (south) 46 km; Estonia 324 km; Finland 1,309 km; Georgia 894 km; Kazakhstan 7,644 km; North Korea 18 km; Latvia 332 km; Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 261 km; Mongolia 3,452 km; Norway 191 km; Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 209 km; Ukraine 1,944 km **Coastline:** 37,653 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast **Terrain:** broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions **Elevation:** highest point: Gora El'brus (highest point in Europe) 5,642 m lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m mean elevation: 600 m **Natural resources:** wide natural-resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, bauxite, reserves of rare earth elements, timber note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder exploitation of natural resources **Land use:** agricultural land: 13.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 7.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 5.6% (2023 est.) forest: 50.7% (2023 est.) other: 35.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 43,000 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Baikal - 31,500 sq km; Lake Ladoga - 18,130 sq km; Lake Onega - 9,720 sq km; Lake Khanka (shared with China) - 5,010 sq km; Lake Peipus - 4,300 sq km (shared with Estonia); Ozero Vygozero - 1,250 sq km; Ozero Beloye - 1,120 sq km salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km; Ozero Malyye Chany - 2,500 sq km; Curonian Lagoon (shared with Lithuania) - 1,620 sq km note - the Caspian Sea is the World's largest lake **Major rivers (by length in km):** Yenisey-Angara - 5,539 km; Ob-Irtysh - 5,410 km; Amur river mouth (shared with China [s] and Mongolia) - 4,444 km; Lena - 4,400 km; Volga - 3,645 km; Kolyma - 2,513 km; Ural river source (shared with Kazakhstan [m]) - 2,428 km; Dnepr (Dnieper) river source (shared with Belarus and Ukraine [m]) - 2,287 km; Don - 1,870 km; Pechora - 1,809 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Arctic Ocean drainage: Kolyma (679,934 sq km), Lena (2,306,743 sq km), Ob (2,972,493 sq km), Pechora (289,532 sq km), Yenisei (2,554,388 sq km) Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Don (458,694 sq km), Dnieper (533,966 sq km) Pacific Ocean drainage: Amur (1,929,955 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Caspian Sea basin) Volga (1,410,951 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Angara-Lena Basin, Pechora Basin, North Caucasus Basin, East European Aquifer System, West Siberian Basin, Tunguss Basin, Yakut Basin **Population distribution:** population is heavily concentrated in the westernmost fifth of the country, extending from the Baltic Sea south to the Caspian Sea, and eastward parallel to the Kazakh border; elsewhere, sizeable population pockets are isolated and generally found in the south **Natural hazards:** permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires in Siberia and parts of European Russia volcanism: Kamchatka Peninsula is home to 29 historically active volcanoes, with dozens more in the Kuril Islands; Kliuchevskoi (4,835 m) is Kamchatka's most active volcano; Avachinsky and Koryaksky volcanoes, which pose a threat to the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Bezymianny, Chikurachki, Ebeko, Gorely, Grozny, Karymsky, Ketoi, Kronotsky, Ksudach, Medvezhia, Mutnovsky, Sarychev Peak, Shiveluch, Tiatia, Tolbachik, and Zheltovsky; see note 2 under "Geography - note" **Geography - note:** note 1: largest country in the world in terms of area; despite its size, much of the country lacks the soil and climate (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture note 2: Russia's far east, particularly the Kamchatka Peninsula, lies along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes note 3: Mount El'brus is Europe's tallest peak; Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world, is estimated to hold one fifth of the world's fresh surface water note 4: Kaliningrad oblast is an exclave annexed from Germany after World War II; its capital city of Kaliningrad -- formerly Koenigsberg -- is the only Baltic port in Russia that remains ice-free in the winter ### People and Society **Population:** total: 140,134,279 (2025 est.) male: 65,166,555 female: 74,967,724 **Nationality:** noun: Russian(s) adjective: Russian **Ethnic groups:** Russian 77.7%, Tatar 3.7%, Ukrainian 1.4%, Bashkir 1.1%, Chuvash 1%, Chechen 1%, other 10.2%, unspecified 3.9% (2010 est.) note: nearly 200 national and/or ethnic groups are represented in Russia's 2010 census **Languages:** Russian (official) 85.7%, Tatar 3.2%, Chechen 1%, other 10.1% (2010 est.) major-language sample(s): Книга фактов о мире – незаменимый источник базовой информации. (Russian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: data represent native language spoken **Religions:** Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 est.) note: estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy of over seven decades of official atheism under Soviet rule; Russia officially recognizes Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism as the country's traditional religions **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16.5% (male 11,956,284/female 11,313,829) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 45,007,073/female 47,518,221) 65 years and over: 17.8% (2024 est.) (male 8,533,448/female 16,491,955) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 52.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 24.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 27.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 42.3 years (2025 est.) male: 39.4 years female: 44.5 years **Population growth rate:** -0.49% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 8.27 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 13.93 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population is heavily concentrated in the westernmost fifth of the country, extending from the Baltic Sea south to the Caspian Sea, and eastward parallel to the Kazakh border; elsewhere, sizeable population pockets are isolated and generally found in the south **Urbanization:** urban population: 75.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 12.680 million MOSCOW (capital), 5.561 million Saint Petersburg, 1.695 million Novosibirsk, 1.528 million Yekaterinburg, 1.292 million Kazan, 1.251 million Nizhniy Novgorod (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 25.2 years (2013 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 9 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 7.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 72.3 years (2024 est.) male: 67.4 years female: 77.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.52 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.74 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 91.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 97.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 8.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 2.9% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.4% of GDP (2021) 13.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 5.11 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 95.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 71.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 89.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 28.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 10.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 23.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 7.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 3.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 26.5% (2025 est.) male: 40.2% (2025 est.) female: 15.1% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 57.6% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.3% (2017) women married by age 18: 6.2% (2017) **Education expenditure:** 4.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 14.3% national budget (2018 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 99.9% (2021 est.) male: 99.9% (2021 est.) female: 99.9% (2021 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 15 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution from heavy industry, coal-fired electric plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial, municipal, and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from agricultural chemicals; nuclear waste disposal; scattered areas of radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination from toxic waste; urban solid-waste management; abandoned stocks of pesticides **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94 **Climate:** ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast **Land use:** agricultural land: 13.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 7.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 5.6% (2023 est.) forest: 50.7% (2023 est.) other: 35.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 75.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 1.844 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 479.311 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 453.103 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 912.076 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 9.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 13,815.3 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,972.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 4,069.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 363.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 60 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 5.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 17.15 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 29.03 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 18.64 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 4.53 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Yangan-Tau (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Russian Federation conventional short form: Russia local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya local short form: Rossiya former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic etymology: Russian lands were referred to as Muscovy until PETER I declared the Empire of All Russias in 1721; the new name aimed at identifying the new Russia with European political tradition; "Rus" was the Old Finnish name given to Varangians (eastern Vikings) who entered the area in the 9th century **Government type:** semi-presidential federation **Capital:** name: Moscow geographic coordinates: 55 45 N, 37 36 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time (DST) time zone note: Russia has 11 time zones, the largest number of contiguous time zones of any country in the world; in 2014, two time zones were added and DST dropped etymology: named after the Moskva River; the origin of the river's name is unclear **Administrative divisions:** 46 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast), 21 republics (respubliki, singular - respublika), 4 autonomous districts (avtonomnyye okrugi, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 9 federal subjects (kraya, singular - kray), 2 federal cities (goroda, singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous province (avtonomnaya oblast') oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan, Belgorod, Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kaluga, Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad (Gatchina), Lipetsk, Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orenburg, Orel, Penza, Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan, Sakhalin (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula, Tver, Tyumen, Ulyanovsk, Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan (Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya (Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas), Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista), Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk), Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola), Mordoviya (Saransk), North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz), Sakha [Yakutiya] (Yakutsk), Tatarstan (Kazan), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk) autonomous districts: Chukotka (Anadyr'), Khanty-Mansi-Yugra (Khanty-Mansiysk), Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard) federal subjects: Altay (Barnaul), Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Perm, Primorskiy [Maritime] (Vladivostok), Stavropol, Zabaykalsk [Transbaikal] (Chita) federal cities: Moscow [Moskva], Saint Petersburg [Sankt-Peterburg] autonomous province: Yevreyskaya [Jewish] (Birobidzhan) note 1: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; exceptions show the administrative center name in parentheses note 2: the United States does not recognize Russia's annexation or renaming of Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the municipality of Sevastopol; it similarly does not recognize the annexation of the Ukrainian oblasts Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson **Legal system:** civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts **Constitution:** history: several previous (during Russian Empire and Soviet era); latest drafted 12 July 1993, adopted by referendum 12 December 1993, effective 25 December 1993 amendment process: proposed by the president of the Russian Federation, by either house of the Federal Assembly, by the government of the Russian Federation, or by legislative (representative) bodies of the Federation's constituent entities; proposals to amend the government’s constitutional system, human and civil rights and freedoms, and procedures for amending or drafting a new constitution require formation of a Constitutional Assembly; passage of such amendments requires two-thirds majority vote of its total membership; passage in a referendum requires participation of an absolute majority of eligible voters and an absolute majority of valid votes; approval of proposed amendments to the government structure, authorities, and procedures requires approval by the legislative bodies of at least two thirds of the Russian Federation's constituent entities **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Russia dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3-5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (since 7 May 2012) head of government: Premier Mikhail Vladimirovich MISHUSTIN (since 16 January 2020) cabinet: the government is composed of the premier, his deputies, and ministers, all appointed by the president; the premier is also confirmed by the Duma election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 6-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term) most recent election date: 15-17 March 2024 election results: 2024: Vladimir PUTIN reelected president; percent of vote - Vladimir PUTIN (independent) 88.5%, Nikolay KHARITONOV (Communist Party) 4.4%, Vladislav DAVANKOV (New People party) 3.9%, Leonid SLUTSKY (Liberal Democrats) 3.2% 2018: Vladimir PUTIN reelected president; percent of vote - Vladimir PUTIN (independent) 77.5%, Pavel GRUDININ (CPRF) 11.9%, Vladimir ZHIRINOVSKIY (LDPR) 5.7%, other 4.9%; Mikhail MISHUSTIN (independent) approved as premier by Duma; vote - 383 to 0 expected date of next election: 2030 note: a Presidential Administration provides staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a Security Council also reports directly to the president **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Federal Assembly (Federalnoye Sobraniye) legislative structure: bicameral note 1: the State Duma now includes 3 representatives from the "Republic of Crimea," while the Federation Council includes 2 each from the "Republic of Crimea" and the "Federal City of Sevastopol," both regions that Russia occupied and attempted to annex from Ukraine and that the US does not recognize as part of Russia **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: State Duma (Gossoudarstvennaya Duma) number of seats: 450 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/19/2021 parties elected and seats per party: United Russia (326); Communist Party (KPRF) (57); A Just Russia (28); Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) (23); Other (16) percentage of women in chamber: 16.4% expected date of next election: September 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Council of the Federation (Soviet Federatsii) number of seats: 170 (all appointed) percentage of women in chamber: 18.5% **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Russian Federation (consists of 170 members organized into the Judicial Panel for Civil Affairs, the Judicial Panel for Criminal Affairs, and the Military Panel); Constitutional Court (consists of 11 members, including the chairperson and deputy) judge selection and term of office: all members of Russia's 3 highest courts nominated by the president and appointed by the Federation Council (the upper house of the legislature); members of all 3 courts appointed for life subordinate courts: regional (kray) and provincial (oblast) courts; Moscow and St. Petersburg city courts; autonomous province and district courts (the 21 Russian republics have court systems specified by their own constitutions) **Political parties:** A Just Russia for Truth or SRZP Civic Platform or CP Communists of Russia or CPCR Communist Party of the Russian Federation or CPRF Cossack Party of the Russian Federation or CosPRF Democratic Party of Russia or DPR Green Alternative or GA Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR New People or NP Party for Fairness! or PARZAS! Party of Direct Democracy or PDD Party of Progress or PP Party of Pensioners or RPPSJ Party of Russia's Rebirth or PRR Party of Social Protection or PSP Rodina Russian Ecological Party or The Greens Russian Party of Freedom and Justice or RPFJ Russia United Democratic Party or Yabloko United Russia or UR **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander Nikitich DARCHIEV (since 11 June 2025) chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700 FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735 email address and website: rusembusa@mid.ru https://washington.mid.ru/en/ consulate(s) general: Houston, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires J. Douglas DYKHOUSE (since June 2025) embassy: 55,75566° N, 37,58028° E mailing address: 5430 Moscow Place, Washington DC 20521-5430 telephone: [7] (495) 728-5000 FAX: [7] (495) 728-5090 email address and website: MoscowACS@state.gov https://ru.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Vladivostok (suspended status), Yekaterinburg (suspended status) **International organization participation:** APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BRICS, BSEC, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN (observer), CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAEU, EAPC, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UN Security Council (permanent), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 25 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union; Russian SFSR renamed Russian Federation); notable earlier dates: 1157 (Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal created); 16 January 1547 (Tsardom of Muscovy established); 22 October 1721 (Russian Empire proclaimed); 30 December 1922 (Soviet Union established) **National holiday:** Russia Day, 12 June (1990) note: commemorates the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red meaning: colors may have been based on the Dutch flag, but no official meaning is assigned history: created when Russia built its first naval vessels, and was used mostly as a naval flag until the 19th century note: inspired several other Slavic countries to adopt horizontal tricolors of the same colors in different arrangements **National symbol(s):** bear, double-headed eagle **National color(s):** white, blue, red **National coat of arms:** the current coat of arms of Russia was adopted by presidential decree on 30 November 1993; the double-headed eagle was adopted as a Russian symbol in 1472 when Ivan III married Sophia Palaiologina, niece of the last Byzantine emperor in Constantinople -- the eagle was her family's emblem **National anthem(s):** title: “Gosudarstvenny Gimn Rossiyskoy Federatsii” (National Anthem of the Russian Federation) lyrics/music: Sergey Vladimirovich MIKHALKOV/Aleksandr Vasilyevich ALEKSANDROV history: adopted 2000; Russia adopted the tune of the Soviet Union's anthem (composed in 1939), as well as new lyrics; MIKHALKOV, who wrote the new lyrics, also authored the Soviet lyrics in 1943 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 33 (22 cultural, 11 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments (c); Kizhi Pogost (c); Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow (c); Historic Monuments of Novgorod and Surroundings (c); White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal (c); Architectural Ensemble of the Trinity Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad (c); Church of the Ascension, Kolomenskoye (c); Lake Baikal (n); Volcanoes of Kamchatka (n); Ensemble of the Ferapontov Monastery (c); Historic and Architectural Complex of the Kazan Kremlin (c); Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of Derbent (c); Uvs Nuur Basin (n); Ensemble of the Novodevichy Convent (c); Natural System of Wrangel Island Reserve (n); Historical Centre of the City of Yaroslavl (c); Lena Pillars Nature Park (n); Bolgar Historical and Archaeological Complex (c); Assumption Cathedral and Monastery of the town-island of Sviyazhsk (c); Churches of the Pskov School of Architecture (c); Petroglyphs of Lake Onega and the White Sea (c); Rock Paintings of Shulgan-Tash Cave (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** natural resource-rich Eurasian economy; leading energy exporter to Europe and Asia; decreased oil export reliance; endemic corruption, Ukrainian invasion, and lack of green infrastructure limit investment and have led to sanctions **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $6.089 trillion (2024 est.) $5.835 trillion (2023 est.) $5.607 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.3% (2024 est.) 4.1% (2023 est.) -1.4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $41,700 (2024 est.) $39,900 (2023 est.) $38,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $2.174 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 6.7% (2021 est.) 3.4% (2020 est.) 4.5% (2019 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2.7% (2024 est.) industry: 30.7% (2024 est.) services: 57.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 49.4% (2024 est.) government consumption: 18.6% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.1% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 4.2% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 21.9% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -17.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, sugar beets, milk, barley, potatoes, sunflower seeds, maize, soybeans, chicken, pork (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles; defense industries (including radar, missile production, advanced electronic components), shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts **Industrial production growth rate:** 4.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 72.517 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.6% (2024 est.) 3.1% (2023 est.) 3.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 9.3% (2024 est.) male: 8.8% (2024 est.) female: 9.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 12.1% (2020 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 35.1 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 25.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 5.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.7% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 26.6% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $704.613 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $635.809 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 18.5% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 12.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $62.287 billion (2024 est.) $49.439 billion (2023 est.) $237.735 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $475.277 billion (2024 est.) $465.22 billion (2023 est.) $640.878 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 33%, India 17%, Turkey 8%, Kazakhstan 4%, Brazil 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, coal, fertilizers (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $381.45 billion (2024 est.) $379.659 billion (2023 est.) $347.384 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 53%, Turkey 5%, Germany 5%, Kazakhstan 5%, Italy 2% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, packaged medicine, broadcasting equipment, garments, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $597.217 billion (2023 est.) $581.71 billion (2022 est.) $632.242 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $135.301 billion (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Russian rubles (RUB) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 85.162 (2023 est.) 68.485 (2022 est.) 73.654 (2021 est.) 72.105 (2020 est.) 64.738 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 99.1% electrification - rural areas: 100% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 301.926 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.011 trillion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 18.66 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 2.852 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 97.301 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 61.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 19.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 17.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 36 (2025) Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 4 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 26.8GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 18.4% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 11 (2025) **Coal:** production: 531.13 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 290.763 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 211.944 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 20.765 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 162.166 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 10.879 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 3.863 million bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 80 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 613.447 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 474.448 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 124.479 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 5.724 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 47.805 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 224.858 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 20.8 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 270 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 186 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 13 national TV stations: the federal government owns 1 and controls a second, state-owned Gazprom controls 2, state-affiliated Bank Rossiya controls 2, Moscow city administration runs 1, the Russian Orthodox Church owns 1, and the Russian military owns 1; around 3,300 national, regional, and local TV stations, with over two-thirds completely or partially state-controlled; satellite TV available; 2 state-run national radio networks, with a third majority-owned by Gazprom; around 2,400 public and commercial radio stations **Internet country code:** .ru **Internet users:** percent of population: 92% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 35.9 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** RA **Airports:** 905 (2025) **Heliports:** 494 (2025) **Railways:** total: 85,494 km (2019) narrow gauge: 957 km **Merchant marine:** total: 2,910 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 15, container ship 20, general cargo 976, oil tanker 387, other 1,512 **Ports:** total ports: 67 (2024) large: 4 medium: 5 small: 19 very small: 38 size unknown: 1 ports with oil terminals: 32 key ports: Arkhangels'k, De Kastri, Dudinka, Kaliningrad, Murmansk, Novorossiysk, Sankt-Peterburg, Vladivostok, Vyborg ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of the Russian Federation: Ground Forces (SV), Aerospace Forces (VKS), Navy (VMF); separate or independent troop branches include the Airborne Forces (VDV), Missile Troops of Strategic Purpose (RVSN; commonly to as Strategic Rocket Forces), Special Operations Forces, and Unmanned Systems Forces Federal National Guard Troops Service of the Russian Federation (FSVNG, National Guard, Russian Guard, or Rosgvardiya) Federal Security Services (FSB): Federal Border Guard Service (includes land and maritime forces) (2025) note 1: the National Guard was created in 2016 as an independent agency for internal/regime security, combating terrorism and narcotics trafficking, protecting important state facilities and government personnel, and supporting border security; it also works closely with the Armed Forces; forces under the National Guard include the Special Purpose Mobile Units (OMON), Special Rapid Response Detachment (SOBR), and Interior Troops (VV) note 2: the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Federal Security Service, Investigative Committee, Office of the Prosecutor General, and National Guard are responsible for law enforcement; the Federal Security Service is responsible for state security, counterintelligence, and counterterrorism, as well as for fighting organized crime and corruption; the Ministry of Internal Affairs includes the national police force **Military expenditures:** 7% of GDP (2024 est.) 5% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 4% of GDP (2021 est.) 4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 1.1-1.2 million active Armed Forces; estimated 350,000 Federal National Guard Troops (2025) note: in September 2024, President PUTIN ordered the Russian military to increase in size to 1.5 million personnel **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Russian Federation's military and paramilitary services are equipped with domestically produced weapons systems, although in recent years Russia has imported military hardware from external suppliers such as Iran and North Korea to support its war on Ukraine; the Russian defense industry is capable of producing a full range of advanced air, land, missile, and naval systems; Russia is one of the world's largest exporters of military hardware (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-30 years of age for compulsory service for men; 18-65 years of age for voluntary/contractual service; women and non-Russian citizens (18-30) may volunteer; minimum 12-month service obligation (2025) note 1: in 2022, Russia removed the previous upper age limit of 30 for contractual service in the military; that same year, began drafting dual-national Russians and those with permanent residency status in foreign countries for military service note 2: since 2015, foreigners 18-30 with a good command of Russian have been allowed to join the military on five-year contracts and become eligible for Russian citizenship after serving three years; in 2022, Russia began recruiting foreigners for one-year service contracts with armed forces participating in the invasion of Ukraine with the promise of simplifying the process of obtaining Russian citizenship **Military deployments:** estimated 600,000 in Ukraine; more than 20,000 additional military personnel deployed in former Soviet states and elsewhere, including Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Moldova, Syria, sub-Saharan Africa, and Tajikistan (2025) note: Russia is also assessed to have thousands of paramilitary security personnel and private military contractors deployed in Africa, including in Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Libya, Mali, Niger, and Sudan **Military - note:** the Russian military is responsible for protecting the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, providing maritime security, and supporting Moscow's national security objectives, including projecting influence and power abroad and deterring perceived external threats; its missions include air, land, maritime, strategic missile, and expeditionary operations; it is also active in the areas of cyber warfare, electronic warfare, and space; the Russian military's focus is its ongoing war on Ukraine and the perceived threat from NATO and the US in February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, beginning what is the largest war in Europe since World War II ended in 1945; Russian military forces occupied Ukraine’s province of Crimea in 2014, and Moscow subsequently backed separatist forces in the Donbas region of Ukraine with arms, equipment, and training, as well as Russian military troops, although Moscow denied their presence prior to 2022 Russia intervened in the Syrian civil war at the request of the Syrian Government from September 2015 until the collapse of the ASAD regime in December 2024; it was Moscow’s first overseas military expeditionary operation since the Soviet era; Russian assistance included air support, arms and equipment, intelligence, military advisors, private military contractors, special operations forces, and training; Russia seized the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by force in 2008 (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** State Space Corporation of the Russian Federation (Roscosmos; established 2015); Russian Space Forces (Kosmicheskie voyska Rossii, KV; under the Russian Aerospace Forces) (2025) note 1: Russia’s space strategy is defined jointly by Roscosmos and the Ministry of Defense note 2: Roscosmos was established from a merger of the Federal Space Agency and the state-owned United Rocket and Space Corporation; it began as the Russian Space Agency (RSA or RKA) in 1992 and restructured in 1999 and 2004 as the Russian Aviation and Space Agency and then the Federal Space Agency **Space launch site(s):** Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakhstan); Vostochny Cosmodrome (Amur Oblast); Plesetsk Cosmodrome (Arkhangel'sk Oblast) (2025) note 1: the Baikonur cosmodrome and the surrounding area are leased and administered by Russia until 2050 for approximately $115 million/year; the cosmodrome was originally built by the Soviet Union in the mid-1950s and is the site of the World's first successful satellite launch (Sputnik) in 1957; it is also the largest space launch facility in the World, comprising 15 launch pads for space launch vehicles, four launch pads for testing intercontinental ballistic missiles, more than 10 assembly and test facilities, and other infrastructure note 2: in 2018, Kazakhstan and Russia agreed that Kazakhstan would build, maintain, and operate a new space launch facility (Baiterek) at the Baikonur space center (estimated to be ready for operations in 2025) **Space program overview:** has one of the world’s largest space programs and is active across all areas of the space sector; builds, launches, and operates satellite/space launch vehicles, satellites, space stations, interplanetary probes, and manned, robotic, and re-usable spacecraft; has astronaut (cosmonaut) training program and conducts human space flight; researching and developing a broad range of other space-related technologies; participates in international space programs such as the International Space Station; has had relations with dozens of foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of China, the ESA, India, Japan, and the US; Roscosmos and its public subsidiaries comprise the majority of the Russian space industry; Roscosmos has eight operating areas, including manned space flights, launch systems, unmanned spacecraft, rocket propulsion, military missiles, space avionics, special military space systems, and flight control systems; private companies are also involved in a range of space systems (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1957 - placed world’s first satellite (Sputnik-1) in orbit 1961-1964 - launched first man, first woman, and first multi-member crew into space 1965 - launched first probe to successfully land on the Moon 1967 - initial launch of Soviet-made Soyuz series space launch vehicle (SLV) 1971 - placed first space station (Salyut) in orbit and successfully landed a probe on Venus 1975 - joint Soviet (Soyuz)-US (Apollo) space mission 1986 - began operation of Mir space station (in orbit until 2001) 1995 - Global Navigation Satellite System (GLObalnaya NAvigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema or GLONASS) constellation completed 2014 - initial launch of Angara SLV series 2021 - announced agreements with China to send a robotic probe to an asteroid and jointly establish a station on the Moon 2023 - launch first of a planned series of Moon landers (Luna-25; crashed on Moon's surface); announced intent to place first module of a new space station in orbit by 2027 ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 11,440 (2024 est.) IDPs: 172,783 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 90,185 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Russia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Russia remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/russia/ --- ## Rwanda **Slug:** rwanda **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇷🇼 **Codes:** cek: rw, iso2: RW, iso3: RWA, iso_num: 646, genc: RWA, stanag: RWA, internet: .rw ### Introduction **Background:** Rwanda -- a small and centralized country dominated by rugged hills and fertile volcanic soil -- has exerted disproportionate influence over the African Great Lakes region for centuries. A Rwandan kingdom increasingly dominated the region from the mid-18th century onward, with the Tutsi monarchs gradually extending the power of the royal court into peripheral areas and expanding their borders through military conquest. While the current ethnic labels Hutu and Tutsi predate colonial rule, their flexibility and importance have varied significantly over time and often manifested more as a hierarchical class distinction than an ethnic or cultural distinction. The majority Hutu and minority Tutsi have long shared a common language and culture, and intermarriage was frequent. The Rwandan royal court centered on the Tutsi king (mwami), who relied on an extensive network of political, cultural, and economic relationships. Social categories became more rigid during the reign of RWABUGIRI (1860-1895), who focused on aggressive expansion and solidifying Rwanda’s bureaucratic structures. German colonial conquest began in the late 1890s, but the territory was ceded to Belgian forces in 1916 during World War I. Both European nations quickly realized the benefits of ruling through the already centralized Rwandan Tutsi kingdom. Colonial rule reinforced existing trends toward autocratic and exclusionary rule, leading to the elimination of traditional positions of authority for Hutus. Belgian administrators significantly increased requirements for communal labor and instituted harsh taxes, which fed the population's frustration. Changing political attitudes in Belgium contributed to colonial and Catholic officials shifting their support from Tutsi to Hutu leaders in the years leading up to independence. Simmering resentment of minority rule exploded in 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, when Hutus overthrew the Tutsi king. Thousands of Tutsis were killed over the next several years, and some 150,000 were driven into exile in neighboring countries. Army Chief of Staff Juvenal HABYARIMANA seized power in a coup in 1973 and ruled Rwanda as a single-party state for two decades. HABYARIMANA increasingly discriminated against Tutsis, and extremist Hutu factions gained prominence after multiple parties were introduced in the early 1990s. The children of Tutsi exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and began a civil war in 1990. The civil war exacerbated ethnic tensions and culminated in the shooting down of HABYARIMANA’s private jet in 1994. The event sparked a state-orchestrated genocide in which Rwandans killed more than 800,000 of their fellow citizens, including approximately three-quarters of the Tutsi population. The genocide ended later the same year when the predominantly Tutsi RPF, operating out of Uganda and northern Rwanda, defeated the national army and Hutu militias and established an RPF-led government of national unity. Rwanda held its first local elections in 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in 2003, formalizing President Paul KAGAME’s de facto role as head of government. KAGAME was formally elected in 2010, and again in 2017 after changing the constitution to allow him to run for a third term. ### Geography **Location:** Central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, north of Burundi **Geographic coordinates:** 2 00 S, 30 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 26,338 sq km land: 24,668 sq km water: 1,670 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Maryland **Land boundaries:** total: 930 km border countries (4): Burundi 315 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 221 km; Tanzania 222 km; Uganda 172 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible **Terrain:** mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east **Elevation:** highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m mean elevation: 1,598 m **Natural resources:** gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 76.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 47% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 13.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 15.6% (2023 est.) forest: 24.5% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 96 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Kivu (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo) - 2,220 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Nile river source (shared with Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt [m]) - 6,650 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km) **Population distribution:** one of Africa's most densely populated countries; large concentrations tend to be in the central regions and along the shore of Lake Kivu in the west, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga Mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo volcanism: Visoke (3,711 m), on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the country's only historically active volcano **Geography - note:** landlocked; most of the country is intensively cultivated and rugged, with the population predominantly rural ### People and Society **Population:** total: 14,277,558 (2025 est.) male: 6,996,698 female: 7,280,860 **Nationality:** noun: Rwandan(s) adjective: Rwandan **Ethnic groups:** Hutu, Tutsi, Twa **Languages:** Kinyarwanda (official, universal Bantu vernacular) 93.2%, French (official) <0.1%, English (official) <0.1%, Swahili/Kiswahili (official, used in commercial centers) <0.1%, more than one language, other 6.3%, unspecified 0.3% (2002 est.) major-language sample(s): Inkoranya nzimbuzi y'isi, isoko fatizo y'amakuru y'ibanze. (Kinyarwanda) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Catholic 39.9%, Pentecostal 21.3%, Protestant 14.6%, Adventist 12.2%, other Christians 4.2%, no religion 3.0%, Muslim 2.0%, other religions 2.0%; less than 1%: Jehovah Witness, not specified, Animist (2022 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 37.2% (male 2,561,884/female 2,508,218) 15-64 years: 59.7% (male 3,954,608/female 4,179,844) 65 years and over: 3.1% (2024 est.) (male 168,163/female 250,585) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 67.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 60.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 14.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 21.3 years (2025 est.) male: 20.1 years female: 21.5 years **Population growth rate:** 2% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 25.05 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.87 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** one of Africa's most densely populated countries; large concentrations tend to be in the central regions and along the shore of Lake Kivu in the west, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 17.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.07% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.248 million KIGALI (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 23 years (2019/20 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 229 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 27.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 27.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 66.6 years (2024 est.) male: 64.6 years female: 68.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.2 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.58 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 88.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 60.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 65.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 11.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 39.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 34.9% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.3% of GDP (2021) 9.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 0.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 91.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 87% of population (2022 est.) total: 87.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 8.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 13% of population (2022 est.) total: 12.2% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 5.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 6.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 11.4% (2025 est.) male: 17% (2025 est.) female: 6.3% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 7.7% (2020 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 49.9% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.3% (2020) women married by age 18: 5.5% (2020) men married by age 18: 0.4% (2020) **Education expenditure:** 4.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 13.9% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 78.8% (2022 est.) male: 81% (2022 est.) female: 76.7% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2023 est.) male: 13 years (2023 est.) female: 13 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; overgrazing; land degradation; soil erosion; a decline in soil fertility (soil exhaustion); wetland degradation and loss of biodiversity; widespread poaching **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea **Climate:** temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible **Land use:** agricultural land: 76.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 47% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 13.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 15.6% (2023 est.) forest: 24.5% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 17.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.07% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 1.645 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 226,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.295 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 124,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 35.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.385 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 11.5% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 230 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 10 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 361 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 13.3 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda conventional short form: Rwanda local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda local short form: Rwanda former: Kingdom of Rwanda, Ruanda, German East Africa etymology: the country is named for a local people, but the meaning of their own name is obscure **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Kigali geographic coordinates: 1 57 S, 30 03 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the city takes its name from nearby Mount Kigali; the name is composed of the Bantu prefix ki- and the Rwandan word gali, meaning "broad," which is probably meant to describe the terrain **Administrative divisions:** 4 provinces (provinces, singular - province (French); intara for singular and plural (Kinyarwanda)) and 1 city* (ville (French); umujyi (Kinyarwanda)); Est (Eastern), Kigali*, Nord (Northern), Ouest (Western), Sud (Southern) **Legal system:** mixed system of civil law, based on German and Belgian models, and customary law; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted by referendum 26 May 2003, effective 4 June 2003 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic (with Council of Ministers approval) or by two-thirds majority vote of both houses of Parliament; passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote in both houses; changes to constitutional articles on national sovereignty, the presidential term, the form and system of government, and political pluralism also require approval in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Rwanda; if the father is stateless or unknown, the mother must be a citizen dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Justin NSENGIYUMVA (since 23 July 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 4 August 2017 election results: 2024: Paul KAGAME reelected president; Paul KAGAME (RPF) 99.2%, Frank HABINEZA (DGPR) 0.5%, Philippe MPAYIMANA (independent) 0.3% 2017: Paul KAGAME reelected president; Paul KAGAME (RPF) 98.8%, Philippe MPAYIMANA (independent), other 1.2% expected date of next election: 15 July 2029 note: a constitutional amendment in 2016 reduced the presidential term from 7 to 5 years but included an exception that allowed President KAGAME to serve another 7-year term in 2017, potentially followed by two additional 5-year terms **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parlement (Parliament) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Députés) number of seats: 80 (53 directly elected; 27 indirectly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 7/15/2024 to 7/16/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Rwandan Patriotic Front (FPR) and its allies (37); Liberal Party (PL) (5); Social Democratic Party (PSD) (5); Other (6) percentage of women in chamber: 63.8% expected date of next election: July 2029 note: 24 women are selected for seats by special-interest groups, and 3 members are selected by youth and disability organizations **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Sénat) number of seats: 26 (18 indirectly elected; 8 appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/16/2024 to 9/16/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 53.8% expected date of next election: September 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief and deputy chief justices and 5 judges; normally organized into 3-judge panels); High Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and a minimum of 24 judges and organized into 5 chambers) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the president after consultation with the Cabinet and the Superior Council of the Judiciary (SCJ), a 27-member body of judges, other judicial officials, and legal professionals, and approved by the Senate; chief and deputy chief justices appointed for 8-year nonrenewable terms; tenure of judges NA; High Court president and vice president appointed by the president of the republic upon approval by the Senate; judges appointed by the Supreme Court chief justice upon approval of the SCJ; judge tenure NA subordinate courts: High Court of the Republic; commercial courts including the High Commercial Court; intermediate courts; primary courts; and military specialized courts **Political parties:** Democratic Green Party of Rwanda or DGPR Liberal Party or PL Party for Progress and Concord or PPC Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF Rwandan Patriotic Front Coalition (includes RPF, PPC, PSP, UDPR, PDI, PSR, PDC) Social Democratic Party or PSD Social Party Imberakuri or PS-Imberakuri **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Mathilde MUKANTABANA (since 18 July 2013) chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544 email address and website: info@rwandaembassy.org https://rwandaembassy.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Eric KNEEDLER (since 3 October 2023) embassy: 2657 Avenue de la Gendarmerie (Kaciyiru), P. O. Box 28 Kigali mailing address: 2210 Kigali Place, Washington DC 20521-2210 telephone: [250] 252 596-400 FAX: [250] 252 580-325 email address and website: consularkigali@state.gov https://rw.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 1 July (1962) **Flag:** description: three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double-width), yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays on the right end of the blue band meaning: blue stands for happiness and peace, yellow for economic development and mineral wealth, and green for hope for prosperity and natural resources; the sun symbolizes unity and enlightenment **National symbol(s):** traditional woven basket with peaked lid **National color(s):** blue, yellow, green **National anthem(s):** title: "Rwanda nziza" (Rwanda, Our Beautiful Country) lyrics/music: Faustin MURIGO/Jean-Bosco HASHAKAIMANA history: adopted 2001 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Memorial sites of the Genocide: Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi and Bisesero (c); Nyungwe National Park (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income Sub-Saharan economy; services, industry, and agriculture sectors driving growth; increased government spending on human capital, energy, and healthcare; major infrastructure projects including the Bugesera Airport intended to support long-term growth; challenges include lack of economic diversification, high inflation, and wide current account deficit **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $46.543 billion (2024 est.) $42.743 billion (2023 est.) $39.485 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 8.9% (2024 est.) 8.2% (2023 est.) 8.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $3,300 (2024 est.) $3,100 (2023 est.) $2,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $14.252 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.8% (2024 est.) 19.8% (2023 est.) 17.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 24.6% (2024 est.) industry: 21% (2024 est.) services: 47.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 64.9% (2024 est.) government consumption: 17.1% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 29.1% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -3.2% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 30.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -39.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** bananas, cassava, sweet potatoes, plantains, potatoes, maize, beans, pumpkins/squash, taro, sorghum (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes **Industrial production growth rate:** 10% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 5.671 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 12% (2024 est.) 12.4% (2023 est.) 15.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 17.5% (2024 est.) male: 15.8% (2024 est.) female: 19.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 38.2% (2016 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 43.7 (2016 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.4% (2016 est.) highest 10%: 35.6% (2016 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 3.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.5% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $3.41 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $3.996 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 13.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$1.654 billion (2023 est.) -$1.246 billion (2022 est.) -$1.209 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $3.509 billion (2023 est.) $2.993 billion (2022 est.) $2.11 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UAE 66%, China 10%, USA 3%, Kenya 3%, Thailand 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, rare earth ores, coffee, tea, tin ores (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $5.783 billion (2023 est.) $4.978 billion (2022 est.) $3.856 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 19%, Kenya 14%, Uganda 13%, Tanzania 9%, UAE 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** broadcasting equipment, fish, corn, packaged medicine, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $2.406 billion (2024 est.) $1.834 billion (2023 est.) $1.726 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $5.531 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Rwandan francs (RWF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1,318.128 (2024 est.) 1,160.099 (2023 est.) 1,030.308 (2022 est.) 988.625 (2021 est.) 943.278 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 50.6% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 98% electrification - rural areas: 38.2% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 294,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 876.401 million kWh (2023 est.) exports: 8.674 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 32 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 197.606 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 43.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 3.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 52.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 123,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 89,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 9,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 63.666 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 63.696 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 56.634 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 1.808 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 9,260 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 13.3 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 93 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 13 TV stations; 35 radio stations, including international broadcasters; government owns most popular TV and radio stations; regional satellite-based TV available **Internet country code:** .rw **Internet users:** percent of population: 34% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 62,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 9XR **Airports:** 8 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Rwanda Defense Force (RDF; Ingabo z’u Rwanda): Rwanda Army (Rwanda Land Force), Rwanda Air Force (Force Aerienne Rwandaise, FAR), Rwanda Reserve Force, Special Units Ministry of Internal Security: Rwanda National Police (2025) **Military expenditures:** 1.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 30-35,000 active Rwanda Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the RDF's inventory is a mix of older and some modern equipment from suppliers such as China, France, Israel, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Africa, and Türkiye (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** typically 18-30 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service (including officer candidates and those with university degrees and specialized qualifications); enlistment is either as contract (5-years, renewable twice) or career professional; no conscription (2025) **Military deployments:** approximately 3,200 Central African Republic (about 2,200 under MINUSCA, plus some 700 police; approximately 1,000 under a bi-lateral agreement); estimated 3-4,000 Democratic Republic of the Congo; estimated 3,000 Mozambique (bilateral agreement to assist with combating an insurgency; includes both military and police forces); 2,600 (plus about 450 police) South Sudan (UNMISS) (2025) **Military - note:** the principle responsibilities of the Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) are ensuring territorial integrity and national sovereignty and preventing infiltrations of illegal armed groups from neighboring countries, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); since 2021, Rwanda has deployed RDF troops to the border region with the DRC to combat the rebel Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which it has accused the DRC of backing; Rwanda has been accused by the DRC, the UN, and the US of deploying RDF troops in the DRC and providing material support to the March 23 Movement (M23, aka Congolese Revolutionary Army) rebel group; the RDF also participates in UN and regional military operations, as well as multinational exercises; it has deployed several thousand RDF troops and police personnel to Mozambique to assist in combating an insurgency since 2021; Rwanda has mutual defense treaties with Kenya and Uganda the Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR) were established following independence in 1962; after the 1990-1994 civil war and genocide, the victorious Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front's military wing, the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), became the country's military force; the RPA participated in the First (1996-1997) and Second (1998-2003) Congolese Wars; the RPA was renamed the Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) in 2003, by which time it had assumed a more national character with the inclusion of many former Hutu officers as well as newly recruited soldiers (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Rwanda Space Agency (L’Agence Spatiale Rwandaise; RSA; established 2020 and approved by legislature in 2021) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a small program focused on developing space technologies, such as satellite communications and imagery for connectivity, disaster management, security, and socioeconomic development; operates communications and remote sensing (RS) satellites; has established ties with the space agencies or industries of several countries, including France, Israel, Japan, Poland, the UAE, and the US, as well as members of the African Space Agency; seeks to establish itself as an African hub for satellite production and has encouraged development of a domestic commercial space sector (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2018 - signed cooperation agreement with Japan for training in designing and producing mini-satellites 2019 - first remote sensing (RS) nanosatellite (RWASAT-1) built with assistance from and launched by Japan; first commercial communications satellite (Icyerekezo) built and launched by France 2022 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space exploration 2025 - joined newly formed African Space Agency ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 128,561 (2024 est.) IDPs: 21,948 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 14,500 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Rwanda remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/rwanda --- ## Saint Barthelemy **Slug:** saint-barthelemy **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇧🇱 **Codes:** cek: tb, iso2: BL, iso3: BLM, iso_num: 652, genc: BLM, stanag: -, internet: .bl, comment: ccTLD .fr and .gp may also be used ### Introduction **Background:** In 1493, Christopher COLUMBUS named Saint Barthelemy for his brother Bartolomeo, but the island was first settled by the French in 1648. In 1784, France sold the island to Sweden, which renamed the largest town Gustavia after the Swedish King GUSTAV III and made it a free port; the island prospered as a trade and supply center during the colonial wars of the 18th century. France repurchased the island in 1877 and took control the following year, placing it under the administration of Guadeloupe. Saint Barthelemy retained its free port status along with various Swedish appellations such as Swedish street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of arms. In 2003, the islanders voted to secede from Guadeloupe, and in 2007, the island became a French overseas collectivity. In 2012, it became an overseas territory of the EU, allowing it to exert local control over the permanent and temporary immigration of foreign workers, including non-French European citizens. Hurricane Irma hit the island in 2017 and caused extensive damage. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean; located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; Saint Barthelemy lies east of the US Virgin Islands **Geographic coordinates:** 17 90 N, 62 85 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 25 sq km land: 25 sq km water: negligible **Area - comparative:** less than one-eighth the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Climate:** tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid) **Terrain:** hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with plentiful beaches **Elevation:** highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** few natural resources; beaches foster tourism **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 8.5% (2022 est.) other: 91.5% (2022 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the populace is concentrated in and around the capital of Gustavia, but scattered settlements exist around the island's periphery **Geography - note:** a 1,200-hectare (3,000-acre) marine nature reserve, the Reserve Naturelle, is made up of five zones around the island that form a network to protect the island's coral reefs, seagrass, and endangered marine species ### People and Society **Population:** total: 7,079 (2025 est.) male: 3,730 female: 3,349 **Ethnic groups:** French, Portuguese, Caribbean, Afro-Caribbean **Languages:** French (primary), English major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 13.9% (male 506/female 479) 15-64 years: 63.1% (male 2,413/female 2,057) 65 years and over: 23% (2024 est.) (male 818/female 813) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 60.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 22 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 38 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 47.7 years (2025 est.) male: 47 years female: 47.8 years **Population growth rate:** -0.08% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 9.32 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.75 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the populace is concentrated in and around the capital of Gustavia, but scattered settlements exist around the island's periphery **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 81 years (2024 est.) male: 78 years female: 84.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.64 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.79 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** land-based pollution; urbanization; limited freshwater resources; overfishing **Climate:** tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid) **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 8.5% (2022 est.) other: 91.5% (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy conventional short form: Saint Barthelemy local long form: Collectivité d'outre mer de Saint-Barthélemy local short form: Saint-Barthélemy abbreviation: Saint-Barth (French)/ St. Barts or St. Barths (English) etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in honor of his brother Bartolomeo in 1493 **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France **Dependency status:** overseas collectivity of France **Capital:** name: Gustavia geographic coordinates: 17 53 N, 62 51 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named in honor of King GUSTAV III of Sweden, who was ruler when Sweden bought the island from France in 1784; the name was retained when the island was sold back to France in 1878 **Legal system:** French civil law **Constitution:** history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) amendment process: amendment procedures of France's constitution apply **Citizenship:** see France **Suffrage:** 18 years of age, universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017), represented by Prefect Cyrille LE VELY (since 15 January 2025) head of government: President of Territorial Council Xavier LEDEE (since 3 April 2022) cabinet: Executive Council elected by the Territorial Council; there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council election/appointment process: French president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; president of Territorial Council indirectly elected by its members for a 5-year term most recent election date: 27 March 2022 election results: 2022: Xavier LEDEE (Saint Barth United) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 13 votes for, 6 blank votes 2017: Bruno MAGRAS (Saint Barth First!) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 14 out of 19 votes expected date of next election: 2027 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Territorial Council legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 19 (directly elected) electoral system: mixed scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/27/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Saint Barth Action-Équilibre and Unis pour Saint Barthelemy (13); SBA (6) expected date of next election: 2027 note: 1 senator is indirectly elected to the French Senate by an electoral college for a 6-year term, and 1 deputy (shared with Saint Martin) is directly elected to the French National Assembly for a five-year term **Political parties:** All for Saint Barth (Tous pour Saint-Barth) Saint Barth Action Equilibre Saint Barth First! (Saint-Barth d'Abord!) or SBA (affiliated with France's Republican party, Les Republicans) Saint Barth United (Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas collectivity of France) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (overseas collectivity of France) **International organization participation:** ACS (associate), UPU **Independence:** none (overseas collectivity of France) **National holiday:** Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790) note 1: local holiday is St. Barthelemy Day, 24 August (1572) note 2: often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, France's national celebration commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on 14 July 1789 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are la Fête nationale (National Holiday) and le Quatorze Juillet (14th of July) **Flag:** the flag of France is used **National symbol(s):** pelican **National anthem(s):** title: "L'Hymne à St. Barthelemy" (Hymn to St. Barthelemy) lyrics/music: Isabelle Massart DERAVIN/Michael VALENTI history: local anthem in use since 1999 _____ title: "La Marseillaise" lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle history: official anthem, as a French collectivity ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income French Caribbean territorial economy; duty-free luxury commerce and tourism industries; import-dependent for food, water, energy, and manufacturing; large Brazilian and Portuguese labor supply; environmentally fragile **Exports - partners:** Spain 57%, Switzerland 24%, France 6%, Ireland 5%, Canada 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined copper, jewelry (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports - partners:** Switzerland 50%, Portugal 14%, Brazil 6%, Japan 5%, Ireland 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** precious metal watches, base metal watches, jewelry, cars, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2021) ### Communications **Broadcast media:** 2 local TV broadcasters; 5 FM radio channels (2021) **Internet country code:** .bl note: .gp, the Internet country code for Guadeloupe, and .fr, the Internet country code for France, are also used **Internet users:** percent of population: 71.3% (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 1 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of France --- ## Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha **Slug:** saint-helena-ascension-and-tristan-da-cunha **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇸🇭 **Codes:** cek: sh, iso2: SH, iso3: SHN, iso_num: 654, genc: SHN, stanag: SHN, internet: .sh, comment: includes Saint Helena Island, Ascension Island, and the Tristan da Cunha archipelago ### Introduction **Background:** Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory off the coast of Africa in the South Atlantic Ocean, and it consists of Saint Helena, Ascension Island, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha. Saint Helena: The island was uninhabited when the Portuguese first discovered it in 1502, and the British garrisoned troops on Saint Helena during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. During the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer prisoners were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903. Saint Helena is one of the most remote populated places in the world. The British Government committed to building an airport on Saint Helena in 2005. After more than a decade of delays and construction, a commercial air service to South Africa via Namibia was inaugurated in 2017. The weekly service to Saint Helena from Johannesburg via Windhoek in Namibia takes just over six hours (including the refueling stop in Windhoek) and replaces the mail ship that had made a five-day journey to the island every three weeks. Ascension Island: This barren and uninhabited island was discovered and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of NAPOLEON from Saint Helena. It served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena. During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an airfield on Ascension in support of transatlantic flights to Africa and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s, the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In 1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces during the Falklands War. It remains a critical refueling point in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic. The island hosts one of four dedicated ground antennas that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system -- the others are on Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory), Kwajalein (Marshall Islands), and at Cape Canaveral, Florida (US). NASA and the US Air Force also operate a Meter-Class Autonomous Telescope (MCAT) on Ascension as part of the deep space surveillance system for tracking orbital debris, which can be a hazard to spacecraft and astronauts. Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough Islands. Tristan da Cunha, named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506), was garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue NAPOLEON from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases a site for a meteorological station on Gough Island. ### Geography **Location:** islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 1,300 km (800 mi) northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 4,300 km (2,700 mi) southwest of Saint Helena **Geographic coordinates:** Saint Helena: 15 57 S, 5 42 W Ascension Island: 7 57 S, 14 22 W Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S, 12 30 W **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 394 sq km land: 122 sq km Saint Helena Island water: 0 sq km 88 sq km Ascension Island, 184 sq km Tristan da Cunha island group (includes Tristan (98 sq km), Inaccessible, Nightingale, and Gough islands) **Area - comparative:** slightly more than twice the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** Saint Helena: 60 km Ascension Island: NA Tristan da Cunha (island only): 34 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** Saint Helena: tropical marine; mild, tempered by trade winds Ascension Island: tropical marine; mild, semi-arid Tristan da Cunha: temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena) **Terrain:** the islands of this group are of volcanic origin associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge Saint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44 dormant volcanoes; terrain rises to the east Tristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the coastal cliffs **Elevation:** highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m; Green Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Diana's Peak on Saint Helena Island 818 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** fish, lobster **Land use:** agricultural land: 30.8% (2022 est.) arable land: 10.3% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 20.5% (2022 est.) forest: 5.1% (2022 est.) other: 64.1% (2022 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** Saint Helena: population is concentrated in and around the capital of Jamestown in the northwest, with another significant cluster in the interior Longwood area Ascension: most of the population lives in and around Georgetown Tristan da Cunha: most of the nearly 300 inhabitants live in the northern coastal town of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas **Natural hazards:** active volcanism volcanism: the volcanoes of Tristan da Cunha (2,060 m) and Nightingale Island (365 m) are active **Geography - note:** Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown elsewhere in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns; Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha is the highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a prominent landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa ### People and Society **Population:** total: 7,950 (2025 est.) male: 3,976 female: 3,974 **Nationality:** noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian note: referred to locally as "Saints" **Ethnic groups:** St. Helena 82.1%, UK 7.6%, South Africa 3.6%, Ascension 2.8%, other 3.9% (2021 est.) note: data represent population of Saint Helena by country of birth **Languages:** English **Religions:** Anglican 63.2%, unspecified 11.4%, no religion 9%, Jehovah's Witness 3.8%, Baptist 2.3%, Salvation Army 2%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.9%, New Apostolic 1.6%, other Christian 1.4%, other 1.1% (2021 est.) note: data represent Saint Helena only **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 14.3% (male 579/female 556) 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 2,626/female 2,655) 65 years and over: 19.2% (2024 est.) (male 773/female 754) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 51.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 21.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 29.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 45.5 years (2025 est.) male: 44.8 years female: 45.4 years **Population growth rate:** 0.08% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 9.31 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.55 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** Saint Helena: population is concentrated in and around the capital of Jamestown in the northwest, with another significant cluster in the interior Longwood area Ascension: most of the population lives in and around Georgetown Tristan da Cunha: most of the nearly 300 inhabitants live in the northern coastal town of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas **Urbanization:** urban population: 40.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1,000 JAMESTOWN (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 17.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 21.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 80.9 years (2024 est.) male: 78.1 years female: 83.9 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.61 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.79 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 99.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.9% of population (2022 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** development threatens wildlife on Saint Helena **Climate:** Saint Helena: tropical marine; mild, tempered by trade winds Ascension Island: tropical marine; mild, semi-arid Tristan da Cunha: temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena) **Land use:** agricultural land: 30.8% (2022 est.) arable land: 10.3% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 20.5% (2022 est.) forest: 5.1% (2022 est.) other: 64.1% (2022 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 40.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 12,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 12,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha conventional short form: none etymology: on the feast day of Saint Helena in 1502, Spanish navigator Joao da NOVA (sailing for Portugal) sighted and named the island that now bears the saint's name; da NOVA originally named Ascension "Conception Island" in honor of the Virgin Mary, but Portuguese navigator Afonso de ALBUQUERQUE later found the island on the feast day of the Ascension in 1508 and renamed it; Portuguese explorer Tristao da CUNHA sighted the third island in 1506 and named it after himself (the name was later anglicized) **Government type:** parliamentary democracy **Dependency status:** overseas territory of the UK **Capital:** name: Jamestown geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 43 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: founded in 1659 and named after James, Duke of York, who would become King JAMES II of England **Administrative divisions:** 3 administrative areas; Ascension, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha **Legal system:** English common law and local statutes **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest effective 1 September 2009 (St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009) **Citizenship:** see United Kingdom **Suffrage:** 18 years of age **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022) head of government: Governor Nigel PHILLIPS (since 13 August 2022) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, 3 ex-officio officers, and 5 elected members of the Legislative Council election/appointment process: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch note: the constitution order provides for an administrator for Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, appointed by the governor **Legislative branch:** note: the Constitution Order provides for separate Island Councils for both Ascension and Tristan da Cunha **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 2 justices); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and judges) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and Supreme Court justices appointed by the governor acting upon the instructions from a secretary of state acting on behalf of the British monarch; justices of both courts serve until retirement at age 70, but terms can be extended subordinate courts: Magistrates' Court; Small Claims Court; Juvenile Court note: appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) **Political parties:** none **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK) **International organization participation:** UPU **Independence:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **National holiday:** Official birthday of King Charles III, celebrated in April or June as designated by the governor (1948) **Flag:** description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the right half of the flag; the upper third of the shield depicts a white plover on a yellow field; under the bird is a rocky coastline and a three-masted sailing ship with sails furled and flying an English flag history: the flag has been in use since 1984, when it was commissioned to mark the 150th anniversary of Saint Helena becoming a Crown Colony note: the French flag flies at Longwood House (Napoleon's former residence) and Napoleon's (now-empty) tomb on the island, because the French Government has owned the properties since 1858 **National symbol(s):** Saint Helena plover (wire bird) **National coat of arms:** the coat of arms of Saint Helena was officially granted on January 30, 1984; the national bird, the Saint Helena plover (Charadrius sanctaehelenae), is at the top of the shield; the lower part of the shield shows a three-masted sailing ship with the mountainous island to the left; below the shield is a scroll with the motto “Loyal and unshakable;” the crest shows an image of Saint Helena, holding a cross and a flower **National anthem(s):** title: “My St. Helena Island” lyrics/music: Dave MITCHELL history: in use since 1975 title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as a UK overseas territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income, British Atlantic Ocean territorial economy; native (but pegged to British pound) currency user on 2 of 3 islands; significant UK financial support; unique land/farming commune structure; military-related economic activity; sport fishing locale **Agricultural products:** coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; fish, lobster; livestock; timber **Industries:** construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing, collectible postage stamps **Exports - partners:** Singapore 33%, USA 16%, Japan 10%, Turkey 10%, Senegal 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fish, shellfish, natural gas, trucks, construction vehicles (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports - partners:** UK 34%, Greece 26%, Spain 16%, South Africa 15%, Namibia 2% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, baked goods, plastic products, vehicle parts/accessories, air pumps (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** Saint Helena pounds (SHP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.805 (2023 est.) 0.811 (2022 est.) 0.727 (2021 est.) 0.78 (2020 est.) 0.783 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2021) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 5,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 6.962 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.5 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 70 metric tons (2022 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 85 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 4,110 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 77 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 4,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 74 (2021 est.) **Broadcast media:** Saint Helena: no local TV station; 2 local radio stations, one of which is relayed to Ascension Island; satellite TV stations rebroadcast terrestrially Ascension Island: no local TV station; 1 local radio station and receives relays of broadcasts from radio station on Saint Helena; broadcasts from the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) available, as well as US military TV Tristan da Cunha: 1 local radio station and receives BFBS TV and radio broadcasts **Internet country code:** .sh note: Ascension Island assigned .ac **Internet users:** percent of population: 37.6% (2021 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1,000 (2018 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2020 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** VQ-H **Airports:** 2 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Ports:** total ports: 4 (2024) large: 1 medium: 1 small: 1 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Georgetown, Jamestown, North Point **Transportation - note:** the new airport on Saint Helena opened for limited operations in 2016, and the first commercial flight took place in 2017; the military airport on Ascension Island is closed to civilian traffic; there is no air connection to Tristan da Cunha and very limited sea connections ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the UK --- ## Saint Kitts and Nevis **Slug:** saint-kitts-and-nevis **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇰🇳 **Codes:** cek: sc, iso2: KN, iso3: KNA, iso_num: 659, genc: KNA, stanag: KNA, internet: .kn ### Introduction **Background:** Carib Indians occupied the islands of the West Indies for hundreds of years before the British and French began settlement in 1623. During the 17th century, Saint Kitts became the premier base for British and French expansion into the Caribbean. The French ceded the territory to the UK in 1713. At the turn of the 18th century, Saint Kitts was the richest British Crown Colony per capita in the Caribbean, a result of the sugar trade. Although small in size and separated by only 3 km (2 mi) of water, Saint Kitts and Nevis were viewed and governed as different states until the late-19th century, when the British forcibly unified them along with the island of Anguilla. In 1967, the island territory of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla became an associated state of the UK with full internal autonomy. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. The remaining islands achieved independence in 1983 as Saint Kitts and Nevis. In 1998, a referendum on Nevis to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the necessary two-thirds majority. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago **Geographic coordinates:** 17 20 N, 62 45 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km) land: 261 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** 1.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 135 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** tropical, tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November) **Terrain:** volcanic with mountainous interiors **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 23.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 19.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 3.5% (2023 est.) forest: 42.3% (2023 est.) other: 34.6% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 8 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** population clusters are found in the small towns located on the periphery of both islands **Natural hazards:** hurricanes (July to October) volcanism: Mount Liamuiga (1,156 m) on Saint Kitts and Nevis Peak (985 m) on Nevis are part of the volcanic-island arc of the Lesser Antilles, which extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south **Geography - note:** smallest country in the Western Hemisphere in terms of both area and population; the two volcanic islands are separated by a 3-km-wide (9-mi-wide) channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of baseball-bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its ball-shaped namesake island ### People and Society **Population:** total: 55,434 (2025 est.) male: 27,748 female: 27,686 **Nationality:** noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian **Ethnic groups:** African descent 92.5%, mixed 3%, White 2.1%, East Indian 1.5%, other 0.6%, unspecified 0.3% (2001 est.) **Languages:** English (official) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 19.2% (male 5,314/female 5,277) 15-64 years: 68.1% (male 18,944/female 18,575) 65 years and over: 12.7% (2024 est.) (male 3,341/female 3,682) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 48.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 28.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 20 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 5 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 39.1 years (2025 est.) male: 38.8 years female: 38.3 years **Population growth rate:** 0.53% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 11.58 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.43 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population clusters are found in the small towns located on the periphery of both islands **Urbanization:** urban population: 31.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 14,000 BASSETERRE (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 74 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 77.6 years (2024 est.) male: 75.2 years female: 80.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.76 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.87 (2025 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.2% of GDP (2021) 5.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.09 physicians/1,000 population (2018) **Hospital bed density:** 4.3 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 22.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 8.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 3.89 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 11% national budget (2025 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 19 years (2015 est.) male: 18 years (2015 est.) female: 20 years (2015 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; soil erosion and silting affects marine life on coral reefs; water pollution from uncontrolled dumping of sewage **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical, tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November) **Land use:** agricultural land: 23.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 19.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 3.5% (2023 est.) forest: 42.3% (2023 est.) other: 34.6% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 31.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 269,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 269,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 32,900 tons (2024 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 15.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 0 cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 200,000 cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 24 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS visited the islands in 1493 and named one for his own patron saint; a common nickname for Christopher during the following centuries was Kit or Kitt, and Saint Kitts is still referred to as Saint Christopher; the name of Nevis is said to derive from the original Spanish name "Las Nieves" (The Snows) and refers to its cloud-topped mountain note: Nevis is pronounced NEE-vis **Government type:** federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm **Capital:** name: Basseterre geographic coordinates: 17 18 N, 62 43 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the French name translates as "low land" in English; the reference is probably to the city's location in a valley **Administrative divisions:** 14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point **Legal system:** English common law **Constitution:** history: several previous (pre-independence); latest presented 22 June 1983, effective 23 June 1983 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the total Assembly membership and assent of the governor general; amendments to constitutional provisions such as the sovereignty of the federation, fundamental rights and freedoms, the judiciary, and the Nevis Island Assembly also require approval in a referendum by at least two thirds of the votes cast in Saint Kitts and in Nevis **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 14 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Marcella LIBURD (since 1 February 2023) head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Terrance DREW (since 6 August 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by governor general in consultation with prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor general usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime minister also appointed by governor general **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 16 (11 directly elected; 4 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 8/5/2022 parties elected and seats per party: St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) (6); Concerned Citizens' Movement (CCM) (3); Peoples Labour Party (PLP) (1); People's Action Movement (PAM) (1) percentage of women in chamber: 31.3% expected date of next election: October 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62 subordinate courts: magistrates' courts **Political parties:** Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM Nevis Reformation Party or NRP People's Action Movement or PAM People's Labour Party or PLP Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Jacinth HENRY-MARTIN (since 15 September 2023) chancery: 1203 19th St. NW, 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740 email address and website: stkittsnevis@embskn.com Embassy of St.Kitts and Nevis to the USA – and Permanent Mission to the OAS (embassydc.gov.kn) consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis **International organization participation:** ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO **Independence:** 19 September 1983 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 19 September (1983) **Flag:** description: divided diagonally from the lower left side by a broad black band with two five-pointed white stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, and the lower is red meaning: green stands for the island's fertility, red for the struggles of the people from slavery, yellow for year-round sunshine, and black for the people's African heritage; the white stars stand for the islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis but can also express hope and liberty, or independence and optimism **National symbol(s):** brown pelican, royal poinciana (flamboyant) tree **National color(s):** green, yellow, red, black, white **National coat of arms:** the coat of arms of Saint Kitts and Nevis features a Carib who represents the original inhabitants of the islands, and a fleur-de-lis and rose that represent the French and English who arrived in the 1620; the shield also features the poinciana (the national flower) and a traditional boat; three hands hold the torch, which represents the quest for freedom: the hand of an African, a European, and a person of mixed ethnicity; pelicans (the national bird) support the shield, with a sugarcane plant and a coconut tree that symbolize the land **National anthem(s):** title: "O Land of Beauty!" lyrics/music: Kenrick Anderson GEORGES history: adopted 1983 title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: in use since 1745 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, tourism-based Caribbean OECS economy; better debt balancing; CARICOM and ECCU member; growing offshore financial and telecommunications hub; environmentally fragile; unique citizenship-driven growth model **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.465 billion (2024 est.) $1.448 billion (2023 est.) $1.388 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.2% (2024 est.) 4.3% (2023 est.) 10.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $31,300 (2024 est.) $31,000 (2023 est.) $29,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.067 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.6% (2023 est.) 2.7% (2022 est.) 1.2% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.3% (2024 est.) industry: 21.1% (2024 est.) services: 65.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** coconuts, tropical fruits, root vegetables, vegetables, eggs, pulses, sweet potatoes, watermelons, cucumbers/gherkins, tomatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages **Industrial production growth rate:** -2.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Remittances:** 3.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 3.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.8% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $262 million (2020 est.) expenditures: $281.889 million (2020 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 62.9% of GDP (2017 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 15% (of GDP) (2020 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$169.221 million (2024 est.) -$122.386 million (2023 est.) -$111.685 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $504.391 million (2024 est.) $579.568 million (2023 est.) $542.983 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Malta 49%, USA 21%, Turkey 7%, St. Vincent & the Grenadines 5%, Guyana 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** ships, measuring instruments, beer, electrical transformers, electrical control boards (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $642.934 million (2024 est.) $669.168 million (2023 est.) $606.856 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 50%, Italy 11%, China 8%, Japan 2%, UK 2% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, ships, cars, jewelry, poultry (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $294.748 million (2024 est.) $286.075 million (2023 est.) $293.98 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2.7 (2024 est.) 2.7 (2023 est.) 2.7 (2022 est.) 2.7 (2021 est.) 2.7 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 72,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 182.455 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 39.522 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 95% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 2.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 81.454 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 15,600 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 56,600 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 119 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** national state-operated TV network that broadcasts on 2 channels; cable subscription available for local and international channels; national state-operated radio network; mix of state-owned and privately owned broadcasters with about 15 radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .kn **Internet users:** percent of population: 76% (2022 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 22,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** V4 **Airports:** 2 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 50 km (2008) narrow gauge: 50 km (2008) 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts for tourists **Merchant marine:** total: 341 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 22, container ship 16, general cargo 85, oil tanker 59, other 159 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Basseterre, Charlestown ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** St. Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (SKNDF); Regular Force, Coast Guard Force (SKNDF Coast Guard), Reserve Force, Cadet Force Ministry of National Security: the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (2025) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 200 active Defense Forces (2024) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the SKNDF is lightly armed with equipment from Belgium, the UK, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (under 18 with written parental permission); no conscription (2025) **Military - note:** SKNDF's missions include protecting the country's territorial integrity, assisting the police in combating the illegal narcotic trade and other crimes, and providing humanitarian and disaster relief assistance; the force also has a regional role through the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS); St. Kitts joined the RSS in 1984; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 5 (2024 est.) --- ## Saint Lucia **Slug:** saint-lucia **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇱🇨 **Codes:** cek: st, iso2: LC, iso3: LCA, iso_num: 662, genc: LCA, stanag: LCA, internet: .lc ### Introduction **Background:** England and France contested Saint Lucia -- with its fine natural harbor at Castries and burgeoning sugar industry -- throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries, with possession changing 14 times; it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814 and became part of the British Windward Islands colony. Even after the abolition of slavery on its plantations in 1834, Saint Lucia remained an agricultural island, dedicated to producing tropical commodity crops. In the mid-20th century, Saint Lucia joined the West Indies Federation (1958–1962) and in 1967 became one of the six members of the West Indies Associated States, with internal self-government. In 1979, Saint Lucia gained full independence. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago **Geographic coordinates:** 13 53 N, 60 58 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 616 sq km land: 606 sq km water: 10 sq km **Area - comparative:** 3.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 158 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to April, rainy season May to August **Terrain:** volcanic and mountainous with broad, fertile valleys **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Gimie 948 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential **Land use:** agricultural land: 16.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.) forest: 53.7% (2023 est.) other: 30% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 30 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** most of the population is found on the periphery of the island, with a larger concentration in the north around the capital of Castries **Natural hazards:** hurricanes volcanism: Mount Gimie (948 m), also known as Qualibou, is a caldera on the west of the island; the iconic twin pyramidal peaks of Gros Piton (771 m) and Petit Piton (743 m) are lava-dome remnants associated with the Soufrière volcano; there have been no historical magmatic eruptions, but a minor steam eruption in 1766 spread a thin layer of ash over a wide area; Saint Lucia is part of the volcanic-island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south **Geography - note:** the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped peaks south of Soufrière, are one of the scenic natural highlights of the Caribbean ### People and Society **Population:** total: 168,462 (2025 est.) male: 81,678 female: 86,784 **Nationality:** noun: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian **Ethnic groups:** Black/African descent 85.3%, mixed 10.9%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.6%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.) **Languages:** English (official), Saint Lucian Creole **Religions:** Roman Catholic 61.5%, Protestant 25.5% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 10.4%, Pentecostal 8.9%, Baptist 2.2%, Anglican 1.6%, Church of God 1.5%, other Protestant 0.9%), other Christian 3.4% (includes Evangelical 2.3% and Jehovah's Witness 1.1%), Rastafarian 1.9%, other 0.4%, none 5.9%, unspecified 1.4% (2010 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 17.9% (male 15,505/female 14,607) 15-64 years: 66.7% (male 54,260/female 57,747) 65 years and over: 15.4% (2024 est.) (male 11,752/female 14,167) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 50.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 26.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 24.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 40.4 years (2025 est.) male: 38.4 years female: 40.9 years **Population growth rate:** 0.25% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 11.17 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.41 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is found on the periphery of the island, with a larger concentration in the north around the capital of Castries **Urbanization:** urban population: 19.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 22,000 CASTRIES (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 44 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 79.4 years (2024 est.) male: 76.7 years female: 82.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.71 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.83 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 97.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 96.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 96.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 3.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 3.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.2% of GDP (2021) 9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.23 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Hospital bed density:** 2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 97.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 92.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 93.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 7.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 6.2% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 19.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 9.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 5.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 13.1% (2025 est.) male: 24.1% (2025 est.) female: 2.6% (2025 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 12.7% national budget (2025 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2023 est.) male: 12 years (2023 est.) female: 13 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to April, rainy season May to August **Land use:** agricultural land: 16.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.) forest: 53.7% (2023 est.) other: 30% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 19.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 605,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 605,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 8.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 77,600 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 12.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 0 cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 30.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 300 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia etymology: believed to be named after Saint LUCY (Sainte ALOUSIE) of Syracuse by French sailors who were shipwrecked on the island on 13 December 1502, the saint's feast day note: pronounced saynt-LOO-shuh **Government type:** parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm **Capital:** name: Castries geographic coordinates: 14 00 N, 61 00 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: in 1785, the village of Carenage was renamed Castries, after Charles Eugene Gabriel de La Croix de CASTRIES, who was then the French Minister of the Navy and Colonies **Administrative divisions:** 10 districts; Anse-la-Raye, Canaries, Castries, Choiseul, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Soufrière, Vieux-Fort **Legal system:** English common law **Constitution:** history: previous 1958, 1960 (pre-independence); latest presented 20 December 1978, effective 22 February 1979 amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the House of Assembly membership in the final reading and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments to various constitutional sections, such as those on fundamental rights and freedoms, government finances, the judiciary, and procedures for amending the constitution, require at least three-quarters majority vote by the House and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments approved by the House but rejected by the Senate require a majority of votes cast in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Saint Lucia dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Acting Governor General Cyril Errol CHARLES (since 11 November 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Philip J. PIERRE (since 28 July 2021) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor general usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime minister also appointed by governor general **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Houses of Parliament legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Assembly number of seats: 18 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 7/26/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) (13); United Workers Party (UWP) (2); Independents (2) percentage of women in chamber: 10.5% expected date of next election: December 2025 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 11 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 8/17/2021 percentage of women in chamber: 54.5% expected date of next election: December 2025 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62 subordinate courts: magistrate's court **Political parties:** Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP United Workers Party or UWP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth DARIUS-CLARKE (since 7 June 2022) chancery: 1629 K Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723 email address and website: embassydc@gosl.gov.lc https://www.embassyofstlucia.org/ consulate(s) general: Miami, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia **International organization participation:** ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 22 February 1979 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 22 February (1979) **Flag:** description: cerulean blue with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border meaning: blue stands for the sky and sea, gold for sunshine and prosperity, and white and black for the ethnic composition of the island; the triangles represent Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the cone-shaped volcanic plugs that are a symbol of the island **National symbol(s):** twin pitons (volcanic peaks), Saint Lucia parrot **National color(s):** cerulean blue, gold, black, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Sons and Daughters of St. Lucia" lyrics/music: Charles JESSE/Leton Felix THOMAS history: adopted 1967 title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: in use since 1745 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Pitons Management Area ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income, tourism-based Caribbean island economy; environmentally fragile; energy import-dependent; major banana producer; well-educated labor force; key infrastructure, IT, and communications investments **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $4.359 billion (2024 est.) $4.196 billion (2023 est.) $4.105 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.9% (2024 est.) 2.2% (2023 est.) 20.4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $24,300 (2024 est.) $23,400 (2023 est.) $23,000 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $2.549 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** -0.1% (2024 est.) 4.1% (2023 est.) 6.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.1% (2024 est.) industry: 9.8% (2024 est.) services: 75.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 66.1% (2017 est.) government consumption: 11.2% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 16.9% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 62.7% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -56.9% (2017 est.) **Agricultural products:** coconuts, bananas, tropical fruits, fruits, root vegetables, plantains, vegetables, cassava, chicken, milk (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism; clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, lime processing, coconut processing **Industrial production growth rate:** 5.6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 102,400 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 11% (2024 est.) 11.1% (2023 est.) 16% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 29% (2024 est.) male: 31.4% (2024 est.) female: 26.3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 25% (2015 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 51.2 (2016 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.1% (2015 est.) highest 10%: 34.1% (2015 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 2.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.6% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $414.77 million (2017 est.) expenditures: $351.956 million (2017 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 18.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$64.121 million (2024 est.) -$38.069 million (2023 est.) -$83.442 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.6 billion (2024 est.) $1.419 billion (2023 est.) $1.29 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Guyana 20%, Suriname 15%, USA 11%, Barbados 8%, Dominica 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, gravel and crushed stone, beer, liquor, paper containers (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $1.446 billion (2024 est.) $1.292 billion (2023 est.) $1.2 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 59%, Guyana 8%, Brazil 7%, China 5%, UK 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, poultry, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $406.064 million (2024 est.) $424.324 million (2023 est.) $389.083 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $901.317 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2.7 (2024 est.) 2.7 (2023 est.) 2.7 (2022 est.) 2.7 (2021 est.) 2.7 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 93,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 365.178 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 31.038 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 98% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 47.522 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 30,600 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 176,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 99 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** 3 privately owned TV stations; 1 public TV station on a cable network; multi-channel cable TV service available; mix of state-owned and privately owned radio broadcasters with about 25 stations, including repeater transmission stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .lc **Internet users:** percent of population: 74% (2022 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 24,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** J6 **Airports:** 2 (2025) **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Castries, Grand Cul de Sac Bay, Vieux Fort ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; Ministry of Home Affairs, Justice, and National Security: Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) (2025) **Military - note:** Saint Lucia has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 5 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Saint Lucia was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/saint-lucia/ --- ## Saint Martin **Slug:** saint-martin **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇲🇫 **Codes:** cek: rn, iso2: MF, iso3: MAF, iso_num: 663, genc: MAF, stanag: -, internet: .mf, comment: ccTLD .fr and .gp may also be used ### Introduction **Background:** Christopher COLUMBUS claimed Saint Martin for Spain in 1493, naming it after the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, but it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 to exploit its salt deposits. The Spanish retook Saint Martin in 1633, but the Dutch continued to assert their claims. The Spanish finally relinquished the island to the French and Dutch, who divided it between themselves in 1648. The border frequently fluctuated over the next 200 years because of friction between the two countries, with the French eventually holding the greater portion of the island (about 61%). The cultivation of sugarcane introduced African slavery to the island in the late 18th century; the practice was not abolished until 1848. The island became a free port in 1939, and the tourism industry was dramatically expanded during the 1970s and 1980s. In 2003, the populace of Saint Martin voted to secede from Guadeloupe, and in 2007, the northern portion of the island became a French overseas collectivity. In 2010, the southern Dutch portion of the island became the independent nation of Sint Maarten within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the island of Saint Martin, causing extensive damage to roads, communications, electrical power, and housing; the UN estimated that 90% of the buildings were damaged or destroyed. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; French part of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean Sea; Saint Martin lies east of the US Virgin Islands **Geographic coordinates:** 18 05 N, 63 57 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 50 sq km land: 50 sq km water: negligible **Area - comparative:** more than one-third the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 16 km border countries (1): Sint Maarten 16 km **Coastline:** 58.9 km (for entire island) **Climate:** temperature averages 27-29 degrees Celsius all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; hurricane season stretches from July to November **Elevation:** highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** salt **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 24.8% (2022 est.) other: 75.2% (2022 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is found along the coast, with the largest concentration around the capital of Marigot, as well as Orleans and Grand-Case **Natural hazards:** subject to hurricanes from July to November **Geography - note:** note 1: the southern border is shared with Sint Maarten, which is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; together, these two entities make up the smallest landmass in the world that is shared by two self-governing states note 2: Simpson Bay Lagoon (aka Simson Bay Lagoon or The Great Pond) is one of the largest inland lagoons in the West Indies; the border between the French and Dutch halves of the island runs across the center of the lagoon, which is shared by both of the island's entities ### People and Society **Population:** total: 33,093 (2025 est.) male: 15,825 female: 17,268 **Ethnic groups:** Creole (Mulatto), Black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asian), White, East Indian, other **Languages:** French (official), Dutch, English, Guadeloupian Creole, Haitian Creole, Italian, Martiniquan Creole, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles), Spanish major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 24.7% (male 4,039/female 4,100) 15-64 years: 64.5% (male 10,216/female 11,068) 65 years and over: 10.8% (2024 est.) (male 1,536/female 2,037) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 55.4 (2025 est.) N youth dependency ratio: 38 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 17.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 5.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 34.3 years (2025 est.) male: 33.4 years female: 34.9 years **Population growth rate:** 0.29% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 13.78 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.83 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is found along the coast, with the largest concentration around the capital of Marigot, as well as Orleans and Grand-Case **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 81 years (2024 est.) male: 78 years female: 84.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.8 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.88 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.9% of GDP (2023 est.) NA 23% national budget (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** waste management; salinity intrusions; limited freshwater resources; over-exploitation of marine resources (reef fisheries, coral, and shell); water pollution and damage to coral reefs from boats **Climate:** temperature averages 27-29 degrees Celsius all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; hurricane season stretches from July to November **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 24.8% (2022 est.) other: 75.2% (2022 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 15,500 tons (2024 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin conventional short form: Saint Martin local long form: Collectivité d'outre mer de Saint-Martin local short form: Saint-Martin etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island after Saint MARTIN of Tours during a visit on 11 November 1493, the saint's feast day **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France **Dependency status:** overseas collectivity of France note: the only French overseas collectivity that is part of the EU **Capital:** name: Marigot geographic coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is taken from the French word marigot, meaning "backwater" or "swampy area;" it probably comes from the original fishing village's location next to a water-logged area on a lagoon **Legal system:** French civil law **Constitution:** history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) amendment process: amendment procedures of France's constitution apply **Citizenship:** see France **Suffrage:** 18 years of age, universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Prefect Cyrille LE VELY (since 10 February 2025) head of government: President of Territorial Council Louis MUSSINGTON (since 3 April 2022) cabinet: Executive Council, as well as an advisory economic, social, and cultural council election/appointment process: French president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prefect appointed by French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; president of Territorial Council elected by its members for a 5-year term most recent election date: 3 April 2022 election results: 2022: Louis MUSSINGTON (RSM) elected president; Territorial Council vote - unanimous 2017: Daniel Gibbs (UD) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 18 of 23 votes expected date of next election: 2027 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Territorial Council legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 23 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/27/2022 parties elected and seats per party: RSM and Alternative (16); UD (5); HOPE, Saint Martin with You, and Future Saint Martin (2) percentage of women in chamber: 43.5% expected date of next election: March 2027 note: 1 senator is indirectly elected to the French Senate by an electoral college for a 6-year term, and 1 deputy (shared with Saint Barthelemy) is directly elected to the French National Assembly for a 5-year term **Political parties:** Alternative Future Saint Martin (Avenir Saint Martin) Generation Hope or HOPE Rassemblement Saint-Martinois or RSM (formerly Movement for Justice and Prosperity or MJP) Saint Martin with You Union for Democracy or UD **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas collectivity of France) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (overseas collectivity of France) **International organization participation:** ACS (associate), UPU **Independence:** none (overseas collectivity of France) **National holiday:** Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790) note 1: local holiday is Schoelcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848), as well as St. Martin's Day, 11 November (1985); the latter holiday celebrated on both halves of the island note 2: often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, France's national celebration commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on 14 July 1789 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are la Fête nationale (National Holiday) and le Quatorze Juillet (14th of July) **Flag:** the flag of France is used **National symbol(s):** brown pelican **National anthem(s):** title: "O Sweet Saint Martin's Land" lyrics/music: Gerard KEMPS history: the song, written in 1958, is used as an unofficial anthem for the entire island (both French and Dutch sides) _____ title: "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille) lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle history: official anthem, as a French collectivity ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income French Caribbean territorial economy; extremely reliant on tourism, with severe COVID-19 impacts; near-total destruction from Hurricane Irma in 2017; some offshore banking; import-dependent; duty-free commerce; yachting destination **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.9% (2021 est.) -12.5% (2020 est.) 6.5% (2019 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **GDP (official exchange rate):** $649.206 million (2021 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Industries:** tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry **Exports - partners:** United States 35%, Netherlands 26%, Antigua and Barbuda 21%, France 10% (2019) **Exports - commodities:** gold, special use vessels, furniture, scrap aluminum, rum (2019) top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports - partners:** United States 76%, Netherlands 7%, France 7% (2019) **Imports - commodities:** jewelry, diamonds, pearls, recreational boats, cars (2019) **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 68,840 (2012 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 196 (2012 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 local TV station; access to about 20 radio stations, including RFO Guadeloupe radio broadcasts via repeater **Internet country code:** .mf note: .gp, the Internet country code for Guadeloupe, and .fr, the Internet country code for France, are also used **Internet users:** percent of population: 48.5% (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 1 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; Ministry of Justice: Police Force of Sint Maaten (Korps Politie Sint Marteen, KPSM) (2025) **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of France ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 156 (2024 est.) --- ## Saint Pierre and Miquelon **Slug:** saint-pierre-and-miquelon **Region:** North America **Flag:** 🇵🇲 **Codes:** cek: sb, iso2: PM, iso3: SPM, iso_num: 666, genc: SPM, stanag: SPM, internet: .pm ### Introduction **Background:** First settled by the French in the early 17th century, Saint Pierre and Miquelon are the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North American possessions. They attained the status of an overseas collectivity in 2003. ### Geography **Location:** Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada) **Geographic coordinates:** 46 50 N, 56 20 W **Map references:** North America **Area:** total : 242 sq km land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups **Area - comparative:** 1.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 120 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** cold and wet, with considerable mist and fog; spring and autumn are often windy **Terrain:** mostly barren rock **Elevation:** highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** fish, deepwater ports **Land use:** agricultural land: 8.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 8.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 5% (2023 est.) other: 86.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** most of the population is found on Saint Pierre Island; a small settlement is located on the north end of Miquelon Island **Natural hazards:** persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard **Geography - note:** vegetation scanty; the islands are part of the northern Appalachians, along with Newfoundland ### People and Society **Population:** total: 5,070 (2025 est.) male: 2,442 female: 2,628 **Nationality:** noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French **Ethnic groups:** Basques and Bretons (French fishermen) **Languages:** French (official) major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 99%, other 1% **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 13.1% (male 346/female 328) 15-64 years: 61.6% (male 1,559/female 1,600) 65 years and over: 25.3% (2024 est.) (male 571/female 728) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 63.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 21 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 42.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 51.8 years (2025 est.) male: 50.5 years female: 51.9 years **Population growth rate:** -1.24% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 6.31 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 11.83 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -6.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is found on Saint Pierre Island; a small settlement is located on the north end of Miquelon Island **Urbanization:** urban population: 90.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 6,000 SAINT-PIERRE (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 9.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 81.8 years (2024 est.) male: 79.5 years female: 84.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.6 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.79 (2025 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 65.2% (2020 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** overfishing **Climate:** cold and wet, with considerable mist and fog; spring and autumn are often windy **Land use:** agricultural land: 8.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 8.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 5% (2023 est.) other: 86.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 90.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 57,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 57,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Département de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon etymology: Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is reputed to be named after two navigators, one called Peter and one called Michael (in a nickname form) or Mikelon, a Basque name **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France **Dependency status:** overseas collectivity of France **Capital:** name: Saint-Pierre geographic coordinates: 46 46 N, 56 11 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November etymology: may be named after Saint Peter, the patron saint of fisherman; alternatively, the name may come from one of the two navigators for whom the island as a whole is named **Administrative divisions:** no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 2 communes are considered second-order: Saint Pierre, Miquelon **Legal system:** French civil law **Constitution:** history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) amendment process: amendment procedures of France's constitution apply **Citizenship:** see France **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Prefect Bruno ANDRE (since September 2023) head of government: President of Territorial Council Marc DIDIO (since 12 January 2026) cabinet: Le Cabinet du Préfet election/appointment process: French president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prefect appointed by French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; Territorial Council president elected by Territorial Council councilors by absolute majority vote; term NA most recent election date: 13 October 2020 election results: 2020: Bernard BRIAND elected President of Territorial Council; Territorial Council vote - 17 for, 2 abstentions 2017: Stephane LENORMAND elected President of Territorial Council vote - NA **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Territorial Council (Conseil Territorial) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 19 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 3/27/2022 parties elected and seats per party: AD (15); Focus on the Future (4) expected date of next election: March 2028 note: 1 senator is indirectly elected to the French Senate by an electoral college for a 6-year term, and 1 deputy is directly elected to the French National Assembly for a 5-year term **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Supérieur d'Appel (composition NA) judge selection and term of office: judge selection and tenure NA **Political parties:** Archipelago Tomorrow (Archipel Domain) or AD (affiliated with The Republicans) Focus on the Future (Cap sur l'Avenir) (affiliated with Left Radical Party) Together to Build (Ensemble pour Construire) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas territory of France) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) **International organization participation:** UPU, WFTU (NGOs) **Independence:** none (overseas collectivity collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763) **National holiday:** Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790) note: often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, France's national celebration commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on 14 July 1789 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are la Fête nationale (National Holiday) and le Quatorze Juillet (14th of July) **Flag:** description: a yellow three-masted sailing ship facing the left side rides on a blue background with wavy white lines; a black-over-white wavy line divides the ship from the white wavy lines; on the left side, a vertical band is divided into three heraldic arms: the top (called ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners and overlaid with a white cross, the middle is white with an ermine pattern, and the bottom is red with two yellow lions outlined in black meaning: the arms represent settlers from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy in France; blue symbolizes the Atlantic Ocean, and the ship represents explorer Jacques Cartier's ship when he visited the islands in 1536 note: the flag of France used for official occasions **National symbol(s):** 16th-century sailing ship **National anthem(s):** title: "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille) lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle history: official anthem, as a French collectivity ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, French North American territorial economy; primarily fishing exports; substantial French Government support; highly seasonal labor force; euro user; increasing tourism and aquaculture investments **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $261.3 million (2015 est.) note: supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million **GDP (official exchange rate):** $261.3 million (2015 est.) **Agricultural products:** vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish **Industries:** fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism **Exports - partners:** Canada 78%, Ireland 5%, France 5%, Djibouti 4%, UK 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** processed crustaceans, shellfish (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports - partners:** France 57%, Canada 37%, Netherlands 3%, Belgium 2%, Spain 0% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, packaged medicine, cars, plastic products, other foods (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 26,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 48.714 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 400 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 4,650 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 81 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** 8 TV stations, all part of the French Overseas Network, and local cable provided by SPM Telecom; 3 of 4 radio stations are part of the French Overseas Network (2021) **Internet country code:** .pm **Internet users:** percent of population: 88.7% (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 2 (2025) **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 0 size unknown: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Miquelon, St. Pierre ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of France --- ## Saint Vincent and the Grenadines **Slug:** saint-vincent-and-the-grenadines **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇻🇨 **Codes:** cek: vc, iso2: VC, iso3: VCT, iso_num: 670, genc: VCT, stanag: VCT, internet: .vc ### Introduction **Background:** Resistance from native Caribs prevented colonization on Saint Vincent until 1719. France and England disputed the island for most of the 18th century, but it was ceded to England in 1783. The British prized Saint Vincent because of its fertile soil, which allowed for thriving slave-run plantations of sugar, coffee, indigo, tobacco, cotton, and cocoa. In 1834, the British abolished slavery. Immigration of indentured servants eased the ensuing labor shortage, as did subsequent immigrant waves from Portugal and East India. Conditions remained harsh for both former slaves and immigrant agricultural workers, however, as depressed world sugar prices kept the economy stagnant until the early 1900s. The economy then went into a period of decline, with many landowners abandoning their estates and leaving the land to be cultivated by liberated slaves. Between 1960 and 1962, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a separate administrative unit of the Federation of the West Indies. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979. In 2021, the eruption of the La Soufrière volcano in the north of Saint Vincent destroyed much of Saint Vincent’s most productive agricultural lands. Unlike most of its tourism-dependent neighbors, the Vincentian economy is primarily agricultural. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago **Geographic coordinates:** 13 15 N, 61 12 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km) land: 389 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** twice the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 84 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November) **Terrain:** volcanic, mountainous **Elevation:** highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** hydropower, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 17.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 7.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 5.1% (2023 est.) forest: 73.2% (2023 est.) other: 8.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 10 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** most of the population is concentrated in and around the capital of Kingstown **Natural hazards:** hurricanes; La Soufrière volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat volcanism: La Soufrière (1,234 m) last erupted in 1979; the island of Saint Vincent is part of the volcanic-island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south **Geography - note:** the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is composed of 32 islands and cays ### People and Society **Population:** total: 100,498 (2025 est.) male: 51,171 female: 49,327 **Nationality:** noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s) adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian **Ethnic groups:** African descent 71.2%, mixed 23%, Indigenous 3%, East Indian/Indian 1.1%, European 1.5%, other 0.2% (2012 est.) **Languages:** English, Vincentian Creole English, French patois **Religions:** Protestant 75% (Pentecostal 27.6%, Anglican 13.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 11.6%, Baptist 8.9%, Methodist 8.7%, Evangelical 3.8%, Salvation Army 0.3%, Presbyterian/Congregational 0.3%), Roman Catholic 6.3%, Rastafarian 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 0.8%, other 4.7%, none 7.5%, unspecified 4.7% (2012 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 18.8% (male 9,527/female 9,353) 15-64 years: 68.2% (male 35,401/female 33,288) 65 years and over: 13% (2024 est.) (male 6,321/female 6,757) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 47.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 27.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 20.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 5 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 38.1 years (2025 est.) male: 37.7 years female: 37.4 years **Population growth rate:** -0.15% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 11.72 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.75 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -5.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is concentrated in and around the capital of Kingstown **Urbanization:** urban population: 54.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 27,000 KINGSTOWN (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 56 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 12 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 13.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 77.2 years (2024 est.) male: 75.2 years female: 79.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.73 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.85 (2025 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.4% of GDP (2021) 8.6% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.66 physicians/1,000 population (2012) **Hospital bed density:** 4.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 90.2% of population **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 23.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 7.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Education expenditure:** 6.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 12.6% national budget (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2015 est.) male: 14 years (2015 est.) female: 15 years (2015 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from boats; poor land-use planning; deforestation; watershed management; squatter settlement control **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November) **Land use:** agricultural land: 17.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 7.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 5.1% (2023 est.) forest: 73.2% (2023 est.) other: 8.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 54.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 268,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 19,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 249,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 9.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 31,600 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 8.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 2,000 cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 0 cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 100 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island after Saint VINCENT of Saragossa because 22 January 1498, the day of discovery, was the saint's feast day **Government type:** parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm **Capital:** name: Kingstown geographic coordinates: 13 08 N, 61 13 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) **Administrative divisions:** 6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick **Legal system:** English common law **Constitution:** history: previous 1969, 1975; latest drafted 26 July 1979, effective 27 October 1979 (The Saint Vincent Constitution Order 1979) amendment process: proposed by the House of Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments to constitutional sections on fundamental rights and freedoms, citizen protections, various government functions and authorities, and constitutional amendment procedures requires approval by the Assembly membership, approval in a referendum of at least two thirds of the votes cast, and assent of the governor general **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Stanley JOHN (since 6 January 2026) head of government: Prime Minister Godwin FRIDAY (since 28 November 2025) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor general usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime minister also appointed by governor general on the advice of the prime minister **Legislative branch:** legislature name: House of Assembly legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 22 (15 directly elected; 6 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/27/2025 parties elected and seats per party: United Labour Party (ULP) (9); New Democratic Party (NDP) (6) percentage of women in chamber: 21.7% expected date of next election: November 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62 subordinate courts: magistrates' courts **Political parties:** New Democratic Party or NDP SVG Green Party or SVGP Unity Labor Party or ULP (formed in 1994 by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Lou-Anne Gaylene GILCHRIST (since 18 January 2017) chancery: 1627 K Street, NW, Suite 704, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736 email address and website: mail@embsvg.com http://wa.embassy.gov.vc/washington/ consulate(s) general: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines **International organization participation:** ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WTO **Independence:** 27 October 1979 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 27 October (1979) **Flag:** description: three vertical bands of blue (left side), gold (double-width), and green; the gold band has three green diamonds arranged in a "V" pattern that stands for "Vincent" meaning: the diamonds represent the islands as "the Gems of the Antilles" and are set slightly lowered in the gold band to reflect the country's position in the Antilles; blue stands for the tropical sky and sea, yellow for the sand, and green for vegetation **National symbol(s):** Saint Vincent parrot **National color(s):** blue, gold, green **National anthem(s):** title: "St. Vincent! Land So Beautiful!" lyrics/music: Phyllis Joyce MCCLEAN PUNNETT/Joel Bertram MIGUEL history: adopted 1969 title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: in use since 1745 ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income Caribbean island economy; key agriculture and tourism sectors; environmentally fragile; diversifying economy across services, science and knowledge, and creative industries; CARICOM member and US Caribbean Basin Initiative beneficiary **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.883 billion (2024 est.) $1.809 billion (2023 est.) $1.718 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.1% (2024 est.) 5.3% (2023 est.) 3.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $18,700 (2024 est.) $17,900 (2023 est.) $16,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.157 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.6% (2024 est.) 4.6% (2023 est.) 5.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 3.5% (2024 est.) industry: 15.4% (2024 est.) services: 66.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** bananas, root vegetables, plantains, spices, coconuts, fruits, apples, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, sweet potatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism; food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch **Industrial production growth rate:** 7.3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 52,100 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 18.1% (2024 est.) 18.6% (2023 est.) 19.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 41.4% (2024 est.) male: 41.4% (2024 est.) female: 41.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 8.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 8.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 9% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $226.404 million (2017 est.) expenditures: $208.744 million (2017 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 23.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$156.589 million (2024 est.) -$180.43 million (2023 est.) -$199.727 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $425.182 million (2024 est.) $345.098 million (2023 est.) $278.292 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Croatia 16%, Barbados 14%, USA 10%, St. Lucia 10%, St. Kitts & Nevis 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** ships, wheat flours, animal food, shellfish, construction vehicles (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $641.179 million (2024 est.) $588.865 million (2023 est.) $540.833 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 37%, Italy 7%, Trinidad & Tobago 7%, China 6%, UK 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum, wheat, coal, poultry (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $316.824 million (2024 est.) $280.564 million (2023 est.) $320.193 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $456.971 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2.7 (2024 est.) 2.7 (2023 est.) 2.7 (2022 est.) 2.7 (2021 est.) 2.7 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 55,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 140.316 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 10.868 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 86.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 12.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** exports: 8 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 8,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 37.253 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 9,080 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 109,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** St. Vincent and the Grenadines Broadcasting Corporation operates 1 TV station and 5 repeater stations that provide near total coverage to the multi-island state; multi-channel cable TV service available; a partially government-funded national radio service broadcasts on 1 station and has 2 repeater stations; about a dozen privately owned radio stations and repeater stations **Internet country code:** .vc **Internet users:** percent of population: 76% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 31,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** J8 **Airports:** 5 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 830 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 30, container ship 18, general cargo 137, oil tanker 16, other 629 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Kingstown ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; Ministry of National Security: Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVPF) (2025) **Military - note:** the country has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025) --- ## Samoa **Slug:** samoa **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇼🇸 **Codes:** cek: ws, iso2: WS, iso3: WSM, iso_num: 882, genc: WSM, stanag: WSM, internet: .ws ### Introduction **Background:** The first Austronesian settlers arrived in Samoa around 1000 B.C., and early Samoans traded and intermarried with Fijian and Tongan nobility. The fa’amatai system of titles and nobility developed, which dominates Samoan politics to this day; all but two seats in the legislature are reserved for matai, or heads of families. A Dutch explorer was the first European to spot the islands in 1722. Christian missionaries arrived in the 1830s and were followed by an influx of American and European settlers and influence. By the 1880s, Germany, the UK, and the US had trading posts and claimed parts of the kingdom. In 1886, an eight-year civil war broke out, with rival matai factions fighting over royal succession and the three foreign powers providing support to the factions. Germany, the UK, and the US all sent warships to Apia in 1889 and came close to conflict, but a cyclone damaged or destroyed the ships of all three navies. At the end of the civil war in 1894, Malietoa LAUPEPA was installed as king, but upon his death in 1898, a second civil war over succession broke out. When the war ended in 1899, the Western powers abolished the monarchy, giving the western Samoan islands to Germany and the eastern Samoan islands to the US. The UK abandoned claims in Samoa and received former German territory in the Solomon Islands. New Zealand occupied Samoa during World War I but was accused of negligence and opposed by many Samoans, particularly an organized political movement called the Mau (“Strongly Held View”) that advocated for independence. During the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic, about 20% of the population died. In 1929, New Zealand police shot into a crowd of peaceful Mau protestors, killing 11, in an event known as Black Sunday. In 1962, Samoa became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish its independence as Western Samoa but dropped the “Western” from its name in 1997. The Human Rights Protection Party dominated politics from 1982 until Prime Minister FIAME Naomi Mata'afa's Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party gained a majority in elections in 2021. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand **Geographic coordinates:** 13 35 S, 172 20 W **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 2,831 sq km land: 2,821 sq km water: 10 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Rhode Island **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 403 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October) **Terrain:** two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rugged mountains in interior **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Silisili 1,857 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** hardwood forests, fish, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 17.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.3% (2023 est.) forest: 57.8% (2023 est.) other: 24.6% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** about three quarters of the population lives on the island of Upolu **Natural hazards:** occasional cyclones; active volcanism volcanism: Savai'I Island (1,858 m) is historically active **Geography - note:** occupies an almost central position within Polynesia ### People and Society **Population:** total: 210,223 (2025 est.) male: 106,542 female: 103,681 **Nationality:** noun: Samoan(s) adjective: Samoan **Ethnic groups:** Samoan 96%, Samoan/New Zealander 2%, other 1.9% (2011 est.) note: data represent the population by country of citizenship **Languages:** Samoan (Polynesian) (official) 91.1%, Samoan/English 6.7%, English (official) 0.5%, other 0.2%, unspecified 1.6% (2006 est.) **Religions:** Protestant 54.9% (Congregationalist 29%, Methodist 12.4%, Assembly of God 6.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4.4%, other Protestant 2.3%), Roman Catholic 18.8%, Church of Jesus Christ 16.9%, Worship Centre 2.8%, other Christian 3.6%, other 2.9% (includes Baha'i, Muslim), none 0.2% (2016 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 26.9% (male 28,952/female 27,173) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 70,225/female 67,427) 65 years and over: 7.2% (2024 est.) (male 6,743/female 8,333) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 51.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 40.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 11.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.8 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 27.8 years (2025 est.) male: 27 years female: 27.8 years **Population growth rate:** 0.66% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 18.53 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.41 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -6.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** about three quarters of the population lives on the island of Upolu **Urbanization:** urban population: 17.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.03% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 36,000 APIA (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 101 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 20.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 75.7 years (2024 est.) male: 72.8 years female: 78.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.29 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.12 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 99% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.8% of GDP (2021) 15.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.56 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 99% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 47.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 2.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 20.5% (2025 est.) male: 28.6% (2025 est.) female: 12.3% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 3.4% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 62% (2020 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.9% (2020) women married by age 18: 7.4% (2020) men married by age 18: 2% (2020) **Education expenditure:** 5.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 11.7% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 98% (2019 est.) male: 98.3% (2019 est.) female: 97.7% (2019 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** soil erosion; deforestation; invasive species; overfishing **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October) **Land use:** agricultural land: 17.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.3% (2023 est.) forest: 57.8% (2023 est.) other: 24.6% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 17.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.03% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 335,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 335,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 7.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 27,400 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 57.6% (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa conventional short form: Samoa local long form: Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa local short form: Samoa former: Western Samoa etymology: the name's meaning and origin are unclear; some assert that it can mean "place of the moa bird" of Polynesian mythology, or it could be a local chieftain's name **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Apia geographic coordinates: 13 49 S, 171 46 W time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) **Administrative divisions:** 11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts involving fundamental citizen rights **Constitution:** history: several previous (pre-independence); latest 1 January 1962 amendment process: proposed as an act by the Legislative Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership in the third reading, provided at least 90 days have elapsed since the second reading, and assent of the chief of state; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles on customary land or constitutional amendment procedures also requires at least two-thirds majority approval in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Samoa dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 21 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va’aletoa Sualauvi II (since 21 July 2017) head of government: Prime Minister LA'AULIALEMALIETOA La'auli Leuatea Schmidt (since 16 September 2025) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the chief of state on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment process: chief of state indirectly elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a 5-year term (2-term limit); following legislative elections, the chief of state usually appoints the leader of the majority party as prime minister, with the approval of the Legislative Assembly most recent election date: 23 August 2022 election results: TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va’aletoa Sualauvi II (independent) unanimously reelected by the Legislative Assembly expected date of next election: 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Legislative Assembly (Fono) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 51 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 8/29/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Faatuatua ile Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) (32); Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) (22), Sāmoa Uniting Party (SUP) (3), Independents (4) percentage of women in chamber: 9.8% expected date of next election: August 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 2 Supreme Court judges and meets once or twice a year); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and several judges) judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the chief of state on the advice of the prime minister; other Supreme Court judges appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general and an appointee of the Minister of Justice; judges normally serve until retirement at age 68 subordinate courts: District Court; Magistrates' Courts; Land and Titles Courts; village chief councils **Political parties:** Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi or FAST Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP Sāmoa Uniting Party (SUP) Tautua Samoa Party or TSP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Pa’olelei LUTERU (since 7 July 2021); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN chancery: 685 Third Avenue, 44th Street, 11th Floor, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196 FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797 email address and website: samoa@samoanymission.ws About | Samoa Permanent Mission to the United Nations consulate(s) general: Pago Pago (American Samoa) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: the US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa embassy: 5th Floor, Accident Corporation Building, Matafele Apia mailing address: 4400 Apia Place, Washington DC 20521-4400 telephone: [685] 21-436 FAX: [685] 22-030 email address and website: ApiaConsular@state.gov https://ws.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship) **National holiday:** Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962) note: 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship, but it is observed in June **Flag:** description: red with a blue rectangle in the upper-left quadrant; on the rectangle are five five-pointed white stars that represent the Southern Cross constellation meaning: red stands for courage, blue for freedom, and white for purity note: similar to the flag of Taiwan **National symbol(s):** Southern Cross constellation (five five-pointed stars) **National color(s):** red, white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "O le Fu'a o le Sa'olotoga o Samoa" (The Banner of Freedom) lyrics/music: Sauni Liga KURESA history: adopted 1962; also known as "Samoa Tula'i" (Samoa Arise) ### Economy **Economic overview:** ower middle-income Pacific island economy; enormous fishing and agriculture industries; significant remittances; growing offshore financial hub; recently hosted Pacific Games to drive tourism and infrastructure growth **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.503 billion (2024 est.) $1.374 billion (2023 est.) $1.258 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 9.4% (2024 est.) 9.2% (2023 est.) -5.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $6,900 (2024 est.) $6,300 (2023 est.) $5,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.068 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.2% (2024 est.) 7.9% (2023 est.) 11% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 11% (2024 est.) industry: 10.9% (2024 est.) services: 72.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 80.8% (2024 est.) government consumption: 18.2% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 30.5% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 2.3% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 29.3% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -53.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** coconuts, bananas, taro, tropical fruits, pineapples, mangoes/guavas, papayas, root vegetables, milk, avocados (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food processing, building materials, auto parts **Industrial production growth rate:** 4.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 57,200 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.6% (2024 est.) 5% (2023 est.) 5.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 11.9% (2024 est.) male: 7.4% (2024 est.) female: 20.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 21.9% (2018 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Remittances:** 26.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 28.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 33.6% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $371.764 million (2023 est.) expenditures: $326.052 million (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 26.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $64.616 million (2024 est.) $40.177 million (2023 est.) -$74.039 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $369.73 million (2024 est.) $346.187 million (2023 est.) $175.377 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** India 26%, NZ 14%, USA 12%, American Samoa 10%, Australia 9% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, integrated circuits, coconut oil, fish, insulated wire (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $575.749 million (2024 est.) $560.776 million (2023 est.) $512.021 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** NZ 20%, Singapore 19%, China 17%, Australia 10%, Fiji 9% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, poultry, cars, plastic products, milk (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $507.74 million (2024 est.) $447.09 million (2023 est.) $321.163 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $269.974 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** tala (SAT) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2.754 (2024 est.) 2.738 (2023 est.) 2.689 (2022 est.) 2.556 (2021 est.) 2.665 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 98.3% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 97.9% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 54,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 141.846 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 17.284 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 59.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 15.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 18.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 6.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 23.476 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 4,570 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 134,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 62 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned TV station privatized in 2008; 4 privately owned TV stations; about a half-dozen privately owned radio stations and one state-owned; TV and radio broadcasts of several stations from American Samoa are available (2019) **Internet country code:** .ws **Internet users:** percent of population: 58% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 5W **Airports:** 4 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 13 (2023) by type: general cargo 3, oil tanker 1, other 9 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Apia ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; Samoa Police Service (includes a maritime unit) (2025) **Military - note:** informal defense ties exist with New Zealand, which pledged to afford assistance to Samoa in the conduct of its international relations under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship; New Zealand naval vessels patrol Samoan waters Samoa has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Somoa's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025) --- ## San Marino **Slug:** san-marino **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇸🇲 **Codes:** cek: sm, iso2: SM, iso3: SMR, iso_num: 674, genc: SMR, stanag: SMR, internet: .sm ### Introduction **Background:** Geographically the third-smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See and Monaco), San Marino also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named MARINUS in A.D. 301. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of the EU, although it is not a member. San Marino is negotiating an Association Agreement that is expected to allow participation in the EU’s internal market and cooperation in other policy areas by late 2024. Social and political trends in the republic track closely with those of its larger neighbor, Italy. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy **Geographic coordinates:** 43 46 N, 12 25 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 61 sq km land: 61 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about one-third the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 37 km border countries (1): Italy 37 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers **Terrain:** rugged mountains **Elevation:** highest point: Monte Titano 739 m lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m **Natural resources:** building stone **Land use:** agricultural land: 38.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 33.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 16.7% (2023 est.) other: 45% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Natural hazards:** occasional earthquakes **Geography - note:** landlocked; an enclave of (completely surrounded by) Italy; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennine Mountains ### People and Society **Population:** total: 35,291 (2025 est.) male: 17,035 female: 18,256 **Nationality:** noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural) adjective: Sammarinese **Ethnic groups:** Sammarinese, Italian **Languages:** Italian major-language sample(s): L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 14.2% (male 2,614/female 2,387) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 10,916/female 11,648) 65 years and over: 21.5% (2024 est.) (male 3,414/female 4,116) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 56.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 22.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 34.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 46.3 years (2025 est.) male: 44.5 years female: 47.4 years **Population growth rate:** 0.55% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 9.04 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.9 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 5.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 97.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 4,000 SAN MARINO (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 31.9 years (2019) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 8 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 84.2 years (2024 est.) male: 81.7 years female: 87 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.54 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.74 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8% of GDP (2021) 29.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.63 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 2.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 13% national budget (2023 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 99.9% (2022 est.) male: 99.9% (2022 est.) female: 99.9% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2015 est.) male: 15 years (2015 est.) female: 16 years (2015 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution; urbanization decreasing rural farmlands; water shortage **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution **Climate:** Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers **Land use:** agricultural land: 38.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 33.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 16.7% (2023 est.) other: 45% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 97.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 9.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 17,200 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 45.1% (2016 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of San Marino conventional short form: San Marino local long form: Repubblica di San Marino local short form: San Marino etymology: named after Saint MARINUS, who founded a monastic settlement on Monte Titano in the early 4th century **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: San Marino (city) geographic coordinates: 43 56 N, 12 25 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: named after Saint MARINUS, who founded a monastic settlement on Monte Titano in the early 4th century **Administrative divisions:** 9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle **Legal system:** civil law system with Italian civil law influences **Constitution:** history: San Marino’s principal legislative instruments consist of old customs (antiche consuetudini), the Statutory Laws of San Marino (Leges Statutae Sancti Marini), old statutes (antichi statute) from the1600s, Brief Notes on the Constitutional Order and Institutional Organs of the Republic of San Marino (Brevi Cenni sull’Ordinamento Costituzionale e gli Organi Istituzionali della Repubblica di San Marino) and successive legislation, chief among them is the Declaration of the Rights of Citizens and Fundamental Principles of the San Marino Legal Order (Dichiarazione dei Diritti dei Cittadini e dei Principi Fondamentali dell’Ordinamento Sammarinese), approved 8 July 1974 amendment process: proposed by the Great and General Council; passage requires two-thirds majority Council vote; Council passage by absolute majority vote also requires passage in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of San Marino dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 30 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: co-chiefs of state Captains Regent Matteo ROSSI and Lorenzo BUGLI (for the period 1 October 2025 - 31 March 2026) head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Luca BECCARI (since 8 January 2020) cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Grand and General Council election/appointment process: co-chiefs of state (captains regent) indirectly elected by the Grand and General Council for a single 6-month term; Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs indirectly elected by the Grand and General Council for a single 5-year term most recent election date: co-chiefs of state: 1 April 2025 secretary of state: 28 December 2019 election results: 2025: Denise BRONZETTI (Reformist Alliance) and Italo RIGHI (Christian Democrat) elected captains regent: percent of Grand and General Council vote - NA 2024: Francesca CIVERCHIA (PDCS) and Dalibor RICCARDI (Free San Marino) elected captains regent; percent of Grand and General Council vote - NA 2019: Luca BECCARI (PDCS) elected Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs; percent of Grand and General Council vote - NA expected date of next election: co-chiefs of state: September 2025 note: the captains regent preside over meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which has seven other members who are selected by the Grand and General Council; assisting the captains regent are seven secretaries of state; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has some prime ministerial roles **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Great and General Council (Consiglio grande e generale) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 60 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 6/9/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Christian Democratic Party of San Marino (PDCS) (22); Free (Libera) – Socialist Party (PS) (10); Future Republic (RF) (8); Party of Socialists and Democrats (PSD) (8); Tomorrow - Motus Liberi (5); Reformist Alliance (AR) (4); R.E.T.E. Citizens' Movement (3) percentage of women in chamber: 35% expected date of next election: June 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII (consists of 12 members) judge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Grand and General Council from among its own to serve 5-year terms subordinate courts: first instance and first appeal criminal, administrative, and civil courts; Court for the Trust and Trustee Relations; justices of the peace or conciliatory judges note: the College of Guarantors for the Constitutionality and General Norms functions as San Marino's constitutional court **Political parties:** Domani - Modus Liberi or DML Free San Marino (Libera San Marino) or Libera Future Republic or RF Party of Socialists and Democrats or PSD Reformist Alliance or AR RETE Movement Sammarinese Christian Democratic Party or PDCS Socialist Party or PS Tomorrow in Movement coalition (includes RETE Movement, DML) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Damiano BELEFFI (since 21 July 2017); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN chancery: 327 E 50th Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (212) 751-1234 FAX: [1] (212) 751-1436 email address and website: sanmarinoun@gmail.com Republic of San Marino Permanent Mission to the United Nations **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: the United States does not have an Embassy in San Marino; the US Ambassador to Italy is accredited to San Marino, and the US Consulate General in Florence maintains day-to-day ties **International organization participation:** CE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Schengen Convention (de facto member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO **Independence:** 3 September 301 (traditional founding date) **National holiday:** Founding of the Republic (or Feast of Saint Marinus), 3 September (A.D. 301) **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue, with the national coat of arms in the center; the main colors come from the shield on the coat of arms, which features three white towers on mountain peaks on a blue field; a wreath and a crown are around the shield, above a scroll with the word LIBERTAS (Liberty) meaning: the towers represent the Guaita, Cesta, and Montale castles on Mount Titano; white and blue are said to stand for peace and liberty **National symbol(s):** three peaks, each displaying a tower **National color(s):** white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "Inno Nazionale della Repubblica" (National Anthem of the Republic) lyrics/music: no lyrics/Federico CONSOLO history: adopted 1894; the music for the anthem, which has no lyrics, is based on a 10th-century chorale piece **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: San Marino Historic Center and Mount Titano ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, non-EU European economy; surrounded by Italy, which is the dominant importer and exporter; open border to EU and a euro user; strong financial sector; high foreign investments; low taxation; increasingly high and risky debt **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $2.393 billion (2022 est.) $2.218 billion (2021 est.) $1.947 billion (2020 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 7.9% (2022 est.) 13.9% (2021 est.) -6.6% (2020 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $70,900 (2022 est.) $64,700 (2021 est.) $56,000 (2020 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.832 billion (2022 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.2% (2024 est.) 5.9% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0% (2022 est.) industry: 37.6% (2022 est.) services: 55.1% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 35.5% (2022 est.) government consumption: 17.1% (2022 est.) investment in fixed capital: 17.8% (2022 est.) investment in inventories: 5.2% (2022 est.) exports of goods and services: 197.4% (2022 est.) imports of goods and services: -173% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides **Industries:** tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine **Industrial production growth rate:** 10.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Remittances:** 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2020 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $841.03 million (2023 est.) expenditures: $816.886 million (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 103.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 17.8% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $284.256 million (2022 est.) $100.118 million (2021 est.) $42.98 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $3.616 billion (2022 est.) $3.23 billion (2021 est.) $2.439 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 12%, Austria 10%, USA 9%, Romania 8%, Brazil 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** washing and bottling machines, other foods, packaged medicine, woodworking machines, aircraft (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $3.169 billion (2022 est.) $2.94 billion (2021 est.) $2.232 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 24%, Italy 13%, Netherlands 9%, Spain 9%, Poland 8% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** garments, cars, electricity, animal food, footwear (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $836.088 million (2023 est.) $716.066 million (2022 est.) $954.383 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.951 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.877 (2020 est.) note: while not an EU member state, San Marino, due to its preexisting monetary and banking agreements with Italy, has a 2000 monetary agreement with the EU to produce limited euro coinage—but not banknotes—that began enforcement in January 2002 and was superseded by a new EU agreement in 2012 ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 16,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 41,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 120 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned public broadcaster operates 1 TV station and 3 radio stations; receives radio and TV broadcasts from Italy (2019) **Internet country code:** .sm **Internet users:** percent of population: 87% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 12,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** T7 **Airports:** 1 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** San Marino Military Corps (Corpi Militari Sammarinesi; aka Sammarinese Armed Forces or Forze Armate Sammarinesi): Fortress Guard Command (or Guard of the Rock), Uniformed Company of the Militias, Guard of the Great and General Council, Corps of the Gendarmerie Ministry of Internal Affairs: Civil Police Corps (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription; government has the authority to call up all San Marino citizens from 16-60 years of age to serve in the military (2025) **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of Italy --- ## Sao Tome and Principe **Slug:** sao-tome-and-principe **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇸🇹 **Codes:** cek: tp, iso2: ST, iso3: STP, iso_num: 678, genc: STP, stanag: STP, internet: .st ### Introduction **Background:** Portugal discovered and colonized the uninhabited Sao Tome and Principe islands in the late 15th century, setting up a sugar-based economy that gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century -- all grown with African slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. While independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. The country held its first free elections in 1991, but frequent internal wrangling among the various political parties precipitated repeated changes in leadership and failed, non-violent coup attempts in 1995, 1998, 2003, and 2009. In 2012, three opposition parties combined in a no-confidence vote to bring down the majority government of former Prime Minister Patrice TROVOADA, but legislative elections returned him to the office two years later. President Evaristo CARVALHO, of the same political party as TROVOADA, was elected in 2016, marking a rare instance in which the same party held the positions of president and prime minister. TROVOADA resigned in 2018 and was replaced by Jorge BOM JESUS. Carlos Vila NOVA was elected president in 2021. TROVOADA began his fourth stint as prime minister in 2022, after his party's victory in legislative elections. ### Geography **Location:** Central Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, just north of the Equator, west of Gabon **Geographic coordinates:** 1 00 N, 7 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 964 sq km land: 964 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** more than five times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 209 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm note: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May) **Terrain:** volcanic, mountainous **Elevation:** highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** fish, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 44.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 39.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 1% (2023 est.) forest: 57.5% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 100 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** Sao Tome, the capital city, has roughly a quarter of the nation's population; Santo Antonio is the largest town on Principe; the northern areas of both islands have the highest population densities, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** flooding **Geography - note:** the second-smallest African country (after the Seychelles); the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes, and both are mountainous ### People and Society **Population:** total: 226,722 (2025 est.) male: 113,129 female: 113,593 **Nationality:** noun: Sao Tomean(s) adjective: Sao Tomean **Ethnic groups:** Mestico, Angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), Forros (descendants of freed slaves), Servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cabo Verde), Tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese), Asians (mostly Chinese) **Languages:** Portuguese 98.4% (official), Forro 36.2%, Cabo Verdian 8.5%, French 6.8%, Angolar 6.6%, English 4.9%, Lunguie 1%, other (including sign language) 2.4%; other Portuguese-based Creoles are also spoken (2012 est.) note: shares of language sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census **Religions:** Catholic 55.7%, Adventist 4.1%, Assembly of God 3.4%, New Apostolic 2.9%, Mana 2.3%, Universal Kingdom of God 2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 6.2%, none 21.2%, unspecified 1% (2012 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 36.4% (male 41,337/female 40,106) 15-64 years: 60.3% (male 67,101/female 67,775) 65 years and over: 3.2% (2024 est.) (male 3,115/female 4,127) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 63.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 58.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 18.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 21.2 years (2025 est.) male: 20.4 years female: 21.2 years **Population growth rate:** 1.39% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 25.87 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.84 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -6.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** Sao Tome, the capital city, has roughly a quarter of the nation's population; Santo Antonio is the largest town on Principe; the northern areas of both islands have the highest population densities, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 76.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.96% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 80,000 SAO TOME (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.4 years (2008/09 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 75 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 41.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 46.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 39 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 67.7 years (2024 est.) male: 66 years female: 69.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.18 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.57 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 79.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 71.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 77.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 20.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 28.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 22.7% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.8% of GDP (2021) 14.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.46 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 2.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 56.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 43.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 53.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 43.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 56.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 46.5% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 12.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 4.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.58 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 7.3% (2025 est.) male: 13.1% (2025 est.) female: 1.7% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 5.4% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 53.1% (2019 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 5.4% (2019) women married by age 18: 28% (2019) men married by age 18: 3.1% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 5% of GDP (2023 est.) 18.1% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 87.4% (2019 est.) male: 92.5% (2019 est.) female: 82.8% (2019 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2021 est.) male: 13 years (2021 est.) female: 13 years (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation and illegal logging; soil erosion and exhaustion; inadequate sewage treatment in cities; biodiversity **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May) **Land use:** agricultural land: 44.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 39.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 1% (2023 est.) forest: 57.5% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 76.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.96% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 146,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 146,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 29 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 25,600 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 16.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 14.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 600,000 cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 25.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 2.18 billion cubic meters (2022) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe etymology: Sao Tome was named after Saint THOMAS the Apostle by the Portuguese who discovered the island on 21 December 1470 (or 1471), the saint's feast day; Principe is a shortening of the original Portuguese name of "Ilha do Principe" (Isle of the Prince), referring to Prince ALPHONSO of Portugal **Government type:** semi-presidential republic **Capital:** name: Sao Tome geographic coordinates: 0 20 N, 6 44 E time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after Saint THOMAS the Apostle by the Portuguese, who discovered the island on 21 December 1470 (or 1471), the saint's feast day **Administrative divisions:** 6 districts (distritos, singular - distrito), 1 autonomous region* (regiao autonoma); Agua Grande, Cantagalo, Caue, Lemba, Lobata, Me-Zochi, Principe* **Legal system:** mixed system of civil law based on the Portuguese model and customary law **Constitution:** history: approved 5 November 1975 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; the Assembly can propose to the president of the republic that an amendment be submitted to a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Sao Tome and Principe dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (since 2 October 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Américo d'Oliveira DOS RAMOS (since 12 January 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president most recent election date: 18 July 2021, with a runoff on 5 September 2021 election results: 2021: Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA elected president in the second round; percent of vote in the first round - Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (IDA) 39.5%; Guilherme POSSER DA COSTA (MLSTP-PSD) 20.8%; Delfim NEVES (PCD-GR) 16.9%; Abel BOM JESUS (independent) 3.6%; Maria DAS NEVES (independent) 3.3%; other 15.9%; percent of the vote in second round - Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA 57.5%, Guilherme POSSER DA COSTA 42.5% 2016: Evaristo CARVALHO elected president; percent of vote - Evaristo CARVALHO (ADI) 49.8%, Manuel Pinto DA COSTA (independent) 24.8%, Maria DAS NEVES (MLSTP-PSD) 24.1% expected date of next election: 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 55 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 9/25/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Independent Democratic Alliance (ADI) (30); Sao Tome and Principe Liberation Movement/Social Democratic Party (MLSTP - PSD) (18); Movement of Independent Citizens - Socialist Party (MCI - PS) - National Unity Party (PUN) (5); Other (2) percentage of women in chamber: 14.5% expected date of next election: September 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal Justica (consists of 5 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 5 judges, 3 of whom are from the Supreme Court) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the National Assembly; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly for 5-year terms subordinate courts: Court of First Instance; Audit Court **Political parties:** BASTA Movement Independent Democratic Action or ADI Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD Movement of Independent Citizens of São Tomé and Príncipe - Socialist Party or MCI-PS National Unity Party or PUN **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1604 New York, NY 101168 telephone: [1] (212) 317-0533 FAX: [1] (212) 317-0580 email address and website: stp1@attglobal.net Sao Tome and Principe Permanent Mission to the United Nations **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the US Ambassador to Angola is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe mailing address: 2290 Sao Tome Place, Washington DC 20521-2290 **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, CEMAC, CPLP, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) **Independence:** 12 July 1975 (from Portugal) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 12 July (1975) **Flag:** description: three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double-width), and green with two five-pointed black stars in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the left side meaning: green stands for the country's rich vegetation, red for the struggle for independence, and yellow for cocoa, one of the country's main agricultural products; the two stars symbolize the main islands history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement **National symbol(s):** palm tree **National color(s):** green, yellow, red, black **National anthem(s):** title: "Independencia total" (Total Independence) lyrics/music: Alda Neves DA GRACA do Espirito Santo/Manuel dos Santos Barreto de Sousa e ALMEIDA history: adopted 1975 ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower middle-income Central African island economy; falling cocoa production due to drought and mismanagement; joint oil venture with Nigeria; government owns 90% of land; high debt, partly from fuel subsidies; tourism gutted by COVID-19 **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.291 billion (2024 est.) $1.279 billion (2023 est.) $1.275 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 0.9% (2024 est.) 0.4% (2023 est.) 0.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $5,500 (2024 est.) $5,500 (2023 est.) $5,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $764.274 million (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 14.4% (2024 est.) 21.3% (2023 est.) 18% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 12.8% (2024 est.) industry: 2.9% (2024 est.) services: 76.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 81.4% (2017 est.) government consumption: 17.6% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 33.4% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 7.9% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -40.4% (2017 est.) **Agricultural products:** plantains, oil palm fruit, taro, bananas, fruits, cocoa beans, yams, coconuts, cassava, vegetables (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 34,500 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 9.2% (2024 est.) 9.1% (2023 est.) 9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 8.6% (2024 est.) male: 8% (2024 est.) female: 9.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 55.5% (2017 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 40.7 (2017 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.6% (2017 est.) highest 10%: 32.8% (2017 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $128.767 million (2022 est.) expenditures: $165.95 million (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Current account balance:** -$79.437 million (2022 est.) -$95.248 million (2021 est.) -$59.595 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $96.977 million (2022 est.) $75.256 million (2021 est.) $49.337 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Pakistan 54%, Germany 11%, Netherlands 7%, France 5%, UAE 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, cocoa beans, vehicle parts/accessories, palm oil, aircraft parts (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $219.322 million (2022 est.) $201.145 million (2021 est.) $160.097 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Portugal 35%, Angola 13%, Gabon 11%, Japan 8%, China 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum, rice, electric generating sets, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $46.247 million (2023 est.) $64.476 million (2022 est.) $75.017 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $327.248 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** dobras (STD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 22.658 (2023 est.) 23.29 (2022 est.) 20.71 (2021 est.) 21.507 (2020 est.) 21.885 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 78% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 80% electrification - rural areas: 73.7% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 29,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 47.05 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 40.95 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 93.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 6.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 1,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 8.875 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1,780 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2024 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 147,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 62 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 state-owned TV station; 2 state-owned radio stations; 7 independent local radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available **Internet country code:** .st **Internet users:** percent of population: 62% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 6,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** S9 **Airports:** 2 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 25 (2023) by type: general cargo 15, oil tanker 4, other 6 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Santo Antonio, Sao Tome ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (Forcas Armadas de Sao Tome e Principe, FASTP): Army, Coast Guard of Sao Tome e Principe (Guarda Costeira de Sao Tome e Principe, GCSTP), Presidential Guard, National Guard (2025) note: the Army and Coast Guard are responsible for external security while the public security police and judicial police maintain internal security; both the public security police and the military report to the Ministry of Defense and Internal Affairs; the judicial police report to the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration, and Human Rights **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 500 active Armed Forces (2023) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the FASTP is lightly armed and has a small inventory of mostly older weapons and equipment (2023) **Military service age and obligation:** limited information; 18 is the minimum age for compulsory military service (reportedly not enforced) and 17 years of age (with parental permission) for voluntary service (2024) **Military - note:** the FASTP is one of the smallest militaries in Africa and consists of only a few companies of ground troops and some small patrol boats (2024) --- ## Saudi Arabia **Slug:** saudi-arabia **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇸🇦 **Codes:** cek: sa, iso2: SA, iso3: SAU, iso_num: 682, genc: SAU, stanag: SAU, internet: .sa ### Introduction **Background:** Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king's official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman AL SAUD (Ibn Saud) founded the modern Saudi state in 1932 after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula. One of his male descendants rules the country today, as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law. After Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia took in the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees, while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil and liberate Kuwait the following year. Major terrorist attacks in 2003 spurred a strong ongoing campaign against domestic terrorism and extremism. US troops returned to the Kingdom in 2019 after attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure. From 2005 to 2015, King ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud incrementally modernized the Kingdom through a series of social and economic initiatives that included expanding employment and social opportunities for women, attracting foreign investment, increasing the private sector's role in the economy, and discouraging the hiring of foreign workers. Saudi Arabia saw some protests during the 2011 Arab Spring but not the level of bloodshed seen in protests elsewhere in the region; Riyadh took a cautious but firm approach, arresting and quickly releasing some protesters and using its state-sponsored clerics to counter political and Islamist activism. The government held its first-ever elections in 2005 and 2011, when Saudis voted for municipal councilors. King ABDALLAH's reforms accelerated under King SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz, who ascended to the throne in 2015 and lifted the Kingdom's ban on women driving, implemented education reforms, funded green initiatives, and allowed cinemas to operate for the first time in decades. In 2015, women were allowed to vote and stand as candidates for the first time in municipal elections, with 19 women winning seats. King SALMAN initially named his nephew, MUHAMMAD BIN NAYIF bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, as the Crown Prince, but a palace coup in 2017 resulted in King SALMAN's son, Deputy Crown Prince MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, taking over as Crown Prince. King SALMAN appointed MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN as prime minister in 2022. In 2015, Saudi Arabia led a coalition of 10 countries in a military campaign to restore Yemen's legitimate government, which had been ousted by Houthi forces. The war in Yemen has drawn international criticism for civilian casualties and its effect on the country’s dire humanitarian situation. The same year, MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN announced that Saudi Arabia would lead a multi-nation Islamic Coalition to fight terrorism, and in 2017, Saudi Arabia inaugurated the Global Center for Combatting Extremist Ideology (also known as "Etidal"). The country remains a leading producer of oil and natural gas and holds about 17% of the world's proven oil reserves as of 2020. The government continues to pursue economic reform and diversification -- particularly since Saudi Arabia's accession to the WTO in 2005 -- and promotes foreign investment in the Kingdom. In 2016, the Saudi Government announced broad socio-economic reforms known as Vision 2030. Low global oil prices in 2015 and 2016 significantly lowered Saudi Arabia’s governmental revenue, prompting cuts to subsidies on water, electricity, and gasoline; reduced government-employee compensation; and new land taxes. In coordination with OPEC and some key non-OPEC countries, Saudi Arabia agreed to cut oil output in 2017 to regulate supply and help boost global prices. In 2020, this agreement collapsed, and Saudi Arabia launched a price war by flooding the market with low-priced oil before returning to the negotiating table to agree to a major output cut that helped buoy prices. ### Geography **Location:** Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen **Geographic coordinates:** 25 00 N, 45 00 E **Map references:** Middle East **Area:** total : 2,149,690 sq km land: 2,149,690 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US **Land boundaries:** total: 4,272 km border countries (7): Iraq 811 km; Jordan 731 km; Kuwait 221 km; Oman 658 km; Qatar 87 km; UAE 457 km; Yemen 1,307 km **Coastline:** 2,640 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified **Climate:** harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes **Terrain:** mostly sandy desert **Elevation:** highest point: As Sarawat range, 3,000 m lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m mean elevation: 665 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper **Land use:** agricultural land: 80.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 79.1% (2023 est.) forest: 1.3% (2023 est.) other: 17.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 7,575 sq km (2022) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Arabian Aquifer System **Population distribution:** historically a population that was mostly nomadic or semi-nomadic, the Saudi population has become more settled since oil was discovered in the 1930s; most of the country's population is now concentrated in a wide area across the middle of the peninsula, from Ad Dammam in the east through Riyadh in the interior to Mecca-Medina in the west near the Red Sea **Natural hazards:** frequent sand and dust storms volcanism: little activity in the past few centuries, despite many volcanic formations; volcanoes include Harrat Rahat, Harrat Khaybar, Harrat Lunayyir, and Jabal Yar **Geography - note:** Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the world without a river; extensive coastlines on the Persian Gulf and Red Sea allow for considerable shipping (especially of crude oil) through the Persian Gulf and Suez Canal ### People and Society **Population:** total: 37,172,774 (2025 est.) male: 21,067,984 female: 16,104,790 **Nationality:** noun: Saudi(s) adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian **Ethnic groups:** Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10% **Languages:** Arabic (official) major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim (official; citizens are 85-90% Sunni and 10-12% Shia), other (includes Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Sikh) (2020 est.) note: despite having a large expatriate community of various faiths (more than 30% of the population), most forms of public religious expression inconsistent with the government-sanctioned interpretation of Sunni Islam are restricted; non-Muslims are not allowed to have Saudi citizenship and non-Muslim places of worship are not permitted (2013) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 22.9% (male 4,266,720/female 4,097,270) 15-64 years: 72.7% (male 15,577,133/female 10,994,061) 65 years and over: 4.4% (2024 est.) (male 856,985/female 752,262) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 36.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 15.8 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 32.8 years (2025 est.) male: 34.6 years female: 29.3 years **Population growth rate:** 1.72% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 13.41 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 3.51 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 7.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** historically a population that was mostly nomadic or semi-nomadic, the Saudi population has become more settled since oil was discovered in the 1930s; most of the country's population is now concentrated in a wide area across the middle of the peninsula, from Ad Dammam in the east through Riyadh in the interior to Mecca-Medina in the west near the Red Sea **Urbanization:** urban population: 85% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.69% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 7.682 million RIYADH (capital), 4.863 million Jeddah, 2.150 million Mecca, 1.573 million Medina, 1.329 million Ad Dammam, 872,000 million Hufuf-Mubarraz (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.42 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.14 male(s)/female total population: 1.31 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 12.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 77.2 years (2024 est.) male: 75.6 years female: 78.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.84 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.9 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6% of GDP (2021) 12.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.41 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 2.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 35.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 17.6% (2025 est.) male: 28.3% (2025 est.) female: 2% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 3.5% (2020 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 55.3% (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 14.8% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 97.9% (2024 est.) male: 98.6% (2024 est.) female: 96.7% (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 17 years (2022 est.) male: 16 years (2022 est.) female: 18 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** desertification; depletion of underground water resources; limited freshwater resources; coastal pollution from oil spills; air pollution; waste management **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes **Land use:** agricultural land: 80.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 79.1% (2023 est.) forest: 1.3% (2023 est.) other: 17.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 85% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.69% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 656.511 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 384,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 418.326 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 237.801 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 60.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 1,743.8 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 162.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 927.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 28.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 16.126 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 18.8% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 3.392 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 21.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 2.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 2 (2025) global geoparks and regional networks: North Riyadh; Salma (2025) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia conventional short form: Saudi Arabia local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah etymology: named after the ruling dynasty of the country, the House of Saud; the name Arabia can be traced back at least as far as the ancient Romans, who referred to the peninsula as "Arabia Felix" (Arabia the Fortunate) **Government type:** absolute monarchy **Capital:** name: Riyadh geographic coordinates: 24 39 N, 46 42 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name derives from the Arabic word riyadh, meaning "gardens;" the city was built around a small oasis **Administrative divisions:** 13 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah (Northern Border), Al Jawf, Al Madinah al Munawwarah (Medina), Al Qasim, Ar Riyad (Riyadh), Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jazan, Makkah al Mukarramah (Mecca), Najran, Tabuk **Legal system:** Islamic (sharia) system with some elements of Egyptian, French, and customary law; commercial disputes handled by special committees **Constitution:** history: 1 March 1992 -- Basic Law of Government, issued by royal decree, serves as the constitutional framework and is based on the Qur'an and the life and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad amendment process: proposed by the king directly or proposed to the king by the Consultative Assembly or by the Council of Ministers; passage by the king through royal decree **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Saudi Arabia; a child born out of wedlock in Saudi Arabia to a Saudi mother and unknown father dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal for municipal elections **Executive branch:** chief of state: King SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 23 January 2015) head of government: Crown Prince and Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 27 September 2022) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch every 4 years and includes many royal family members election/appointment process: none; the monarchy is hereditary; an Allegiance Council created by royal decree in 2006 established a committee of Saudi princes who have a voice in selecting future Saudi kings **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Shura Council (Majlis Ash-Shura) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 151 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 9/2/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 19.9% expected date of next election: August 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): High Court (consists of the court chief; organized into circuits with 3-judge panels, except for the criminal circuit, which has a 5-judge panel for cases involving major punishments) judge selection and term of office: High Court chief and chiefs of the High Court Circuits appointed by royal decree on the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council, a 10-member body of high-level judges and other judicial heads; new judges and assistant judges serve 1- and 2-year probations, respectively, before permanent assignment subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; Specialized Criminal Court, first-degree courts composed of general, criminal, personal status, and commercial courts; Labor Court; a hierarchy of administrative courts **Political parties:** none **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Reema Bint Bandar Bin Sultan AL SAUD (since 8 July 2019) chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800 FAX: [1] (202) 295-3625 email address and website: saudisusemb@mofa.gov.sa https://www.saudiembassy.net/ consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Alison DILWORTH (since January 2025) embassy: Riyadh 11564 mailing address: 6300 Riyadh Place, Washington DC 20521-6300 telephone: [966] (11) 835-4000 FAX: [966] (11) 488-7360 email address and website: RiyadhACS@state.gov https://sa.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jeddah **International organization participation:** ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BIS, BRICS, CAEU, CP, FAO, G-20, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom) **National holiday:** Saudi National Day (Unification of the Kingdom), 23 September (1932) **Flag:** description: green (traditional Islamic color) with the Shahada, or Muslim creed, in large white Arabic script that translates as, "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the messenger of God;" the text is above a white horizontal saber pointing to the left history: design dates to the early 20th century and is closely associated with the Al Saud family that established the kingdom in 1932; the flag has different sides so that the text reads correctly from right to left and the saber points in the same direction on both sides note 1: the only national flag that has an inscription as its primary design note 2: one of three national flags that differ on each side -- the others are Moldova and Paraguay **National symbol(s):** palm tree over two crossed swords **National color(s):** green, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Aash Al Maleek" (Long Live Our Beloved King) lyrics/music: Ibrahim KHAFAJI/Abdul Rahman al-KHATEEB history: music adopted 1947, lyrics adopted 1984 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 7 (7 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Hegra Archaeological Site (al-Hijr / Madā ͐ in Ṣāliḥ) (c); At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah (c); Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Makkah (c); Rock Art in the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia (c); Al-Ahsa Oasis, an Evolving Cultural Landscape (c); Ḥimā Cultural Area (c); ‘Uruq Bani Ma’arid (n);The Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, oil-based Middle Eastern economy; OPEC founding member; Vision 2030 strategy prioritizing economic diversification, increased private sector involvement, and projects funded by sovereign wealth fund and foreign investment; young labor force; falling but significant poverty rate despite lack of official statistics **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $2.213 trillion (2024 est.) $2.173 trillion (2023 est.) $2.161 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.8% (2024 est.) 0.5% (2023 est.) 12% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $62,700 (2024 est.) $64,500 (2023 est.) $67,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.238 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.7% (2024 est.) 2.3% (2023 est.) 2.5% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2.5% (2024 est.) industry: 44.8% (2024 est.) services: 47.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 45% (2024 est.) government consumption: 21.4% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 28.7% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 1.4% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 29.2% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -25.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, dates, chicken, wheat, tomatoes, watermelons, potatoes, olives, eggs, onions (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), cement, fertilizer, plastics, metals, commercial ship repair, commercial aircraft repair, construction **Industrial production growth rate:** -1.3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 17.168 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.9% (2024 est.) 4.1% (2023 est.) 5.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 13.8% (2024 est.) male: 9.8% (2024 est.) female: 23.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Average household expenditures:** on food: 20.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2024 est.) 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $378.413 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $388.489 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 7.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$5.685 billion (2024 est.) $35.133 billion (2023 est.) $150.353 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $360.897 billion (2024 est.) $368.731 billion (2023 est.) $445.881 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 21%, India 12%, Japan 12%, USA 6%, UAE 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, refined petroleum, plastics, alcohols, ships (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $317.012 billion (2024 est.) $289.91 billion (2023 est.) $258.371 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 21%, UAE 8%, USA 7%, India 6%, Germany 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, refined petroleum, gold, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $463.87 billion (2024 est.) $457.949 billion (2023 est.) $478.232 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Saudi riyals (SAR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 3.75 (2024 est.) 3.75 (2023 est.) 3.75 (2022 est.) 3.75 (2021 est.) 3.75 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 119.62 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 383.512 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 352 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 308 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 38.23 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 99.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 66,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 500 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 223,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 11.174 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 3.524 million bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 258.6 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 121.219 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 121.219 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 9.423 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 349.692 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 6.71 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 54.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 160 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-controlled broadcast media; state-run TV operates 4 networks; major market for pan-Arab satellite TV broadcasters; state-run radio with several networks; multiple international broadcasters available **Internet country code:** .sa **Internet users:** percent of population: 100% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 14.5 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** HZ **Airports:** 90 (2025) **Heliports:** 69 (2025) **Railways:** total: 5,410 km (2016) standard gauge: 5,410 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) **Merchant marine:** total: 433 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 9, container ship 1, general cargo 20, oil tanker 55, other 348 **Ports:** total ports: 16 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 7 very small: 8 ports with oil terminals: 10 key ports: Dammam, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Ju Aymah Oil Terminal, Ras Tannurah, Ras Al Khafji, Ras Al Mishab ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces (SAAF) are divided into two ministries: Ministry of Defense: Royal Saudi Land Forces, Royal Saudi Naval Forces (includes marines, special forces, naval aviation), Royal Saudi Air Force, Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces, Royal Saudi Strategic Missiles Force; Ministry of the National Guard: Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) Other security forces include: Ministry of Interior: Facilities Security Forces, Public Security Forces (police), General Directorate of Border Guard State Security Presidency (SSP): General Directorate of Investigation (Mabahith), Special Security Forces, Special Emergency Forces (2025) note 1: the regular armed forces under the Ministry of Defense are responsible for external defense, although they can be called for domestic security duties if needed note 2: the SANG (also known as the White Army) is a land force comprised of tribal elements loyal to the House of Saud; it is responsible for internal security, protecting the royal family, guarding against military coups, defending strategic facilities and resources, and providing security for the cities of Mecca and Medina; it may also assist the regular armed forces in combat operations note 3: the SAAF includes the Saudi Royal Guard Command, a unit which provides security and protection to the ruling family and other dignitaries **Military expenditures:** 7.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 7% of GDP (2023 est.) 6.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 7% of GDP (2021 est.) 8% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 250,000 active Saudi Armed Forces, including 125,000 under the Ministry of Defense and 125,000 in the National Guard (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the inventory of the Saudi military forces, including the SANG, is comprised of imported modern armaments; major suppliers include Canada, China, France, Spain, the UK, and the US; Saudi Arabia is one of the world's largest importers of arms (2025) note: the Saudi Navy is in the midst of a multi-year and multi-billion-dollar expansion and modernization program to purchase new frigates, corvettes, and other naval craft from such suppliers as Spain and the US **Military service age and obligation:** voluntary military service for men (17-40) and women (typically 21-40, although maximum age may vary by role); no conscription (2025) **Military - note:** Saudi Arabia's security concerns include border security, cyberattacks, instability in Yemen, international terrorism, maritime security, and regional rivals such as Iran and Turkey Saudi Arabia has close security ties with the US; the SAAF conducts bilateral exercises with the US military and hosts US forces; the US has participated in a cooperative program to equip and train the SANG since 1973, and much of the equipment for both the regular forces and the SANG has been acquired from the US; Saudi Arabia also has defense relationships with China, France, India, Pakistan, the UK, and fellow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members; it is a member of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region; the force was established in 1982, and its leadership is based in Saudi Arabia (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Saudi Space Agency (SSA; elevated to agency level from previous Saudi Space Commission or SSC, which was established in 2018); King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST; established 1977) (2024) **Space program overview:** has a national space strategy (Vision 2030) that seeks to grow its domestic space industry and use the space sector to accelerate economic diversification, enhance scientific research and development, and raise private-sector participation in the global space industry; manufactures and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites; develops a range of satellite subsystems and payload technologies; is the main founder and financier of the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat, launched in 1976 and headquartered in Riyadh); cooperates with the space agencies and industries of a wide range of countries, including those of Belarus, China, Egypt, the ESA and its member states (particularly France, Germany, Greece, and Hungary), India, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Ukraine, the UAE, the UK, and the US; member of the Arab Space Cooperation Group (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1985 - first communications satellite (Arabsat-1A) built and launched by European commercial companies; first Saudi astronaut in space on US Space Shuttle 2004 - first domestically built, experimental remote sensing (RS) satellite (SaudiSat-2) launched by Russia 2017-2019 - contributed to China’s robotic spacecraft mission (Chang’e-4) to the far side of the Moon 2021 - domestically built maritime-tracking satellite (Shaheen Sat) launched by Russia; began participating in Russia's astronaut training program 2022 - signed US-led Artemis Accords on space and lunar exploration 2023 - sent two astronauts, including first Saudi woman, to the International Space Station on a US commercial spacecraft ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa’ida note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 4,355 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 70,000 (2024 est.) --- ## Senegal **Slug:** senegal **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇸🇳 **Codes:** cek: sg, iso2: SN, iso3: SEN, iso_num: 686, genc: SEN, stanag: SEN, internet: .sn ### Introduction **Background:** Senegal is one of the few countries in the world with evidence of continuous human life from the Paleolithic period to present. Between the 14th and 16th centuries, the Jolof Empire ruled most of Senegal. Starting in the 15th century, Portugal, the Netherlands, France, and Great Britain traded along the Senegalese coast. Senegal’s location on the western tip of Africa made it a favorable base for the European slave trade. European powers used the Senegalese island of Goree as a base to purchase slaves from the warring chiefdoms on the mainland, and at the height of the slave trade in Senegal, over one-third of the Senegalese population was enslaved. In 1815, France abolished slavery and began expanding inland. During the second half of the 19th century, France took possession of Senegal as a French colony. In 1959, the French colonies of Senegal and French Sudan were merged and granted independence in 1960 as the Mali Federation. The union broke up after only a few months. In 1982, Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia. The envisaged integration of the two countries was never implemented, and the union dissolved in 1989. Since the 1980s, the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance -- a separatist movement based in southern Senegal -- has led a low-level insurgency. Several attempts at reaching a comprehensive peace agreement have failed. Since 2012, despite sporadic incidents of violence, an unofficial cease-fire has remained largely in effect. Senegal is one of the most stable democracies in Africa and has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping and regional mediation. The Socialist Party of Senegal ruled for 40 years until Abdoulaye WADE was elected president in 2000 and re-elected in 2007. WADE amended Senegal's constitution over a dozen times to increase executive power and weaken the opposition. In 2012, WADE’s decision to run for a third presidential term sparked public backlash that led to his loss to current President Macky SALL. A 2016 constitutional referendum limited future presidents to two consecutive five-year terms. President Bassirou Diomaye FAYE took office in April 2024. ### Geography **Location:** Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania **Geographic coordinates:** 14 00 N, 14 00 W **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 196,722 sq km land: 192,530 sq km water: 4,192 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than South Dakota; slightly larger than twice the size of Indiana **Land boundaries:** total: 2,684 km border countries (5): The Gambia 749 km; Guinea 363 km; Guinea-Bissau 341 km; Mali 489 km; Mauritania 742 km **Coastline:** 531 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind **Terrain:** generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast **Elevation:** highest point: unnamed elevation 2.8 km southeast of Nepen Diaka 648 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 69 m **Natural resources:** fish, phosphates, iron ore **Land use:** agricultural land: 49.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 19.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 29.1% (2023 est.) forest: 45.1% (2023 est.) other: 5.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,200 sq km (2012) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Senegal (shared with Guinea [s], Mali, and Mauritania [m] ) - 1,641 km; Gambie (Gambia) (shared with Guinea [s] and The Gambia [m]) - 1,094 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Senegal (456,397 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin **Population distribution:** the population is concentrated in the west, with Dakar anchoring a well-defined core area; approximately 70% of the population is rural, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts **Geography - note:** westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost an enclave within Senegal ### People and Society **Population:** total: 19,311,233 (2025 est.) male: 9,516,356 female: 9,794,877 **Nationality:** noun: Senegalese (singular and plural) adjective: Senegalese **Ethnic groups:** Wolof 39.7%, Pulaar 27.5%, Sereer 16%, Mandinka 4.9%, Jola 4.2%, Soninke 2.4%, other 5.4% (includes Europeans and persons of Lebanese descent) (2019 est.) **Languages:** French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka, Serer, Soninke **Religions:** Muslim 97.2% (most adhere to one of the four main Sufi brotherhoods), Christian 2.7% (mostly Roman Catholic) (2019 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 40.7% (male 3,907,986/female 3,760,594) 15-64 years: 55.9% (male 5,098,038/female 5,437,195) 65 years and over: 3.4% (2024 est.) (male 277,290/female 366,416) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 77.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 71.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 16.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 19.4 years (2025 est.) male: 18.4 years female: 20 years **Population growth rate:** 2.4% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 29.54 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.85 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the population is concentrated in the west, with Dakar anchoring a well-defined core area; approximately 70% of the population is rural, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 49.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.340 million DAKAR (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 21.9 years (2019 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 237 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 30.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 34.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 70.6 years (2024 est.) male: 68.8 years female: 72.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.96 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.93 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 95.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 77% of population (2022 est.) total: 86.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 23% of population (2022 est.) total: 13.8% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.4% of GDP (2021) 3.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.11 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 0.7 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 95.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 60.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 77.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 39.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 22.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 8.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 5.4% (2025 est.) male: 10.5% (2025 est.) female: 0.5% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 16.2% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 65.5% (2023 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 8.8% (2019) women married by age 18: 30.5% (2019) men married by age 18: 0.7% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 6.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 20.9% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 50.4% (2023 est.) male: 61.5% (2023 est.) female: 41.5% (2023 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 9 years (2023 est.) male: 8 years (2023 est.) female: 10 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; droughts; seasonal flooding; overfishing; weak environmental laws; poaching **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind **Land use:** agricultural land: 49.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 19.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 29.1% (2023 est.) forest: 45.1% (2023 est.) other: 5.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 49.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 10.373 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 456,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 9.859 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 58,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 42.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 37 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 258.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 89.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 4.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.454 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 11.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 261 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.416 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 2.759 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 38.97 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Senegal conventional short form: Senegal local long form: République du Sénégal local short form: Sénégal former: Senegambia (along with The Gambia), Mali Federation etymology: named for the Senegal River that forms the northern border of the country; the river's name may derive from "Azenegue," the Portuguese name for the Berber Zenaga people who lived north of the river, or it could come from a local word meaning "navigable" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Dakar geographic coordinates: 14 44 N, 17 38 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, D.C., during Standard Time) etymology: the name comes from the Wolof word n'dakar, meaning "tamarind tree" **Administrative divisions:** 14 regions (régions, singular - région); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaffrine, Kaolack, Kéedougou, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Sedhiou, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor **Legal system:** civil law system based on French law; Constitutional Council reviews legislative acts **Constitution:** history: previous 1959 (pre-independence), 1963; latest adopted by referendum 7 January 2001, promulgated 22 January 2001 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or by the National Assembly; passage requires Assembly approval and approval in a referendum; the president can bypass a referendum and submit an amendment directly to the Assembly, which requires at least three-fifths majority vote; the republican form of government is not amendable **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Senegal dual citizenship recognized: no, but Senegalese citizens do not automatically lose their citizenship if they acquire citizenship in another state residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Bassirou Diomaye FAYE (since 2 April 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Ousmane SONKO (since 2 April 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a single, renewable 5-year term most recent election date: 24 March 2024 election results: 2024: Bassirou Diomaye FAYE elected president in first round; percent of vote - Bassirou Diomaye FAYE (PASTEF) 54%, Amadou BA (APR) 36%, other 10% 2019: Macky SALL reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Macky SALL (APR) 58.3%, Idrissa SECK (Rewmi) 20.5%, Ousmane SONKO (PASTEF) 15.7%, other 5.5% expected date of next election: March 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 165 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/17/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Pastef Party (130); Coalition Takku Wallu Sénégal (16); Other (19) percentage of women in chamber: 41.2% expected date of next election: November 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Suprême (consists of the court president and 12 judges and organized into civil and commercial, criminal, administrative, and social chambers); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (consists of 7 members, including the court president, vice president, and 5 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president of the republic upon recommendation of the Superior Council of the Magistrates, a body chaired by the president and minister of justice; judge tenure varies, with mandatory retirement either at 65 or 68 years; Constitutional Council members are appointed, 5 by the president and 2 by the National Assembly speaker; judges serve 6-year terms, with renewal of 2 members every 2 years subordinate courts: High Court of Justice (for crimes of high treason by the president); Courts of Appeal; Court of Auditors; assize courts; regional and district courts; Labor Court **Political parties:** Alliance for Citizenship and Work or ACT Alliance for the Republic-Yakaar or APR Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP AND (National Alliance for Democracy) And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism or AJ/PADS ARC (Alternative for the next generation of citizens) Awalé Benno Bokk Yakaar or BBY (United in Hope); coalition includes AFP, APR, BGC, LD-MPT, PIT, PS, and UNP Bokk Gis Gis coalition Citizen Movement for National Reform or MCRN-Bes Du Nakk Coalition Mimi 2024 Dare the Future movement Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT Democratic Renaissance Congress Front for Socialism and Democracy/Benno Jubel or FSD/BJ Gainde Centrist Bloc or BCG General Alliance for the Interests of the Republic or AGIR Grand Party or GP Gueum sa Bopp (Believe in yourself) Independence and Labor Party or PIT Jotna Coalition Liberate the People (Yewwi Askan Wi) or YAW Madicke 2019 coalition National Union for the People or UNP Only Senegal Movement Party for Truth and Development or PVD Party of Unity and Rally or PUR Patriotic Convergence Kaddu Askan Wi or CP-Kaddu Askan Wi PRP (Republican party for Progress) Rewmi Party Save Senegal (Wallu Senegal Grand Coalition) or WS; coalition includes PDS, Jotna Coalition, Democratic Renaissance Congress Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS Socialist Party or PS Tekki Movement Réewum Ngor (Republic of Values) Servants (Les Serviteurs) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoul Wahab HAIDARA (since 24 July 2025) chancery: 2215 M ST NW, Washington, D.C. 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 629-2961 email address and website: contact@ambasenegal-us.org http://www.ambasenegal-us.org/index.php consulate(s) general: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RAYNOR (since 10 March 2022); note - also accredited to Guinea-Bissau embassy: Route des Almadies, Dakar mailing address: 2130 Dakar Place, Washington D.C. 20521-2130 telephone: [221] 33-879-4000 email address and website: DakarACS@state.gov https://sn.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, CPLP (associate), ECOWAS, EITI (candidate country), FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 4 April 1960 (from France); 20 August 1960 (full independence after federation with Mali is dissolved) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 4 April (1960) **Flag:** description: three equal vertical bands of green (left side), yellow, and red, with a small five-pointed green star centered on the yellow band; green stands for Islam, progress, and hope, yellow for natural wealth and progress, and red for sacrifice and determination; the star represents unity and hope history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement note: the colors from left to right are the same as Mali's flag and the reverse of Guinea's flag **National symbol(s):** lion **National color(s):** green, yellow, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Pincez tous vos koras, frappez les balafons" (Pluck Your Koras, Strike the Balafons) lyrics/music: Leopold Sedar SENGHOR/Herbert PEPPER history: adopted 1960; lyrics written by Leopold Sedar SENGHOR, Senegal's first president; the anthem sometimes played incorporating the koras (harp-like stringed instruments) and balafons (types of xylophones) mentioned in the title **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 7 (5 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Island of Gorée (c); Niokolo-Koba National Park (n); Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (n); Island of Saint-Louis (c); Stone Circles of Senegambia (c); Saloum Delta (c); Bassari Country: Bassari, Fula, and Bedik Cultural Landscapes (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower middle-income, services-driven West African economy; key mining, construction, agriculture, and fishing industries; tourism and exports hit hard by COVID-19; large informal economy; developing offshore oil and gas fields; systemic corruption **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $83.183 billion (2024 est.) $77.82 billion (2023 est.) $74.642 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 6.9% (2024 est.) 4.3% (2023 est.) 3.9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $4,500 (2024 est.) $4,300 (2023 est.) $4,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $32.267 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 0.8% (2024 est.) 5.9% (2023 est.) 9.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 15.5% (2024 est.) industry: 25.4% (2024 est.) services: 49.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 65.8% (2024 est.) government consumption: 16.4% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 32.1% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.8% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 28.1% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -43.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** rice, groundnuts, watermelons, millet, cassava, sugarcane, maize, sorghum, onions, milk (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, zircon, and gold mining, construction materials, ship construction and repair **Industrial production growth rate:** 20% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 5.763 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3% (2024 est.) 2.8% (2023 est.) 2.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 4.1% (2024 est.) male: 3.2% (2024 est.) female: 6.3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 36.2 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 28.8% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 10.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 11.3% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $7.749 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $9.267 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 19.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$6.072 billion (2023 est.) -$5.542 billion (2022 est.) -$3.327 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $7.001 billion (2023 est.) $7.418 billion (2022 est.) $6.78 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Mali 21%, India 12%, Switzerland 11%, China 5%, UAE 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, refined petroleum, phosphoric acid, fish, cement (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $14.916 billion (2023 est.) $14.698 billion (2022 est.) $12.278 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 19%, France 9%, Nigeria 7%, India 7%, Russia 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, crude petroleum, rice, garments, wheat (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Debt - external:** $14.985 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 67.9% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 96.6% electrification - rural areas: 43.4% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 1.772 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 7.547 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 486 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 983 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 78.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 7.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 9.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 3.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 138,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 21 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 181,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 9,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 65,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 34.646 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 34.604 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 8.303 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 297,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2024 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 22.4 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 124 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** over 25 private TV stations; state-run Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise (RTS) broadcasts from five cities; wide range of independent TV available via satellite; hundreds of radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are accessible on FM in Dakar **Internet country code:** .sn **Internet users:** percent of population: 61% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 357,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 6V **Airports:** 20 (2025) **Railways:** total: 906 km (2017) (713 km operational in 2017) narrow gauge: 906 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 36 (2023) by type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 1, other 30 **Ports:** total ports: 6 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 1 very small: 4 ports with oil terminals: 4 key ports: Dakar, Karabane, Lyndiane, M'bao Oil Terminal, Rufisque, St. Louis ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Senegalese Armed Forces (les Forces Armées Sénégalaises, FAS): Army (l’Armée de Terre, AT), Senegalese National Navy (Marine Séenéegalaise, MNS), Senegalese Air Force (l'Arméee de l'Air du Séenéegal, AAS), National Gendarmerie Ministry of Interior: National Police (2025) note: the National Police operates in major cities, while the Gendarmerie under the FAS primarily operates outside urban areas; both services have specialized anti-terrorism units, and the Gendarmerie has both Territorial and Mobile components **Military expenditures:** 1.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 25,000 active Armed Forces personnel, including the Gendarmerie (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military has a mix of older, secondhand, and some more modern equipment from a variety of suppliers, including China, France, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Türkiye, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-28 (up to 35 for specialized roles); 24-month service commitment (2025) **Military deployments:** 190 Central African Republic (MINUSCA; plus about 575 police); approximately 380 police Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2025) **Military - note:** the Senegalese military is responsible for both territorial defense and internal security; it also assists the civilian government in such areas as preventive healthcare, infrastructure development, environmental protection, and disaster response; key areas of focus for the military include a low-level insurgency in the country's south, maritime security, and securing the border against smuggling and Sahel-based Islamist insurgent groups affiliated with al-Qa'ida and the Islamic State; the military participates in foreign peacekeeping deployments and multinational exercises; its closest security partner is France, which has long maintained a military presence in Senegal Senegalese security forces have been engaged in a low-level counterinsurgency campaign in the southern Casamance region against factions of the separatist Movement of Democratic Forces of the Casamance (MDFC) since 1982; the conflict is one of longest running low-level insurgencies in the World, having claimed more than 5,000 lives while leaving another 60,000 displaced; in recent years, nearly all of the MDFC factions have agreed to cease hostilities (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Senegalese Space Study Agency (Agence Sénégalaise d'Etudes Spatiales or ASES; launched in 2023 under the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation) (2025) **Space program overview:** small, nascent program focused on earth observation/remote sensing capabilities, largely for climate resilience, environmental management, research, and socio-economic development; conducts research in fields such as astronomy and planetary sciences; has cooperated with space agencies in China, France, Turkey, and the US, as well as the ESA (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2023 - signed cooperation agreement with ESA to leverage space technology for socio-economic growth; established a space control center to provide infrastructure for satellite manufacturing and satellite services 2024 - first Earth observation/remote sensing nanosatellite (GaindeSat-1A) built with French assistance and launched by US; signed agreement with Turkey on space infrastructure advancement; agreed to participate in China's lunar exploration/research station project 2025 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration; signed agreement with France for capacity development in space infrastructure and Earth observation initiatives ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 13,064 (2024 est.) IDPs: 5,922 (2024 est.) --- ## Serbia **Slug:** serbia **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇷🇸 **Codes:** cek: ri, iso2: RS, iso3: SRB, iso_num: 688, genc: SRB, stanag: -, internet: .rs ### Introduction **Background:** In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. The monarchy remained in power until 1945, when the communist Partisans headed by Josip Broz (aka TITO) took control of the newly created Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). After TITO died in 1980, communism in Yugoslavia gradually gave way to resurgent nationalism. In 1989, Slobodan MILOSEVIC became president of the Republic of Serbia, and his calls for Serbian domination led to the violent breakup of Yugoslavia along ethnic lines. In 1991, Croatia, Slovenia, and Macedonia declared independence, followed by Bosnia in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in 1992, and MILOSEVIC led military campaigns to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." These actions ultimately failed, and international intervention led to the signing of the Dayton Accords in 1995. In 1998, an ethnic Albanian insurgency in the formerly autonomous Serbian province of Kosovo resulted in a brutal Serbian counterinsurgency campaign. Serbia rejected a proposed international settlement, and NATO responded with a bombing campaign that forced Serbian forces to withdraw from Kosovo in June 1999. In 2003, the FRY became the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, a loose federation of the two republics. In 2006, Montenegro seceded and declared itself an independent nation. In 2008, Kosovo also declared independence -- an action Serbia still refuses to recognize. In 2013, Serbia and Kosovo signed the first agreement of principles governing the normalization of relations between the two countries. Additional agreements were reached in 2015 and 2023, but implementation remains incomplete. Serbia has been an official candidate for EU membership since 2012, and President Aleksandar VUCIC has promoted the ambitious goal of Serbia joining the EU by 2025. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary **Geographic coordinates:** 44 00 N, 21 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 77,474 sq km land: 77,474 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than South Carolina **Land boundaries:** total: 2,322 km border countries (8): Bosnia and Herzegovina 345 km; Bulgaria 344 km; Croatia 314 km; Hungary 164 km; Kosovo 366 km; North Macedonia 101 km; Montenegro 157 km; Romania 531 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot, humid summers with well-distributed rainfall); in other parts, continental and Mediterranean climate (relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumns) **Terrain:** extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and hills **Elevation:** highest point: Midzor 2,169 m lowest point: Danube and Timok Rivers 35 m mean elevation: 442 m **Natural resources:** oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, chromite, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 40.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 31% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.6% (2023 est.) forest: 40.4% (2023 est.) other: 27.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 550 sq km (2022) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Dunav (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations **Natural hazards:** destructive earthquakes **Geography - note:** landlocked; controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East ### People and Society **Population:** total: 6,612,318 (2025 est.) male: 3,223,548 female: 3,388,770 **Nationality:** noun: Serb(s) adjective: Serbian **Ethnic groups:** Serb 83.3%, Hungarian 3.5%, Romani 2.1%, Bosniak 2%, other 5.7%, undeclared or unknown 3.4% (2011 est.) note: most ethnic Albanians boycotted the 2011 census; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 5–11% of Serbia's population **Languages:** Serbian (official) 88.1%, Hungarian 3.4%, Bosnian 1.9%, Romani 1.4%, other 3.4%, undeclared or unknown 1.8% (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): Knjiga svetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Serbian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: Serbian, Hungarian, Slovak, Romanian, Croatian, and Ruthenian (Rusyn) are official in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina; most ethnic Albanians boycotted the 2011 census **Religions:** Serbian Orthodox 81.1%, unknown 5.3%, Islam 4.2%, Catholic 3.9%, no response 2.5%, atheist 1.1%; less than 1%: other Christians, Protestant, agnostic (2022) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 14.4% (male 492,963/female 463,995) 15-64 years: 65.6% (male 2,198,591/female 2,168,113) 65 years and over: 20% (2024 est.) (male 551,197/female 777,353) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 52.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 21.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 30.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 44.1 years (2025 est.) male: 42.4 years female: 45.4 years **Population growth rate:** -0.6% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 8.72 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 14.66 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations **Urbanization:** urban population: 57.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Kosovo **Major urban areas - population:** 1.408 million BELGRADE (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 28.2 years (2020 est.) note: data does not cover Kosovo or Metohija **Maternal mortality ratio:** 11 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 75.3 years (2024 est.) male: 72.7 years female: 78.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.47 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.71 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 95.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 96.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 95.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 3.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 4.3% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 10% of GDP (2021) 13.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.1 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 5.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 95.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 97.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 4.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 2.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 21.5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 7.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 36% (2025 est.) male: 37.8% (2025 est.) female: 34.5% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 1% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 54.3% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 1.2% (2019) women married by age 18: 5.5% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 3.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 8.4% national budget (2023 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 99.3% (2022 est.) male: 99.6% (2022 est.) female: 99.1% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2022 est.) male: 14 years (2022 est.) female: 16 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes in rivers; inadequate management of domestic, industrial, and hazardous waste **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot, humid summers with well-distributed rainfall); in other parts, continental and Mediterranean climate (relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumns) **Land use:** agricultural land: 40.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 31% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.6% (2023 est.) forest: 40.4% (2023 est.) other: 27.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 57.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Kosovo **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 44.782 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 27.743 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 11.665 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 5.374 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 21.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.347 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 702 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 3.967 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 422 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 162.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) note: data includes Kosovo **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Djerdap (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Serbia conventional short form: Serbia local long form: Republika Srbija local short form: Srbija former: People's Republic of Serbia, Socialist Republic of Serbia etymology: the country takes its name from the Serb people; the origin of their name is unclear but may derive from the Caucasian root word ser, meaning "man" **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Belgrade (Beograd) geographic coordinates: 44 50 N, 20 30 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name comes from the Serbian words beo (white) and grad (city); it probably referred to the white stone of the city fortress **Administrative divisions:** 117 municipalities (opstine, singular - opstina) and 28 cities (gradovi, singular - grad) municipalities: Ada*, Aleksandrovac, Aleksinac, Alibunar*, Apatin*, Arandelovac, Arilje, Babusnica, Bac*, Backa Palanka*, Backa Topola*, Backi Petrovac*, Bajina Basta, Batocina, Becej*, Bela Crkva*, Bela Palanka, Beocin*, Blace, Bogatic, Bojnik, Boljevac, Bosilegrad, Brus, Bujanovac, Cajetina, Cicevac, Coka*, Crna Trava, Cuprija, Despotovac, Dimitrov, Doljevac, Gadzin Han, Golubac, Gornji Milanovac, Indija*, Irig*, Ivanjica, Kanjiza*, Kladovo, Knic, Knjazevac, Koceljeva, Kosjeric, Kovacica*, Kovin*, Krupanj, Kucevo, Kula*, Kursumlija, Lajkovac, Lapovo, Lebane, Ljig, Ljubovija, Lucani, Majdanpek, Mali Idos*, Mali Zvornik, Malo Crnice, Medveda, Merosina, Mionica, Negotin, Nova Crnja*, Nova Varos, Novi Becej*, Novi Knezevac*, Odzaci*, Opovo*, Osecina, Paracin, Pecinci*, Petrovac na Mlavi, Plandiste*, Pozega, Presevo, Priboj, Prijepolje, Raca, Raska, Razanj, Rekovac, Ruma*, Secanj*, Senta*, Sid*, Sjenica, Smederevska Palanka, Sokobanja, Srbobran*, Sremski Karlovci*, Stara Pazova*, Surdulica, Svilajnac, Svrljig, Temerin*, Titel*, Topola, Trgoviste, Trstenik, Tutin, Ub, Varvarin, Velika Plana, Veliko Gradiste, Vladicin Han, Vladimirci, Vlasotince, Vrbas*, Vrnjacka Banja, Zabalj*, Zabari, Zagubica, Zitiste*, Zitorada cities: Beograd (Belgrade), Bor, Cacak, Jagodina, Kikinda*, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Krusevac, Leskovac, Loznica, Nis, Novi Pazar, Novi Sad*, Pancevo*, Pirot, Pozarevac, Prokuplje, Sabac, Smederevo, Sombor*, Sremska Mitrovica*, Subotica*, Uzice, Valjevo, Vranje, Vrsac*, Zajecar, Zrenjanin* note: the northern 37 municipalities and 8 cities -- about 28% of Serbia's area -- compose the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and are indicated with an asterisk **Legal system:** civil law system **Constitution:** history: many previous; latest adopted 30 September 2006, approved by referendum 28-29 October 2006, effective 8 November 2006 amendment process: proposed by at least one third of deputies in the National Assembly, by the president of the republic, by the government, or by petition of at least 150,000 voters; passage of proposals and draft amendments each requires at least two-thirds majority vote in the Assembly; amendments to constitutional articles including the preamble, constitutional principles, and human and minority rights and freedoms also require passage by simple majority vote in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Serbia dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Aleksandar VUCIC (since 31 May 2017) head of government: Prime Minister Djuro MACUT (since 16 April 2025) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the National Assembly election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister elected by the National Assembly most recent election date: 17 December 2023 election results: 2022: Aleksandar VUCIC reelected in first round; percent of vote - Aleksandar VUCIC (SNS) 60%, Zdravko PONOS (US) 18.9%, Milos JOVANOVIC (NADA) 6.1%, Bosko OBRADOVIC (Dveri-POKS) 4.5%, Milica DJURDJEVIC STAMENKOVSKI (SSZ) 4.3%, other 6.2% 2017: Aleksandar VUCIC elected president in first round; percent of vote - Aleksandar VUCIC (SNS) 55.1%, Sasa JANKOVIC (independent) 16.4%, Luka MAKSIMOVIC (independent) 9.4%, Vuk JEREMIC (independent) 5.7%, Vojislav SESELJ (SRS) 4.5%, other 7.3%, invalid/blank 1.6%; Prime Minister Ana BRNABIC reelected by the National Assembly on 5 October 2020; National Assembly vote - NA expected date of next election: 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Narodna skupstina) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 250 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 12/17/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Aleksandar Vucic – Serbia Must Not Stop (129); Serbia Against Violence (65); Ivica Dacic - Prime Minister of Serbia (18); Dr Miloš Jovanović - Hope for Serbia (13); We – Voice of the People, Prof. Dr. Branimir Nestorovic (13); Other (12) percentage of women in chamber: 37.2% expected date of next election: December 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Cassation (consists of 36 judges, including the court president); Constitutional Court (consists of 15 judges, including the court president and vice president) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court justices proposed by the High Judicial Council (HJC), an 11-member independent body consisting of 8 judges elected by the National Assembly and 3 ex-officio members; justices appointed by the National Assembly; Constitutional Court judges elected - 5 each by the National Assembly, the president, and the Supreme Court of Cassation; initial appointment of Supreme Court judges by the HJC is 3 years and beyond that period tenure is permanent; Constitutional Court judges elected for 9-year terms subordinate courts: basic courts, higher courts, appellate courts; courts of special jurisdiction include the Administrative Court, commercial courts, and misdemeanor courts **Political parties:** Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM or VMSZ Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina or DSHV Democratic Party or DS Ecological Uprising or EU Green - Left Front or ZLF Greens of Serbia or ZS Justice and Reconciliation Party or SPP (formerly Bosniak Democratic Union of Sandzak or BDZS) Movement for Reversal or PZP Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia or POKS Movement of Free Citizens or PSG Movement of Socialists or PS National Democratic Alternative or NADA (electoral coalition includes NDSS and POKS) New Communist Party of Yugoslavia or NKPJ New Democratic Party of Serbia or NDSS or New DSS (formerly Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS) New Face of Serbia or NLS Party of Democratic Action of the Sandzak or SDAS Party of Freedom and Justice or SSP Party of United Pensioners, Farmers, and Proletarians of Serbia – Solidarity and Justice or PUPS - Solidarity and Justice (formerly Party of United Pensioners of Serbia or PUPS) People's Movement of Serbia or NPS People's Movement of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija or Fatherland People's Peasant Party or NSS Political Battle of the Albanians Continues Russian Party or RS Serbia Against Violence or SPN (electoral coalition includes DS, SSP, ZLF, Zajedno, NPS, PSG, EU, PZP, USS Sloga, NLS, Fatherland) Serbia Must Not Stop (electoral coalitions includes SNS, SDPS, PUPS, PSS, SNP, SPO, PS, NSS, USS) Serbian People's Party or SNP Serbian Progressive Party or SNS Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO Social Democratic Party of Serbia or SDPS Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS Strength of Serbia or PSS Together or ZAJEDNO United Peasant Party or USS United Serbia or JS United Trade Unions of Serbia "Sloga" or USS Sloga We - The Voice from the People or MI-GIN **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Dragan ŠUTANOVAC (since 24 July 2025) chancery: 1333 16th Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 507-8654 FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933 email address and website: info@serbiaembusa.org http://www.washington.mfa.gov.rs/ consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Alexander TITOLO (since January 2025) embassy: 92 Bulevar kneza Aleksandra Karadjordjevica, 11040 Belgrade mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070 telephone: [381] (11) 706-4000 FAX: [381] (11) 706-4481 email address and website: belgradeacs@state.gov https://rs.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** BIS, BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU (candidate country), FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) note: Serbia is an EU candidate country and must complete accession criteria before being granted full membership **Independence:** 5 June 2006 (from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro); notable earlier dates: 1217 (Serbian Kingdom established); 16 April 1346 (Serbian Empire established); 13 July 1878 (Congress of Berlin recognizes Serbian independence); 1 December 1918 (Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes established, later known as Yugoslavia) **National holiday:** Statehood Day, 15 February (1835), the day the first constitution of the country was adopted **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal stripes of red (top), blue, and white; the national coat of arms is shifted to the left side; the principal field of the coat of arms displays a two-headed white eagle on a red shield; a smaller red shield on the eagle is divided into four quarters by a white cross; a royal crown is on top of the coat of arms meaning: red, blue, and white are the pan-Slav colors that represent freedom and revolutionary ideals; the eagle on a red shield represents the government; the smaller shield represents the country; the meaning and origin of the curved white symbols in each quarter are not clear note: the pan-Slav colors were inspired by Russia's flag **National symbol(s):** white double-headed eagle **National color(s):** red, blue, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Boze pravde" (God of Justice) lyrics/music: Jovan DORDEVIC/Davorin JENKO history: adopted 1904; song originally written as part of a play in 1872, and the Serbian people have used it as an anthem in the 20th and 21st centuries **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 4 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Stari Ras and Sopoćani; Studenica Monastery; Gamzigrad-Romuliana, Palace of Galerius; Stećci Medieval Tombstone Graveyards ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income Balkan economy; current EU accession candidate; hit by COVID-19; pursuing green growth development; manageable public debt; new anticorruption efforts; falling unemployment; historic Russian relations; energy import-dependent **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $177.093 billion (2024 est.) $170.482 billion (2023 est.) $164.166 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.9% (2024 est.) 3.8% (2023 est.) 2.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $26,900 (2024 est.) $25,700 (2023 est.) $24,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $89.084 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.7% (2024 est.) 12.4% (2023 est.) 12% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 3.1% (2024 est.) industry: 23.3% (2024 est.) services: 58.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 62.7% (2024 est.) government consumption: 17.8% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.6% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 2% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 52.7% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -58.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** maize, wheat, sugar beets, milk, sunflower seeds, soybeans, potatoes, barley, apples, plums (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** automobiles, base metals, furniture, food processing, machinery, chemicals, sugar, tires, clothes, pharmaceuticals **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.9% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 3.23 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 7.4% (2024 est.) 8.3% (2023 est.) 8.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 22.7% (2024 est.) male: 21.8% (2024 est.) female: 24.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 20% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 32.8 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 24.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 7.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.4% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 24.7% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 7.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 8.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 6.9% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $26.077 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $28.12 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 23.9% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$1.947 billion (2023 est.) -$4.457 billion (2022 est.) -$2.654 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $44.352 billion (2023 est.) $39.905 billion (2022 est.) $34.035 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 15%, Hungary 7%, Bosnia & Herzegovina 5%, Italy 5%, Romania 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** insulated wire, electricity, copper ore, plastic products, electric motors (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $48.158 billion (2023 est.) $47.395 billion (2022 est.) $39.476 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 12%, China 10%, Italy 7%, Turkey 5%, Hungary 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, natural gas, packaged medicine, plastic products, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $30.484 billion (2024 est.) $27.569 billion (2023 est.) $20.68 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $21.726 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Serbian dinars (RSD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 108.208 (2024 est.) 108.403 (2023 est.) 111.662 (2022 est.) 99.396 (2021 est.) 103.163 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 8.202 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 34.413 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 7.351 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 5.395 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 4.881 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 65.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 30.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 33.219 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 37.828 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 16,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 4.542 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 7.112 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 88,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 77.5 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 336.605 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 2.886 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 2.471 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 48.139 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 91.884 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 2.485 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 8.18 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 124 (2024 est.) **Internet country code:** .rs **Internet users:** percent of population: 85% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2.08 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** YU **Airports:** 46 (2025) **Heliports:** 11 (2025) **Railways:** total: 3,333 km (2020) 1,274 km electrified ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Serbian Armed Forces (Vojska Srbije, VS): Army (aka Land Forces; includes Riverine Component, consisting of a naval flotilla on the Danube), Air and Air Defense Forces, Serbian Guard Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs: Police Directorate (2025) note: the Serbian Guard is a brigade-sized unit that is directly subordinate to the Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff; its duties include safeguarding key defense facilities and rendering military honors to top foreign, state, and military officials **Military expenditures:** 2.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 2% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 25,000 active-duty Armed Forces (15,000 Land Forces; 5,000 Air/Air Defense; 5,000 other, including Serbian Guard) (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory consists of a mix of Soviet/Cold War-era and some more modern weapons systems from suppliers such as China, France, and Russia; Serbia has a defense industry focused on armored vehicles, artillery systems, and munitions (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished in 2011 (2025) note: as of 2024, women made up about 11% of the military's full-time personnel **Military deployments:** 180 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025) **Military - note:** the Serbian military is responsible for defense and deterrence against external threats, supporting international peacekeeping operations, and providing support to civil authorities for internal security; specific areas of concerns for the military include ethnic and religious extremism, separatism, and deepening international recognition of Kosovo; Serbia has cooperated with NATO since 2006, when it joined the Partnership for Peace program, and the military trains with NATO countries, particularly other Balkan states; Serbia has participated in EU peacekeeping missions, as well as missions under the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the UN; it traditionally has maintained close security ties with Russia and has a growing security relationship with China the modern Serbian military was established in 2006 but traces its origins back through World War II, World War I, the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913, and the Bulgarian-Serb War of 1885 to the First (1804-1813) and Second (1815-1817) Uprisings against the Ottoman Empire (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 36,270 (2024 est.) IDPs: 194,171 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 1,715 (2024 est.) --- ## Seychelles **Slug:** seychelles **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇸🇨 **Codes:** cek: se, iso2: SC, iso3: SYC, iso_num: 690, genc: SYC, stanag: SYC, internet: .sc ### Introduction **Background:** Seychelles was uninhabited before Europeans discovered the islands early in the 16th century. After a lengthy struggle, France eventually ceded control of the islands to Great Britain in 1814. During colonial rule, a plantation-based economy developed that relied on imported labor, primarily from European colonies in Africa. Seychelles gained independence in 1976 through negotiations with Great Britain. In 1977, Prime Minister France-Albert RENE launched a coup against the country’s first president, and Seychelles became a socialist one-party state until adopting a new constitution and holding elections in 1993. RENE continued to lead Seychelles through two election cycles until he stepped down in 2004. Vice President James Alix MICHEL took over the presidency and in 2006 was elected to a new five-year term; he was reelected in 2011 and again in 2015. In 2016, James MICHEL resigned and handed over the presidency to his vice-president, Danny FAURE. In 2020, Wavel RAMKALAWAN was elected president, the first time an opposition candidate has won the presidency. ### Geography **Location:** archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar **Geographic coordinates:** 4 35 S, 55 40 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 455 sq km land: 455 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** 2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 491 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May) **Terrain:** Mahe Group is volcanic with a narrow coastal strip and rocky, hilly interior; others are relatively flat coral atolls, or elevated reefs; sits atop the submarine Mascarene Plateau **Elevation:** highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** fish, coconuts (copra), cinnamon trees **Land use:** agricultural land: 3.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 58.6% (2023 est.) other: 38% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 3 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** more than three quarters of the population lives on the main island of Mahe; Praslin is home to less than 10%, and a smaller percentage is on La Digue and the outer islands, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; occasional short droughts **Geography - note:** the smallest African country in terms of both area and population; the constitution of the Republic of Seychelles lists 155 islands, including 42 granitic and 113 coralline; the largest island by far is Mahe, which is home to about 90% of the population and is the site of the capital city of Victoria ### People and Society **Population:** total: 98,724 (2025 est.) male: 51,290 female: 47,434 **Nationality:** noun: Seychellois (singular and plural) adjective: Seychellois **Ethnic groups:** predominantly Creole (mainly of East African and Malagasy heritage); also French, Indian, Chinese, and Arab populations **Languages:** Seychellois Creole (official) 89.1%, English (official) 5.1%, French (official) 0.7%, other 3.8%, unspecified 1.4% (2010 est.) **Religions:** Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 10.5% (Anglican 6.1%, Pentecostal Assembly 1.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.2%, other Protestant 1.7%), other Christian 2.4%, Hindu 2.4%, Muslim 1.6%, other non-Christian 1.1%, unspecified 4.8%, none 0.9% (2010 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 17.7% (male 8,912/female 8,439) 15-64 years: 72.4% (male 37,841/female 33,210) 65 years and over: 10% (2024 est.) (male 4,220/female 5,565) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 38.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 24.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 14.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 6.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 39.2 years (2025 est.) male: 38.2 years female: 39.4 years **Population growth rate:** 0.53% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 11.59 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.02 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** more than three quarters of the population lives on the main island of Mahe; Praslin is home to less than 10%, and a smaller percentage is on La Digue and the outer islands, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 58.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 28,000 VICTORIA (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 42 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 12.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.6 years (2024 est.) male: 72.2 years female: 81.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.8 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.89 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 96.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 3.6% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.3% of GDP (2021) 10.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.25 physicians/1,000 population (2019) **Hospital bed density:** 3.2 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 14% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 9.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.49 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 20.5% (2025 est.) male: 34.2% (2025 est.) female: 5.2% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 44.6% (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.7% national budget (2025 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2023 est.) male: 13 years (2023 est.) female: 15 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited freshwater resources; water pollution; biodiversity **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May) **Land use:** agricultural land: 3.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 58.6% (2023 est.) other: 38% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 58.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 893,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 92 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 893,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 17.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 48,000 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 24.4% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 9 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 3.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 900,000 cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles conventional short form: Seychelles local long form: Republic of Seychelles local short form: Seychelles etymology: named by French Captain Corneille Nicholas MORPHEY after Jean Moreau de SÉCHELLES, the finance minister of France, in 1756; the British changed the spelling of the name in 1815 when they acquired the islands **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Victoria geographic coordinates: 4 37 S, 55 27 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the British named the town Port Victoria in 1841 after Queen VICTORIA; the name was later shortened **Administrative divisions:** 27 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Royale, Au Cap, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand Anse Mahe, Grand Anse Praslin, Ile Persévérance I, Ile Persévérance II, La Digue, La Rivière Anglaise, Les Mamelles, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe Larue, Port Glaud, Roche Caiman, Saint Louis, Takamaka **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law, French civil law, and customary law **Constitution:** history: previous 1970, 1979; latest drafted May 1993, approved by referendum 18 June 1993, effective 23 June 1993 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting the country’s sovereignty, symbols and languages, the supremacy of the constitution, fundamental rights and freedoms, amendment procedures, and dissolution of the Assembly also requires approval by at least 60% of voters in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Seychelles dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Patrick HERMINIE (since 26 October 2025) head of government: President Patrick HERMINIE (since 26 October 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 9 October 2025 election results: 2025: Patrick HERMINIE elected president; Patrick HERMINIE (US) 52.7%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (LDS) 47.3% expected date of next election: 2030 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 34 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/27/2025 parties elected and seats per party: United Seychelles (US) (19); Seychelles Democratic Alliance (Linyon Demokratik Seselwa, LDS) (15) percentage of women in chamber: 26.5% expected date of next election: September 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Seychelles Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 4 justices); Supreme Court of Seychelles (consists of the chief justice and 9 puisne judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 3 Supreme Court judges) judge selection and term of office: all judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the recommendation of the Constitutional Appointments Authority, a 3-member body, with 1 member appointed by the president of the republic, 1 by the opposition leader in the National Assembly, and 1 by the other 2 appointees; judges serve until retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts of Seychelles; Family Tribunal for issues such as domestic violence, child custody, and maintenance; Employment Tribunal for labor-related disputes **Political parties:** Seychelles Party for Social Justice and Democracy or SPSJD Seychellois Democratic Alliance or LDS (Linyon Demokratik Seselwa/Union Démocratique Seychelloise) Seychelles National Party or SNP United Seychelles or US **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Vivianne FOCK TAVE (since 16 December 2025); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN chancery: 685 Third Avenue, Suite 1107, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785 FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786 email address and website: seychellesmission@sycun.org Foreign Affairs Department Republic of Seychelles » United States of America (mfa.gov.sc) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Henry V. JARDINE (since 22 February 2023) and Chargé d’Affaires Adham LOUTFI (since 6 October 2023); note - Ambassador JARDINE is posted in Mauritius and is accredited to Seychelles, and Chargé d’Affaires LOUTFI is posted in Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles embassy: 2nd Floor, Oliaji Trade Center, Victoria Mahe, Seychelles; note - US Embassy in Seychelles reopened on 1 June 2023 after having been closed in 1996 telephone: [248] 422 5256 email address and website: USEmbassySeychelles@state.gov https://sc.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, C, CD, COMESA, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 29 June 1976 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Constitution Day, 18 June (1993); Independence Day (National Day), 29 June (1976) **Flag:** description: five expanding bands of blue, yellow, red, white, and green, radiating from the bottom left corner meaning: the bands symbolize a dynamic new country moving into the future; blue stands for the sky and sea, yellow for the sun giving light and life, red for the people's determination to work for the future in unity and love, white for social justice and harmony, and green for the land and natural environment **National symbol(s):** coco de mer (sea coconut) **National color(s):** blue, yellow, red, white, green **National anthem(s):** title: "Koste Seselwa" (Seychellois Unite) lyrics/music: David Francois Marc ANDRE and George Charles Robert PAYET history: adopted 1996 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Aldabra Atoll; Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income Indian Ocean island economy; rapidly growing tourism sector; major tuna exporter; offshore financial hub; environmentally fragile and investing in ocean rise mitigation; recently discovered offshore oil potential; successful anticorruption efforts **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $3.549 billion (2024 est.) $3.43 billion (2023 est.) $3.354 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.5% (2024 est.) 2.3% (2023 est.) 12.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $29,200 (2024 est.) $28,600 (2023 est.) $28,000 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $2.167 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 0.3% (2024 est.) -1% (2023 est.) 2.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2.5% (2024 est.) industry: 12.3% (2024 est.) services: 65.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 74.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 26.3% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 17.2% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 85.2% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -103.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** coconuts, vegetables, bananas, eggs, chicken, pork, fruits, tomatoes, tropical fruits, cassava (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** fishing, tourism, beverages **Industrial production growth rate:** -6.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Population below poverty line:** 25.3% (2018 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 32.1 (2018 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.6% (2018 est.) highest 10%: 23.9% (2018 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $695.973 million (2023 est.) expenditures: $728.171 million (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenditures (excluding grants and social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 63.6% of GDP (2017 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 26.18% (of GDP) (2020 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$155.194 million (2023 est.) -$141.648 million (2022 est.) -$160.168 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $2.375 billion (2023 est.) $2.247 billion (2022 est.) $1.751 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** France 20%, Mauritius 12%, UK 9%, Japan 8%, Italy 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fish, scrap iron, animal meal, broadcasting equipment, ships (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $2.437 billion (2023 est.) $2.298 billion (2022 est.) $1.821 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** UAE 32%, Spain 10%, France 6%, South Africa 6%, India 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, fish, ships, cars, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $773.678 million (2024 est.) $682.794 million (2023 est.) $638.961 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Seychelles rupees (SCR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 14.53 (2024 est.) 14.018 (2023 est.) 14.273 (2022 est.) 16.921 (2021 est.) 17.617 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 156,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 581.227 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 44.034 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 86.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 12.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 500 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 98.847 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 18,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 164,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-run national broadcaster Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) has the only terrestrial TV station, which also airs broadcasts from international services; privately owned Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) channel; multi-channel cable and satellite TV available through 2 providers; SBC operates 1 AM and 1 FM radio station; 2 privately operated radio stations; transmissions of 2 international broadcasters available in Victoria (2019) **Internet country code:** .sc **Internet users:** percent of population: 87% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 39,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** S7 **Airports:** 16 (2025) **Heliports:** 6 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 30 (2023) by type: general cargo 6, oil tanker 6, other 18 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Victoria ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Seychelles People's Defense Forces (SPDF; aka Seychelles Defense Forces, SDF): Army (includes infantry, special forces, and a presidential security unit), Coast Guard, and Air Force Ministry of Internal Affairs: Seychelles Police Force (2025) **Military expenditures:** 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 500 active Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the SDF is lightly armed; its inventory consists of obsolescent armaments delivered in the 1970s and 1980s and some more recently donated equipment from Bahrain, China, India, and UAE (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-35 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2026) **Military - note:** formed in 1977, the SDF is one of the World's smallest militaries; its primary responsibility is maritime security, including countering illegal fishing, piracy, and drug smuggling; it was given police powers in 2022; the Seychelles maintains close security ties with India, which has provided support to the SDF's maritime security operations (2025) --- ## Sierra Leone **Slug:** sierra-leone **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇸🇱 **Codes:** cek: sl, iso2: SL, iso3: SLE, iso_num: 694, genc: SLE, stanag: SLE, internet: .sl ### Introduction **Background:** Continuously populated for at least 2,500 years, the area now known as Sierra Leone is covered with dense jungle that allowed the region to remain relatively protected from invading West African empires. Traders introduced Sierra Leone to Islam, which occupies a central role in Sierra Leonean culture and history. In the 17th century, the British set up a trading post near present-day Freetown. The trade originally involved timber and ivory but later expanded to enslaved people. In 1787, after the American Revolution, Sierra Leone became a destination for Black British loyalists from the new United States. When Britain abolished the slave trade in 1807, British ships delivered thousands of liberated Africans to Sierra Leone. During the 19th century, the colony gradually expanded inland. In 1961, Sierra Leone became independent of the UK. Sierra Leone held free and fair elections in 1962 and 1967, but Siaka STEVENS -- Sierra Leone’s second prime minister -- quickly reverted to authoritarian tendencies, outlawing most political parties and ruling from 1967 to 1985. In 1991, Sierra Leonean soldiers launched a civil war against STEVENS’ ruling party. The war caused tens of thousands of deaths and displaced more than 2 million people (about one third of the population). In 1998, a Nigerian-led West African coalition military force intervened, installing Tejan KABBAH -- who was originally elected in 1996 -- as prime minister. In 2002, KABBAH officially announced the end of the war. Since 1998, Sierra Leone has conducted democratic elections dominated by the two main political parties, the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the All People’s Congress (APC) party. In 2018, Julius Maada BIO of the Sierra Leone People’s Party won the presidential election that saw a high voter turnout despite some allegations of voter intimidation. BIO won again in June 2023, although irregularities were noted that called into question the integrity of the results. In October 2023, the Government of Sierra Leone and the main opposition party, the All People’s Congress, signed the Agreement for National Unity to boost cooperation between political parties and begin the process of reforming the country’s electoral system. ### Geography **Location:** Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia **Geographic coordinates:** 8 30 N, 11 30 W **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 71,740 sq km land: 71,620 sq km water: 120 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than South Carolina **Land boundaries:** total: 1,093 km border countries (2): Guinea 794 km; Liberia 299 km **Coastline:** 402 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April) **Terrain:** coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east **Elevation:** highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 279 m **Natural resources:** diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite **Land use:** agricultural land: 54.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 21.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 30.5% (2023 est.) forest: 34.3% (2023 est.) other: 11% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 300 sq km (2012) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km) **Population distribution:** population clusters are found in the lower elevations of the south and west; the northern third of the country is less populated, as shown on this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms **Geography - note:** rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 in) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal western Africa ### People and Society **Population:** total: 9,331,203 (2025 est.) male: 4,620,638 female: 4,710,565 **Nationality:** noun: Sierra Leonean(s) adjective: Sierra Leonean **Ethnic groups:** Temne 35.4%, Mende 30.8%, Limba 8.8%, Kono 4.3%, Korankoh 4%, Fullah 3.8%, Mandingo 2.8%, Loko 2%, Sherbro 1.9%, Creole 1.2% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century; also known as Krio), other 5% (2019 est.) **Languages:** English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves; a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%) **Religions:** Muslim 77.1%, Christian 22.9% (2019 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 40.1% (male 1,843,606/female 1,812,304) 15-64 years: 57.4% (male 2,557,715/female 2,675,418) 65 years and over: 2.5% (2024 est.) (male 114,405/female 117,601) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 72.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 68.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 4.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 22.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 19.7 years (2025 est.) male: 19 years female: 19.9 years **Population growth rate:** 2.24% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 30.04 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.8 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population clusters are found in the lower elevations of the south and west; the northern third of the country is less populated, as shown on this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 44.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.02% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.309 million FREETOWN (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.6 years (2019 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 354 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 70.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 66.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 59.4 years (2024 est.) male: 57.8 years female: 61 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.52 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.73 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 79.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 54.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 65.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 20.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 45.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 34.7% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8.6% of GDP (2021) 5.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.13 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 81.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 37.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 57.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 18.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 62.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 42.8% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 8.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 2.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 9.8% (2025 est.) male: 14.8% (2025 est.) female: 4.9% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 12% (2021 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 61.5% (2019 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 8.6% (2019) women married by age 18: 29.6% (2019) men married by age 18: 4.1% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 2.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 20.5% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 43.6% (2019 est.) male: 54.6% (2019 est.) female: 33.9% (2019 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture resulting in deforestation, soil exhaustion, and flooding; loss of biodiversity; air pollution; water pollution; overfishing **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April) **Land use:** agricultural land: 54.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 21.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 30.5% (2023 est.) forest: 34.3% (2023 est.) other: 11% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 44.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.02% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 1.342 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.342 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 45.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 610,200 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 9.7% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 111 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 55.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 45.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 160 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone conventional short form: Sierra Leone local long form: Republic of Sierra Leone local short form: Sierra Leone etymology: Portuguese explorer Pedro de SINTRA is usually credited with naming the country "Serra da Leao" (Lion Mountains) in 1462, but Venetian explorer Alvise CA' DA MOSTO recorded the name as "Serre-Lionne" in 1457, referring to the rumbling of thunder over the mountains **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Freetown geographic coordinates: 8 29 N, 13 14 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name described the original settlement in 1781, which served as a haven for free-born and freed African Americans **Administrative divisions:** 4 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, North Western, Southern, Western* **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law and customary law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest effective 1 October 1991 amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments requires at least two-thirds majority vote of Parliament in two successive readings and assent of the president of the republic; passage of amendments affecting fundamental rights and freedoms and many other constitutional sections also requires approval in a referendum with participation of at least one half of qualified voters and at least two thirds of votes cast **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Sierra Leone dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Julius Maada BIO (since 27 June 2023) head of government: President Julius Maada BIO (since 27 June 2023) cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president, approved by Parliament; the cabinet is responsible to the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by 55% in the first round or absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 24 June 2023 election results: 2023: Julius Maada BIO reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Julius Maada BIO (SLPP) 56.2%, Samura KAMARA (APC) 41.2%, other 2.6% 2018: Julius Maada BIO elected president in second round; percent of vote - Julius Maada BIO (SLPP) 51.8%, Samura KAMARA (APC) 48.2% expected date of next election: June 2028 note: the president is chief of state, head of government, and minister of defense **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 149 (135 directly elected; 14 indirectly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 6/24/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) (81); All People's Congress (APC) (54) percentage of women in chamber: 29.5% expected date of next election: June 2028 note: 14 seats are reserved for "paramount chiefs," who are indirectly elected to represent the 14 provincial districts **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Superior Court of Judicature (consists of the Supreme Court at the top, with the chief justice and 4 other judges, the Court of Appeal with the chief justice and 7 other judges, and the High Court of Justice with the chief justice and 9 other judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice and other judges of the Judicature appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, a 7-member independent body of judges, presidential appointees, and the Commission chairman, and are subject to approval by Parliament; all Judicature judges serve until retirement at age 65 subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; District Appeals Court; local courts **Political parties:** All People's Congress or APC Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Amara Sheikh Mohammed SOWA (since 24 July 2025) chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009-1605 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793 email address and website: info@embassyofsierraleone.net https://embassyofsierraleone.net/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Jared M. YANCEY (since 18 September 2025) embassy: Southridge-Hill Station, Freetown mailing address: 2160 Freetown Place, Washington DC 20521-2160 telephone: [232] 99 105 000 email address and website: consularfreetown@state.gov https://sl.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, C, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNOOSA, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 27 April 1961 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 27 April (1961) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue meaning: green stands for agriculture, mountains, and natural resources; white for unity and justice; and blue for the sea and the natural harbor in Freetown **National symbol(s):** lion **National color(s):** green, white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free" lyrics/music: Clifford Nelson FYLE/John Joseph AKA history: adopted 1961 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Gola-Tiwai Complex (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income West African economy; primarily subsistent agriculture; key iron and diamond mining activities suspended; slow recovery from 1990s civil war; systemic corruption; high-risk debt; high youth unemployment; natural resource rich **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $26.728 billion (2024 est.) $25.7 billion (2023 est.) $24.312 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4% (2024 est.) 5.7% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $3,100 (2024 est.) $3,000 (2023 est.) $2,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $7.548 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 28.6% (2024 est.) 47.6% (2023 est.) 27.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 25.4% (2024 est.) industry: 27.3% (2024 est.) services: 44.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 87.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 5.5% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 29.5% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 20.9% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -43.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** cassava, rice, oil palm fruit, vegetables, sweet potatoes, milk, citrus fruits, fruits, groundnuts, sugarcane (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** diamond mining; iron ore, rutile and bauxite mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, footwear) **Industrial production growth rate:** 4.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 2.863 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.2% (2024 est.) 3.2% (2023 est.) 3.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 3.6% (2024 est.) male: 4.8% (2024 est.) female: 2.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 56.8% (2018 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 35.7 (2018 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.4% (2018 est.) highest 10%: 29.4% (2018 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 4.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.6% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $740 million (2019 est.) expenditures: $867 million (2019 est.) **Current account balance:** -$606.358 million (2023 est.) -$452.094 million (2022 est.) -$522.815 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.382 billion (2023 est.) $1.202 billion (2022 est.) $928.689 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 67%, India 6%, Belgium 5%, Netherlands 4%, Ireland 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** iron ore, titanium ore, diamonds, aluminum ore, cocoa beans (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $2.264 billion (2023 est.) $2.074 billion (2022 est.) $1.91 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 32%, India 15%, UAE 5%, USA 5%, Turkey 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** rice, plastic products, packaged medicine, cement, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $495.699 million (2023 est.) $624.496 million (2022 est.) $945.908 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $1.451 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** leones (SLL) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 21.305 (2023 est.) 14.048 (2022 est.) 10.439 (2021 est.) 9.83 (2020 est.) 9.01 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 29.4% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 55.3% electrification - rural areas: 5% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 149,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 131.321 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 81.921 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 3.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 9.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 84.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 2.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 9,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 2.301 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 0 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 8.93 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 108 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 state-owned TV station; 3 private TV stations; 1 pay-TV service; 1 state-owned national radio station; about 24 private radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters available (2019) **Internet country code:** .sl **Internet users:** percent of population: 21% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 0 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2021 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 9L **Airports:** 8 (2025) **Heliports:** 3 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 584 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 33, container ship 8, general cargo 320, oil tanker 97, other 126 **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): organized as a Joint Force Command with land, air, and maritime components Ministry of Internal Affairs: Sierra Leone Police (2025) **Military expenditures:** 0.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 10,000 active Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the RSLAF has a small inventory comprised of obsolescent or secondhand imported armaments (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025) **Military - note:** the RSLAF’s primary responsibilities are securing the country's borders and territorial waters, supporting civil authorities during internal emergencies, and participating in peacekeeping missions; since the end of the civil war in 2002, it has received assistance from several foreign militaries, including those of Canada, China, France, the UK, and the US the RSLAF’s origins lie in the Sierra Leone Battalion of the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF), a multi-regiment force formed by the British colonial office in 1900 to garrison the West African colonies of Gold Coast (Ghana), Nigeria (Lagos and the protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria), Sierra Leone, and The Gambia; the RWAFF fought in both World Wars (2025) --- ## Singapore **Slug:** singapore **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇸🇬 **Codes:** cek: sn, iso2: SG, iso3: SGP, iso_num: 702, genc: SGP, stanag: SGP, internet: .sg ### Introduction **Background:** A Malay trading port known as Temasek existed on the island of Singapore by the 14th century. The settlement changed hands several times in the ensuing centuries and was eventually burned in the 17th century, falling into obscurity. In 1819, the British founded modern Singapore as a trading colony on the same site and granted it full internal self-government for all matters except defense and foreign affairs in 1959. Singapore joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but was ousted two years later and became independent. Singapore subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries, with strong international trading links and per capita GDP among the highest globally. The People’s Action Party has won every general election in Singapore since the end of the British colonial era, aided by its success in delivering consistent economic growth, as well as the city-state's fragmented opposition and electoral procedures that strongly favor the ruling party. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia **Geographic coordinates:** 1 22 N, 103 48 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 719 sq km land: 709.2 sq km water: 10 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 193 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - northeastern monsoon (December to March) and southwestern monsoon (June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms **Terrain:** lowlying, gently undulating central plateau **Elevation:** highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m **Natural resources:** fish, deepwater ports **Land use:** agricultural land: 0.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 22% (2023 est.) other: 77.1% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** most of the urbanization is along the southern coast, with relatively dense population clusters found in the central areas **Natural hazards:** flash floods **Geography - note:** focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes; consists of about 60 islands, the largest of which by far is Pulau Ujong; land reclamation has removed many former islands and created a number of new ones ### People and Society **Population:** total: 6,080,545 (2025 est.) male: 3,040,862 female: 3,039,683 **Nationality:** noun: Singaporean(s) adjective: Singapore **Ethnic groups:** Chinese 74.2%, Malay 13.7%, Indian 8.9%, other 3.2% (2021 est.) note: data represent population by self-identification; the population is divided into four categories: Chinese, Malay (includes indigenous Malays and Indonesians), Indian (includes Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, or Sri Lankan), and other ethnic groups (includes Eurasians, Caucasians, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese) **Languages:** English (official) 48.3%, Mandarin (official) 29.9%, other Chinese dialects (includes Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew, Hakka) 8.7%, Malay (official) 9.2%, Tamil (official) 2.5%, other 1.4% (2020 est.) major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English) 世界概況 – 不可缺少的基本消息來源 (Mandarin) note: data represent language most frequently spoken at home **Religions:** Buddhist 31.1%, Christian 18.9%, Muslim 15.6%, Taoist 8.8%, Hindu 5%, other 0.6%, none 20% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 14.6% (male 455,536/female 424,969) 15-64 years: 71.1% (male 2,157,441/female 2,126,799) 65 years and over: 14.3% (2024 est.) (male 400,653/female 463,061) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 41.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 20.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 21.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 39.8 years (2025 est.) male: 38 years female: 40.6 years **Population growth rate:** 0.85% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 8.77 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 4.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the urbanization is along the southern coast, with relatively dense population clusters found in the central areas **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 6.081 million SINGAPORE (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 30.5 years (2015 est.) note: data represents median age **Maternal mortality ratio:** 6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 1.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 1.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 1.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 86.7 years (2024 est.) male: 84 years female: 89.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.18 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.58 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.6% of GDP (2021) 18.1% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.83 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 2.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 6.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 16.2% (2025 est.) male: 27.6% (2025 est.) female: 3.8% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 43.8% (2020 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0% (2023) women married by age 18: 0.1% (2023) **Education expenditure:** 2.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 12% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 97.7% (2021 est.) male: 98.9% (2021 est.) female: 96.4% (2021 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 17 years (2022 est.) male: 17 years (2022 est.) female: 17 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution; industrial pollution; limited freshwater resources; waste disposal problems from limited land availability; air pollution; deforestation; seasonal smoke/haze from forest fires in Indonesia **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - northeastern monsoon (December to March) and southwestern monsoon (June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms **Land use:** agricultural land: 0.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 22% (2023 est.) other: 77.1% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 238.962 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.338 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 210.859 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 25.765 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 10 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.87 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 51.7% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 198.207 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 162.624 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 0 cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 600 million cubic meters (2022) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Singapore conventional short form: Singapore local long form: Republic of Singapore local short form: Singapore etymology: name derives from the Sanskrit words simha (lion) and pur (city); according to Malayan folklore, an Indian prince visited Singapore in the 7th century and mistook the first animal he saw for a lion, which is not native to the country **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Singapore geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: name derives from the Sanskrit words simha (lion) and pur (city); according to Malayan folklore, an Indian prince visited Singapore in the 7th century and mistook the first animal he saw for a lion, which is not native to the country **Administrative divisions:** no first-order administrative divisions; five community development councils: Central Singapore Development Council, North East Development Council, North West Development Council, South East Development Council, South West Development Council (2019) **Legal system:** English common law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 22 December 1965 amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote in the second and third readings by the elected Parliament membership and assent of the president of the republic; passage of amendments affecting sovereignty or control of the Police Force or the Armed Forces requires at least two-thirds majority vote in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Singapore dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 21 years of age; universal and compulsory **Executive branch:** chief of state: President THARMAN Shanmugaratnam (since 14 September 2023) head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence WONG (since 15 May 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister; responsible to Parliament election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 6-year term (no term limits); following legislative elections, the president appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime ministers also appointed by the president most recent election date: 1 September 2023 election results: 2023: THARMAN Shanmugaratnam elected president; percent of vote - THARMAN Shanmugaratnam (independent) 70.4%, NG Kok Song (independent) 15.7%, TAN Kin Lian (independent) 13.9% 2017: HALIMAH Yacob declared president on 13 September 2017, being the only eligible candidate expected date of next election: 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 108 (97 directly elected; 9 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 5/3/2025 parties elected and seats per party: People's Action Party (PAP) (87); Workers' Party (WPS) (12) percentage of women in chamber: 32.3% expected date of next election: May 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (number of judges varies but includes judicial commissioners, judges of appeal, and international judges); the court is organized into an upper-tier Appeal Court and a lower-tier High Court judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president from candidates recommended by the prime minister after consultation with the chief justice; judges usually serve until retirement at age 65, but terms can be extended subordinate courts: district, magistrates', juvenile, family, community, and coroners' courts; small claims tribunals; employment claims tribunals **Political parties:** People's Action Party or PAP Workers' Party or WPS there are 13 additional active political parties in Singapore note: the PAP has won every general election since the end of the British colonial era in 1959 **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador LUI Tuck Yew (since 30 June 2023) chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100 FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876 email address and website: singemb_was@mfa.sg https://www.mfa.gov.sg/washington/ consulate(s) general: San Francisco consulate(s): New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Anjani K. SINHA (since 17 November 2025) embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: 4280 Singapore Place, Washington DC 20521-4280 telephone: [65] 6476-9100 FAX: [65] 6476-9340 email address and website: singaporeusembassy@state.gov https://sg.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, AOSIS, APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation) **National holiday:** National Day, 9 August (1965) **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; a vertical white crescent is on the left side of the red band, with a circle of five five-pointed white stars to the right of the crescent meaning: red stands for brotherhood and equality, and white for purity and virtue; the waxing crescent moon symbolizes a young nation on the ascendancy; the stars represent the national ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality **National symbol(s):** lion, merlion (mythical half-lion, half-fish creature), orchid **National color(s):** red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Majulah Singapura" (Onward, Singapore) lyrics/music: Zubir SAID history: adopted 1959; the anthem is sung only in Malay; first four lines of the melody are used as a presidential salute **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Singapore Botanic Gardens ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, service-based economy; global financial hub; business-friendly policies and open to investment and trade; inflation easing but persistent in services; public investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure; strong human capital development challenged by aging population **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $800.304 billion (2024 est.) $766.662 billion (2023 est.) $752.948 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4.4% (2024 est.) 1.8% (2023 est.) 4.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $132,600 (2024 est.) $129,600 (2023 est.) $133,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $547.387 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.4% (2024 est.) 4.8% (2023 est.) 6.1% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0% (2024 est.) industry: 21.4% (2024 est.) services: 73% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 31.5% (2024 est.) government consumption: 10.6% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.9% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.3% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 178.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -143.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** chicken, eggs, vegetables, pork, duck, spinach, lettuce, pork offal, cabbages, pork fat (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, biomedical products, scientific instruments, telecommunication equipment, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction, entrepot trade **Industrial production growth rate:** 4.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 3.722 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.2% (2024 est.) 3.5% (2023 est.) 3.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 7.8% (2024 est.) male: 5.6% (2024 est.) female: 10.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 45.8 (2016) **Average household expenditures:** on food: 7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $80.836 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $73.144 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 175.6% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 13.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $96.015 billion (2024 est.) $89.403 billion (2023 est.) $93.771 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $978.597 billion (2024 est.) $917.683 billion (2023 est.) $947.355 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Hong Kong 13%, China 11%, USA 10%, Malaysia 9%, S. Korea 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** integrated circuits, refined petroleum, machinery, vaccines, gold (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $786.02 billion (2024 est.) $728.5 billion (2023 est.) $744.364 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 15%, Malaysia 11%, Taiwan 11%, USA 10%, S. Korea 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** integrated circuits, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, gold, gas turbines (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $383.946 billion (2024 est.) $359.835 billion (2023 est.) $296.629 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Singapore dollars (SGD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.336 (2024 est.) 1.343 (2023 est.) 1.379 (2022 est.) 1.343 (2021 est.) 1.38 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 13.134 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 56.672 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 169.447 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 94.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 3.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 1.153 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 97 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1.326 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 1.514 million bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 13.134 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 399.452 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 13.973 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 643.259 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.912 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 9.96 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 171 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-controlled broadcast media; 6 domestic TV stations operated by state-owned MediaCorp; broadcasts from Malaysian and Indonesian stations available; satellite dishes banned; multi-channel cable TV services available; 19 domestic radio stations, including 11 for MediaCorp, 5 for state-linked Singapore Press Holdings, 2 for Singapore Armed Forces Reservists Association, and 1 for BBC Radio; Malaysian and Indonesian radio stations available (2019) **Internet country code:** .sg **Internet users:** percent of population: 94% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.57 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 9V **Airports:** 9 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 3,202 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 591, container ship 604, general cargo 107, oil tanker 600, other 1,300 **Ports:** total ports: 5 (2024) large: 2 medium: 1 small: 1 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Jurong Island, Keppel - (East Singapore), Pulau Bukom, Pulau Sebarok ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Singapore Armed Forces (SAF; aka Singapore Defense Force): Singapore Army, Republic of Singapore Navy, Republic of Singapore Air Force (includes air defense), Digital and Intelligence Service Ministry of Home Affairs: Singapore Police Force (SPF; includes Police Coast Guard and the Gurkha Contingent) (2025) note 1: the Gurkha Contingent of the Singapore Police Force (GCSPF) is a paramilitary unit for riot control and acts as a rapid reaction force note 2: the Navy includes the multi-agency standing Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF), which assists the Police Coast Guard in conducting maritime security operations **Military expenditures:** 3% of GDP (2024 est.) 3% of GDP (2023 est.) 3% of GDP (2022 est.) 3% of GDP (2021 est.) 3% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information varies; approximately 55,000 active-duty Armed Forces (40,000 Army; 7,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force) (2025) note: the Army is comprised mostly of conscripts and reservists with a small core of professional soldiers, while the Air Force and Navy are staffed mainly by professional personnel **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the SAF has a diverse and modern mix of domestically produced and imported Western weapons systems from such suppliers as France, Germany, and the US; Singapore has a small but sophisticated defense industry, which produces armaments such as armored vehicles and naval warships (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary enlistment for men and women (16.5 for early enlistment program with parental consent); 18-21 years of age for compulsory military service for men; 24-month conscript service obligation (2026) note 1: all male Singaporean citizens and permanent residents, unless exempted, are required to enter National Service (NS) upon attaining the age of 18; most NS conscripts serve in the Armed Forces, but some go into the Police Force or Civil Defense Force; conscripts comprise over half of the defense establishment note 2: the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) also has a uniformed volunteer auxiliary branch known as the Volunteer Corps (SAFVC); the SAFVC allows citizens and residents not subject to the National Service obligation, including Singaporean women, first generation permanent residents, and naturalized citizens, to contribute towards Singapore's defense; the volunteers must be 18-45 and physically fit note 3: members of the Gurkha Contingent (GC) of the Singapore Police Force are mostly recruited from a small number of hill tribes in Nepal; the GC was formed in 1949 originally from selected ex-British Army Gurkhas **Military deployments:** maintains permanent training detachments of military personnel in Australia, France, and the US (2025) **Military - note:** the SAF’s primary responsibility is external defense, particularly maritime security, but it also trains for certain domestic security operations, including joint deterrence patrols with police in instances of heightened terrorism alerts; the Army includes a “people’s defense force,” which is a divisional headquarters responsible for homeland security and counterterrorism; the SAF regularly participates in bilateral and multilateral training exercises Singapore is a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; the FPDA commits the members to consult with one another in the event or threat of an armed attack on any of the members and to mutually decide what measures should be taken, jointly or separately; Singapore also has close security ties with the US, including granting the US military access, basing, and overflight privileges the SAF's roots go back to 1854 when the Singapore Volunteer Rifle Corps was formed under colonial rule; the first battalion of regular soldiers, the First Singapore Infantry Regiment, was organized in 1957; the modern SAF was established in 1965 (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** stateless persons: 1,109 (2024 est.) --- ## Sint Maarten **Slug:** sint-maarten **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇸🇽 **Codes:** cek: nn, iso2: SX, iso3: SXM, iso_num: 534, genc: SXM, stanag: -, internet: .sx ### Introduction **Background:** Christopher COLUMBUS claimed Saint Martin for Spain in 1493, naming it after the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, but it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 to exploit its salt deposits. The Spanish retook Saint Martin in 1633, but the Dutch continued to assert their claims. The Spanish finally relinquished the island to the French and Dutch, who divided it between themselves in 1648. The border frequently fluctuated over the next 200 years because of friction between the two countries, with the Dutch eventually holding the smaller portion of the island (about 39%) and adopting the Dutch spelling of the island's name for their territory. The establishment of cotton, tobacco, and sugar plantations dramatically expanded African slavery on the island in the 18th and 19th centuries; the practice was not abolished in the Dutch half until 1863. The island's economy declined until 1939 when it became a free port; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded beginning in the 1950s. In 1954, Sint Maarten and several other Dutch Caribbean possessions became part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands as the Netherlands Antilles. In a 2000 referendum, the citizens of Sint Maarten voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, effective in 2010. In 2017, Hurricane Irma hit Saint Martin/Sint Maarten, causing extensive damage to roads, communications, electrical power, and housing; the UN estimated that 90% of the buildings were damaged or destroyed. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean Sea; Sint Maarten lies east of the US Virgin Islands **Geographic coordinates:** 18 4 N, 63 4 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 34 sq km land: 34 sq km water: 0 sq km note: Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin **Area - comparative:** one-fifth the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 16 km border countries (1): Saint Martin (France) 16 km **Coastline:** 58.9 km (for entire island) **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in moderate temperatures; average rainfall of 150 cm/year; hurricane season stretches from July to November **Terrain:** low, hilly terrain, volcanic origin **Elevation:** highest point: 250 m SW of Mount Flagstaff summit, 383 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** fish, salt **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 10.9% (2022 est.) other: 89.1% (2022 est.) **Population distribution:** the most populous areas are Lower Prince's Quarter (north of Philipsburg) and Cul de Sac **Natural hazards:** subject to hurricanes from July to November **Geography - note:** note 1: the northern border is shared with the French overseas collectivity of Saint Martin; together, these two entities make up the smallest landmass in the world that is shared by two self-governing states note 2: Simpson Bay Lagoon (aka, Simson Bay Lagoon or The Great Pond) is one of the largest inland lagoons in the West Indies; the border between the French and Dutch halves of the island of Saint Martin runs across the center of the lagoon, which is shared ### People and Society **Population:** total: 46,738 (2025 est.) male: 23,071 female: 23,667 **Ethnic groups:** Saint Maarten 29.9%, Dominican Republic 10.2%, Haiti 7.8%, Jamaica 6.6%, Saint Martin 5.9%, Guyana 5%, Dominica 4.4%, Curacao 4.1%, Aruba 3.4%, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.8%, India 2.6%, Netherlands 2.2%, US 1.6%, Suriname 1.4%, Saint Lucia 1.3%, Anguilla 1.1%, other 8%, unspecified 1.7% (2011 est.) note: data represent population by country of birth **Languages:** English (official) 67.5%, Spanish 12.9%, Creole 8.2%, Dutch (official) 4.2%, Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 2.2%, French 1.5%, other 3.5% (2001 est.) **Religions:** Protestant 41.9% (Pentecostal 14.7%, Methodist 10.0%, Seventh Day Adventist 6.6%, Baptist 4.7%, Anglican 3.1%, other Protestant 2.8%), Roman Catholic 33.1%, Hindu 5.2%, Christian 4.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, Evangelical 1.4%, Muslim/Jewish 1.1%, other 1.3% (includes Buddhist, Sikh, Rastafarian), none 7.9%, no response 2.4% (2011 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 18.4% (male 4,409/female 4,114) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 15,158/female 15,496) 65 years and over: 15.2% (2024 est.) (male 3,250/female 3,788) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 52.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 28.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 24.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 40.8 years (2025 est.) male: 39 years female: 42.8 years **Population growth rate:** 1.1% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 12 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.59 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 5.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the most populous areas are Lower Prince's Quarter (north of Philipsburg) and Cul de Sac **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est. est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1,327 PHILIPSBURG (capital) (2011) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 79.7 years (2024 est.) male: 77.4 years female: 82.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.96 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.96 (2025 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** scarcity of potable water; inadequate solid waste management; pollution from construction, chemical runoff, and sewage **Climate:** tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in moderate temperatures; average rainfall of 150 cm/year; hurricane season stretches from July to November **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 10.9% (2022 est.) other: 89.1% (2022 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est. est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Country of Sint Maarten conventional short form: Sint Maarten local long form: Land Sint Maarten (Dutch)/ Country of Sint Maarten (English) local short form: Sint Maarten (Dutch and English) former: Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in 1493 after Saint MARTIN of Tours because he visited on 11 November, the saint's feast day **Government type:** parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy **Dependency status:** one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch government responsible for defense and foreign affairs note: the other three constituent countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands are the Netherlands, Aruba, and Curacao **Capital:** name: Philipsburg geographic coordinates: 18 1 N, 63 2 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: founded and named in 1763 by John PHILIPS, a Scottish captain in the Dutch navy **Legal system:** based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence **Constitution:** history: previous 1947, 1955; latest adopted 21 July 2010, entered into force 10 October 2010 (regulates governance of Sint Maarten but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands) amendment process: proposals initiated by the Government or by Parliament; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority of the Parliament membership; passage of amendments relating to fundamental rights, authorities of the governor and of Parliament must include the "views" of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Government prior to ratification by Parliament **Citizenship:** see the Netherlands **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor Ajamu G. BALY (since 10 October 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Luc MERCELINA (since 3 May 2024) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the governor election/appointment process: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch for a 6-year term; following legislative elections, the Parliament usually elects the leader of the majority party as prime minister **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament of Sint Maarten legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 15 (directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 1/11/2024 parties elected and seats per party: NA (4); UPP (3); URSM (2); DP (2); PFP (2); NOW (2) percentage of women in chamber: 46.7% expected date of next election: 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba or "Joint Court of Justice" (consists of the presiding judge, other members, and their substitutes); final appeals heard by the Supreme Court in The Hague, Netherlands judge selection and term of office: Joint Court judges appointed by the monarch serve for life subordinate courts: Courts in First Instance **Political parties:** Democratic Party or DP National Alliance or NA National Opportunity Wealth or NOW Party for Progress or PFP Sint Maarten Christian Party or SMCP Unified Resilient St Maarten Movement or URSM United People's Party or UPP United Sint Maarten Party or US Party **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Sint Maarten; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Sint Maarten **International organization participation:** Caricom (observer), ILO, Interpol, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WMO **Independence:** none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) **National holiday:** King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967) note: observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a Sunday; local holiday is Sint Maarten's Day, 11 November (1985), and is celebrated on both halves of the island **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and blue, with a white isosceles triangle based on the left side; the national coat of arms is in the center of the triangle, with an orange-bordered blue shield that displays the white courthouse in Philipsburg, as well as yellow sage (the national flower) in the upper left and the silhouette of a Dutch-French friendship monument in the upper right; over the shield is a yellow rising sun and a brown pelican in flight; a yellow scroll below the shield has the motto SEMPER PROGREDIENS (Always Progressing) note: the flag resembles Philippines' flag, but with the red and blue bands reversed; the three main colors are the same as the Dutch flag **National symbol(s):** brown pelican, yellow sage (flower) **National color(s):** red, white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "O Sweet Saint Martin's Land" lyrics/music: Gerard KEMPS history: the song, written in 1958, is used as a local anthem for the entire island (both French and Dutch sides) _____ title: “Het Wilhelmus” (The William) lyrics/music: Philips VAN MARNIX van Sint Aldegonde (presumed)/unknown history: adopted 1932 ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, tourism-based Dutch autonomous constituent economy; severe hurricane- and COVID-19-related economic recessions; multilateral trust fund helping offset economic downturn; no property taxation; re-exporter to Saint Martin **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.986 billion (2024 est.) $1.919 billion (2023 est.) $1.849 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.5% (2024 est.) 3.8% (2023 est.) 9.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $45,800 (2024 est.) $44,900 (2023 est.) $43,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.735 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.2% (2017 est.) 0.1% (2016 est.) 0.3% (2015 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** industry: 6% (2021 est.) services: 89.3% (2021 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** sugar **Industries:** tourism, light industry **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.5% (2021 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Remittances:** 3% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Current account balance:** -$116.693 million (2023 est.) -$56.984 million (2022 est.) -$311.463 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.504 billion (2023 est.) $1.375 billion (2022 est.) $790.938 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Antigua & Barbuda 28%, USA 16%, France 12%, Netherlands 8%, Morocco 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** scrap iron, ships, jewelry, flavored water, liquor (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $1.489 billion (2023 est.) $1.32 billion (2022 est.) $1.003 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 82%, Netherlands 7%, France 4%, Brazil 1%, Switzerland 1% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** jewelry, refined petroleum, ships, pearl products, diamonds (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.79 (2024 est.) 1.79 (2023 est.) 1.79 (2022 est.) 1.79 (2021 est.) 1.79 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 86,542 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 205 (2022 est.) **Internet country code:** .sx **Internet users:** percent of population: 89.5% (2022) ### Transportation **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Coles Bay Oil Terminal, Philipsburg ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the KPSM is supported by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Gendarmerie), the Dutch Caribbean Police Force (Korps Politie Caribisch Nederland, KPCN), and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG or Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied (KWCARIB)) ### Transnational Issues **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Sint Maarten does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Sint Maarten remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/sint-maarten/ --- ## Slovakia **Slug:** slovakia **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇸🇰 **Codes:** cek: lo, iso2: SK, iso3: SVK, iso_num: 703, genc: SVK, stanag: SVK, internet: .sk ### Introduction **Background:** Slovakia traces its roots to the 9th century state of Great Moravia. The Slovaks then became part of the Hungarian Kingdom, where they remained for the next 1,000 years. After the formation of the dual Austro-Hungarian monarchy in 1867, language and education policies favoring the use of Hungarian (known as "Magyarization") led to a public backlash that boosted Slovak nationalism and strengthened Slovak cultural ties with the closely related Czechs, who fell administratively under the Austrian half of the empire. When the Austro-Hungarian Empire dissolved at the end of World War I, the Slovaks joined the Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar period, Slovak nationalist leaders pushed for autonomy within Czechoslovakia, and in 1939, in the wake of Germany's annexation of the Sudetenland, the newly established Slovak Republic became a German client state for the remainder of World War II. After World War II, Czechoslovakia was reconstituted and came under communist rule within Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. In 1968, Warsaw Pact troops invaded and ended the efforts of Czechoslovakia's leaders to liberalize communist rule and create "socialism with a human face," ushering in a period of repression known as "normalization." The peaceful Velvet Revolution swept the Communist Party from power at the end of 1989 and inaugurated a return to democratic rule and a market economy. On 1 January 1993, Czechoslovakia underwent a nonviolent "velvet divorce" into its two national components, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in 2004 and the euro zone in 2009. ### Geography **Location:** Central Europe, south of Poland **Geographic coordinates:** 48 40 N, 19 30 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 49,035 sq km land: 48,105 sq km water: 930 sq km **Area - comparative:** about 1.5 times the size of Maryland; about twice the size of New Hampshire **Land boundaries:** total: 1,587 km border countries (5): Austria 105 km; Czechia 241 km; Hungary 627 km; Poland 517 km; Ukraine 97 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters **Terrain:** rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south **Elevation:** highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m mean elevation: 458 m **Natural resources:** lignite, small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 38% (2023 est.) arable land: 27.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 10.4% (2023 est.) forest: 40.3% (2023 est.) other: 21.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 259 sq km (2022) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Dunaj (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country; slightly larger concentration in the west in proximity to the Czech border **Natural hazards:** flooding **Geography - note:** landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys ### People and Society **Population:** total: 5,559,451 (2025 est.) male: 2,683,027 female: 2,876,424 **Nationality:** noun: Slovak(s) adjective: Slovak **Ethnic groups:** Slovak 83.8%, Hungarian 7.8%, Romani 1.2%, other 1.8% (includes Czech, Ruthenian, Ukrainian, Russian, German, Polish), unspecified 5.4% (2021 est.) note: data represent population by nationality; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 7–11% of Slovakia's population **Languages:** Slovak (official) 81.8%, Hungarian 8.5%, Roma 1.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified 5.7% (2021 est.) major-language sample(s): Svetova Kniha Faktov, nenahraditelny zdroj zakladnej informacie. (Slovak) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 55.8%, Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession 5.3%, Greek Catholic 4%, Reformed Christian 1.6%, other 3%, none 23.8%, unspecified 6.5% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 15.3% (male 444,033/female 408,902) 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 1,834,359/female 1,867,158) 65 years and over: 18.1% (2024 est.) (male 406,355/female 602,842) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 50.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 23 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 27.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 43.1 years (2025 est.) male: 41.3 years female: 44.4 years **Population growth rate:** -0.07% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 9.77 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 11.18 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country; slightly larger concentration in the west in proximity to the Czech border **Urbanization:** urban population: 54% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.17% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 441,000 BRATISLAVA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 27.2 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 77.2 years (2024 est.) male: 73.7 years female: 81 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.6 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.77 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.8% of GDP (2021) 14.6% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.7 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 5.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 20.5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 10.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 30.3% (2025 est.) male: 34.5% (2025 est.) female: 26.3% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 49.2% (2023 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 11% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 15 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 16 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution and acid rain; land erosion from agricultural and mining practices; water pollution **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protection **Climate:** temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters **Land use:** agricultural land: 38% (2023 est.) arable land: 27.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 10.4% (2023 est.) forest: 40.3% (2023 est.) other: 21.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 54% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.17% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 30.087 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 9.607 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 12.112 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 8.368 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 16.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.296 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.2% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 306.21 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 224.562 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 32.851 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 50.1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Novohrad-Nógrád (includes Hungary) (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Slovak Republic conventional short form: Slovakia local long form: Slovenska republika local short form: Slovensko etymology: the country takes its name from the local Slav ethnic group; the origin of the group's name is unclear, although early forms were used in Medieval Latin (Sclavus) and Byzantine Greek (Sklabos) **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Bratislava geographic coordinates: 48 09 N, 17 07 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the meaning is unclear but has medieval Slavic origins; the name was adopted in 1919 after Czechoslovakia gained its independence, replacing the name Prešporok **Administrative divisions:** 8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banska Bystrica, Bratislava, Kosice, Nitra, Presov, Trencin, Trnava, Zilina **Legal system:** civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes **Constitution:** history: several previous (pre-independence); latest passed by the National Council 1 September 1992, signed 3 September 1992, effective 1 October 1992 amendment process: proposed by the National Council; passage requires at least three-fifths majority vote of Council members **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Slovakia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Peter PELLEGRINI (since 15 June 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 25 October 2023) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); following National Council elections, the president designates a prime minister candidate, usually the leader of the party or coalition that wins the most votes, who must win a vote of confidence in the National Council most recent election date: 23 March 2024, with a runoff on 6 April 2024 election results: 2024: Peter PELLEGRINI elected president in the second round; percent of vote in second round Peter PELLEGRINI 53.1%; Ivan KORCOK 46.9%; percent of vote in first round - Ivan KORCOK (independent) 42.5%; Peter PELLEGRINI (Hlas-SD) 37%; Stefan HARABIN (independent) 11.7%, other 8.8%; 2019: Zuzana CAPUTOVA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Zuzana CAPUTOVA (PS) 58.4%, Maros SEFCOVIC (independent) 41.6% expected date of next election: 2029 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Council (Narodna rada Slovenskej republiky) legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: National Council (Národná rada) number of seats: 150 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 9/30/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Smer - Social Democracy (Smer-SD) (42); Progressive Slovakia (PS) (32); Hlas (“Voice”) - SD (27); Coalition OĽaNO and Friends, 'For the People' and 'Christian Union' (16); Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) (12); Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) (11); Slovak National Party (SNS) (10) percentage of women in chamber: 23.3% expected date of next election: September 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic (consists of the court president, vice president, and approximately 80 judges organized into criminal, civil, commercial, and administrative divisions with 3- and 5-judge panels); Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic (consists of 13 judges organized into 3-judge panels) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judge candidates nominated by the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic, an 18-member self-governing body that includes the Supreme Court chief justice and presidential, governmental, parliamentary, and judiciary appointees; judges appointed by the president serve for life, subject to removal by the president at age 65; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the National Council of the Republic and appointed by the president; judges serve 12-year terms subordinate courts: regional and district civil courts; Special Criminal Court; Higher Military Court; military district courts; Court of Audit **Political parties:** Direction - Social Democracy or SMER-SD Freedom and Solidarity or SaS Progressive Slovakia or PS Republic Slovakia The Slovak National Party or SNS The Christian Democratic Movement or KDH Voice - Social Democracy or HLAS-SD **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Andrej DROBA (since 16 December 2025) chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054 FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438 email address and website: emb.washington@mzv.sk https://www.mzv.sk/web/washington-en consulate(s) general: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Gautam A. RANA (since 28 September 2022) embassy: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava mailing address: 5840 Bratislava Place, Washington DC 20521-5840 telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338 FAX: [421] (2) 5441-8861 email address and website: consulbratislava@state.gov https://sk.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) **National holiday:** Constitution Day, 1 September (1992) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red; the national coat of arms (a red shield bordered in white, with a white double-barred cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius on top of three blue hills) is centered over the bands but offset to the left meaning: white, blue, and red are the pan-Slav colors note: the pan-Slav colors were inspired by Russia's flag **National symbol(s):** double-barred cross (Cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius) over three peaks **National color(s):** white, blue, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Nad Tatrou sa blyska" (Storm Over the Tatras) lyrics/music: Janko MATUSKA/traditional history: adopted 1993; music based on an 1843 Slovak folk song "Kopala studienku" (She Was Digging a Well) **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 8 (6 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Town of Banská Štiavnica (c); Levoča, Spišský Hrad, and the Associated Cultural Monuments (c); Vlkolínec (c); Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst (n); Bardejov Town (c); Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (n); Wooden Churches of the Slovak Carpathians (c); Frontiers of the Roman Empire - The Danube Limes (Western Segment) (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income EU and eurozone economy; manufacturing and exports led by automotive sector; growth supported by private consumption and public investment from EU funds, tempered by trade risks; increased taxes and withdrawal of energy subsidies contributing to rising but manageable inflation; strong labor demand and influx of foreign labor offsets aging workforce **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $218.762 billion (2024 est.) $214.343 billion (2023 est.) $209.794 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.1% (2024 est.) 2.2% (2023 est.) 0.4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $40,300 (2024 est.) $39,500 (2023 est.) $38,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $141.776 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.8% (2024 est.) 10.5% (2023 est.) 12.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2% (2024 est.) industry: 28.5% (2024 est.) services: 60% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 58.4% (2023 est.) government consumption: 20% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.1% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -1.3% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 91.3% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -89.8% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, sugar beets, maize, milk, barley, rapeseed, sunflower seeds, potatoes, soybeans, pork (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** automobiles; metal and metal products; electricity, gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals, synthetic fibers, wood and paper products; machinery; earthenware and ceramics; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products; food and beverages; pharmaceutical **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 2.779 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.3% (2024 est.) 5.9% (2023 est.) 6.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 18.2% (2024 est.) male: 20.1% (2024 est.) female: 15% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 13.7% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 24.1 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 19.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.8% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 18.2% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 2% of GDP (2023 est.) 2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $43.882 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $46.056 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 64.3% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 19.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$3.895 billion (2024 est.) -$1.169 billion (2023 est.) -$11.126 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $120.355 billion (2024 est.) $122.04 billion (2023 est.) $114.519 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 20%, Czechia 10%, Hungary 7%, USA 6%, Poland 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** cars, vehicle parts/accessories, video displays, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $120.29 billion (2024 est.) $119.739 billion (2023 est.) $121.473 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 16%, Czechia 14%, Poland 8%, China 7%, Hungary 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** vehicle parts/accessories, broadcasting equipment, cars, plastic products, insulated wire (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $14.452 billion (2024 est.) $11.288 billion (2023 est.) $10.28 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 8.138 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 24.18 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 14.078 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 10.671 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.233 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 14.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 63.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 13.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 5.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 5 (2025) Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 1 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 2.3GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 61.3% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 3 (2025) **Coal:** production: 2.315 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 6.066 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 13,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 3.658 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 19 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 7,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 90,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 9 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 46.585 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 4.277 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 4.56 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 14.158 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 127.582 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 505,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 7.71 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 140 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned public broadcaster, Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS), has 2 national TV stations; roughly 50 privately owned national, regional, and local TV stations; about 40% of households connected to multi-channel cable or satellite TV; multiple RTVS national and regional radio networks; 32 privately owned radio stations **Internet country code:** .sk **Internet users:** percent of population: 90% (2024 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.83 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** OM **Airports:** 116 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Railways:** total: 3,627 km (2020) 1,585 km electrified ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily Slovenskej Republiky): Ground Forces (Slovenské Pozemné Sily), Air Forces (Slovenské Vzdušné Sily), Special Operations Forces (Sily Pre Speciálne Operácie) Ministry of Interior: Slovak Police Force (SPF or Policajný Zbor) (2025) note: the SPF has sole responsibility for internal and border security **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2025 est.) 2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 17,000 active-duty military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is a mix of domestically produced, Soviet-era, and more modern/NATO-compatible armaments from suppliers such as Germany and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** minimum age is 18 for voluntary service for men and women; citizens 18-65 can volunteer for the military reserves (2026) **Military deployments:** 200 Cyprus (UNFICYP); up to 150 Latvia (NATO) (2025) **Military - note:** the Slovak military is responsible for external defense and fulfilling Slovakia’s commitments to European and international security; Slovakia has been a member of both the EU and NATO since 2004; a key focus of the Slovak military is fulfilling the country’s security responsibilities to NATO, including modernizing and acquiring NATO-compatible equipment, participating in training exercises, and providing forces for security missions such as NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence in the Baltic States; since 2022, Slovakia has hosted a multinational NATO ground force battlegroup as part of the NATO effort to boost the defenses of Eastern Europe since the Russian invasion of Ukraine; Slovakia also contributes to EU and UN peacekeeping missions the Slovak Air Force has only a handful of fighter aircraft and is assisted by NATO’s air policing mission over Slovakia, which includes fighter aircraft from Czechia and Poland; in 2022, Slovakia signed a defense agreement with the US that allows the US to use two Slovak military air bases (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 144,349 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 65 (2024 est.) --- ## Slovenia **Slug:** slovenia **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇸🇮 **Codes:** cek: si, iso2: SI, iso3: SVN, iso_num: 705, genc: SVN, stanag: SVN, internet: .si ### Introduction **Background:** The Slovene lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the latter's dissolution at the end of World War I. In 1918, Slovenia became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which was renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War II, Slovenia joined Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia as one of the constituent republics in the new Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). In 1990, Slovenia held its first multiparty elections, as well as a referendum on independence. Serbia responded with an economic blockade and military action, but after a short 10-day war, Slovenia declared independence in 1991. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004; it joined the euro zone and the Schengen Area in 2007. ### Geography **Location:** south Central Europe, Julian Alps between Austria and Croatia **Geographic coordinates:** 46 07 N, 14 49 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 20,273 sq km land: 20,151 sq km water: 122 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than New Jersey **Land boundaries:** total: 1,211 km border countries (4): Austria 299 km; Croatia 600 km; Hungary 94 km; Italy 218 km **Coastline:** 46.6 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm **Climate:** Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east **Terrain:** a short southwestern coastal strip of Karst topography on the Adriatic; an alpine mountain region lies adjacent to Italy and Austria in the north; mixed mountains and valleys with numerous rivers to the east **Elevation:** highest point: Triglav 2,864 m lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 492 m **Natural resources:** lignite, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests **Land use:** agricultural land: 30.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 8.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 18.8% (2023 est.) forest: 61.8% (2023 est.) other: 10.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 50 sq km (2022) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations; pockets in the mountainous northwest are less dense **Natural hazards:** flooding; earthquakes **Geography - note:** despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe's major transit routes ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,157,163 (2025 est.) male: 1,086,427 female: 1,070,736 **Nationality:** noun: Slovene(s) adjective: Slovenian **Ethnic groups:** Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or unspecified 12% (2002 est.) **Languages:** Slovene (official) 87.7%, Croatian 2.8%, Serbo-Croatian 1.8%, Bosnian 1.6%, Serbian 1.6%, Hungarian 0.4% (official, only in municipalities where Hungarian nationals reside), Italian 0.2% (official, only in municipalities where Italian nationals reside), other or unspecified 3.9% (2002 est.) major-language sample(s): Svetovni informativni zvezek - neobhoden vir osnovnih informacij. (Slovene) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Catholic 69%, Orthodox 4%, Muslim 3%, Christian 1%, other 3%, atheist 14%, non-believer/agnostic 4%, refused to answer 2% (2019 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 14.3% (male 153,852/female 146,628) 15-64 years: 62.5% (male 683,573/female 627,788) 65 years and over: 23.2% (2024 est.) (male 213,619/female 272,433) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 58.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 22.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 36.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.8 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 46 years (2025 est.) male: 45 years female: 47.9 years **Population growth rate:** -0.16% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 7.52 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 11.2 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 2.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations; pockets in the mountainous northwest are less dense **Urbanization:** urban population: 56.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.54% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 286,000 LJUBLJANA (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 29 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 1.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 1.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 1.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 82.2 years (2024 est.) male: 79.4 years female: 85.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.49 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.73 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 99.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.5% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8.8% of GDP (2022) 15% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.37 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 4.2 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 99.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.8% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 20.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 11.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 5.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 17.3% (2025 est.) male: 19.3% (2025 est.) female: 15.3% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 47.2% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 11.1% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 17 years (2023 est.) male: 17 years (2023 est.) female: 18 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution from road traffic, domestic heating (wood burning), power generation, and industry; water pollution; biodiversity protection **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east **Land use:** agricultural land: 30.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 8.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 18.8% (2023 est.) forest: 61.8% (2023 est.) other: 10.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 56.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.54% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 10.772 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.706 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 6.521 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 1.545 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 14.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 8.5 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 46.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 15.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 1.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.052 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 24.8% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 179 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 645 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 3.4 million cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 31.87 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 2 global geoparks and regional networks: Idrija; Karawanken / Karavanke (includes Austria) (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia conventional short form: Slovenia local long form: Republika Slovenija local short form: Slovenija former: People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia etymology: the country's name means "Land of the Slavs" in Slovene; the origin of the Slav name is unclear, although early forms were used in Medieval Latin (Sclavus) and Byzantine Greek (Sklabos) **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Ljubljana geographic coordinates: 46 03 N, 14 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: by tradition, the name is related to the Slovene word ljubljena, meaning "beloved," but the origin is probably pre-Slavic and remains obscure **Administrative divisions:** 200 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 12 urban municipalities (mestne obcine, singular - mestna obcina) municipalities: Ajdovscina, Ankaran, Apace, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica, Cankova, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno, Cerkvenjak, Cirkulane, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca, Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Polhov Gradec, Dobrovnik/Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale, Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gorje, Gornja Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina, Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina, Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola/Isola, Jesenice, Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal ob Soci, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje, Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Kosanjevica na Krki, Kostel, Kozje, Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava/Lendva, Litija, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Log-Dragomer, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk, Makole, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Mokronog-Trebelno, Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran/Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka, Poljcane, Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Puconci, Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na Koroskem, Razkrizje, Recica ob Savinji, Rence-Vogrsko, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogaska Slatina, Rogasovci, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic, Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur, Sentrupert, Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smarjeske Toplice, Smartno ob Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Sredisce ob Dravi, Starse, Store, Straza, Sveta Ana, Sveta Trojica v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij ob Scavnici, Sveti Jurij v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Tomaz, Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic, Trzin, Turnisce, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica, Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica, Zrece, Zuzemberk urban municipalities: Celje, Koper, Kranj, Krsko, Ljubljana, Maribor, Murska Sobota, Nova Gorica, Novo Mesto, Ptuj, Slovenj Gradec, Velenje **Legal system:** civil law system **Constitution:** history: previous 1974 (pre-independence); latest passed by Parliament 23 December 1991 amendment process: proposed by at least 20 National Assembly members, by the government, or by petition of at least 30,000 voters; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; referendum required if agreed upon by at least 30 Assembly members; passage in a referendum requires participation of a majority of eligible voters and a simple majority of votes cast **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Slovenia; both parents if the child is born outside of Slovenia dual citizenship recognized: yes, for select cases residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years, the last 5 of which have been continuous **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Natasa PIRC MUSAR (since 23 December 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Robert GOLOB (since 1 June 2022) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, elected by the National Assembly election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); following National Assembly elections, the president usually nominates the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister, and the National Assembly elects the nominee most recent election date: 23 October 2022, with a runoff on 13 November 2022 election results: 2022: Natasa PIRC MUSAR elected president in second round: percent of vote in first round - Anze LOGAR (SDS) 34%, Natasa PIRC MUSAR (independent) 26.9%, Milan BRGLEZ (SD) 15.5%, Vladimir PREBILIC (independent) 10.6%, Sabina SENCAR (Resni.ca) 5.9%, Janez CIGLER KRALJ (NSi) 4.4%, other 2.7%; percent of vote in second round - Natasa PIRC MUSAR 53.9%, Anze LOGAR 46.1%; Robert GOLOB (GS) elected prime minister on 25 May 2022, National Assembly vote - 54-30 2017: Borut PAHOR reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Borut PAHOR (independent) 47.1%, Marjan SAREC (Marjan Sarec List) 25%, Romana TOMC (SDS) 13.7%, Ljudmila NOVAK (NSi) 7.2%, other 7%; percent of vote in second round - Borut PAHOR 52.9%, Marjan SAREC 47.1% expected date of next election: 2027 **Legislative branch:** legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly (Drzavni Zbor) number of seats: 90 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 4/24/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Freedom Movement (SVOBODA) (41); Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) (27); New Slovenia - Christian Democrats (NSi) (8); Social Democrats (SD) (7); Left (LEVICA) (5); Other (2) percentage of women in chamber: 35.6% expected date of next election: April 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: National Council (Drzavni Svet) number of seats: 40 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/23/2022 to 11/24/2022 percentage of women in chamber: 17.5% expected date of next election: November 2027 note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body with limited legislative powers **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 37 judges organized into civil, criminal, commercial, labor and social security, administrative, and registry departments); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president and vice president appointed by the National Assembly on the proposal of the Minister of Justice, based on the opinions of the Judicial Council, an 11-member independent body elected by the National Assembly from proposals submitted by the president, attorneys, law universities, and sitting judges; other Supreme Court judges elected by the National Assembly from candidates proposed by the Judicial Council; Supreme Court judges serve for life; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the National Assembly from nominations by the president of the republic; Constitutional Court president selected from among its own membership for a 3-year term; other judges elected for single 9-year terms subordinate courts: county, district, regional, and high courts; specialized labor-related and social courts; Court of Audit; Administrative Court **Political parties:** Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia or DeSUS Freedom Movement or GS (formerly Greens Actions Party or Z.DEJ) List of Marjan Sarec or LMS New Slovenia - Christian Democrats or NSi Party of Alenka Bratusek or SAB (formerly Alliance of Social Liberal Democrats or ZSD and before that Alliance of Alenka Bratusek or ZaAB) Resni.ca Slovenian Democratic Party or SDS (formerly the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia or SDSS) Slovenian National Party or SNS Social Democrats or SD The Left or Levica (successor to United Left or ZL) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Iztok MIROŠIČ (since 15 September 2023) chancery: 2410 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 386-6611 FAX: [1] (202) 386-6633 email address and website: sloembassy.washington@gov.si http://www.washington.embassy.si/ consulate(s) general: Cleveland (OH) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Brian GREANEY (since August 2025) embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana mailing address: 7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140 telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500 FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555 email address and website: LjubljanaACS@state.gov https://si.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia) **National holiday:** Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red; the Slovenian seal (a shield with Triglav, the country's highest peak, in white on a blue background) is at the center, with two wavy blue lines under it; three six-pointed stars in an inverted triangle appear on the upper-left meaning: the wavy lines represent seas and rivers; the colors come from the medieval coat of arms of the Duchy of Carniola; the stars come from the coat of arms of the Counts of Celje (a Slovene dynastic house) **National symbol(s):** Mount Triglav **National color(s):** white, blue, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Zdravljica" (A Toast) lyrics/music: France PRESEREN/Stanko PREMRL history: adopted in 1989; originally written in 1848; only the seventh verse of the poem is used as the anthem **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 5 (3 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Škocjan Caves (n); Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe (n); Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps (c); Heritage of Mercury: Almadén and Idrija (c); The works of Jože Plečnik in Ljubljana (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income EU and eurozone economy; high per-capita income and low inequality; key exports in automotive and pharmaceuticals; tight labor market with low unemployment; growth supported by private consumption and public investment, with risks from tight labor market and trade conditions; narrowing fiscal deficit and declining public debt **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $103.118 billion (2024 est.) $101.503 billion (2023 est.) $99.403 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.6% (2024 est.) 2.1% (2023 est.) 2.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $48,500 (2024 est.) $47,900 (2023 est.) $47,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $72.485 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2% (2024 est.) 7.4% (2023 est.) 8.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.5% (2024 est.) industry: 28.8% (2024 est.) services: 58.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 52.3% (2023 est.) government consumption: 19.2% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.3% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.9% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 83.3% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -76.8% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, maize, wheat, barley, grapes, chicken, potatoes, beef, apples, pork (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting; electronics (including military electronics), trucks, automobiles, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools **Industrial production growth rate:** 1.8% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 1.058 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3.4% (2024 est.) 3.7% (2023 est.) 4.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 9.4% (2024 est.) male: 10.6% (2024 est.) female: 7.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 12.7% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 24.3 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 13.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 4.2% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 20.7% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $28.874 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $30.714 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 73.6% of GDP (2017 est.) note: defined by the EU's Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year in the following categories of government liabilities: currency and deposits, securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives, and loans; general government sector comprises the central, state, local government, and social security funds **Taxes and other revenues:** 20.3% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $3.231 billion (2024 est.) $3.093 billion (2023 est.) -$617.374 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $59.159 billion (2024 est.) $57.66 billion (2023 est.) $56.51 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Switzerland 22%, Germany 12%, Italy 10%, Croatia 8%, Austria 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** packaged medicine, cars, refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, plastic products (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $54.583 billion (2024 est.) $53.309 billion (2023 est.) $55.158 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Switzerland 17%, China 15%, Germany 11%, Italy 9%, Austria 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** nitrogen compounds, packaged medicine, refined petroleum, cars, vaccines (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $2.832 billion (2024 est.) $2.37 billion (2023 est.) $2.268 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 4.739 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 12.953 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 10.62 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 9.114 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 774.138 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 24.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 35.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 6.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 31.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 1 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 0.7GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 36.8% (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 2.44 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 2.309 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 2,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 866,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 95 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 4 bbl/day (2021 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 44,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 4.014 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 811.395 million cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 11.387 million cubic meters (2018 est.) imports: 810.948 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 104.502 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 647,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 2.77 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 131 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** public TV broadcaster, Radiotelevizija Slovenija (RTV), operates a system of national and regional TV stations; 35 commercial TV stations; about 60% of households connected to multi-channel cable TV; public radio broadcaster with 3 national and 4 regional stations; more than 75 regional and local commercial and non-commercial radio stations **Internet country code:** .si **Internet users:** percent of population: 90% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 683,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** S5 **Airports:** 42 (2025) **Heliports:** 4 (2025) **Railways:** total: 1,207 km (2020) 609 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 8 (2023) by type: other 8 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Koper, Piran ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Slovenian Armed Forces (Slovenska Vojska, SV): structured as a combined force with air, land, maritime, and special operations components Ministry of Interior: National Police (2025) **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2025 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 6,000 active military personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is a mix of Soviet/Cold War-era and smaller quantities of more modern, mostly Western equipment; Slovenia is in the midst of a modernization program to replace its Soviet-era equipment with NATO-standard European and US systems (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; recruits sign up for 3-, 5-, or 10-year service contracts; no conscription (2026) note: as of 2025, women comprised about 16% of the military's full-time personnel **Military deployments:** 110 Kosovo (NATO); up to 200 Slovakia (NATO) (2025) **Military - note:** the Slovenian Armed Forces (Slovenska Vojska or SV) are responsible for the defense of the country’s sovereignty and territory, deterring external threats, and contributing to European security and other international peacekeeping missions; the SV is also active in civil-military cooperation, such as the maintenance of local infrastructure; Slovenia has been a member of the EU and NATO since 2004, and one of the SV’s key missions is fulfilling the country’s commitments to NATO, including equipment modernization, participating in training exercises, and contributing to NATO operations; the SV provides troops to NATO’s efforts to enhance its presence in the Baltics (Latvia) and Eastern Europe (Slovakia); it has also participated in other international security missions with small numbers of personnel in such places as Africa, southern Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Middle East; NATO allies Hungary and Italy provide air policing for Slovenia the SV was formally established in 1993 as a reorganization of the Slovenia Defense Force; the Defense Force, along with the Slovenian police, comprised the majority of the forces that engaged with the Yugoslav People’s Army during the 10-Day War after Slovenia declared its independence in 1991 (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 13,369 (2024 est.) IDPs: 10 (2023 est.) stateless persons: 10 (2024 est.) --- ## Solomon Islands **Slug:** solomon-islands **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇸🇧 **Codes:** cek: bp, iso2: SB, iso3: SLB, iso_num: 090, genc: SLB, stanag: SLB, internet: .sb ### Introduction **Background:** Settlers from Papua arrived on the Solomon Islands around 30,000 years ago. About 6,000 years ago, Austronesian settlers came to the islands, and the two groups mixed extensively. Despite significant inter-island trade, no attempts were made to unite the islands into a single political entity. In 1568, a Spanish explorer became the first European to spot the islands. After a failed Spanish attempt at creating a permanent European settlement in the late 1500s, the Solomon Islands remained free of European contact until a British explorer arrived in 1767. European explorers and US and British whaling ships regularly visited the islands into the 1800s. Germany declared a protectorate over the northern Solomon Islands in 1885, and the UK established a protectorate over the southern islands in 1893. In 1899, Germany transferred its islands to the UK in exchange for the UK relinquishing all claims in Samoa. In 1942, Japan invaded the islands, and the Guadalcanal Campaign (August 1942-February 1943) proved a turning point in the Pacific theater of WWII. The fighting destroyed large parts of the Solomon Islands, and a nationalist movement emerged near the end of the war. By 1960, the British allowed some local autonomy. The islands were granted self-government in 1976 and independence two years later under Prime Minister Sir Peter KENILOREA. In 1999, longstanding tensions between ethnic Guale in Honiara and ethnic Malaitans in Honiara’s suburbs erupted in civil war, leading thousands of Malaitans to take refuge in Honiara and prompting Guale to flee the city. In 2000, newly elected Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE focused on peace agreements and distributing resources equally among groups, but his actions bankrupted the government in 2001 and led to his ouster. In 2003, the Solomon Islands requested international assistance to reestablish law and order; the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands, which ended in 2017, improved the security situation. In 2006, however, riots broke out in Honiara, and the city’s Chinatown was burned amid allegations that the prime minister took money from China. SOGAVARE was reelected prime minister for a fourth time in 2019. When a small group of protestors, mostly from the island of Malaita, approached parliament to lodge a petition calling for SOGAVARE’s removal and more development in Malaita in 2021, police fired tear gas into the crowd which sparked rioting and looting in Honiara. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea **Geographic coordinates:** 8 00 S, 159 00 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 28,896 sq km land: 27,986 sq km water: 910 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Maryland **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 5,313 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm note: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines **Climate:** tropical monsoon; few temperature and weather extremes **Terrain:** mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Popomanaseu 2,335 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel **Land use:** agricultural land: 3.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.3% (2023 est.) forest: 89.9% (2023 est.) other: 6.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** most of the population lives along the coastal regions; about one in five live in urban areas, and of these about two thirds reside in Honiara, the largest town and chief port **Natural hazards:** tropical cyclones, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis volcanism: Tinakula (851 m) has frequent eruption activity, and an eruption of Savo (485 m) could affect the capital Honiara on nearby Guadalcanal **Geography - note:** strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea; Rennell Island, the southernmost in the Solomon Islands chain, is one of the world’s largest raised coral atolls; the island’s Lake Tegano, formerly a lagoon on the atoll, is the largest lake in the insular Pacific (15,500 hectares; 38,300 acres) ### People and Society **Population:** total: 738,774 (2025 est.) male: 377,067 female: 361,707 **Nationality:** noun: Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander **Ethnic groups:** Melanesian 95.3%, Polynesian 3.1%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 0.3% (2009 est.) **Languages:** Melanesian pidgin (lingua franca in much of the country), English (official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population), 120 indigenous languages **Religions:** Protestant 73.4% (Church of Melanesia 31.9%, South Sea Evangelical 17.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 11.7%, United Church 10.1%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.5%), Roman Catholic 19.6%, other Christian 2.9%, other 4%, unspecified 0.1% (2009 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 30.6% (male 114,246/female 108,020) 15-64 years: 64.2% (male 238,708/female 227,636) 65 years and over: 5.3% (2024 est.) (male 18,016/female 20,173) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 55.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 46.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 8.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 12 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 25.5 years (2025 est.) male: 25 years female: 25.4 years **Population growth rate:** 1.62% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 21.57 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 3.94 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population lives along the coastal regions; about one in five live in urban areas, and of these about two thirds reside in Honiara, the largest town and chief port **Urbanization:** urban population: 26% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 82,000 HONIARA (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 22.6 years (2015 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 123 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 18.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 22.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 77.2 years (2024 est.) male: 74.6 years female: 80 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.72 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.33 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: rural: 59.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 73.1% of population unimproved: rural: 40.6% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.8% of GDP (2021) 9.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.24 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: rural: 22.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: rural: 77.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 59.4% of population **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 22.5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 36.8% (2025 est.) male: 54.5% (2025 est.) female: 18.8% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 64.5% (2019 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 5.6% (2015) women married by age 18: 21.3% (2015) men married by age 18: 4.4% (2015) **Education expenditure:** 8.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 25.2% national budget (2024 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; soil erosion; damage to coral reefs **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** tropical monsoon; few temperature and weather extremes **Land use:** agricultural land: 3.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.3% (2023 est.) forest: 89.9% (2023 est.) other: 6.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 26% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 318,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 318,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 8.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 180,000 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 6.1% (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 44.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Solomon Islands local long form: none local short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands etymology: Spanish explorer Alvaro de MENDANA named the isles in 1568 after the wealthy biblical King SOLOMON in the mistaken belief that the islands contained great riches **Government type:** parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm **Capital:** name: Honiara geographic coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name derives from the local term nagho ni ara, meaning "place of the east wind" or "facing the trade winds" **Administrative divisions:** 9 provinces and 1 city*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira and Ulawa, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law and customary law **Constitution:** history: adopted 31 May 1978, effective 7 July 1978 amendment process: proposed by the National Parliament; passage of constitutional sections, including those on fundamental rights and freedoms, the legal system, Parliament, alteration of the constitution and the ombudsman, requires three-fourths majority vote by Parliament and assent of the governor general; passage of other amendments requires two-thirds majority vote and assent of the governor general **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Solomon Islands dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years **Suffrage:** 21 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General David Tiva KAPU (since 7 July 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Jeremiah MANELE (since 2 May 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the National Parliament for up to 5 years (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the National Parliament usually elects the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Parliament legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 50 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 4/17/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Ownership Unity and Responsibility (OUR Party) (15); Solomon Islands Democratic Party (SIDP) (11); Solomon Islands United Party (UP) (6); Solomon Islands People First Party (SIPFP) (3); Independents (11); Other (4) percentage of women in chamber: 6% expected date of next election: April 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and ex officio members including the High Court chief justice and puisne judges); High Court (consists of the chief justice and puisne judges) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and High Court president, chief justices, and puisne judges appointed by the governor general on recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, chaired by the chief justice and includes 5 members, mostly judicial officials and legal professionals; all judges serve until retirement at age 60 subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts; Customary Land Appeal Court; local courts **Political parties:** Democratic Alliance Party or DAP Kadere Party of Solomon Islands or KAD Ownership, Unity, and Responsibility Party (OUR Party) Solomon Islands People First Party or SIPFP Solomon Islands Democratic Party or SIDP Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA Solomon Islands United Party or UP United for Change Party or U4C Coalition for Accountability Reform and Empowerment (CARE) (includes DAP, SIDP, and U4C) note: the Solomon Islands political party system is characterized by fluid coalitions **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Jane Mugafalu Kabui WAETARA (since 16 September 2022); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN chancery: 685 Third Avenue, 11th Floor, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192 FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925 email address and website: simun@solomons.com **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Ann Marie YASTISHOCK (since 14 March 2024); note - also accredited to the Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea embassy: BJS Building Commonwealth Avenue Honiara, Solomon Islands telephone: [677] 23426 FAX: [677] 27429 email address and website: EmbassyHoniara@state.gov https://pg.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, EITI (candidate country), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 7 July 1978 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 7 July (1978) **Flag:** description: divided diagonally by a yellow stripe from the lower-left corner; the upper triangle (left side) is blue with five five-pointed white stars in an "X" pattern; the lower triangle is green meaning: blue stands for the ocean, green for the land, and yellow for sunshine; the five stars stand for the main island groups **National color(s):** blue, yellow, green, white **National anthem(s):** title: "God Save Our Solomon Islands" lyrics/music: Panapasa BALEKANA and Matila BALEKANA/Panapasa BALEKANA history: adopted 1978 title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: in use since 1745 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: East Rennell ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower middle-income Pacific island economy; natural resource rich but environmentally fragile; key agrarian sector; growing Chinese economic relationship; infrastructure damage due to social unrest; metal mining operations **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $2.07 billion (2024 est.) $2.019 billion (2023 est.) $1.967 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.5% (2024 est.) 2.7% (2023 est.) 2.4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $2,500 (2024 est.) $2,500 (2023 est.) $2,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.761 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 5.9% (2023 est.) 5.5% (2022 est.) -0.1% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 33.8% (2022 est.) industry: 18.7% (2022 est.) services: 47.3% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 61.7% (2022 est.) government consumption: 29.2% (2022 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.4% (2022 est.) investment in inventories: -1% (2022 est.) exports of goods and services: 26.3% (2022 est.) imports of goods and services: -51.7% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** oil palm fruit, coconuts, sweet potatoes, yams, taro, fruits, pulses, vegetables, cocoa beans, cassava (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** fish (tuna), mining, timber **Industrial production growth rate:** 4.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 435,600 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 1.5% (2024 est.) 1.5% (2023 est.) 1.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 3% (2024 est.) male: 2.6% (2024 est.) female: 3.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 5.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 5.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $436.174 million (2022 est.) expenditures: $482.24 million (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 15.4% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 20.7% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$66.231 million (2024 est.) -$178.197 million (2023 est.) -$218.534 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $642.877 million (2024 est.) $546.025 million (2023 est.) $411.359 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 56%, Australia 11%, Italy 10%, Spain 5%, Netherlands 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** wood, fish, gold, precious metal ore, palm oil (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $857.128 million (2024 est.) $883.611 million (2023 est.) $764.641 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 42%, Singapore 13%, Australia 13%, Taiwan 5%, Malaysia 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, plastic products, fish, broadcasting equipment, iron structures (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $688.22 million (2023 est.) $661.604 million (2022 est.) $694.515 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $184.191 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Solomon Islands dollars (SBD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 8.455 (2024 est.) 8.376 (2023 est.) 8.156 (2022 est.) 8.03 (2021 est.) 8.213 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 76% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 79% electrification - rural areas: 75.4% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 37,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 91.031 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 19.969 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 90.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 5.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 3.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 5.655 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 7,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 485,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 62 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** multi-channel pay-TV is available; Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) operates 2 national radio stations and 2 provincial stations; 2 local commercial radio stations; Radio Australia is available via satellite (2019) **Internet country code:** .sb **Internet users:** percent of population: 43% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** H4 **Airports:** 36 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 25 (2023) by type: general cargo 8, oil tanker 1, other 16 **Ports:** total ports: 6 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 4 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Gizo Harbor, Honiara, Port Noro, Ringgi Cove, Tulaghi, Yandina ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Ministry of Police, National Security and Correctional Services (MPNSCS): the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) (2025) **Military - note:** in 2017, the Solomon Islands and Australia signed a security treaty allowing Australian police, defense, and associated civilian personnel to deploy rapidly to Solomon Islands should the need arise and where both countries consent; the treaty was activated for the first time in November 2021 following civil unrest in Honiara; Australia was the first country Solomon Islands called upon for support, and from November 2021, Australia deployed police and defense personnel to work alongside partners from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand to restore law and order in Honiara in 2022, the Solomon Islands Government has also signed a police and security agreement with China (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** IDPs: 1,638 (2023 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Solomon Islands does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but the government has devoted sufficient resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards; therefore, Solomon Islands was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 and remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/solomon-islands/ --- ## Somalia **Slug:** somalia **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇸🇴 **Codes:** cek: so, iso2: SO, iso3: SOM, iso_num: 706, genc: SOM, stanag: SOM, internet: .so ### Introduction **Background:** Between A.D. 800 and 1100, immigrant Muslim Arabs and Persians set up coastal trading posts along the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, solidifying present-day Somalia’s close trading relationship with the Arab Peninsula. In the late 19th century, Britain, France, and Italy established colonies in the Somali Peninsula that lasted until 1960, when British Somaliland gained independence and joined with Italian Somaliland to form the Republic of Somalia. The country functioned as a parliamentary democracy until 1969, when General Mohamed SIAD Barre took control in a coup, beginning a 22-year socialist dictatorship. In an effort to centralize power, SIAD called for the eradication of the clan, the key cultural and social organizing principle in Somali society. Resistance to SIAD’s socialist leadership, which was causing a rapid deterioration of the country, prompted allied clan militias to overthrow SIAD in 1991, resulting in state collapse. Subsequent fighting between rival clans for resources and territory overwhelmed the country, causing a manmade famine and prompting international intervention. Beginning in 1993, the UN spearheaded an international humanitarian mission, but the international community largely withdrew by 1995 after an incident that became known as Black Hawk Down, in which two US military helicopters were shot down in Mogadishu. The fighting and subsequent siege and rescue resulted in 21 deaths and 82 wounded among the international forces. International peace conferences in the 2000s resulted in a number of transitional governments that operated outside Somalia. Left largely to themselves, Somalis in the country established alternative governance structures; some areas formed their own administrations, such as Somaliland and Puntland, while others developed localized institutions. Many local populations turned to sharia courts, an Islamic judicial system that implements religious law. Several of these courts came together in 2006 to form the Islamic Courts Union (ICU). The ICU established order in many areas of central and southern Somalia, including Mogadishu, but was forced out when Ethiopia intervened militarily in 2006 on behalf of the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG). As the TFG settled in the capital, the ICU fled to rural areas or left Somalia altogether, but the organization reemerged less than a year later as the Islamic insurgent and terrorist movement al-Shabaab, which is still active today. In 2007, the African Union (AU) established a peacekeeping force, took over security responsibility for the country, and gave the TFG space to develop Somalia’s new government. By 2012, Somali powerbrokers agreed on a provisional constitution with a loose federal structure and established a central government in Mogadishu called the Somali Federal Government (SFG). Since then, the country has seen several interim regional administrations and three presidential elections, but significant governance and security problems remain because al-Shabaab still controls large portions of the country. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia **Geographic coordinates:** 10 00 N, 49 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 637,657 sq km land: 627,337 sq km water: 10,320 sq km **Area - comparative:** almost five times the size of Alabama; slightly smaller than Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 2,385 km border countries (3): Djibouti 61 km; Ethiopia 1,640 km; Kenya 684 km **Coastline:** 3,025 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 200 nm; note: the US does not recognize this claim exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons **Terrain:** mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Shimbiris 2,460 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 410 m **Natural resources:** uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves **Land use:** agricultural land: 70.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 68.5% (2023 est.) forest: 7.9% (2023 est.) other: 21.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 2,000 sq km (2012) **Major aquifers:** Ogaden-Juba Basin **Population distribution:** distribution varies greatly throughout the country; least densely populated areas are in the northeast and central regions, as well as areas along the Kenyan border; most populated areas are in and around the cities of Mogadishu, Marka, Boorama, Hargeysa, and Baidoa, as shown on this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season **Geography - note:** strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal ### People and Society **Population:** total: 20,324,160 (2025 est.) male: 10,170,863 female: 10,153,297 **Nationality:** noun: Somali(s) adjective: Somali **Ethnic groups:** predominantly Somali with lesser numbers of Arabs, Bantus, and others **Languages:** Somali (official), Arabic (official), Italian, English major-language sample(s): Buugga Xaqiiqda Aduunka, waa laga maarmaanka macluumaadka assasiga. (Somali) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 99.9% (Sunni Muslim 98.1%, Shia Muslim 1.2%, Islamic schismatic 0.6%), ethnic religionist 0.1% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 41.4% (male 2,689,086/female 2,694,372) 15-64 years: 55.8% (male 3,699,721/female 3,568,163) 65 years and over: 2.8% (2024 est.) (male 157,505/female 208,426) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 100.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 97.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 3.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 29.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 15.7 years (2025 est.) male: 19.3 years female: 18.9 years **Population growth rate:** 3.32% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 46.36 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 11.22 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** distribution varies greatly throughout the country; least densely populated areas are in the northeast and central regions, as well as areas along the Kenyan border; most populated areas are in and around the cities of Mogadishu, Marka, Boorama, Hargeysa, and Baidoa, as shown on this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 47.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.610 million MOGADISHU (capital), 1.127 million Hargeysa (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 563 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 81.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 93.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 73.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 56.5 years (2024 est.) male: 54.1 years female: 59 years **Total fertility rate:** 6.38 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 3.14 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 80.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 38.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 58.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 19.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 61.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 41.7% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 2.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2014) **Hospital bed density:** 0.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 82.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 34.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 57.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 17.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 65.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 42.4% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 8.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 62.4% (2019 est.) **Education expenditure:** 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 8.1% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 54.1% (2022 est.) male: 64.5% (2022 est.) female: 43.9% (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water scarcity; contaminated water; improper waste disposal; deforestation; land degradation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons **Land use:** agricultural land: 70.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 68.5% (2023 est.) forest: 7.9% (2023 est.) other: 21.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 47.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 838,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 10 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 838,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 14.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.326 million tons (2024 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 15 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 2 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 3.281 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 14.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Federal Republic of Somalia conventional short form: Somalia local long form: Jamhuuriyadda Federaalka Soomaaliya (Somali)/ Jumhuriyat as Sumal al Fidiraliyah (Arabic) local short form: Soomaaliya (Somali)/ As Sumal (Arabic) former: British Somaliland, Italian Somaliland, Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic etymology: the name means "Land of the Somali," a local ethnic group; the origin of the group's name is unclear but may come from 1) a Cushitic word meaning "dark," 2) the local phrase soo mal, meaning "go and milk" (referring to offering guests milk), 3) the name of a local chief, or 4) the Arabic zamla, meaning "cattle" **Government type:** federal parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Mogadishu geographic coordinates: 2 04 N, 45 20 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is probably derived from the Arabic word mukaddas, meaning "holy" **Administrative divisions:** 18 regions (gobollo, singular - gobol); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe (Middle Jubba), Jubbada Hoose (Lower Jubba), Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe (Middle Shabeelle), Shabeellaha Hoose (Lower Shabeelle), Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed **Legal system:** mixed system of civil law, Islamic (sharia) law, and customary law (referred to as Xeer) **Constitution:** history: previous 1961, 1979; latest drafted 12 June 2012, adopted 1 August 2012 amendment process: proposed by the federal government, by members of the state governments, the Federal Parliament, or by public petition; proposals require review by a joint committee of Parliament with inclusion of public comments and state legislatures’ comments; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in both houses of Parliament and approval by a majority of votes cast in a referendum; constitutional clauses on Islamic principles, the federal system, human rights and freedoms, powers and authorities of the government branches, and inclusion of women in national institutions cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Somalia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal suffrage starting with 24 June 2024 local elections **Executive branch:** chief of state: President HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud (since 23 May 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Hamza Abdi BARRE (since 25 June 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister, approved by the House of the People election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the Federal Parliament by two-thirds majority vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a single 4-year term; prime minister appointed by the president, approved by the House of the People most recent election date: 15 May 2022 election results: 2022: HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud elected president in third round - Federal Parliament percent of vote in first round - Said ABDULLAHI DENI (Kaah) 20.2%, Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" (TPP) 18.3%, HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud (PDP) 16.2%, Hassan Ali KHAYRE (independent) 14.6%, other 30.7%; Federal Parliament percent of vote in second round - HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud 34.1%, Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" 25.7%, Said ABDULLAHI DENI 21%, Hassan Ali KHAYRE 19.2%; Federal Parliament percent of vote in third round - HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud 66%, Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" 34% expected date of next election: 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Federal Parliament legislative structure: bicameral note: despite the formation of political parties in 2020, the 2021 parliamentary elections maintained a primarily clan-based system of appointments; seats in the legislature were apportioned to Somali member states and not by party representation **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of the People (Golaha Shacabka) number of seats: 275 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/1/2021 to 5/5/2022 percentage of women in chamber: 19% expected date of next election: October 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Upper House (Aqalka Sare) number of seats: 54 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 7/27/2021 to 11/13/2021 percentage of women in chamber: 25.9% expected date of next election: July 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): the provisional constitution stipulates the establishment of the Constitutional Court (consists of 5 judges, including the chief judge and deputy chief judge) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president on proposal of the Judicial Service Commission, a 9-member judicial and administrative body; judge tenure NA subordinate courts: federal courts; federal member state-level courts; military courts; sharia courts note: under the terms of the 2004 Transitional National Charter, a Supreme Court based in Mogadishu and the Appeal Court were established, but most regions have reverted to local forms of conflict resolution, whether secular, Somali customary law, or Islamic law **Political parties:** Cosmopolitan Democratic Party Green Party Himilo Qaran Party Ilays Party Justice and Reconciliation Party National Progressive Party Peace and Unity Party Qaransoor Party Qiimo Qaran Party Security and Justice Party Social Justice Party Somali Labour Party Somali Republic Party Somali Social Unity Party or SSUP Union for Peace and Development Party or PDP Wadajir Party note: in 2017 an independent electoral commission (the NIEC) was inaugurated with a mandate to oversee the process of registration of political parties in the country; as of 2021, the NIEC had registered a total of 110 parties **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador DAHIR Hassan Abdi (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 1609 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 853-9164 email address and website: washingtonembassy@mfa.gov.so https://usa.mfa.gov.so/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Richard H. RILEY (since 20 June 2024) embassy: Mogadishu, (reopened October 2019 on the grounds of the Mogadishu Airport) mailing address: P.O. Box 606 Village Market 00621 Nairobi, Kenya telephone: [254] 20 363-6451 email address and website: SomaliaPublicAffairs@state.gov https://so.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU (candidate), EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO **Independence:** 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960 to form the Somali Republic) **National holiday:** Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June (1960) in Somaliland **Flag:** description: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center meaning: the blue field was originally influenced by the UN flag but today is said to represent the sky and the Indian Ocean; the five points of the star represent the regions in the horn of Africa where Somali people live: the former British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland (which together make up Somalia), Djibouti, Ogaden (Ethiopia), and the Northeast Province (Kenya) **National symbol(s):** leopard **National color(s):** blue, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Qolobaa Calankeed" (Every Nation Has Its Own Flag) lyrics/music: Abdullahi QARSHE history: adopted 2012 **Government - note:** regional and local governing bodies continue to exist and control various areas of the country, including the self-declared Republic of Somaliland in northwestern Somalia ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income African Horn economy; 30 years of war and instability crippled economic potential; high remittances for basic survival; new fiscal federalism approach; cleared some unsustainable debt; environmentally fragile; digitally driven urbanization efforts **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $26.77 billion (2024 est.) $25.747 billion (2023 est.) $24.706 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4% (2024 est.) 4.2% (2023 est.) 2.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $1,400 (2024 est.) $1,400 (2023 est.) $1,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $12.109 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 6.8% (2022 est.) 4.6% (2021 est.) 4.3% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 124% (2024 est.) government consumption: 7.6% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.7% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 20% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -74.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** camel milk, milk, goat milk, sheep milk, sugarcane, fruits, sorghum, cassava, vegetables, maize (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, wireless communication **Labor force:** 3.439 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 18.9% (2024 est.) 19% (2023 est.) 19.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 33.9% (2024 est.) male: 32.1% (2024 est.) female: 37% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 54.4% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Remittances:** 15.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 17% of GDP (2022 est.) 18.3% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Taxes and other revenues:** 0% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Exports:** $2.424 billion (2024 est.) $2.164 billion (2023 est.) $1.804 billion (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UAE 35%, Saudi Arabia 27%, Oman 18%, Djibouti 8%, India 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** sheep and goats, gold, postage stamps/documents, other animals, cattle (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $9.002 billion (2024 est.) $8.002 billion (2023 est.) $7.456 billion (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** UAE 29%, China 19%, India 15%, Turkey 8%, Oman 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** raw sugar, tobacco, broadcasting equipment, rice, milk (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Debt - external:** $2.563 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Somali shillings (SOS) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 23,097.987 (2017 est.) 23,061.784 (2016 est.) 22,254.236 (2015 est.) 20,230.929 (2014 est.) 19,283.8 (2013 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 48.9% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 76.7% electrification - rural areas: 30.6% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 156,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 396.792 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 15.408 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 82.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 16% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 1.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 4 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** proven reserves: 5.663 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 649,000 Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 91,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 9.91 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 54 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** 2 private TV stations rebroadcast Al-Jazeera and CNN; 1 state-operated TV station and 1 private TV station; state-operated Radio Mogadishu; 1 SW and roughly 10 private FM radio stations in Mogadishu; several radio stations in central and southern regions; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters available (2019) **Internet country code:** .so **Internet users:** percent of population: 28% (2022 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 119,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 6O **Airports:** 40 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 4 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, other 3 **Ports:** total ports: 6 (2024) large: 1 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Baraawe, Berbera, Boosaaso, Kismaayo, Marka, Muqdisho ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Somali Armed Forces (SAF; aka Somali Defense Force): Somali National Army (SNA; aka Land Forces), Somali Navy, Somali Air Force Ministry of Internal Security: Somali National Police (SNP, includes Coast Guard, commando unit) (2025) note 1: Somalia has numerous militias and regional/state forces operating throughout the country; the militias include clan- and warlord-based forces, as well as some that are externally sponsored; regional forces include semi-official paramilitary and special police forces ("darwish") note 2: Somaliland and Puntland have separate military, security, and paramilitary forces **Military expenditures:** 6% of GDP (2021 est.) 6% of GDP (2020 est.) 5.6% of GDP (2019 est.) 6% of GDP (2018 est.) 5.9% of GDP (2017 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 20,000 active Somali Armed Forces (2025) note: tens of thousands of militia forces are also active in Somalia **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the SNA's inventory is a mix of older and donated (typically secondhand) equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Italy, Russia, South Africa, Türkiye, the UK, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-22 for voluntary military service for men and women in the Somali Armed Forces; compulsory service is reportedly authorized, but not currently utilized (2025) **Military - note:** the primary responsibility of the Somali National Army (SNA) is combating the al-Shabaab terrorist group, which controls large portions of central and southern Somalia and continues to conduct attacks targeting both military and civilian sites, including military bases, government institutions, and civilian gatherings; the SNA is supported by the National Police, regional/state security forces, and allied militias, as well as international forces; some African Union (AU) countries have provided military assistance to the SNA since 2007 under the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM, 2007-2022), the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS, 2022-2024), and the AU Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM, January 2025-present); Turkey and the US have also provided military support to SNA operations Turkey and the US have formed and trained SNA units, including the US-backed Danab ("Lightning") Brigade and the Turkish-trained Gorgor ("Eagle") brigades; SNA soldiers have also received training from Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the EU, Uganda, UAE, and the UK (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): al-Shabaab; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Somalia note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 41,763 (2024 est.) IDPs: 3,869,345 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Special Case; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/somalia/ --- ## South Africa **Slug:** south-africa **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇿🇦 **Codes:** cek: sf, iso2: ZA, iso3: ZAF, iso_num: 710, genc: ZAF, stanag: ZAF, internet: .za ### Introduction **Background:** Some of the earliest human remains in the fossil record were found in South Africa. By about A.D. 500, Bantu-speaking groups began settling into what is now northeastern South Africa, displacing Khoisan-speaking groups to the southwest. Dutch traders landed at the southern tip of present-day South Africa in 1652 and established a stopover point on the spice route between the Netherlands and the Far East, founding the city of Cape Town. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many settlers of Dutch descent -- known then as "Boers," or farmers, but later called Afrikaners -- trekked north to found their own republics, Transvaal and Orange Free State. In the 1820s, several decades of wars began as the Zulus expanded their territory, moving out of what is today southeastern South Africa and clashing with other indigenous peoples and the growing European settlements. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred mass immigration, predominantly from Europe. The Zulu kingdom's territory was incorporated into the British Empire after the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879, and the Afrikaner republics were incorporated after their defeat in the Second South African War (1899-1902). Beginning in 1910, the British and the Afrikaners ruled together under the Union of South Africa, which left the British Commonwealth to become a fully self-governing republic in 1961 after a Whites-only referendum. In 1948, the National Party was voted into power and instituted a policy of apartheid -– billed as "separate development" of the races -- which favored the White minority and suppressed the Black majority and other non-White groups. The African National Congress (ANC) led the resistance to apartheid, and many top ANC leaders such as Nelson MANDELA spent decades in South Africa's prisons. Internal protests and insurgency, as well as boycotts from some Western nations and institutions, led to the regime's eventual willingness to unban the ANC and negotiate a peaceful transition to majority rule. The first multi-racial elections in 1994 ushered in majority rule under an ANC-led government. South Africa has since struggled to address apartheid-era imbalances in wealth, housing, education, and health care under successive administrations. President Cyril RAMAPHOSA, who was reelected as the ANC leader in 2022, has made some progress in reigning in corruption. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa **Geographic coordinates:** 29 00 S, 24 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 1,219,090 sq km land: 1,214,470 sq km water: 4,620 sq km note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island) **Area - comparative:** slightly less than twice the size of Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 5,244 km border countries (6): Botswana 1,969 km; Lesotho 1,106 km; Mozambique 496 km; Namibia 1,005 km; Eswatini 438 km; Zimbabwe 230 km **Coastline:** 2,798 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin **Climate:** mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights **Terrain:** vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain **Elevation:** highest point: Ntheledi (Mafadi) 3,450 m lowest point: Atlantic/Indian Oceans 0 m mean elevation: 1,034 m **Natural resources:** gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas note: South Africa was the World's leading chromite ore producer in 2022 with an output of 18,000 mt **Land use:** agricultural land: 79.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 9.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 69.2% (2023 est.) forest: 18.7% (2023 est.) other: 1.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 16,700 sq km (2012) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Orange (shared with Lesotho [s], and Namibia [m]) - 2,092 km; Limpoporivier (Limpopo) river source (shared with Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 1,800 km; Vaal [s] - 1,210 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Orange (941,351 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Karoo Basin, Lower Kalahari-Stampriet Basin **Population distribution:** the population is concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densely populated than the west, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** prolonged droughts volcanism: the volcano that formed Marion Island in the Prince Edward Islands is South Africa's only active volcano **Geography - note:** note 1: South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Eswatini note 2: sometimes mistaken for the southernmost point of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope is more accurately described as the southwestern-most point of the African continent; Cape Agulhas, the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, is the southernmost point of the African continent ### People and Society **Population:** total: 61,089,926 (2025 est.) male: 29,989,969 female: 31,099,957 **Nationality:** noun: South African(s) adjective: South African **Ethnic groups:** Black African 80.9%, Colored 8.8%, White 7.8%, Indian/Asian 2.6% (2021 est.) note: Colored is a term used in South Africa, including on the national census, for persons of mixed race ancestry who developed a distinct cultural identity over several hundred years **Languages:** isiZulu or Zulu (official) 25.3%, isiXhosa or Xhosa (official) 14.8%, Afrikaans (official) 12.2%, Sepedi or Pedi (official) 10.1%, Setswana or Tswana (official) 9.1%, English (official) 8.1%, Sesotho or Sotho (official) 7.9%, Xitsonga or Tsonga (official) 3.6%, siSwati or Swati (official) 2.8%, Tshivenda or Venda (official) 2.5%, isiNdebele or Ndebele (official) 1.6%, other (includes South African sign language (official) and Khoi or Khoisan or Khoe languages) 2% (2018 est.) major-language sample(s): Die Wereld Feite Boek, n’ onontbeerlike bron vir basiese informasie. (Afrikaans) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English) note: data represent language spoken most often at home **Religions:** Christian 86%, ancestral, tribal, animist, or other traditional African religions 5.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other 1.5%, nothing in particular 5.2% (2015 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 27.2% (male 8,227,690/female 8,194,392) 15-64 years: 65.3% (male 19,524,873/female 19,947,839) 65 years and over: 7.5% (2024 est.) (male 1,911,825/female 2,636,028) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 53 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 41.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 11.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 30.7 years (2025 est.) male: 30.1 years female: 30.6 years **Population growth rate:** 1.06% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 17.21 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.56 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the population is concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densely populated than the west, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 68.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 10.316 million Johannesburg (includes Ekurhuleni), 4.890 million Cape Town (legislative capital), 3.228 million Durban, 2.818 million PRETORIA (administrative capital), 1.296 million Port Elizabeth, 934,000 West Rand (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 118 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 19.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 23.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 71.9 years (2024 est.) male: 70.3 years female: 73.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.23 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.1 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 84.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 15.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.5% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8.3% of GDP (2021) 16.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.79 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 95.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 81.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 91.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 18.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 8.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 28.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 7.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 20.1% (2025 est.) male: 35.3% (2025 est.) female: 6% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 4.9% (2017 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 33.6% (2020 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.9% (2016) women married by age 18: 3.6% (2016) men married by age 18: 0.6% (2016) **Education expenditure:** 6% of GDP (2024 est.) 19.1% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 91.2% (2024 est.) male: 91.5% (2024 est.) female: 90.8% (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2022 est.) male: 14 years (2022 est.) female: 14 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited freshwater resources due to lack of major rivers or lakes; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban waste; air pollution resulting in acid rain; deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; desertification; solid waste pollution; significant floral extinctions **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights **Land use:** agricultural land: 79.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 9.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 69.2% (2023 est.) forest: 18.7% (2023 est.) other: 1.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 68.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 446.704 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 365.269 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 73.913 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 7.522 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 17 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 1,489.2 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 754.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 770.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 32.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 18.457 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 28.2% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 3.476 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 4.616 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 11.839 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 51.35 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of South Africa conventional short form: South Africa former: Union of South Africa abbreviation: RSA etymology: self-descriptive name from the country's location on the continent; "Africa" is derived from the Roman designation of the area corresponding to present-day Tunisia "Africa terra," which meant "Land of the Afri" (the tribe resident in that area), but which eventually came to mean the entire continent **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Pretoria (administrative capital); Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital) geographic coordinates: 25 42 S, 28 13 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Pretoria was named in honor of Boer statesman Andries PRETORIUS in 1855; Cape Town's name refers to its location on the Cape of Good Hope; Bloemfontein was named after the farm on which it was built in 1846, whose name combined the Dutch words bloem (flower) and fontein (fountain) **Administrative divisions:** 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape **Legal system:** mixed system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, and customary law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest drafted 8 May 1996, approved by the Constitutional Court 4 December 1996, effective 4 February 1997 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly of Parliament; passage of amendments affecting constitutional sections on human rights and freedoms, non-racism and non-sexism, supremacy of the constitution, suffrage, the multi-party system of democratic government, and amendment procedures requires at least 75% majority vote of the Assembly, approval by at least six of the nine provinces represented in the National Council of Provinces, and assent of the president of the republic; passage of amendments affecting the Bill of Rights, and those related to provincial boundaries, powers, and authorities requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, approval by at least six of the nine provinces represented in the National Council, and assent of the president **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of South Africa dual citizenship recognized: yes, but requires prior permission of the government residency requirement for naturalization: 5 year **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Matamela Cyril RAMAPHOSA (since 19 June 2024) head of government: President Matamela Cyril RAMAPHOSA (since 19 June 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 29 May 2024 election results: 2024: Matamela Cyril RAMAPHOSA (ANC) elected president by the National Assembly unopposed 2019: Matamela Cyril RAMAPHOSA (ANC) elected president by the National Assembly unopposed expected date of next election: May 2029 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly number of seats: 400 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 6/15/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 44.7% expected date of next election: May 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: National Council of Provinces number of seats: 90 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 5/29/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 44.4% expected date of next election: June 2029 note: the Council has special powers to protect regional interests, including safeguarding cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Appeals (consists of the court president, deputy president, and 21 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the chief and deputy chief justices and 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court of Appeals president and vice president appointed by the national president after consultation with the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), a 23-member body chaired by the chief justice; other Supreme Court judges appointed by the national president on the advice of the JSC and hold office until discharged from active service by an Act of Parliament; Constitutional Court chief and deputy chief justices appointed by the president of South Africa after consultation with the JSC and with heads of the National Assembly; other Constitutional Court judges appointed by the national president after consultation with the chief justice and leaders of the National Assembly; Constitutional Court judges serve 12-year nonrenewable terms or until age 70 subordinate courts: High Courts; Magistrates' Courts; labor courts; land claims courts **Political parties:** African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP African Independent Congress or AIC African National Congress or ANC African People's Convention or APC Agang SA Congress of the People or COPE Democratic Alliance or DA Economic Freedom Fighters or EFF Freedom Front Plus or FF+ GOOD Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP National Freedom Party or NFP Pan-Africanist Congress of Azania or PAC United Christian Democratic Party or UCDP United Democratic Movement or UDM **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Ismail ESAU (since 17 March 2025) chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (240) 937-5760 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607 email address and website: Info.saembassyDC@dirco.gov.za https://www.saembassy.org/ consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Leo Brent BOZELL III; Chargé d’Affaires Marc DILLARD (since October 2025) embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Arcadia, Pretoria mailing address: 9300 Pretoria Place, Washington DC 20521-9300 telephone: [27] (12) 431-4000 FAX: [27] (12) 342-2299 email address and website: ACSJohannesburg@state.gov https://za.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AIIB, AU, BIS, BRICS, C, CD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-24, G-5, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, NSG, OECD (enhanced engagement), OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 22 August 1934 (Status of the Union Act); 31 May 1961 (republic declared); 27 April 1994 (majority rule) **National holiday:** Freedom Day, 27 April (1994) **Flag:** description: two equal-width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band that splits into a horizontal Y; a black isosceles triangle is in the Y, with narrow yellow bands around it; the red and blue bands are bordered by narrow white stripes meaning: the colors have no official meaning, but the Y stands for "the convergence of diverse elements within South African society, taking the road ahead in unity" note: South Africa has one of two national flags that display six colors as part of the primary design -- the other is South Sudan's **National symbol(s):** springbok (antelope), king protea flower **National color(s):** red, green, blue, yellow, black, white **National anthem(s):** title: "National Anthem of South Africa" lyrics/music: Enoch SONTONGA and Cornelius Jacob LANGENHOVEN/Enoch SONTONGA and Marthinus LOURENS de Villiers history: adopted 1997; a combination of "N'kosi Sikelel' iAfrica" (God Bless Africa) and "Die Stem van Suid Afrika" (The Call of South Africa), which were respectively the anthems of the non-white and white communities under apartheid; official lyrics contain a mixture of Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans, and English (the five most widely spoken of South Africa's 11 official languages) **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 12 (7 cultural, 4 natural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa (c); iSimangaliso Wetland Park (n); Robben Island (c); Maloti-Drakensberg Park (m); Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape (c); Cape Floral Region Protected Areas (n); Vredefort Dome (n); Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape (c); Khomani Cultural Landscape (c); Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains (n); Human Rights, Liberation and Reconciliation: Nelson Mandela Legacy Sites (c); The Emergence of Modern Human Behaviour: The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income, largest southern African economy; Government of National Unity facing slow growth, fiscal gaps, and structural challenges; high income inequality, unemployment, and poverty; reforms to address electricity generation, transport, and logistics; leading producer and exporter of critical minerals **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $870.42 billion (2024 est.) $865.402 billion (2023 est.) $859.399 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 0.6% (2024 est.) 0.7% (2023 est.) 1.9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $13,600 (2024 est.) $13,700 (2023 est.) $13,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $400.261 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.4% (2024 est.) 6.1% (2023 est.) 7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2.9% (2024 est.) industry: 24.4% (2024 est.) services: 62.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 64.8% (2024 est.) government consumption: 19.2% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 14.5% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -0.6% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 31.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -29.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, maize, milk, soybeans, potatoes, wheat, grapes, chicken, oranges, apples (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair **Industrial production growth rate:** -0.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 27.766 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 33.2% (2024 est.) 32.1% (2023 est.) 33.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 60.9% (2024 est.) male: 57.1% (2024 est.) female: 65.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Average household expenditures:** on food: 16.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Remittances:** 0.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $123.263 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $137.593 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 76.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 26% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$2.384 billion (2024 est.) -$6.143 billion (2023 est.) -$1.878 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $127.629 billion (2024 est.) $124.671 billion (2023 est.) $136.01 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 19%, USA 8%, Germany 7%, India 7%, UK 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, platinum, coal, cars, iron ore (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $119.59 billion (2024 est.) $123.454 billion (2023 est.) $127.669 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 21%, India 7%, USA 7%, Germany 6%, UAE 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, crude petroleum, gold, cars, broadcasting equipment (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $65.435 billion (2024 est.) $62.492 billion (2023 est.) $60.553 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $93.879 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** rand (ZAR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 18.329 (2024 est.) 18.45 (2023 est.) 16.356 (2022 est.) 14.779 (2021 est.) 16.459 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 86.5% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 87.1% electrification - rural areas: 93.4% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 65.989 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 194.978 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 12.629 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 10.837 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 22.838 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 87.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 5.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 2 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 1.85GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 4.4% (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 239.712 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 176.095 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 66.918 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 3.301 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 9.893 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 88,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 609,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 15 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 66.094 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 3.834 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 3.768 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 86.197 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.353 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 115 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 167 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) operates 6 free-to-air TV stations; 1 private TV station; multiple subscription TV services with mix of local and international channels; mix of public and private radio stations at the national, regional, and local levels; state-owned SABC radio network has 18 stations, including one for each of the 11 official languages, 4 community stations, and 3 commercial stations; over 100 community stations with rural coverage **Internet country code:** .za **Internet users:** percent of population: 76% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2.15 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** ZS **Airports:** 573 (2025) **Heliports:** 49 (2025) **Railways:** total: 30,400 km (2021) standard gauge: 80 km (2021) 1.435-m gauge (80 km electrified) narrow gauge: 19,756 km (2014) 1.065-m gauge (8,271 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 110 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 3, general cargo 1, oil tanker 7, other 99 **Ports:** total ports: 8 (2024) large: 2 medium: 4 small: 1 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 7 key ports: Cape Town, Durban, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha Bay ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South African Army (includes Reserve Force), South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), South African Military Health Services Ministry of Police: South African Police Service (SAPS) (2025) **Military expenditures:** 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 65-70,000 active-duty National Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the SANDF's inventory is a mix of domestically produced and foreign-supplied equipment; South Africa's domestic defense industry produced most of the Army's major weapons systems (some were jointly produced with foreign companies), while the Air Force and Navy inventories include a mix of European, Israeli, and US origin armaments, alongside some domestic systems, such as combat helicopters and some naval vessels; South Africa has one of Africa's leading defense industries (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-22 (18-26 for college graduates) years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; initial 24-month service obligation (2025) note: in 2023, women comprised nearly 30% of the military **Military deployments:** approximately 2,000 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO and Southern African Development Community) (2025) **Military - note:** the South African National Defense Force's (SANDF) primary responsibilities include territorial and maritime defense, supporting the Police Service, protecting key infrastructure, responding to disasters, and participating in international peacekeeping missions; border security and maintaining a rapid reaction capability for regional security missions and disaster response have been priorities; in recent years, it has been deployed internally to assist the Police with quelling unrest and assisting with border security; the SANDF also regularly participates in African and UN peacekeeping missions and is a member of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Standby Force the SANDF was created in 1994 to replace the South African Defense Force (SADF); the SANDF was opened to all South Africans who met military requirements, while the SADF was a mostly white force (only whites were subject to conscription) with non-whites only allowed to join in a voluntary capacity; the SANDF also absorbed members of the various anti-apartheid opposition groups, including the African National Congress, the Pan Africanist Congress, and the Inkatha Freedom Party, as well as the security forces of the formerly independent Bantustan homelands (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** South African National Space Agency (SANSA; established 2010) (2025) **Space launch site(s):** Arniston launch facility (Western Cape) used to support space launch vehicle and ballistic missile program (1980s-1990s); it is now a weapons testing facility called the Denel Overberg Test Range (2024) **Space program overview:** key areas of emphasis for its national space program include Earth observation/remote sensing (RS) capabilities, weather monitoring, research, engineering, and operations (tracking, telemetry, etc.); produces and operates satellites; has a sounding rocket program for carrying experimental payloads for research; cooperates with a range of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, France, India, Russia, and the US; member of the African Space Agency; participates in international programs such as the Square Kilometer Array Project; has a number of state- and privately-owned aerospace companies, as well as academic and research institutions involved in space-related activities (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1976 - established a satellite remote sensing (RS)/radio astronomy center (originally built by the US in 1961 to receive data from US space missions) 1980s - conducted program to launch reconnaissance satellites on a domestically produced satellite launch vehicle (abandoned in 1994 along with nuclear program) 1999 - first domestically built RS/technology demonstrator microsatellite (Sunsat-1) launched by US 2009 - first government-owned and -operated RS/scientific/technology demonstrator satellite (SumbandilaSat) launched by Russia 2018 - inaugurated a radio space telescope array (Karoo Array Telescope or MeerKAT) 2021 - began construction of the international Square Kilometer Array radio telescope observatory; launched a sounding rocket for research purposes to an altitude of nearly 18,000 km (11,185 mi) 2022 - opened Africa's first regional space weather center 2023 - agreed to participate in China's international lunar research station project ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 171,484 (2024 est.) IDPs: 7,385 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore South Africa was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/south-africa/ **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands **Slug:** south-georgia-and-south-sandwich-islands **Region:** South America **Codes:** cek: sx ### Introduction **Background:** South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration since 1908 -- except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th- and early 20th-century whaling station. Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, which was stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. Recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK extended the exclusive fishing zone in 1993, from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island. ### Geography **Location:** Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America **Geographic coordinates:** 54 30 S, 37 00 W **Map references:** Antarctic Region **Area:** total : 3,903 sq km land: 3,903 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of 11 islands **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Rhode Island **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** NA **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow **Terrain:** most of the islands are rugged and mountainous rising steeply from the sea; South Georgia is largely barren with steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** fish **Land use:** other: 100% (2018 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Natural hazards:** the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism **Geography - note:** the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage ### People and Society **Population:** total: no permanent inhabitants ### Environment **Environmental issues:** damage to native wildlife from imported animals **Climate:** variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow **Land use:** other: 100% (2018 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short form: South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands abbreviation: SGSSI etymology: Captain James COOK originally named it "the Isle of Georgia" in 1775 in honor of British King GEORGE III; the word "South" was later added to distinguish these islands from the other Sandwich Islands, now known as the Hawaiian Islands **Dependency status:** overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing the British monarch **Legal system:** the laws of the UK apply **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (administered by the UK, claimed by Argentina) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** none (administered by the UK, claimed by Argentina) **International organization participation:** UPU **Flag:** description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant; the islands' coat of arms is centered on the right half of the flag and has a green shield with a golden lion holding a torch; a fur seal is to the left of the shield and a Macaroni penguin to the right; a reindeer appears above the crest, and below the shield on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land) meaning: the lion represents the UK and discovery; the seal, penguin, and reindeer are native to the islands ### Transportation **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Grytviken, Prince Olav Harbor, Stromness Harbor ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the UK --- ## South Sudan **Slug:** south-sudan **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇸🇸 **Codes:** cek: od, iso2: SS, iso3: SSD, iso_num: 728, genc: SSD, stanag: -, internet: .ss ### Introduction **Background:** South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, is the world’s newest country. Home to a diverse array of mainly Nilotic ethnolinguistic groups that settled in the territory in the 15th through 19th centuries, South Sudanese society is heavily dependent on seasonal migration and seasonal fluctuations in precipitation. Modern-day South Sudan was conquered first by Egypt and later ruled jointly by Egyptian-British colonial administrators in the late 19th century. Christian missionaries helped spread the English language and Christianity in the area, leading to significant cultural differences with the northern part of Sudan, where Arabic and Islam are dominant. When Sudan gained its independence in 1956, the southern region received assurances that it would participate fully in the political system. However, the Arab government in Khartoum reneged on its promises, prompting two periods of civil war (1955-1972 and 1983-2005) in which as many as 2.5 million people died -- mostly civilians -- due largely to starvation and drought. The second Sudanese civil war was one of the deadliest since WWII and left southern Sudanese society devastated. Peace talks resulted in a US-backed Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, which granted the South six years of autonomy followed by a referendum on final status. The result of this referendum, held in 2011, was a vote of 98% in favor of secession. Since independence, South Sudan has struggled to form a viable governing system and has been plagued by widespread corruption, political conflict, and communal violence. In 2013, conflict erupted between forces loyal to President Salva KIIR, a Dinka, and forces loyal to Vice President Riek MACHAR, a Nuer. The conflict quickly spread through the country along ethnic lines, killing tens of thousands and creating a humanitarian crisis with millions of South Sudanese displaced. KIIR and MACHAR signed a peace agreement in 2015 that created a Transitional Government of National Unity the next year. However, renewed fighting broke out in Juba between KIIR and MACHAR’s forces, plunging the country back into conflict and drawing in additional armed opposition groups. A "revitalized" peace agreement was signed in 2018, mostly ending the fighting and laying the groundwork for a unified national army, a transitional government, and elections. The transitional government was formed in 2020, when MACHAR returned to Juba as first vice president. Since 2020, implementation of the peace agreement has been stalled amid wrangling over power-sharing, which has contributed to an uptick in communal violence and the country’s worst food crisis since independence, with 7 of 11 million South Sudanese citizens in need of humanitarian assistance. The transitional period was extended an additional two years in 2022, pushing elections to late 2024. ### Geography **Location:** East-Central Africa; south of Sudan, north of Uganda and Kenya, west of Ethiopia **Geographic coordinates:** 8 00 N, 30 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 644,329 sq km land: NA water: NA **Area - comparative:** more than four times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 6,018 km border countries (6): Central African Republic 1,055 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 714 km; Ethiopia 1,299 km; Kenya 317 km; Sudan 2,158 km; Uganda 475 km note: South Sudan-Sudan boundary represents 1 January 1956 alignment; final alignment pending negotiations and demarcation; final sovereignty status of Abyei Area pending negotiations between South Sudan and Sudan **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** hot with seasonal rainfall influenced by the annual shift of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone; rainfall heaviest in upland areas of the south and diminishes to the north **Terrain:** plains in the north and center rise to southern highlands along the border with Uganda and Kenya; the White Nile, flowing north out of the uplands of Central Africa, is the major geographic feature of the country; The Sudd (a name derived from floating vegetation that hinders navigation) is a large swampy area of more than 100,000 sq km fed by the waters of the White Nile that dominates the center of the country **Elevation:** highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m lowest point: White Nile 381 m **Natural resources:** hydropower, fertile agricultural land, gold, diamonds, petroleum, hardwoods, limestone, iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver **Land use:** agricultural land: 44.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 40.8% (2023 est.) forest: 11.3% (2023 est.) other: 43.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,000 sq km (2012) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Nile (shared with Rwanda [s], Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, and Egypt [m]) - 6,650 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km) **Population distribution:** clusters found in urban areas, particularly in the western interior and around the White Nile, as shown in this population distribution map **Geography - note:** landlocked; The Sudd is a vast swamp in the north central region of South Sudan, formed by the White Nile; its size is variable but can reach some 15% of the country's total area during the rainy season; it is one of the world's largest wetlands ### People and Society **Population:** total: 13,300,066 (2025 est.) male: 6,765,722 female: 6,534,344 **Nationality:** noun: South Sudanese (singular and plural) adjective: South Sudanese **Ethnic groups:** Dinka (Jieng) approximately 35-40%, Nuer (Naath) approximately 15%, Shilluk (Chollo), Azande, Bari, Kakwa, Kuku, Murle, Mandari, Didinga, Ndogo, Bviri, Lndi, Anuak, Bongo, Lango, Dungotona, Acholi, Baka, Fertit (2011 est.) note: Figures are estimations due to population changes during South Sudan's civil war and the lack of updated demographic studies **Languages:** English (official), Arabic (includes Juba and Sudanese variants), ethnic languages include Dinka, Nuer, Bari, Zande, Shilluk major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English) كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) **Religions:** Christian 60.5%, folk religion 32.9%, Muslim 6.2%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 42.1% (male 2,725,520/female 2,619,035) 15-64 years: 55.3% (male 3,568,064/female 3,458,804) 65 years and over: 2.6% (2024 est.) (male 182,757/female 149,534) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 81.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 76.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 4.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 20.8 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 18.7 years (2025 est.) male: 18.7 years female: 18.7 years **Population growth rate:** 4.52% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 35.68 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.65 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 18.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** clusters found in urban areas, particularly in the western interior and around the White Nile, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 21.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 459,000 JUBA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.22 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 692 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 58.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 65.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 54.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 60.3 years (2024 est.) male: 58.4 years female: 62.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 4.98 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 2.43 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 70% of population (2022 est.) rural: 33.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 41.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 30% of population (2022 est.) rural: 66.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 58.8% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.9% of GDP (2021) 2.1% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 60.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 15.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 24.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 39.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 84.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 75.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 6.6% (2014) **Education expenditure:** 1.6% of GDP (2016 est.) 3.3% national budget (2015 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife conservation and loss of biodiversity; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; drought **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** hot with seasonal rainfall influenced by the annual shift of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone; rainfall heaviest in upland areas of the south and diminishes to the north **Land use:** agricultural land: 44.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 40.8% (2023 est.) forest: 11.3% (2023 est.) other: 43.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 21.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 1.725 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.725 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 20.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 59.4 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 696 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 120.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 12.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.681 million tons (2024 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 193 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 225 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 240 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 49.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of South Sudan conventional short form: South Sudan etymology: self-descriptive name from the country's geographic position within Sudan prior to independence; the name Sudan derives from the Arabic balad-as-sudan, meaning "Land of the Black [peoples]" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Juba geographic coordinates: 04 51 N, 31 37 E time difference: UTC+2 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name comes from the name of a small Bari village that was located near the present-day city **Administrative divisions:** 10 states; Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Lakes, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, Upper Nile, Warrap, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria note: in 2015, 28 new states were created, and 4 additional states in 2017; after the 2020 peace agreement, the country was again reorganized into the 10 original states, plus 2 administrative areas, Pibor and Ruweng, and 1 special administrative status area, Abyei (which is disputed between South Sudan and Sudan) **Constitution:** history: previous 2005 (pre-independence); latest signed 7 July 2011, effective 9 July 2011 (Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011) amendment process: proposed by the National Legislature or by the president of the republic; passage requires submission of the proposal to the Legislature at least one month prior to consideration, approval by at least two-thirds majority vote in both houses of the Legislature, and assent of the president **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of South Sudan dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Salva KIIR Mayardit (since 9 July 2011) head of government: President Salva KIIR Mayardit (since 9 July 2011) cabinet: National Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Transitional National Legislative Assembly election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 11-15 April 2010 election results: 2010: Salva KIIR Mayardit elected leader of then-Southern Sudan; percent of vote - Salva KIIR Mayardit (SPLM) 93%, Lam AKOL (SPLM-DC) 7% expected date of next election: scheduled for 2015 but has been postponed multiple times, currently to be held in December 2026 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Législature nationale (National Legislature) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Transitional National Legislative Assembly (Al-Majlis Al-Tachirii) number of seats: 550 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal most recent election date: 5/10/2021 percentage of women in chamber: 32.4% expected date of next election: December 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Council of States (Al-Watani) number of seats: 100 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal most recent election date: 8/2/2021 percentage of women in chamber: 32.1% expected date of next election: December 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of South Sudan (consists of a chief justice, deputy chief justice, and 5 additional justices); the 2011 Transitional Constitution of South Sudan calls for 9, rather than 5 additional justices judge selection and term of office: the 2011 Transitional Constitution of South Sudan calls for the establishment of a Judicial Service Council to recommend prospective justices to the president, and for the justices' tenures to be set by the National Legislature subordinate courts: national level - Courts of Appeal; High Courts; County Courts; state level - High Courts; County Courts; customary courts; other specialized courts and tribunals note: in mid-2022, the Government of South Sudan inaugurated an ad-hoc judiciary committee, a 12-member body led by two eminent jurists, that is charged with reviewing relevant laws, advising on judicial reform, and restructuring the judiciary **Political parties:** Democratic Change or DC Democratic Forum or DF Labour Party or LPSS South Sudan Opposition Alliance or SSOA Sudan African National Union or SANU Sudan People's Liberation Movement or SPLM Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition or SPLM-IO United Democratic Salvation Front or UDSF United South Sudan African Party or USSAP United South Sudan Party or USSP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Santino Fardol Watod DICKEN (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 1015 31st Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 600-2238 FAX: [1] (202) 644-9910 email address and website: info.ssdembassy@gmail.com https://www.ssembassydc.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. ADLER (since 24 August 2022) embassy: Kololo Road adjacent to the EU's compound, Juba mailing address: 4420 Juba Place, Washington DC 20521-4420 telephone: [211] 912-105-188 email address and website: ACSJuba@state.gov https://ss.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** AU, EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO **Independence:** 9 July 2011 (from Sudan) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 9 July (2011) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a five-pointed gold star is in the middle of a blue isosceles triangle based on the left side meaning: black stands for the people, red for the blood shed in the struggle for freedom, green for the land, and blue for the Nile; the gold star represents the unity of the country's states note 1: similar to the flag of Kenya note 2: South Sudan has one of two national flags that display six colors as part of the primary design -- the other is South Africa's **National symbol(s):** African fish eagle **National color(s):** red, green, blue, yellow, black, white **National anthem(s):** title: "South Sudan Oyee!" (South Sudan, Hooray!) lyrics/music: collective/Mido SAMUEL and Juba University students history: adopted 2011; anthem selected in a national contest ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income, oil-based Sahelian economy; extreme poverty and food insecurity; COVID-19 and ongoing violence threaten socioeconomic potential; environmentally fragile; ongoing land and property rights issues; natural resource rich but lacks infrastructure **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $6.752 billion (2023 est.) $6.585 billion (2022 est.) $6.945 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -5.2% (2017 est.) -13.9% (2016 est.) -10.8% (2015 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $400 (2023 est.) $400 (2022 est.) $400 (2021 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $4.629 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 91.4% (2024 est.) 2.4% (2023 est.) -6.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 10.4% (2015 est.) industry: 33.1% (2015 est.) services: 56.6% (2015 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** milk, cassava, sorghum, goat milk, vegetables, fruits, groundnuts, sesame seeds, beef, maize (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industrial production growth rate:** -36.8% (2015 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 5.091 million (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 12.5% (2023 est.) 12.6% (2022 est.) 14.1% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 18.5% (2023 est.) male: 19.4% (2023 est.) female: 17.6% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 82.3% (2016 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 44 (2016 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.8% (2016 est.) highest 10%: 33% (2016 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 9.5% of GDP (2015 est.) 0% of GDP (2014 est.) 0% of GDP (2013 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $2.513 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $1.984 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Current account balance:** $577.9 million (2023 est.) -$596.748 million (2022 est.) -$6.55 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $4.499 billion (2023 est.) $5.811 billion (2022 est.) $4.652 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 51%, Singapore 29%, UAE 10%, Germany 4%, Uganda 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, refined petroleum, forage crops, gold, scrap iron (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $4.443 billion (2023 est.) $6.402 billion (2022 est.) $4.037 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Uganda 33%, UAE 26%, Kenya 14%, China 10%, USA 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** garments, cement, other foods, iron bars, cereal flours (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $72.881 million (2023 est.) $94.914 million (2022 est.) $341.932 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** South Sudanese pounds (SSP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2,163.104 (2024 est.) 930.331 (2023 est.) 534.511 (2022 est.) 306.355 (2021 est.) 165.907 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 8.4% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 15% electrification - rural areas: 1.7% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 136,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 566.034 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 23.966 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 93.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 6.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 100 metric tons (2022 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 146,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 3.75 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 2.092 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 0 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 5.35 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 state-controlled TV channel and radio station; several community and commercial FM stations, mostly sponsored by outside aid donors; some foreign radio broadcasts available (2019) **Internet country code:** .ss **Internet users:** percent of population: 9% (2022 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 0 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** Z8 **Airports:** 89 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Railways:** total: 248 km (2018) note: a narrow gauge, single-track railroad between Babonosa (Sudan) and Wau, the only existing rail system, was repaired in 2010 with $250 million in UN funds, but is not currently operational ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF): Land Forces (includes Presidential Guard), Air Forces, Marine (Riverine) Forces, Reserve Forces; National (or Necessary) Unified Forces (NUF) Ministry of Interior: South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS) (2025) note 1: the NUF are being formed by retraining rebel and pro-government militia fighters into military, police, and other government security forces; the first operational NUF deployed in November 2023 note 2: numerous irregular forces operate in the country with official knowledge, including militias operated by the National Security Service (an internal security force under the Ministry of National Security) and proxy forces **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2024 est.) 2% of GDP (2023 est.) 2% of GDP (2022 est.) 2% of GDP (2021 est.) 2% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information varies; estimated 150-200,000 active Defense Forces (2025) note: some active SSPDF personnel may be militia; the National/Necessary Unified Forces (NUF) were expected to have up to 80,000 personnel when training and integration is completed; the first batch of approximately 20,000 NUF personnel completed training in late 2022 **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the SSPDF inventory is a mix of primarily of Soviet-era armaments alongside limited quantities of more modern equipment such as armored personnel carriers from UAE (2025) note: South Sudan has been under a UN arms embargo since 2018 (extended for 1 year in May 2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 (legal minimum age)-35 for voluntary military service for men and women; 12-24 months service (2025) note: the UN reports that there are thousands of child soldiers in South Sudan serving in the SSPDF and militia forces although the South Sudanese Government has pledged to end the practice **Military - note:** the South Sudan People's Defense Forces (SSPDF) are largely focused on border and internal security; areas of concern include disputed national borders, conflict spillover from neighboring Sudan, banditry, and armed rebel groups and militias that continue to operate in the country since the civil war ended in 2020 the SSPDF, formerly the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), was founded as a guerrilla movement against the Sudanese Government in 1983 and participated in the Second Sudanese Civil War (1983-2005); the Juba Declaration that followed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005 unified the SPLA and the South Sudan Defense Forces (SSDF), the second-largest rebel militia remaining from the civil war, under the SPLA name; in 2017, the SPLA was renamed the South Sudan Defense Forces (SSDF) and in September 2018 was renamed again as the SSPDF the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has operated in the country since 2011 with the objectives of consolidating peace and security and helping establish conditions for the successful economic and political development of South Sudan; UNMISS has about 18,000 personnel assigned; the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has operated in the disputed Abyei region along the border between Sudan and South Sudan since 2011; its mission includes ensuring security, protecting civilians, strengthening the capacity of the Abyei Police Service, de-mining, monitoring/verifying the redeployment of armed forces from the area, and facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid; UNISFA has approximately 3,800 personnel assigned (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 517,471 (2024 est.) IDPs: 1,359,795 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 18,000 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — South Sudan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, South Sudan remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/south-sudan/ --- ## Southern Ocean **Slug:** southern-ocean **Region:** Oceans **Codes:** cek: oo ### Introduction **Background:** A large body of recent oceanographic research has shown that the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), an ocean current that flows from west to east around Antarctica, plays a crucial role in global ocean circulation. The region where the cold waters of the ACC meet and mingle with the warmer waters of the north defines a distinct border -- the Antarctic Convergence -- which fluctuates with the seasons but encompasses a discrete body of water and a unique ecologic region. The Convergence concentrates nutrients, which promotes marine plant life, which in turn allows for a greater abundance of animal life. In 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization delimited the waters within the Convergence as a fifth world ocean basin -- the Southern Ocean -- by combining the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude, which coincides with the Antarctic Treaty region and which approximates the extent of the Antarctic Convergence. As such, the Southern Ocean is now the fourth largest of the world's five ocean basins (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean). It should be noted that inclusion of the Southern Ocean does not imply US Government recognition of this feature as one of the world's primary ocean basins. ### Geography **Location:** body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and Antarctica **Geographic coordinates:** 60 00 S, 90 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean has the unique distinction of being a large circumpolar body of water totally encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of water lies between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of Antarctica and encompasses 360 degrees of longitude **Map references:** Antarctic Region **Area:** total : 21.96 million sq km note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and other tributary water bodies **Area - comparative:** slightly more than twice the size of the US **Coastline:** 17,968 km **Climate:** sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2 degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature contrast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage winds from the interior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter **Ocean volume:** ocean volume: 71.8 million cu km percent of World Ocean total volume: 5.4% **Major ocean currents:** the cold, clockwise-flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current (West Wind Drift; 21,000 km long) moves perpetually eastward around the continent and is the world's largest and strongest ocean current, transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100 times the flow of all the world's rivers; it is also the only current that flows all the way around the planet and connects the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Ocean basins; the cold Antarctic Coastal Current (East Wind Drift) is the southernmost current in the world, flowing westward and parallel to the Antarctic coastline **Bathymetry:** continental shelf: the following are examples of features on the continental shelf of the Southern Ocean (see Figure 2): Astrid Ridge (see also Figure 4) Belgrano Bank Gunnerus Ridge (see also Figure 4) Hayes Bank Iselin Bank continental slope: the following are examples of features on the continental slope of the Southern Ocean (see Figure 2): Amery Basin (Figure 4) Filchner Trough Hillary Canyon Pobeda Canyon (Figure 3) abyssal plains: the following are examples of features on the abyssal plains of the Southern Ocean (see Figures 2, 3, and 4): Amundsen (Abyssal) Plain Enderby (Abyssal) Plain South Indian/Australian-Antarctic Basin Southeast Pacific/Bellinghausen Basin Weddell (Abyssal) Plain mid-ocean ridge: the following are examples of mid-ocean ridges on the floor of the Southern Ocean (see Figure 2): Pacific-Antarctic Ridge (Figure 3) undersea terrain features: the following are examples of undersea terrain features on the floor of the Southern Ocean (see Figure 2): Akopov Seamounts (Figure 3) De Gerlache Seamounts (see also Figure 3, 4) Endurance Ridge (Figure 4) Marie Byrd Seamount (see also Figure 3) Maud Rise (see also Figure 4) Scott Seamounts (see also Figure 3) ocean trenches: the following are examples of ocean trenches on the floor of the Southern Ocean (see Figure 2): South Sandwich Trench (Figure 4; the deepest location in the Southern Ocean) atolls: none, due to the extremely cold water **Elevation:** highest point: sea level lowest point: southern end of the South Sandwich Trench -7,434 m unnamed deep mean depth: -3,270 m ocean zones: the ocean is divided into three zones based on depth and light level; sunlight entering the water may travel about 1,000 m into the oceans under the right conditions, but there is rarely any significant light below 200 m euphotic zone: the upper 200 m (656 ft) is also called "sunlight" zone; only a small amount of light penetrates beyond this depth dysphotic zone: between 200 m (656 ft) and 1,000 m (3,280 ft), and also called the twilight zone; the intensity of light rapidly dissipates as depth increases, and photosynthesis is no longer possible aphotic zone: below 1,000 m (3,280 ft) and also called the midnight zone; sunlight does not penetrate to these depths **Natural resources:** probable large oil and gas fields on the continental margin; manganese nodules, possible placer deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; krill, fish **Natural hazards:** huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 m thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue **Geography - note:** the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between South America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) is the best natural definition of the northern extent of the Southern Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current that separates the cold polar surface waters to the south from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Current extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degrees south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far South Atlantic, coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly winds ### Environment **Environmental issues:** natural and man-made changes to the ocean's physical, chemical, and biological systems **International environmental agreements:** the Southern Ocean is subject to all international agreements regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject to these agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International Whaling Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees south [south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (regulates fishing) note: mineral exploitation except for scientific research is banned by the Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty; additionally, many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence), which is in the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the cold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the north **Climate:** sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2 degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature contrast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage winds from the interior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter **Marine fisheries:** the Southern Ocean fishery is relatively small with a total catch of 388,901 mt in 2021; the Food and Agriculture Organization has delineated three regions in the Southern Ocean (Regions 48, 58, 88) that generally encompass the waters south of 40° to 60° South latitude; the most important producers in these regions include Norway (241,408 mt), China (47,605 mt), and South Korea (39,487 mt); Antarctic krill made up 95.5% of the total catch in 2021, while other important species include Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish Regional fisheries bodies: Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources ### Government **Country name:** etymology: the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) has not formally adopted the definition of the Southern Ocean as the waters south of 60 degrees south; the definition, however, was circulated in a draft edition of the IHO's Names and Limits of Oceans and Seas in 2002 and has since become the de facto name for many nations and organizations, including the CIA ### Transportation **Transportation - note:** Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal --- ## Spain **Slug:** spain **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇪🇸 **Codes:** cek: sp, iso2: ES, iso3: ESP, iso_num: 724, genc: ESP, stanag: ESP, internet: .es ### Introduction **Background:** Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Spain remained neutral during both World Wars but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39) resulting in a dictatorship. A peaceful transition to democracy after the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975 and rapid economic modernization after Spain joined the EU in 1986 gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy. After a severe recession in the wake of the global financial crisis in 2008, Spain has posted solid years of GDP growth above the EU average. Unemployment has fallen but remains high, especially among youth. Spain is the euro-zone's fourth-largest economy. The country has faced increased domestic turmoil in recent years due to the independence movement in its restive Catalonia region. ### Geography **Location:** Southwestern Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, and Pyrenees Mountains; southwest of France **Geographic coordinates:** 40 00 N, 4 00 W **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 505,370 sq km land: 498,980 sq km water: 6,390 sq km note: includes two autonomous cities (Ceuta and Melilla), 17 autonomous communities (including Balearic Islands and Canary Islands), and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of Morocco -- Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera **Area - comparative:** almost five times the size of Kentucky; slightly more than twice the size of Oregon **Land boundaries:** total: 1,952.7 km border countries (5): Andorra 63 km; France 646 km; Gibraltar 1.2 km; Portugal 1,224 km; Morocco (Ceuta) 8 km and Morocco (Melilla) 10.5 km note: an additional 75-meter border segment exists between Morocco and the Spanish exclave of Penon de Velez de la Gomera **Coastline:** 4,964 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean) **Climate:** temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast **Terrain:** large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees Mountains in north **Elevation:** highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 660 m **Natural resources:** coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 49.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 23% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 10.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 19.8% (2023 est.) forest: 38.2% (2023 est.) other: 12.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 38,012 sq km (2022) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Tagus river source (shared with Portugal [m]) - 1,006 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Population distribution:** with the notable exception of Madrid, Sevilla, and Zaragoza, the largest urban agglomerations are found along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts; numerous smaller cities are spread throughout the interior; very dense settlement around the capital of Madrid, as well as the port city of Barcelona **Natural hazards:** periodic droughts, occasional flooding volcanism: volcanic activity in the Canary Islands, located off Africa's northwest coast; Teide (3,715 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; La Palma (2,426 m) is the most active of the Canary Islands volcanoes; Lanzarote is the only other historically active volcano **Geography - note:** strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar; Spain controls a number of territories in northern Morocco, including the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas; Spain's Canary Islands are one of four North Atlantic archipelagos that make up Macaronesia; the others are the Azores (Portugal), Madeira (Portugal), and Cabo Verde ### People and Society **Population:** total: 47,336,448 (2025 est.) male: 23,091,907 female: 24,244,541 **Nationality:** noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish **Ethnic groups:** Spanish 84.8%, Moroccan 1.7%, Romanian 1.2%, other 12.3% (2021 est.) note: data represent population by country of birth **Languages:** Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan (official in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian Community) 17%, Galician (official in Galicia) 7%, Basque (official in the Basque Country and Navarre) 2%, Aranese (official in part of Catalonia) <5,000 speakers major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: Aragonese, Aranese Asturian, Calo, and Valencian are also recognized as regional languages **Religions:** Roman Catholic 58.2%, atheist 16.2%, agnostic 10.8%, other 2.7%, non-believer 10.5%, unspecified 1.7% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 13% (male 3,147,019/female 3,012,821) 15-64 years: 66.1% (male 15,662,492/female 15,585,138) 65 years and over: 20.9% (2024 est.) (male 4,259,816/female 5,613,147) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 51.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 19.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 32.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 47.2 years (2025 est.) male: 45.7 years female: 47.8 years **Population growth rate:** 0.12% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 7.16 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.98 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 3.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** with the notable exception of Madrid, Sevilla, and Zaragoza, the largest urban agglomerations are found along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts; numerous smaller cities are spread throughout the interior; very dense settlement around the capital of Madrid, as well as the port city of Barcelona **Urbanization:** urban population: 81.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.24% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla **Major urban areas - population:** 6.751 million MADRID (capital), 5.687 million Barcelona, 838,000 Valencia (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 31.2 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 2.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 83 years (2024 est.) male: 80.3 years female: 85.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.32 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.65 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 10.7% of GDP (2021) 15.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.29 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 2.9 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 23.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 10.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.34 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 23.9% (2025 est.) male: 25.8% (2025 est.) female: 22% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 50.2% (2021 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 9.9% national budget (2022 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 99.7% (2021 est.) male: 99.8% (2021 est.) female: 99.6% (2021 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 18 years (2023 est.) male: 17 years (2023 est.) female: 18 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from oil and gas production; drought; air pollution; deforestation; desertification **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast **Land use:** agricultural land: 49.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 23% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 10.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 19.8% (2023 est.) forest: 38.2% (2023 est.) other: 12.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 81.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.24% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 254.823 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 13.39 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 182.327 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 59.105 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 8.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 22.409 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 27.7% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 4.56 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 5.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 18.96 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 111.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 18 (2025) global geoparks and regional networks: Basque Coast UNESCO; Cabo de Gata-Níjar; Cabo Ortegal; Calatrava Volcanoes. Ciudad Real; Central Catalonia; Costa Quebrada; Courel Mountains; El Hierro; Granada; Lanzarote and Chinijo Islands; Las Loras; Maestrazgo; Molina-Alto; Origens; Sierra Norte de Sevilla; Sierras Subbéticas; Sobrarbe-Pirineos: Villuercas Ibores Jara (2025) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain conventional short form: Spain local long form: Reino de España local short form: España etymology: derivation of the name España is uncertain; the Basque words ezpain or espan ("edge," as in a river bank) are possible sources, or the Punic word span, meaning "rabbit;" some academics tie it to the god Hesperus from Greco-Roman mythology **Government type:** parliamentary constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Madrid geographic coordinates: 40 24 N, 3 41 W time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October time zone note: Spain has two time zones, including the Canary Islands (UTC 0) etymology: the meaning and origin of the name is unclear; the city grew from a small Moorish fort that was called Majerit in the first recorded mention in A.D. 932; some trace the modern-day name back to the Roman era, with the Latin word materia (materials) as a possible source **Administrative divisions:** 17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma) and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas, singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia; Aragon; Asturias; Canarias (Canary Islands); Cantabria; Castilla-La Mancha; Castilla-Leon; Cataluña (Castilian), Catalunya (Catalan), Catalonha (Aranese) [Catalonia]; Ceuta*; Comunidad Valenciana (Castilian), Comunitat Valenciana (Valencian) [Valencian Community]; Extremadura; Galicia; Illes Baleares (Balearic Islands); La Rioja; Madrid; Melilla*; Murcia; Navarra (Castilian), Nafarroa (Basque) [Navarre]; Pais Vasco (Castilian), Euskadi (Basque) [Basque Country] note: Spain administers the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla and the three small islands of Islas Chafarinas, Peñón de Alhucemas, and Peñón de Velez de la Gomera, which are all located along the coast of Morocco; they are collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de Soberania) **Legal system:** civil law system with regional variations **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest approved by the General Courts 31 October 1978, passed by referendum 6 December 1978, signed by the king 27 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978 amendment process: proposed by the government, by the General Courts (the Congress or the Senate), or by the self-governing communities submitted through the government; passage requires three-fifths majority vote by both houses and passage by referendum if requested by one tenth of the members of either house; proposals disapproved by both houses are submitted to a joint committee, which submits an agreed upon text for another vote; passage requires two-thirds majority vote in Congress and simple majority vote in the Senate **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Spain dual citizenship recognized: only with select Latin American countries residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years for persons with no ties to Spain **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King FELIPE VI (since 19 June 2014) head of government: President of the Government of Spain (prime minister-equivalent) Pedro SANCHEZ PEREZ-CASTEJON (since 2 June 2018) cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the monarch usually proposes as president the leader of the majority party or coalition, who is then indirectly elected by the Congress of Deputies; vice president and Council of Ministers appointed by the president most recent election date: 23 July 2023 election results: Congress of Deputies vote - 179 to 171 (16 November 2023) expected date of next election: 31 July 2027 note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are non-binding **Legislative branch:** legislature name: The Cortes (Las Cortes Generales) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Congress of Deputies (Congreso de los Diputados) number of seats: 350 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 7/23/2023 parties elected and seats per party: People's Party (PP) (136); Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) (122); Vox (33); SUMAR (31); Other (28) percentage of women in chamber: 44.3% expected date of next election: July 2027 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Senado) number of seats: 265 (208 directly elected; 57 indirectly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 7/23/2023 parties elected and seats per party: People's Party (PP) (120); Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) (72); Other (16) percentage of women in chamber: 42.5% expected date of next election: July 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo (consists of the court president and organized into the Civil Room, with a president and 9 judges; the Penal Room, with a president and 14 judges; the Administrative Room, with a president and 32 judges; the Social Room, with a president and 12 judges; and the Military Room, with a president and 7 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional de Espana (consists of 12 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates proposed by the General Council of the Judiciary Power, a 20-member governing board chaired by the monarch; judges can serve until age 70; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the National Assembly, executive branch, and the General Council of the Judiciary, and appointed by the monarch for 9-year terms subordinate courts: National High Court; High Courts of Justice (in each of the autonomous communities); provincial courts; courts of first instance **Political parties:** Asturias Forum or FAC Basque Country Unite (Euskal Herria Bildu) or EH Bildu (coalition of 4 Basque pro-independence parties) Basque Nationalist Party or PNV or EAJ Canarian Coalition or CC (coalition of 5 parties) Ciudadanos Party (Citizens Party) or Cs Compromis - Compromise Coalition Navarrese People's Union or UPN Together for Catalonia or Junts People's Party or PP Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE Teruel Existe or TE Unidas (Unite) or Sumar (electoral coalition formed in March 2022) (formerly Unidas Podemos or UP) Vox or VOX **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Ángeles MORENO Bau (since 27 February 2024) chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100 FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670 email address and website: emb.washington@maec.es https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Embajadas/washington/en/Paginas/index.aspx consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Rian Harker HARRIS (since 15 July 2024); note - also accredited to Andorra embassy: Calle de Serrano, 75, 28006 Madrid mailing address: 8500 Madrid Place, Washington DC 20521-8500 telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200 FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303 email address and website: askACS@state.gov https://es.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Barcelona **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CABEI, CAN (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 1492 note: the Iberian peninsula was home to a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in the early 8th century A.D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain **National holiday:** National Day (Hispanic Day), 12 October (1492) note: commemorates the arrival of explorer Christopher COLUMBUS in the Americas **Flag:** description: three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double-width), and red, with the national coat of arms on the left side of the yellow band; the coat of arms shows the emblems of the area's former kingdoms (clockwise from upper left: Castile, Leon, Navarre, and Aragon), which also used red and yellow as their colors; the stylized pomegranate at the bottom of the shield represents Granada; the two columns represent the Pillars of Hercules, which are promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on the Strait of Gibraltar; a red scroll bears the imperial motto of "Plus Ultra" (further beyond), referring to Spanish lands outside Europe **National symbol(s):** Pillars of Hercules **National color(s):** red, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Himno Nacional Espanol" (National Anthem of Spain) lyrics/music: no lyrics/unknown history: adopted 1942;officially in use between 1770 and 1931, restored in 1939; the Spanish anthem was the first to be officially adopted; it first appeared in a 1761 military bugle-call book and was replaced by "Himno de Riego" in the years between 1931 and 1939; the long version of the anthem is used for the king, and the short version is used for the prince, prime minister, and occasions such as sporting events **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 50 (44 cultural, 4 natural, 2 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain (c); Works of Antoni Gaudí (c); Santiago de Compostela (Old Town) (c); Historic City of Toledo (c); Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida (c); Tower of Hercules (c); Doñana National Park (n); Pyrénées - Mont Perdu (m); Alhambra, Generalife, and Albayzín in Granada (c); Old City of Salamanca (c); Teide National Park (n); Historic Walled Town of Cuenca (c); Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct (c); Historic Cordoba (c); Royal Site of Saint Lorenzo de El Escorial (c); Cathedral, Alcázar, and Archivo de Indias in Seville ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, core-EU and eurozone economy; strong growth driven by public consumption, tourism, and other service exports; tight labor market despite high structural unemployment; efforts to narrow persistent fiscal deficits through tax and spending measures; high but declining unemployment supported by job growth and immigration **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $2.361 trillion (2024 est.) $2.289 trillion (2023 est.) $2.229 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.2% (2024 est.) 2.7% (2023 est.) 6.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $48,400 (2024 est.) $47,300 (2023 est.) $46,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.723 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.8% (2024 est.) 3.5% (2023 est.) 8.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 2.5% (2024 est.) industry: 19.5% (2024 est.) services: 69.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 54.3% (2023 est.) government consumption: 19.5% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 19.7% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 1.3% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 38.1% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -34.1% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, olives, pork, grapes, wheat, tomatoes, barley, sugar beets, maize, oranges (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 24.386 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 11.4% (2024 est.) 12.2% (2023 est.) 13% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 27% (2024 est.) male: 26.4% (2024 est.) female: 27.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 20.2% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 33.6 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 12.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.3% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 24.8% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $512.57 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $549.772 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 107.3% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 15% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $52.182 billion (2024 est.) $43.012 billion (2023 est.) $4.482 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $642.358 billion (2024 est.) $616.648 billion (2023 est.) $573.598 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** France 15%, Germany 10%, Portugal 9%, Italy 9%, UK 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** cars, packaged medicine, refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, garments (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $568.502 billion (2024 est.) $552.948 billion (2023 est.) $561.448 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 11%, China 10%, France 10%, Italy 7%, USA 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, cars, garments, vehicle parts/accessories, natural gas (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $107.774 billion (2024 est.) $103.089 billion (2023 est.) $92.905 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** euros (EUR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 130.366 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 227.187 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 25.279 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 11.315 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 24.532 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 28% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 20.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 17.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 23.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 8.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 2.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 7 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 7.12GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 20.3% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 3 (2025) **Coal:** production: 1.28 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 7.388 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1.629 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 9.798 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.187 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 47,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 1.325 million bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 150 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 34.124 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 29.041 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 6.576 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 35.252 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2.549 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 101.12 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 18.431 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 62.4 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 130 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** mix of publicly operated and privately owned TV and radio stations; hundreds of TV channels available, including national, regional, local, public, and international channels; satellite and cable TV available; multiple national radio networks, large number of regional radio networks, and larger number of local radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .es **Internet users:** percent of population: 95% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 18.2 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** EC **Airports:** 365 (2025) **Heliports:** 162 (2025) **Railways:** total: 15,489 km (2020) 9,953 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 503 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1, general cargo 33, oil tanker 24, other 445 **Ports:** total ports: 52 (2024) large: 3 medium: 14 small: 9 very small: 24 size unknown: 2 ports with oil terminals: 13 key ports: Alicante, Barcelona, Cadiz, Ceuta, Ferrol, Huelva, Las Palmas, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Puerto de Bilbao, Puerto de Pasajes, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Santander, Sevilla, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Spanish Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de España): Army (Ejército de Tierra), Spanish Navy (Armada Espanola; includes Marine Corps), Air and Space Force (Ejército del Aire y del Espacio), Emergency Response Unit (Unidad Militar de Emergencias); Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) Ministry of the Interior: Spanish National Police (Cuerpo Nacional de Policía, CNP) (2025) note 1: the Civil Guard is a military force with police duties (including coast guard) under both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior; it also responds to the needs of the Ministry of Finance; the CNP and the Civil Guard maintain internal security as well as migration and border enforcement under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior; the regional police under the authority of the Catalan and the Basque Country regional governments and municipal police throughout the country also support domestic security note 2: the Emergency Response Unit was established in 2006 as a separate branch of service for responding to natural disasters and providing disaster relief both domestically and abroad; it has personnel from all the other military services note 3: the Royal Guard is an independent joint-service regiment of the military dedicated to the protection of the King and members of the royal family **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2025 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 120,000 active-duty military personnel; approximately 80,000 Guardia Civil (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is comprised of weapons and equipment that were produced domestically, co-produced with or imported from other European countries, or acquired from the US; key suppliers of major armaments include Germany and the US; Spain's defense industry manufactures land, air, and sea weapons systems and is integrated within the European defense-industrial sector (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (upper age limits depend on branch of service, roles, specialties, etc); 24-36 month initial obligation; no conscription, but the Spanish Government retains the right to mobilize citizens 19-25 years of age in a national emergency; 18-58 for the voluntary reserves (2026) note 1: as of 2024, women comprised about 13% of the military's full-time personnel; they serve in all branches, including combat arms note 2: the military recruits foreign nationals with residency in Spain from countries of its former empire, including Argentina, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela **Military deployments:** Spain has up to 3,000 military personnel deployed on 17 missions supporting the EU, NATO, and the UN on four continents, as well as naval missions in the Mediterranean and the seas off the Horn of Africa; its largest deployments are up to 700 troops in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and about 1,700 personnel in Eastern Europe supporting NATO missions in Latvia, Romania, and Slovakia (2025) **Military - note:** the Spanish military has a wide range of responsibilities, including protecting the country’s national interests, sovereignty, and territory, providing support during natural disasters, and fulfilling Spain’s responsibilities to European and international security; it maintains garrisons in the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla, conducts operations worldwide, and participates in a variety of EU-, NATO-, and UN-led missions; Spain joined NATO in 1982 and is fully integrated into the NATO structure; it routinely conducts exercises with NATO (and EU) partners, and hosts one of NATO’s two combined air operations centers the Spanish military's history goes back to the 13th century; the Army has an infantry regiment, formed in the 13th century, that is considered the oldest still active military unit in the Western world; the Marine Corps, which traces its roots back to 1537, is the oldest naval infantry force in the world; Spain created a Spanish Legion for foreigners in 1920, but early on the Legion was primarily filled by native Spaniards due to difficulties in recruiting foreigners, and most of its foreign members were from the Republic of Cuba; it was modeled after the French Foreign Legion and its purpose was to provide a corps of professional troops to fight in Spain's colonial campaigns in North Africa; in more recent years, it has been used in NATO peacekeeping deployments; today’s Legion includes a mix of native Spaniards and foreigners with Spanish residency (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Spanish Space Agency (AEE; became operational in 2023); Center for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI) (2025) note 1: the CDTI coordinates the activities of the commercial space sector note 2: prior to the establishment of the AEE, the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial or INTA, established 1942), a public research organization that depends on the Ministry of Defense, acted as Spain’s space agency **Space launch site(s):** El Arenosillo Test Center/Range (Andalusia) (2025) **Space program overview:** space program dates back to the 1940s; manufactures and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific/technology satellites; has developed sounding rockets; conducts research and development in a broad range of space-related capabilities, including astrobiology, astronomy, imaging/RS, meteorology, optics, propulsion, robotics, satellites (particularly micro- and nano-satellites), and satellite launch vehicles; program is integrated into the ESA; also participates in EU space programs; hosts the European Space Astronomy Center (ESOC) and the ESA’s Space Surveillance and Tracking Data Centre (ESAC); cooperates with foreign space agencies and industries, including the US; has an active commercial space industry (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1960s - began working with the US/NASA and the European Space Research Organization (ESRO), the forerunner of the ESA; sounding rocket program (ended in the 1990s) 1974 - first satellite (IntaSat) launched by US 1990s - satellite launch vehicle (SLV) development program (canceled in 2000) 1992 - first communications satellite (Hispasat 1A) launched on European rocket 1998 - first astronaut in space on US Space Shuttle 2018 - first synthetic-aperture-radar, remote-sensing/reconnaissance satellite (Paz) launched by US 2023 - Spanish built Miuri-1 becomes first European private rocket to reach space; joined US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration 2025 - communications satellite (SpainSat NG 1) with advanced security technology launched by US ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa’ida note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 693,298 (2024 est.) IDPs: 3,960 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 10,164 (2024 est.) --- ## Spratly Islands **Slug:** spratly-islands **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Codes:** cek: pg, genc: XSP, stanag: -, internet: - ### Introduction **Background:** The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs surrounded by rich fishing grounds -- and potentially by gas and oil deposits. China, Taiwan, and Vietnam all claim the islands in their entirety, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. Around 70 disputed islets and reefs in the Spratly Islands are occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Since 1985, Brunei has claimed a continental shelf that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any formal claim to the reef. Brunei claims an exclusive economic zone over this area. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines **Geographic coordinates:** 8 38 N, 111 55 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 5 sq km less than land: 5 sq km less than water: 0 sq km note: includes over 100 islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km (158,000 sq mi) in the central South China Sea **Area - comparative:** land area is about seven times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 926 km **Climate:** tropical **Terrain:** small, flat islands, islets, cays, and reefs **Elevation:** highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 6 m lowest point: South China Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential **Land use:** other: 100% (2018 est.) **Natural hazards:** typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard **Geography - note:** strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs ### People and Society **Population:** total: no permanent inhabitants note: scattered garrisons are occupied by military personnel of several claimant states ### Environment **Environmental issues:** harm to reefs from China's use of dredged sand and coral to build artificial islands; illegal fishing practices **Climate:** tropical **Land use:** other: 100% (2018 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands etymology: named after British whaling captain Richard SPRATLY, who sighted the islands in 1843 ### Military and Security **Military - note:** around 70 disputed islets and reefs in the Spratly Islands are occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam China: occupies seven outposts (Fiery Cross, Mischief, Subi, Cuarteron, Gavin, Hughes, and Johnson reefs); the outposts on Fiery Cross, Mischief, and Subi include air bases with helipads and aircraft hangers, naval port facilities, surveillance radars, air defense and anti-ship missile sites, and other military infrastructure such as communications, barracks, maintenance facilities, and ammunition and fuel bunkers Malaysia: occupies five outposts in the southern portion of the archipelago, closest to the Malaysian state of Sabah (Ardasier Reef, Eric Reef, Mariveles Reef, Shallow Reef, and Investigator Shoal); all the outposts have helicopter landing pads, while Shallow Reef also has an airstrip Philippines: occupies nine features (Commodore Reef, Second Thomas Shoal, Flat Island, Loaita Cay, Loaita Island, Nanshan Island, Northeast Cay, Thitu Island, and West York Island); Thitu Island has an airstrip and a coast guard station Taiwan: maintains a coast guard outpost with an airstrip on Itu Aba Island Vietnam: occupies about 50 outposts, plus some 14 platforms known as “economic, scientific, and technological service stations” (Dịch vụ-Khoa) that sit on underwater banks to the southeast that Vietnam does not consider part of the disputed island chain, although China and Taiwan disagree; Spratly Islands outposts are on Alison Reef, Amboyna Cay, Barque Canada Reef, Central Reef, Collins Reef, Cornwallis South Reef, Discovery Great Reef, East Reef, Grierson Reef, Ladd Reef, Landsdowne Reef, Namyit Island, Pearson Reef, Petley Reef, Sand Cay, Sin Cowe Island, South Reef, Southwest Cay, Spratly Island, Tennent Reef, West Reef; the underwater banks with stations include Vanguard, Rifleman, Prince of Wales, Prince Consort, Grainger, and Alexandra; in recent years, Vietnam has continued to make improvements to its outposts, including defensive positions and infrastructure (2025) --- ## Sri Lanka **Slug:** sri-lanka **Region:** South Asia **Flag:** 🇱🇰 **Codes:** cek: ce, iso2: LK, iso3: LKA, iso_num: 144, genc: LKA, stanag: LKA, internet: .lk ### Introduction **Background:** The first Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced circa 250 B.C., and the first kingdoms developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (from about 200 B.C. to about A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about A.D. 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a South Indian dynasty established a Tamil kingdom in northern Sri Lanka. The Portuguese controlled the coastal areas of the island in the 16th century, followed by the Dutch in the 17th century. The island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was formally united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; the name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Prevailing tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in 1983. Fighting between the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) continued for over a quarter-century. Although Norway brokered peace negotiations that led to a cease-fire in 2002, the fighting slowly resumed and was again in full force by 2006. The government defeated the LTTE in 2009. During the post-conflict years under then-President Mahinda RAJAPAKSA, the government initiated infrastructure development projects, many of which were financed by loans from China. His regime faced allegations of human rights violations and a shrinking democratic space for civil society. In 2015, a new coalition government headed by President Maithripala SIRISENA of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and Prime Minister Ranil WICKREMESINGHE of the United National Party came to power with pledges to advance economic, political, and judicial reforms. However, implementation of these reforms was uneven. In 2019, Gotabaya RAJAPAKSA won the presidential election and appointed his brother Mahinda prime minister. Civil society raised concerns about the RAJAPAKSA administration’s commitment to pursuing justice, human rights, and accountability reforms, as well as the risks to foreign creditors that Sri Lanka faced given its ongoing economic crisis. A combination of factors including the COVID-19 pandemic; severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel; and power outages triggered increasingly violent protests in Columbo beginning in 2022. In response, WICKREMESINGHE -- who had already served as prime minister five times -- was named to replace the prime minister, but he became president within a few months when Gotabaya RAJAPAKSA fled the country. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India **Geographic coordinates:** 7 00 N, 81 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 65,610 sq km land: 64,630 sq km water: 980 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than West Virginia **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 1,340 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October) **Terrain:** mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior **Elevation:** highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 228 m **Natural resources:** limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 48.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 22.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 19.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 7.1% (2023 est.) forest: 34.4% (2023 est.) other: 16.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 5,700 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** the population is primarily concentrated within a broad wet zone in the southwest, urban centers along the eastern coast, and on the Jaffna Peninsula in the north **Natural hazards:** occasional cyclones and tornadoes **Geography - note:** strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes; Adam's Bridge is a chain of limestone shoals between the southeastern coast of India and the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka; geological evidence suggests that this 50-km (31-mi) bridge once connected India and Sri Lanka; ancient records seem to indicate that a foot passage was possible between the two land masses until the 15th century, when the land bridge broke up in a cyclone ### People and Society **Population:** total: 22,050,561 (2025 est.) male: 10,668,528 female: 11,382,033 **Nationality:** noun: Sri Lankan(s) adjective: Sri Lankan **Ethnic groups:** Sinhalese 74.9%, Sri Lankan Tamil 11.2%, Sri Lankan Moors 9.2%, Indian Tamil 4.2%, other 0.5% (2012 est.) **Languages:** Sinhala (official) 87%, Tamil (official) 28.5%, English 23.8% (2012 est.) note: data represent main languages spoken by the population aged 10 years and older; shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; English is commonly used in government and is referred to as the "link language" in the constitution **Religions:** Buddhist (official) 70.2%, Hindu 12.6%, Muslim 9.7%, Roman Catholic 6.1%, other Christian 1.3%, other 0.05% (2012 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 22.6% (male 2,537,918/female 2,423,615) 15-64 years: 65% (male 6,954,869/female 7,336,897) 65 years and over: 12.4% (2024 est.) (male 1,149,256/female 1,580,053) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 53.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 34.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 19.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 5.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 34.2 years (2025 est.) male: 32.2 years female: 35.8 years **Population growth rate:** 0.22% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 14.38 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -4.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the population is primarily concentrated within a broad wet zone in the southwest, urban centers along the eastern coast, and on the Jaffna Peninsula in the north **Urbanization:** urban population: 19.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 103,000 Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital) (2018), 633,000 COLOMBO (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 25.6 years (2016 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 30-34 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 18 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.8 years (2024 est.) male: 73.7 years female: 79.9 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.12 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.03 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 87.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 89.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 12.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 10.7% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.1% of GDP (2021) 9.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.14 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 97.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 99% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 5.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 2.58 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 18.2% (2025 est.) male: 36.3% (2025 est.) female: 2% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 17.1% (2024 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 66.3% (2016 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.9% (2016) women married by age 18: 9.8% (2016) **Education expenditure:** 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 7.2% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 92.7% (2023 est.) male: 93.4% (2023 est.) female: 92% (2023 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2023 est.) male: 12 years (2023 est.) female: 14 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; soil erosion; poaching; effects of urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and pollution; coral reef destruction; freshwater resources polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October) **Land use:** agricultural land: 48.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 22.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 19.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 7.1% (2023 est.) forest: 34.4% (2023 est.) other: 16.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 19.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 19.153 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 5.15 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 14.003 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 24.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.632 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 24.5% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 805 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 831 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 11.31 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 52.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka conventional short form: Sri Lanka local long form: Shri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajavadi Janarajaya (Sinhala)/ Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu (Tamil) local short form: Shri Lanka (Sinhala)/ Ilankai (Tamil) former: Serendib, Ceylon etymology: the name is composed of the Sanskrit words shri (happiness or holiness) and lanka (island); the former name Serendib was an Arabic derivation of the Sanskrit word simhaladvipa, or "island of the place of lions;" the former name Ceylon came from the Sanskrit simha, or "lion" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Colombo (commercial capital); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital) geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 79 50 E time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the origin of Colombo's name is unclear; it may derive from the Sinhalese words kola (leaves) and amba (mango), referring to local mango trees, or from the name Kelantotta, referring to a ferry that crossed the Kelani River; the name was corrupted to Kolambu by Arab traders, and 16th-century Portuguese settlers then called it Colombo, possibly referring to explorer Christopher COLUMBUS; the legislative capital's name, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, is composed of the Sanskrit honorific sri, the name of Sri Lankan President J.R. JAYEWARDENE, and the Hindi word pura (town) **Administrative divisions:** 9 provinces; Central, Eastern, North Central, Northern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western **Legal system:** mixed system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, Jaffna Tamil customary law, and Muslim personal law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978 amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of its total membership, certification by the president of the republic or the Parliament speaker, and in some cases approval in a referendum by absolute majority of valid votes **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Sri Lanka dual citizenship recognized: no, except in cases where the government rules it is to the benefit of Sri Lanka residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE (since 23 September 2024) head of government: President Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE (since 23 September 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister election/appointment process: president directly elected by preferential majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 21 September 2024 election results: 2024: Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE elected president; percent of vote after reallocation - Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE (JVP) 55.9%, Sajith PREMADASA (SJB) 44.1% expected date of next election: 2029 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 225 (196 directly elected; 29 indirectly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/14/2024 parties elected and seats per party: National People's Power (Jathika Jana Balawegaya, NPP) (159); Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) (40); Other (26) percentage of women in chamber: 9.8% expected date of next election: November 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Republic (consists of the chief justice and 9 justices); has exclusive jurisdiction to review legislation judge selection and term of office: chief justice nominated by the Constitutional Council (CC), a 9-member high-level advisory body, and appointed by the president; other justices nominated by the CC and appointed by the president on the advice of the chief justice; all justices can serve until age 65 subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrates' Courts; municipal and primary courts **Political parties:** Crusaders for Democracy or CFD Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi or ITAK Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP Jathika Hela Urumaya or JHU National People's Power or NPP (also known as Jathika Jana Balawegaya or JJB) People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE Samagi Jana Balawegaya or SJB Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance or SLPFA (includes SLPFP, SLPP, and several smaller parties) Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (Sri Lanka's People's Front) or SLPP Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO Tamil National Alliance or TNA (includes ITAK, PLOTE, TELO) Tamil National People's Front or TNPF Tamil People's National Alliance or TPNA United National Front for Good Governance or UNFGG (coalition includes JHU, UNP) United National Party or UNP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Mahinda SAMARASINGHE (since 13 January 2022) chancery: 3025 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 FAX: [1] 202-232-2329 email address and website: slemb.washington@mfa.gov.lk https://slembassyusa.org/ consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Julie J. CHUNG (since 17 February 2022) embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 03 mailing address: 6100 Colombo Place, Washington DC 20521-6100 telephone: [94] (11) 249-8500 FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345 email address and website: colomboacs@state.gov https://lk.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ABEDA, ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CD, CICA (observer), CP, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 4 February 1948 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day (National Day), 4 February (1948) **Flag:** description: yellow with two panels; the smaller panel on the left has two equal vertical bands of green (left side) and orange; the larger panel has a yellow lion holding a sword on a maroon field, with a yellow bo leaf in each corner meaning: the sword stands for national sovereignty; the lion for Sinhalese ethnicity, the strength of the nation, and bravery; the four bo leaves for Buddhism and the four virtues of kindness, friendliness, happiness, and equanimity; orange stands for Tamils, green for Moors, and maroon for the Sinhalese majority; yellow represents other ethnic groups note: the banner is sometimes referred to as the Lion Flag **National symbol(s):** lion, water lily **National color(s):** maroon, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Sri Lanka Matha" (Mother Sri Lanka) lyrics/music: Ananda SAMARKONE (Sinhala),M. NALLATHAMBY (Tamil)/Ananda SAMARKONE history: adopted 1951 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 8 (6 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Ancient City of Polonnaruwa (c); Ancient City of Sigiriya (c); Sacred City of Anuradhapura (c); Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications (c); Sacred City of Kandy (c); Sinharaja Forest Reserve (n); Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple (c); Central Highlands of Sri Lanka (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** economic contraction in 2022-23 marked by increased poverty and significant inflation; IMF two-year debt relief program following 2022 sovereign default; structural challenges from non-diversified economy and rigid labor laws; heavy dependence on tourism receipts and remittances **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $301.407 billion (2024 est.) $287.031 billion (2023 est.) $293.878 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5% (2024 est.) -2.3% (2023 est.) -7.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $13,800 (2024 est.) $13,000 (2023 est.) $13,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $98.963 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** -0.4% (2024 est.) 16.5% (2023 est.) 49.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 8.3% (2024 est.) industry: 25.5% (2024 est.) services: 57.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 68.7% (2024 est.) government consumption: 7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 18.8% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 8.2% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 19.9% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -22.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** rice, coconuts, tea, sugarcane, plantains, milk, fiber crops, cassava, chicken, pumpkins/squash (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; tourism; clothing and textiles; mining **Industrial production growth rate:** 11% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 8.499 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5% (2024 est.) 6% (2023 est.) 4.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 22.3% (2024 est.) male: 18.4% (2024 est.) female: 29.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 14.3% (2019 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 37.7 (2019 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 27.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.1% (2019 est.) highest 10%: 30.8% (2019 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 7.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 6.2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $9.387 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $17.144 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 79.1% of GDP (2017 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 9.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $1.559 billion (2023 est.) -$1.448 billion (2022 est.) -$3.284 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $17.327 billion (2023 est.) $16.169 billion (2022 est.) $14.974 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 22%, India 7%, Germany 7%, UK 7%, Italy 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** garments, tea, precious stones, used rubber tires, rubber products (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $18.823 billion (2023 est.) $19.244 billion (2022 est.) $21.526 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** India 21%, China 19%, UAE 10%, Singapore 5%, Malaysia 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, fabric, crude petroleum, packaged medicine, cotton fabric (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $6.094 billion (2024 est.) $4.405 billion (2023 est.) $1.896 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $42.198 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Sri Lankan rupees (LKR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 327.507 (2023 est.) 322.633 (2022 est.) 198.764 (2021 est.) 185.593 (2020 est.) 178.745 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 5.326 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 15.763 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.457 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 49.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 4.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 4.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 40.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 2.323 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 2.238 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 100,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 12.372 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.707 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 30.6 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 133 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** government operates 5 TV channels and 19 radio channels; multi-channel satellite and cable TV subscription services available; 25 private TV stations and about 43 radio stations; 6 non-profit TV stations and 4 radio stations **Internet country code:** .lk **Internet users:** percent of population: 51% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2.01 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 4R **Airports:** 18 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 1,562 km (2016) broad gauge: 1,562 km (2016) 1.676-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 96 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 5, general cargo 15, oil tanker 11, other 65 **Ports:** total ports: 6 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 1 very small: 1 size unknown: 2 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Batticaloa Roads, Colombo, Galle Harbor, Hambantota, Kankesanturai, Trincomalee Harbor ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Sri Lanka Armed Forces: Sri Lanka Army (includes National Guard and the Volunteer Force), Sri Lanka Navy (includes Marine Corps), Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Coast Guard; Civil Security Department (Home Guard) Ministry of Public Security: Sri Lanka Police (2025) note: the Civil Security Department, also known as the Civil Defense Force, is an auxiliary force administered by the Ministry of Defense **Military expenditures:** 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2021 est.) 2% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 210,000 active Armed Forces (140,000 Army; 25,000 Air Force; 45,000 Navy) (2025) note: the Sri Lankan military has been downsizing for several years; in 2025, the Sri Lankan Government announced its intent to decrease the size of the Army to 100,000, the Air Force to 18,000, and the Navy to 40,000 by 2030 **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's armaments are mostly of Chinese, Indian, Russian/Soviet, and US origin (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** generally 18-24 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women, although upper age limits may vary by branch of service, roles, specialties, etc; no conscription (2026) **Military deployments:** 120 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 130 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025) **Military - note:** the military of Sri Lanka is responsible for external defense, maritime security, and maintaining internal security; it has sent small numbers of personnel on UN peacekeeping missions; from 1983 to 2009, the military fought against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a conflict that involved both guerrilla and conventional warfare, as well as acts of terrorism and human rights abuses, and cost the military nearly 30,000 killed; since the end of the war, a large portion of the Army reportedly remains deployed in the majority Tamil-populated northern and eastern provinces; the military over the past decade also has increased its role in a range of commercial sectors including agriculture, hotels, leisure, and restaurants Sri Lanka traditionally has had close security ties to India; the Sri Lankan and Indian militaries conduct exercises together, and India trains approximately 1,000 Sri Lankan soldiers per year; in recent years, Sri Lanka has increased military ties with China, including acquiring military equipment, hosting naval port calls, and sending personnel to China for training (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 500 (2024 est.) IDPs: 5,549 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 229 (2024 est.) --- ## Sudan **Slug:** sudan **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇸🇩 **Codes:** cek: su, iso2: SD, iso3: SDN, iso_num: 729, genc: SDN, stanag: SDN, internet: .sd ### Introduction **Background:** Long referred to as Nubia, modern-day Sudan was the site of the Kingdom of Kerma (ca. 2500-1500 B.C.) until it was absorbed into the New Kingdom of Egypt. By the 11th century B.C., the Kingdom of Kush gained independence from Egypt; it lasted in various forms until the middle of the 4th century A.D. After the fall of Kush, the Nubians formed three Christian kingdoms of Nobatia, Makuria, and Alodia, with the latter two enduring until around 1500. Between the 14th and 15th centuries, Arab nomads settled much of Sudan, leading to extensive Islamization between the 16th and 19th centuries. Following Egyptian occupation early in the 19th century, an agreement in 1899 set up a joint British-Egyptian government in Sudan, but it was effectively a British colony. Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated national politics since Sudan gained independence from Anglo-Egyptian co-rule in 1956. During most of the second half of the 20th century, Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars rooted in northern domination of the largely non-Muslim, non-Arab southern portion of the country. The first civil war ended in 1972, but another broke out in 1983. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-04, and the final North/South Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005 granted the southern rebels autonomy for six years, followed by a referendum on independence for Southern Sudan. South Sudan became independent in 2011, but Sudan and South Sudan have yet to fully implement security and economic agreements to normalize relations between the two countries. Sudan has also faced conflict in Darfur, Southern Kordofan, and Blue Nile starting in 2003. In 2019, after months of nationwide protests, the 30-year reign of President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR ended when the military forced him out. Economist and former international civil servant Abdalla HAMDOUK al-Kinani was selected to serve as the prime minister of a transitional government as the country prepared for elections in 2022. In late 2021, however, the Sudanese military ousted HAMDOUK and his government and replaced civilian members of the Sovereign Council (Sudan’s collective Head of State) with individuals selected by the military. HAMDOUK was briefly reinstated but resigned in January 2022. General Abd-al-Fatah al-BURHAN Abd-al-Rahman, the Chair of Sudan’s Sovereign Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces, currently serves as de facto head of state and government. He presides over a Sovereign Council consisting of military leaders, former armed opposition group representatives, and military-appointed civilians. A cabinet of acting ministers handles day-to-day administration. ### Geography **Location:** north-eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea **Geographic coordinates:** 15 00 N, 30 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 1,861,484 sq km land: 1,731,671 sq km water: 129,813 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than one-fifth the size of the US **Land boundaries:** total: 6,819 km border countries (7): Central African Republic 174 km; Chad 1,403 km; Egypt 1,276 km; Eritrea 682 km; Ethiopia 744 km; Libya 382 km; South Sudan 2,158 km note: Sudan-South Sudan boundary represents 1 January 1956 alignment; final alignment pending negotiations and demarcation; final sovereignty status of Abyei region pending negotiations between Sudan and South Sudan **Coastline:** 853 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** hot and dry; arid desert; rainy season varies by region (April to November) **Terrain:** generally flat, featureless plain; desert dominates the north **Elevation:** highest point: Jabal Marrah 3,042 m lowest point: Red Sea 0 m mean elevation: 568 m **Natural resources:** petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold; hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 60.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 49% (2023 est.) forest: 12% (2023 est.) other: 27.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 15,504 sq km (2019) **Major rivers (by length in km):** An Nīl (Nile) (shared with Rwanda [s], Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, and Egypt [m]) - 6,650 km; Blue Nile river mouth (shared with Ethiopia [s]) - 1,600 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Nubian Aquifer System, Sudd Basin (Umm Ruwaba Aquifer) **Population distribution:** with the exception of a ribbon of settlement that corresponds to the banks of the Nile, northern Sudan is sparsely populated; sizeable areas of population are found around Khartoum, southeast between the Blue and White Nile Rivers, and throughout South Darfur, as shown on this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** dust storms and periodic persistent droughts **Geography - note:** the Nile is Sudan's primary water source; its major tributaries, the White Nile and the Blue Nile, meet at Khartoum to form the River Nile, which flows northward through Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea ### People and Society **Population:** total: 51,767,437 (2025 est.) male: 25,981,767 female: 25,785,670 **Nationality:** noun: Sudanese (singular and plural) adjective: Sudanese **Ethnic groups:** Sudanese Arab (approximately 70%), Fur, Beja, Nuba, Ingessana, Uduk, Fallata, Masalit, Dajo, Gimir, Tunjur, Berti; there are over 500 ethnic groups **Languages:** Arabic (official), English (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, Fur major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English) **Religions:** Sunni Muslim, small Christian minority **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 40.1% (male 10,278,453/female 9,949,343) 15-64 years: 56.7% (male 14,211,514/female 14,390,486) 65 years and over: 3.2% (2024 est.) (male 845,125/female 792,357) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 75.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 69.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 17.2 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 19.5 years (2025 est.) male: 19 years female: 19.6 years **Population growth rate:** 2.54% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 32.95 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** with the exception of a ribbon of settlement that corresponds to the banks of the Nile, northern Sudan is sparsely populated; sizeable areas of population are found around Khartoum, southeast between the Blue and White Nile Rivers, and throughout South Darfur, as shown on this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 36.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 6.344 million KHARTOUM (capital), 1.057 million Nyala (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 256 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 39.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 34.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 67.8 years (2024 est.) male: 65.5 years female: 70.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 4.41 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 2.15 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 74.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 59.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 64.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 25.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 40.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 35.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 2.8% of GDP (2021) 6.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.25 physicians/1,000 population (2017) **Hospital bed density:** 0.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 6.6% (2014) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 1.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 33% (2014) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 7 years (2015 est.) male: 7 years (2015 est.) female: 7 years (2015 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; water scarcity and drought; overhunting; soil erosion; desertification; deforestation; loss of biodiversity **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** hot and dry; arid desert; rainy season varies by region (April to November) **Land use:** agricultural land: 60.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 49% (2023 est.) forest: 12% (2023 est.) other: 27.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 36.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 18.242 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 300 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 18.242 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 24.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 218.5 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,509.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 198.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 38.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.831 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 8.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 950 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 75 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 25.91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 37.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan conventional short form: Sudan local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan local short form: As-Sudan former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Sudan etymology: the name derives from the Arabic balad-as-sudan, meaning "Land of the Black [peoples]" **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Khartoum geographic coordinates: 15 36 N, 32 32 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name derives from the Arabic words ras (head or end) and al-khurtum (elephant's trunk), referring to the narrow strip of land between the Blue and White Niles where the city is located **Administrative divisions:** 18 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); Blue Nile, Central Darfur, East Darfur, Gedaref, Gezira, Kassala, Khartoum, North Darfur, North Kordofan, Northern, Red Sea, River Nile, Sennar, South Darfur, South Kordofan, West Darfur, West Kordofan, White Nile note: the peace agreement signed in 2020 included a provision to establish a system of governance to restructure the country's current 18 states into regions **Legal system:** mixed system of Islamic law and English common law **Constitution:** history: previous 1973, 1998, 2005 (interim constitution, which was suspended in April 2019); latest initial draft completed by Transitional Military Council in May 2019; revised draft known as the "Draft Constitutional Charter for the 2019 Transitional Period," or “2019 Constitutional Declaration” was signed by the Council and opposition coalition on 4 August 2019 note: amended 2020 to incorporate the Juba Agreement for Peace in Sudan; the military suspended several provisions of the Constitutional Declaration in October 2021 **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; withdrew acceptance of ICCt jurisdiction in 2008 **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Sudan dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 17 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Sovereign Council Chair and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces General Abd-al-Fattah al-BURHAN Abd-al-Rahman (since 11 November 2021) head of government: Sovereign Council Chair and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces General Abd-al-Fattah al-BURHAN Abd-al-Rahman (since 11 November 2021) cabinet: the military forced most members of the Council of Ministers out of office in 2021; a handful of ministers appointed by former armed opposition groups were allowed to retain their posts; at present, most of the members of the Council are appointed senior civil servants serving in an acting-minister capacity election/appointment process: military members of the Sovereign Council are selected by the leadership of the security forces; representatives of former armed groups to the Sovereign Council are selected by the signatories of the Juba Peace Agreement election results: NA expected date of next election: supposed to be held in 2022 or 2023, but the methodology for elections has still not been defined note 1: the 2019 Constitutional Declaration established a collective chief of state of the "Sovereign Council," which was chaired by al-BURHAN; on 25 October 2021, al-BURHAN dissolved the Sovereign Council but reinstated it on 11 November 2021, replacing its civilian members (previously selected by the umbrella civilian coalition the Forces for Freedom and Change) with civilians of the military’s choosing, but then relieved the newly appointed civilian members of their duties on 6 July 2022 note 2: Sovereign Council currently consists of 5 generals **Legislative branch:** note: the Parliament of Sudan was dissolved after a coup in April 2019; the August 2019 Constitutional Declaration established Sudan's transitional government; a Transitional Legislative Council (TLC) was to have served as the national legislature during the transitional period until elections could be held, but the TLC has not been created **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): National Supreme Court (consists of 70 judges organized into panels of 3 judges and includes 4 circuits that operate outside the capital); a Constitutional Court was required in the 2019 Constitutional Declaration, but it has yet to be implemented judge selection and term of office: National Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges selected by the Supreme Judicial Council subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; other national courts; public courts; district, town, and rural courts **Political parties:** Democratic Unionist Party Democratic Unionist Party or DUP Federal Umma Party Muslim Brotherhood or MB National Congress Party or NCP National Umma Party or NUP Popular Congress Party or PCP Reform Movement Now Sudan National Front Sudanese Communist Party or SCP Sudanese Congress Party or SCoP Umma Party for Reform and Development Unionist Movement Party or UMP note: in November 2019, the transitional government banned the National Congress Party **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Abdalla IDRIS (since 16 September 2022) chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406 email address and website: consular@sudanembassy.org https://www.sudanembassy.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Colleen Crenwelge (since May 2024) embassy: P.O. Box 699, Kilo 10, Soba, Khartoum mailing address: 2200 Khartoum Place, Washington DC 20521-2200 telephone: [249] 187-0-22000 email address and website: ACSKhartoum@state.gov https://sd.usembassy.gov/ note: the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum suspended operations (to include visa, passport, and other routine consular services) on 22 April 2023 **International organization participation:** ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU (suspended), CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) **Independence:** 1 January 1956 (from Egypt and the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 1 January (1956) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, with a green isosceles triangle based on the left side meaning: red stands for the struggle for freedom; white for peace, light, and love, black for the people; green for Islam, agriculture, and prosperity history: colors and design are based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I **National symbol(s):** secretary bird **National color(s):** red, white, black, green **National anthem(s):** title: "Nahnu Djundulla Djundulwatan" (We Are the Army of God and of Our Land) lyrics/music: Sayed Ahmad Muhammad SALIH/Ahmad MURJAN history: adopted 1956; originally served as the anthem of the Sudanese military **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region (c); Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe (c); Sanganeb Marine National Park and Dungonab Bay – Mukkawar Island Marine National Park (n) ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income Sahel economy devastated by ongoing civil war; major impacts on rural income, basic commodity prices, industrial production, agricultural supply chain, communications and commerce; hyperinflation and currency depreciation worsening food access and humanitarian conditions **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $94.42 billion (2024 est.) $109.147 billion (2023 est.) $154.672 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -13.5% (2024 est.) -29.4% (2023 est.) -1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $1,900 (2024 est.) $2,200 (2023 est.) $3,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $49.91 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 138.8% (2022 est.) 359.1% (2021 est.) 163.3% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 22.1% (2024 est.) industry: 23% (2024 est.) services: 54.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 80.7% (2024 est.) government consumption: 16.5% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 2.9% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 1.2% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -1.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, sorghum, milk, onions, groundnuts, sesame seeds, goat milk, bananas, mangoes/guavas, millet (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments, automobile/light truck assembly, milling **Industrial production growth rate:** -13.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 10.949 million (2022 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 11.45% (2023 est.) 7.6% (2022 est.) 11.1% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 12% (2022 est.) male: 11.8% (2022 est.) female: 13.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.3% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $9.045 billion (2015 est.) expenditures: $9.103 billion (2015 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 7.4% (of GDP) (2016 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$4.443 billion (2022 est.) -$2.62 billion (2021 est.) -$5.841 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $5.908 billion (2022 est.) $6.664 billion (2021 est.) $5.065 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UAE 21%, China 17%, Saudi Arabia 16%, Malaysia 9%, Egypt 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, gold, oil seeds, sheep and goats, ground nuts (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $11.575 billion (2022 est.) $10.271 billion (2021 est.) $10.52 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 21%, India 19%, Egypt 16%, UAE 14%, Saudi Arabia 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** raw sugar, wheat flours, refined petroleum, garments, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $177.934 million (2017 est.) $168.284 million (2016 est.) $173.516 million (2015 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $21.65 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 546.759 (2022 est.) 370.791 (2021 est.) 53.996 (2020 est.) 45.767 (2019 est.) 24.329 (2018 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 63.2% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 84% electrification - rural areas: 49.4% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 3.815 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 13.983 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 882 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.646 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 29.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 68.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** exports: 15 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 200 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 68,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 129,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 1.25 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** proven reserves: 84.951 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 6.145 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 156,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 34.7 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 70 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-owned broadcasters that self-censor but are somewhat independent (2022) **Internet country code:** .sd **Internet users:** percent of population: 26% (2020 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 30,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** ST **Airports:** 45 (2025) **Heliports:** 8 (2025) **Railways:** total: 7,251 km (2014) narrow gauge: 5,851 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for cotton plantations **Merchant marine:** total: 14 (2023) by type: other 14 **Ports:** total ports: 4 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 2 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Al Khair Oil Terminal, Beshayer Oil Terminal, Port Sudan, Sawakin Harbor ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF): Ground Force (Sudanese Army), Sudanese Navy, Sudanese Air Force; Rapid Support Forces (RSF); Border Guards Ministry of Interior: Sudan Police Forces (SPF), Central Reserve Police (CRP) (2025) note 1: the RSF is a semi-autonomous paramilitary force formed in 2013 to fight armed rebel groups in Sudan, with Mohammed Hamdan DAGALO (aka Hemeti) as its commander; it was initially placed under the National Intelligence and Security Service, then came under the direct command of former president Omar al-BASHIR, who boosted the RSF as his own personal security force; as a result, the RSF was better funded and equipped than the regular armed forces; the RSF has since recruited from all parts of Sudan beyond its original Darfuri Arab groups but remains under the personal patronage and control of DAGALO note 2: the Central Reserve Police (aka Abu Tira) is a combat-trained paramilitary force note 3: the October 2020 peace agreement provided for the establishment of a Joint Security Keeping Forces (JSKF) tasked with securing the Darfur region in the place of the UN African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), a joint African Union-UN peacekeeping force that operated in the war-torn region from 2007-December 2020; the force was intended to include the SAF, RSF, police, intelligence, and representatives from armed groups involved in peace negotiations; while the first 2,000 members of the JSKF completed training in September 2022, the status of the force since the start of the civil war is not available note 4: there are also numerous armed militias operating in Sudan **Military expenditures:** 1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1% of GDP (2020 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2019 est.) 2% of GDP (2018 est.) 3.6% of GDP (2017 est.) note: many defense expenditures are probably off-budget **Military and security service personnel strengths:** prior to the outbreak of fighting between the SAF and the RSF in 2023, size estimates for Sudan's armed forces varied widely: up to 200,000 SAF; up to 100,000 RSF; up to 80,000 Central Reserve Police (2023) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the SAF's inventory includes a mix of mostly Chinese, Russian/Soviet, and some domestically produced weapons systems; Sudan has a state-run defense industry, which mostly manufactures copies of foreign-supplied armaments, such as armored vehicles, under license (2025) note 1: Sudan has been under a UN Security Council approved arms embargo since 2005 as a result of violence in Darfur; in September 2025, the embargo was extended for another year note 2: the RSF traditionally has been a lightly armed paramilitary force but over the years is reported to have acquired some heavier armaments such as armored vehicles, artillery, and anti-aircraft guns; it has captured some SAF arms and equipment during the ongoing conflict; since the start of the conflict, both the RSF and the SAF are reported to have received additional weaponry from various foreign suppliers **Military service age and obligation:** 18-33 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service for men and women; service obligation 12-24 months (2025) note: official implementation of compulsory service is reportedly uneven; both the SAF and the RSF have been accused of engaging in forced recruitment of men and boys during the ongoing conflict **Military - note:** the primary responsibilities of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) are border control, external defense, and internal security; SAF operations have traditionally been supported by militia and paramilitary forces, particularly the Rapid Support Forces (RSF); in the Spring of 2023, fighting broke out between the SAF and the RSF, particularly around the capital Khartoum and in the western region of Darfur, amid disputes over an internationally-backed plan for a transition towards civilian rule; fighting subsequently spread and continued into 2025 with reports of atrocities, ethnic cleansing, food insecurity, heavy civilian casualties, and millions of internally displaced persons; each side is supported by allied militias and both reportedly have received foreign support the Sudanese military has been a dominant force in the ruling of the country since its independence in 1956; in addition, the military has a large role in the country's economy, reportedly controlling over 200 commercial companies, including businesses involved in gold mining, rubber production, agriculture, and meat exports the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has operated in the disputed Abyei region along the border between Sudan and South Sudan since 2011; UNISFA's mission includes ensuring security, protecting civilians, strengthening the capacity of the Abyei Police Service, de-mining, monitoring/verifying the redeployment of armed forces from the area, and facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid; as of 2025, UNISFA had approximately 3,800 personnel assigned (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa’ida; Harakat Sawa’d Misr note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 837,988 (2024 est.) IDPs: 11,559,970 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Sudan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; therefore, Sudan remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/sudan --- ## Suriname **Slug:** suriname **Region:** South America **Flag:** 🇸🇷 **Codes:** cek: ns, iso2: SR, iso3: SUR, iso_num: 740, genc: SUR, stanag: SUR, internet: .sr ### Introduction **Background:** The Spaniards first explored Suriname in the 16th century, and the English then settled it in the mid-17th century. Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of African slavery in 1863, workers were brought in from India and Java. The Netherlands granted the colony independence in 1975. Five years later, the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared Suriname a socialist republic. It continued to exert control through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In 1990, the military overthrew the civilian leadership, but a democratically elected government -- a four-party coalition -- returned to power in 1991. The coalition expanded to eight parties in 2005 and ruled until 2010, when voters returned former military leader Desire BOUTERSE and his opposition coalition to power. President BOUTERSE ran unopposed in 2015 and was reelected. Opposition parties campaigned hard against BOUTERSE in the run-up to the 2020 elections, and a multi-party coalition led by Chandrikapersad SANTOKHI’s VHP and Ronnie Brunswijk’s ABOP was installed. ### Geography **Location:** Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana **Geographic coordinates:** 4 00 N, 56 00 W **Map references:** South America **Area:** total : 163,820 sq km land: 156,000 sq km water: 7,820 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Georgia **Land boundaries:** total: 1,907 km border countries (3): Brazil 515 km; French Guiana 556 km; Guyana 836 km **Coastline:** 386 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; moderated by trade winds **Terrain:** mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps **Elevation:** highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m mean elevation: 246 m **Natural resources:** timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore **Land use:** agricultural land: 0.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.1% (2023 est.) forest: 91.7% (2023 est.) other: 7.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 600 sq km (2020) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km) **Population distribution:** population is concentrated along the northern coastal strip; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated **Natural hazards:** flooding **Geography - note:** smallest independent country on the South American continent; mostly tropical rainforest; great diversity of flora and fauna; relatively small population, mostly along the coast ### People and Society **Population:** total: 653,605 (2025 est.) male: 323,747 female: 329,858 **Nationality:** noun: Surinamer(s) adjective: Surinamese **Ethnic groups:** Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 27.4%, Maroon (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 21.7%, Creole (mixed White and Black) 15.7%, Javanese 13.7%, mixed 13.4%, other 7.6%, unspecified 0.6% (2012 est.) **Languages:** Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is the native language of Creoles and much of the younger population), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese major-language sample(s): Het Wereld Feitenboek, een omnisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English) **Religions:** Protestant 23.6% (includes Evangelical 11.2%, Moravian 11.2%, Reformed 0.7%, Lutheran 0.5%), Hindu 22.3%, Roman Catholic 21.6%, Muslim 13.8%, other Christian 3.2%, Winti 1.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 1.7%, none 7.5%, unspecified 3.2% (2012 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 22.5% (male 73,864/female 71,573) 15-64 years: 70% (male 226,417/female 226,235) 65 years and over: 7.5% (2024 est.) (male 20,071/female 28,598) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 43 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 31.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 11.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 32.3 years (2025 est.) male: 31 years female: 32.9 years **Population growth rate:** 1.04% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 14.63 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.74 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 2.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population is concentrated along the northern coastal strip; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 66.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 239,000 PARAMARIBO (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 84 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 29.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 37.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 72.7 years (2024 est.) male: 69 years female: 76.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.87 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.9 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 96.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 98% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 3.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.7% of GDP (2021) 13.1% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.36 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 2.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 98.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 91.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 96.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 8.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 3.9% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 26.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 6.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.87 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 6.7% (2018 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 52.2% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 8.8% (2018) women married by age 18: 36% (2018) men married by age 18: 19.6% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 2.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 8.6% national budget (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 11 years (2021 est.) male: 10 years (2021 est.) female: 11 years (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; pollution of inland waterways from small-scale mining activities **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; moderated by trade winds **Land use:** agricultural land: 0.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.1% (2023 est.) forest: 91.7% (2023 est.) other: 7.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 66.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 2.521 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.507 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 14,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 12.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 78,600 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 16.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 49.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 135.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 431.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 99 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Suriname conventional short form: Suriname local long form: Republiek Suriname local short form: Suriname former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana etymology: name may derive from the Surinen people who inhabited the area at the time of European contact **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Paramaribo geographic coordinates: 5 50 N, 55 10 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name comes from the Guaraní words para (water or river) and maribo (inhabitants) **Administrative divisions:** 10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica **Legal system:** civil law system influenced by Dutch civil law **Constitution:** history: previous 1975; latest ratified 30 September 1987, effective 30 October 1987 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Suriname dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Jennifer GEERLINGS-SIMONS (since 16 July 2025) head of government: President Jennifer GEERLINGS-SIMONS (since 16 July 2025) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly; president and vice president serve a 5-year term (no term limits) most recent election date: 6 July 2025 election results: 2025: Jennifer GEERLINGS-SIMONS elected president unopposed; National Assembly vote - NA 2020: Chandrikapersad "Chan" SANTOKHI elected president unopposed; National Assembly vote - NA 2015: Desire Delano BOUTERSE reelected president unopposed; National Assembly vote - NA expected date of next election: 2030 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Nationale Assemblee) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 51 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 5/25/2025 parties elected and seats per party: National Democratic Party (NDP) (18); Progressive Reform Party (VHP) (17); National Party of Suriname (NPS) (6); General Liberation and Development Party (ABOP) (6); Other (4) percentage of women in chamber: 31.4% expected date of next election: May 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): High Court of Justice of Suriname (consists of the court president, vice president, and 4 judges) judge selection and term of office: court judges appointed by the national president in consultation with the National Assembly, the State Advisory Council, and the Order of Private Attorneys; judges serve for life subordinate courts: cantonal courts note: appeals beyond the High Court are referred to the Caribbean Court of Justice; human rights violations can be appealed to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights with judgments issued by the Inter-American Court on Human Rights **Political parties:** Brotherhood and Unity in Politics or BEP Democratic Alternative '91 or DA91 General Liberation and Development Party or ABOP National Democratic Party or NDP National Party of Suriname or NPS Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE Party for National Unity and Solidarity or KTPI People's Alliance (Pertjajah Luhur) or PL Progressive Workers' and Farmers' Union or PALU Progressive Reform Party or VHP Reform and Renewal Movement or HVB Surinamese Labor Party or SPA **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Jan Marten Willem SCHALKWIJK (since 19 April 2022) chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 629-4302 FAX: [1] (202) 629-4769 email address and website: amb.vs@gov.sr https://surinameembassy.org/index.html consulate(s) general: Miami **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. FAUCHER (since 31 January 2023) embassy: 165 Kristalstraat, Paramaribo mailing address: 3390 Paramaribo Place, Washington DC 20521-3390 telephone: [597] 556-700 FAX: [597] 551-524 email address and website: caparamar@state.gov https://sr.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ACS, AOSIS, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 25 November (1975) **Flag:** description: five horizontal bands of green (top, double-width), white, red (quadruple-width), white, and green (double-width); a five-pointed yellow star is centered on the red band meaning: red stands for progress and love, green for hope and fertility, and white for peace, justice, and freedom; the star represents the unity of ethnic groups **National symbol(s):** royal palm, faya lobi (flower) **National color(s):** green, white, red, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "God zij met ons Suriname!" (God Be With Our Suriname) lyrics/music: Cornelis Atses HOEKSTRA and Henry DE ZIEL/Johannes Corstianus DE PUY history: adopted 1959; originally adapted from a Sunday-school song written in 1893; contains lyrics in both Dutch and Sranang Tongo **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Central Suriname Nature Reserve (n); Historic Inner City of Paramaribo (c); Jodensavanne Archaeological Site: Jodensavanne Settlement and Cassipora Creek Cemetery (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income South American economy; new floating currency regime; key aluminum goods, gold, and hydrocarbon exporter; new IMF plan for economic recovery and fiscal sustainability; controversial hardwood industry **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $12.316 billion (2024 est.) $11.976 billion (2023 est.) $11.68 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.8% (2024 est.) 2.5% (2023 est.) 2.4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $19,400 (2024 est.) $19,000 (2023 est.) $18,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $4.714 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 16.2% (2024 est.) 51.6% (2023 est.) 52.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 7.5% (2023 est.) industry: 39.9% (2023 est.) services: 48.3% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** rice, sugarcane, oranges, vegetables, chicken, cassava, plantains, pineapples, eggs, citrus fruits (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** gold mining, oil, lumber, food processing, fishing **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.1% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 255,500 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 7.4% (2024 est.) 7.7% (2023 est.) 8.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 24.2% (2024 est.) male: 16.9% (2024 est.) female: 35.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 39.2 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.2% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 30.1% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 3.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 4.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.9% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $863 million (2019 est.) expenditures: $1.648 billion (2019 est.) **Current account balance:** $9.306 million (2024 est.) $148.118 million (2023 est.) $76.321 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $2.793 billion (2024 est.) $2.533 billion (2023 est.) $2.6 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Switzerland 49%, UAE 28%, Guyana 5%, USA 4%, France 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, fish, refined petroleum, wood, tobacco (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $2.571 billion (2024 est.) $2.203 billion (2023 est.) $2.342 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 22%, China 12%, Netherlands 11%, Trinidad & Tobago 9%, Guyana 8% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, ships, excavation machinery, trucks, tobacco (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.632 billion (2024 est.) $1.346 billion (2023 est.) $1.195 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $2.645 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Surinamese dollars (SRD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 33.181 (2024 est.) 36.776 (2023 est.) 24.709 (2022 est.) 18.239 (2021 est.) 9.31 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 99% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 98% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 537,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.896 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 245.206 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 57.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 42% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 2 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 14,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 17,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 89 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 7.173 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 6.967 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 60.896 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 129,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 902,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 142 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 2 state-owned TV stations; 1 state-owned radio station; multiple private radio and TV stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .sr **Internet users:** percent of population: 78% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 125,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** PZ **Airports:** 55 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 13 (2023) by type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 3, other 5 **Ports:** total ports: 4 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Moengo, Nieuw Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Suriname National Army (Nationaal Leger or NL); Army (Landmacht), Navy (Marine); Air Force (Luchtmacht), Military Police (Korps Militaire Politie) Ministry of Justice and Police: Suriname Police Force (Korps Politie Suriname or KPS) (2026) **Military expenditures:** 1.2% of GDP (2019 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2018 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2017 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2016 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2015 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 2,000 National Army (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Suriname Army has a limited inventory of older or secondhand armaments originating from such suppliers as Brazil, France, the Netherlands, and India (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-28 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025) **Military - note:** the National Leger is responsible for defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Suriname against foreign aggression; other special tasks include border control and supporting domestic security as required; the military police, for example, have direct responsibility for immigration control at the country’s ports of entry, and the military assists the police in combating crime, particularly narco-trafficking, including joint military and police patrols, as well as joint special security teams; in addition, the military provides aid and assistance during times of natural emergencies and participates in socio-economic development projects (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 3,241 (2024 est.) --- ## Svalbard **Slug:** svalbard **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇸🇯 **Codes:** cek: sv, iso2: SJ, iso3: SJM, iso_num: 744, genc: XSV, stanag: SJM, internet: .sj, comment: ISO includes Jan Mayen ### Introduction **Background:** Norse explorers may have first discovered the Svalbard archipelago in the 12th century. The islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was internationally recognized by treaty in 1920, and five years later Norway officially took over the territory. Coal mining started in the 20th century, and a Norwegian company and a Russian company are still in operation today. Travel between the settlements is accomplished with snowmobiles, aircraft, and boats. ### Geography **Location:** Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway **Geographic coordinates:** 78 00 N, 20 00 E **Map references:** Arctic Region **Area:** total : 62,045 sq km land: 62,045 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island) **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than West Virginia **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 3,587 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extends to depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year **Terrain:** rugged mountains; much of the upland areas are ice covered; west coast clear of ice about half the year; fjords along west and north coasts **Elevation:** highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) **Population distribution:** the small population is primarily concentrated on the island of Spitsbergen in a handful of settlements on the south side of the Isfjorden, with Longyearbyen being the largest **Natural hazards:** ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic **Geography - note:** northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,556 (2025 est.) male: 1,353 female: 1,203 **Ethnic groups:** Norwegian 61.1%, foreign population 38.9% (consists primarily of Russians, Thais, Swedes, Filipinos, and Ukrainians) (2021 est.) note: foreigners account for almost one third of the population of the Norwegian settlements, Longyearbyen and Ny-Alesund (where the majority of Svalbard's resident population lives), as of mid-2021 **Languages:** Norwegian, Russian major-language sample(s): Verdens Faktabok, den essensielle kilden for grunnleggende informasjon. (Norwegian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Population growth rate:** -0.03% (2019 est.) **Net migration rate:** -5.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Population distribution:** the small population is primarily concentrated on the island of Spitsbergen in a handful of settlements on the south side of the Isfjorden, with Longyearbyen being the largest ### Environment **Climate:** arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitsbergen, the largest island in the archipelago) etymology: the archipelago was traditionally known as Spitsbergen, a Dutch name meaning "jagged peaks," but Norway renamed it Svalbard in the 1920s when it assumed sovereignty of the islands, from the Norwegian sval (cold) and bard (shore); the Norwegian name may have been used during the Norse era for other locations **Government type:** non-self-governing territory of Norway **Dependency status:** territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920), sovereignty was awarded to Norway **Capital:** name: Longyearbyen geographic coordinates: 78 13 N, 15 38 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name in Norwegian means Longyear Town; the site was established by and named after John Munro LONGYEAR, whose Arctic Coal Company began mining operations there in 1906 **Legal system:** laws of Norway that explicitly apply to Svalbard, including the Svalbard Act, the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act, and certain regulations; the Spitsbergen Treaty and the Svalbard Treaty grant certain rights to citizens and corporations of signatory nations **Citizenship:** see Norway **Executive branch:** chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991) head of government: Governor Lars FAUSE (since 24 June 2021) election/appointment process: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice **Legislative branch:** note: the Council acts much like a Norwegian municipality, with responsibility for infrastructure and utilities (including power, land-use and community planning, education, and child welfare); however, the state provides healthcare services **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Svalbard is subordinate to Norway's Nord-Troms District Court and Halogaland Court of Appeal, both located in Tromso **Political parties:** Conservative Labor Liberal Progress Socialist Left **International organization participation:** none **Independence:** none (territory of Norway) **Flag:** the flag of Norway is used **National anthem(s):** title: "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (Yes, We Love This Country) lyrics/music: Bjornstjerne BJORNSON/Rikard NORDRAAK history: official anthem, as a Norwegian territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income Norwegian island economy; major coal mining, tourism, and research sectors; recently established northernmost brewery; key whaling and fishing base; home to the Global Seed Vault **Exchange rates:** Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 10.746 (2024 est.) 10.563 (2023 est.) 9.614 (2022 est.) 8.59 (2021 est.) 9.416 (2020 est.) ### Communications **Broadcast media:** Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) provides TV transmission to Svalbard via satellite; access to 3 NRK radio stations and 2 TV stations **Internet country code:** .sj ### Transportation **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny Alesund ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces **Military - note:** Svalbard is a territory of Norway, demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920; Norwegian military activity is limited to fisheries surveillance by the Norwegian Coast Guard (2025) --- ## Sweden **Slug:** sweden **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇸🇪 **Codes:** cek: sw, iso2: SE, iso3: SWE, iso_num: 752, genc: SWE, stanag: SWE, internet: .se ### Introduction **Background:** A military power during the 17th century, Sweden maintained a policy of military non-alignment until it applied to join NATO in 2022. Sweden has not participated in any war for two centuries. Stockholm preserved an armed neutrality in both World Wars. Since then, Sweden has pursued a successful economic formula consisting of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum. The share of Sweden’s population born abroad increased from 11.3% in 2000 to 20% in 2022. ### Geography **Location:** Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway **Geographic coordinates:** 62 00 N, 15 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 450,295 sq km land: 410,335 sq km water: 39,960 sq km **Area - comparative:** almost three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California **Land boundaries:** total: 2,211 km border countries (2): Finland 545 km; Norway 1,666 km **Coastline:** 3,218 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas) exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north **Terrain:** mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west **Elevation:** highest point: Kebnekaise South 2,100 m lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.4 m mean elevation: 320 m **Natural resources:** iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 7.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 1.1% (2023 est.) forest: 68.6% (2023 est.) other: 23.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 510 sq km (2016) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Vanern - 5,580 sq km; Vattern - 1,910 sq km; Malaren - 1,140 sq km **Population distribution:** most of the population lives in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found along the Baltic coast in the east; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated **Natural hazards:** ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic **Geography - note:** strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas; Sweden has almost 100,000 lakes, the largest of which, Vanern, is the third-largest in Europe ### People and Society **Population:** total: 10,643,745 (2025 est.) male: 5,360,755 female: 5,282,990 **Nationality:** noun: Swede(s) adjective: Swedish **Ethnic groups:** Swedish 79.6%, Syrian 1.9%, Iraqi 1.4%, Finnish 1.3%, other 15.8% (2022 est.) note: data represent the population by country of birth; the indigenous Sami people are estimated to number between 20,000 and 40,000 **Languages:** Swedish (official) major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, den obestridliga källan för grundläggande information. (Swedish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: Finnish, Sami, Romani, Yiddish, and Meankieli are official minority languages **Religions:** Church of Sweden (Lutheran) 53.9%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 8.9%, none or unspecified 37.2% (2021 est.) note: estimates reflect registered members of faith communities eligible for state funding (not all religions are state-funded and not all people who identify with a particular religion are registered members) and the Church of Sweden **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 17.1% (male 934,668/female 880,310) 15-64 years: 62.1% (male 3,365,754/female 3,208,248) 65 years and over: 20.8% (2024 est.) (male 1,032,279/female 1,168,576) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 60.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 27.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 33.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 41.2 years (2025 est.) male: 40.1 years female: 42.1 years **Population growth rate:** 0.51% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.56 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.63 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 4.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population lives in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found along the Baltic coast in the east; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 88.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.700 million STOCKHOLM (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 29.7 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 2.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 82.9 years (2024 est.) male: 81.2 years female: 84.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.66 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.8 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 10.7% of GDP (2022) 19% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.41 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Hospital bed density:** 2 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 20.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 7.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 19.9% (2025 est.) male: 25.8% (2025 est.) female: 13.9% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 53.6% (2023 est.) **Education expenditure:** 7.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 15.3% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 19 years (2023 est.) male: 17 years (2023 est.) female: 20 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** marine pollution (Baltic Sea and North Sea); acid rain damage to soil and lakes; air pollution; poor timber-harvesting practices **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north **Land use:** agricultural land: 7.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 1.1% (2023 est.) forest: 68.6% (2023 est.) other: 23.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 88.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 43.96 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 5.324 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 36.768 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 1.868 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 39.6 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 127.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 112.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 9.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.618 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 39.7% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 699 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.267 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 102 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 174 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Platåbergens (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden conventional short form: Sweden local long form: Konungariket Sverige local short form: Sverige etymology: name derives from the North Germanic Svea tribe that inhabited central Sweden; the tribe's name probably comes from the Old German word sweba, meaning "independent;" the local form of the country's name, Sverige, means "kingdom of the Svea" **Government type:** parliamentary constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Stockholm geographic coordinates: 59 20 N, 18 03 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name of the city probably comes from the Swedish words stak (bay) or stock (stake or pole) and holm (island); it was built in the mid-13th century on the site of a fishing village, so the name may refer to building over earlier foundations **Administrative divisions:** 21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarna, Gavleborg, Gotland, Halland, Jamtland, Jonkoping, Kalmar, Kronoberg, Norrbotten, Orebro, Ostergotland, Skane, Sodermanland, Stockholm, Uppsala, Varmland, Vasterbotten, Vasternorrland, Vastmanland, Vastra Gotaland **Legal system:** civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and customary law **Constitution:** history: Sweden has four fundamental laws which together make up the Constitution: The Instrument of Government (several previous; latest 1974); The Act of Succession (enacted 1810; changed in 1937 and 1980); The Freedom of the Press Act (many previous; latest in 1949); The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression (adopted 1991) amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires simple majority vote in two consecutive parliamentary terms with an intervening general election; passage also requires approval by simple majority vote in a referendum if Parliament approves a motion for a referendum by one third of its members; the results of such a referendum are only binding if a majority vote against the proposal **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Sweden; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen of Sweden and the father unknown dual citizenship recognized: no, unless the other citizenship was acquired involuntarily residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 15 September 1973) head of government: Prime Minister Ulf KRISTERSSON (since 18 October 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Riksdagen) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 349 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 9/11/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Social Democratic Party (SAP) (107); Sweden Democrats (SD) (73); Moderate Party (M) (68); Left Party (VP) (24); Centre Party (CP) (24); Christian Democrats (KD) (19); Green Party (Mpg) (18); Other (16) percentage of women in chamber: 45% expected date of next election: September 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Sweden (consists of 16 justices, including the court chairman); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 18 justices, including the court president) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court justices nominated by the Judges Proposal Board, a 9-member nominating body consisting of high-level judges, prosecutors, and members of Parliament; justices appointed by the government; after a probationary period, justices' appointments are permanent subordinate courts: first instance, appellate, general, and administrative courts; specialized courts that handle cases such as land and environment, immigration, labor, markets, and patents **Political parties:** Center Party (Centerpartiet) or C Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna) or KD Green Party (Miljopartiet de Grona) or MP Left Party (Vansterpartiet) or V Moderate Party (Moderaterna) or M Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) or SD Swedish Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokraterna) or S/SAP The Liberals (Liberalerna) or L **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Urban AHLIN (since 15 September 2023) chancery: 2900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699 email address and website: ambassaden.washington@gov.se https://www.swedenabroad.se/en/embassies/usa-washington/ consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Christine TORETTI (since 21 October 2025) embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-115 89 Stockholm mailing address: 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 telephone: [46] (08) 783-53-00 FAX: [46] (08) 661-19-64 email address and website: STKACSinfo@state.gov https://se.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNSOM, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king of Sweden, marking the abolishment of the Kalmar Union of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden) **National holiday:** National Day, 6 June (1983) note: celebrated as Swedish Flag Day from 1916 to 1982 **Flag:** description: blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag; the cross is shifted to the left side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) meaning: the colors come from the Swedish coat of arms **National symbol(s):** three crowns, lion **National color(s):** blue, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Du Gamla, Du Fria" (Thou Ancient, Thou Free) lyrics/music: Richard DYBECK/traditional history: in use since 1893; also known as "Sang till Norden" (Song of the North); based on a Swedish folk tune; has never been officially adopted _____ title: "Kungssangen" (Royal Song) lyrics/music: Carl Wilhelm August Strandberg/Otto Lindblad history: adopted 1844 as the royal anthem, but also used as the national anthem until 1893; only the first verse is sung if the monarch is present **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 15 (13 cultural, 1 natural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Royal Domain of Drottningholm (c); Laponian Area (m); High Coast/Kvarken Archipelago (n); Birka and Hovgården (c); Hanseatic Town of Visby (c); Church Town of Gammelstad, Luleå (c); Naval Port of Karlskrona (c); Rock Carvings in Tanum (c); Engelsberg Ironworks (c); Mining Area of the Great Copper Mountain in Falun (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, largest Nordic economy; EU member but does not use the euro; export-oriented, led by automotive, electronics, machinery, and pharmaceuticals; highly ranked for competitiveness, R&D investments and governance; recovery, with falling inflation and real wage growth balanced by risks from trade uncertainty **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $668.628 billion (2024 est.) $662.18 billion (2023 est.) $662.937 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1% (2024 est.) -0.1% (2023 est.) 1.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $63,300 (2024 est.) $62,800 (2023 est.) $63,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $610.118 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.8% (2024 est.) 8.5% (2023 est.) 8.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.1% (2024 est.) industry: 22.6% (2024 est.) services: 65.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 43.7% (2023 est.) government consumption: 26% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 25% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -0.1% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 55.4% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -51.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, wheat, sugar beets, barley, potatoes, oats, rapeseed, pork, chicken, beef (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 5.699 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 8.6% (2024 est.) 7.7% (2023 est.) 7.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 23.8% (2024 est.) male: 24.3% (2024 est.) female: 23.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 16.1% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 31.6 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 13% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.5% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 24.7% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $195.468 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $191.095 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 36.9% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 27.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $45.274 billion (2024 est.) $40.819 billion (2023 est.) $27.404 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $338.852 billion (2024 est.) $329.332 billion (2023 est.) $318.203 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 10%, USA 10%, Denmark 8%, Norway 6%, Netherlands 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** cars, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, paper, vehicle parts/accessories (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $309.526 billion (2024 est.) $304.194 billion (2023 est.) $304.101 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 17%, Netherlands 10%, Norway 9%, Denmark 6%, China 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $62.569 billion (2024 est.) $60.863 billion (2023 est.) $64.289 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 10.568 (2024 est.) 10.61 (2023 est.) 10.114 (2022 est.) 8.577 (2021 est.) 9.21 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 55.307 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 125.273 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 36.151 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 7.335 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 9.109 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 28.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 21% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 40.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 7.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 6 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 7.01GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 28.6% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 7 (2025) **Coal:** production: 1.042 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 3.17 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 23,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 2.078 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 5 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 270,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 896.109 million cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 10.625 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 897.487 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 142.102 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 898,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 14.9 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 141 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** publicly owned TV broadcaster has 2 terrestrial networks plus regional stations; multiple privately owned TV broadcasters operating nationally, regionally, and locally; about 50 local TV stations; widespread access to pan-Nordic and international broadcasters through multi-channel cable and satellite TV; publicly owned radio broadcaster has 3 national stations and a network of 25 regional channels; roughly 100 privately owned local radio stations, with some consolidating into near-national networks; an estimated 900 community and neighborhood radio stations broadcast intermittently **Internet country code:** .se **Internet users:** percent of population: 96% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 4.3 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** SE **Airports:** 206 (2025) **Heliports:** 11 (2025) **Railways:** total: 10,910 km (2020) 8,184 km electrified narrow gauge: 65 km **Merchant marine:** total: 361 (2023) by type: general cargo 44, oil tanker 18, other 299 **Ports:** total ports: 92 (2024) large: 3 medium: 10 small: 30 very small: 49 ports with oil terminals: 49 key ports: Falkenberg, Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlsborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Norrkoping, Stockholm, Sundsvall, Uddevalla, Varberg, Vasteras ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten): Army, Navy, Air Force, Home Guard (202) **Military expenditures:** 2.5% of GDP (2025 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 25,000 active military personnel; approximately 21,000 Home Guard (2025) note 1: SAF personnel are divided into continuously serving (full-time) and temporary service troops (part-timers who serve periodically and have another main employer or attend school); additional personnel have signed service agreements with the SAF and mostly serve in the Home Guard note 2: in 2021, Sweden announced plans that increase the total size of the armed forces to about 100,000 personnel by 2030 **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the SAF's inventory is comprised of mostly domestically produced armaments alongside smaller amounts of imported Western systems; Sweden's defense industry produces a range of air, land, and naval systems, including armored vehicles, combat aircraft, and submarines; it also produces weapons systems jointly with other countries (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary and selective conscripted service for men and women; conscript service obligation typically 9-15 months depending on the branch of service and position, with a reserve commitment up to age 45 (2026) **Military deployments:** approximately 600 Latvia (NATO) (2025) **Military - note:** the Swedish military is responsible for deterrence and the defense of the country and its territories against armed attack, supporting Sweden’s national security interests, providing societal support, such as humanitarian aid, and contributing to international peacekeeping and peacemaking operations; the military has a relatively small active duty force that is designed to be rapidly mobilized in a crisis with a trained reserve and a Home Guard Sweden maintained a policy of military non-alignment for over 200 years before applying for NATO membership in May 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine; it became a NATO member in March 2024; prior to membership, Stockholm joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994 and contributed to NATO-led missions, including those in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo; the military cooperates closely with the forces of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO; established 2009), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; Sweden is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) and contributes to CSDP missions and operations, including EU battlegroups; it also participates in UN-led missions; Sweden has close bilateral security relations with some individual NATO member states, particularly Finland, Germany, Norway, the UK, and the US (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA; established 1972; known until 2018 as the Swedish National Space Board) (2025) **Space launch site(s):** Esrange Space Center (Kiruna) (2025) **Space program overview:** aims to have one of Europe's leading space programs; produces and operates satellites; builds and launches sounding rockets; involved in the research, development, production, and operations of a variety of other space-related areas, including astronomy, atmospheric monitoring, geographic information systems, infrared imaging, meteorology, propulsion systems, remote sensing, satellite subsystems, spacecraft systems and structures, research, and telecommunications; member of the ESA and program is integrated into its framework; works extensively with foreign space agencies, in particular through the ESA and EU and their member states, as well as with the US; participates in programs such as Europe's Copernicus Earth observation and the Galileo global navigation satellite system, France's Pleiades project, and the Square Kilometer Array Project; has a large commercial space industry, including state-owned enterprises (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1950s - space program initiated with the establishment of a space observatory and the Swedish Space Research Committee 1961 - launched first sounding rocket 1986 - first scientific satellite (Viking) launched on European rocket 1989 - first communications satellite (Tele-X) launched on European rocket 2006 - first astronaut into space on US Space Shuttle 2019 - established a space data lab for artificial intelligence-based analysis of imagery data 2024 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration; launched first military communications satellite (GNA-3); adopted its first defense and security space strategy ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 168,519 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 6,835 (2024 est.) --- ## Switzerland **Slug:** switzerland **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇨🇭 **Codes:** cek: sz, iso2: CH, iso3: CHE, iso_num: 756, genc: CHE, stanag: CHE, internet: .ch ### Introduction **Background:** The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, which was modified in 1874 to allow voters to introduce referenda on proposed laws, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. The major European powers have long honored Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality, and the country was not involved in either World War. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half-century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality. ### Geography **Location:** Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy **Geographic coordinates:** 47 00 N, 8 00 E **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 41,277 sq km land: 39,997 sq km water: 1,280 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey **Land boundaries:** total: 1,770 km border countries (5): Austria 158 km; France 525 km; Italy 698 km; Liechtenstein 41 km; Germany 348 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers **Terrain:** mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes **Elevation:** highest point: Dufourspitze on Monte Rosa 4,634 m lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m mean elevation: 1,350 m **Natural resources:** hydropower potential, timber, salt **Land use:** agricultural land: 37.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 10% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 27.1% (2023 est.) forest: 32% (2023 est.) other: 32.6% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 494 sq km (2020) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Constance (shared with Germany and Austria) - 540 sq km; Lake Geneva (shared with France) - 580 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Rhein (Rhine) river source (shared with Germany, France, and Netherlands [m]) - 1,233 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km), (Adriatic Sea) Po (76,997 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Rhone (100,543 sq km) **Population distribution:** population distribution corresponds to elevation, with the northern and western areas far more heavily populated; the higher Alps of the south limit settlement **Natural hazards:** avalanches, landslides; flash floods **Geography - note:** landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps ### People and Society **Population:** total: 8,925,741 (2025 est.) male: 4,436,858 female: 4,488,883 **Nationality:** noun: Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss **Ethnic groups:** Swiss 69.2%, German 4.2%, Italian 3.2%, Portuguese 2.5%, French 2.1%, Kosovan 1.1%, Turkish 1%, other 16.7% (2020 est.) note: data represent permanent and non-permanent resident population by country of birth **Languages:** German (or Swiss German) (official) 62.1%, French (official) 22.8%, Italian (official) 8%, English 5.7%, Portuguese 3.5%, Albanian 3.3%, Serbo-Croatian 2.3%, Spanish 2.3%, Romansh (official) 0.5%, other 7.9% (2019 est.) major-language sample(s): Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German) The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: shares sum to more than 100% because respondents could indicate more than one main language **Religions:** Roman Catholic 34.4%, Protestant 22.5%, other Christian 5.7%, Muslim 5.4%, other 1.5%, none 29.4%, unspecified 1.1% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 15.1% (male 685,221/female 650,802) 15-64 years: 64.6% (male 2,887,767/female 2,834,842) 65 years and over: 20.3% (2024 est.) (male 830,117/female 971,825) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 55.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 23.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 32.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 44.4 years (2025 est.) male: 43.5 years female: 44.9 years **Population growth rate:** 0.72% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.01 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.61 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 5.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population distribution corresponds to elevation, with the northern and western areas far more heavily populated; the higher Alps of the south limit settlement **Urbanization:** urban population: 74.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.432 million Zurich, 441,000 BERN (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 31.1 years (2020 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 5 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 83.9 years (2024 est.) male: 82 years female: 85.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.59 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.78 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 11.8% of GDP (2021) 12.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.48 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 4.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 19.5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 9.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 4.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.76 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 22.8% (2025 est.) male: 25.5% (2025 est.) female: 20.1% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 57.5% (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 15.4% national budget (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 17 years (2023 est.) male: 17 years (2023 est.) female: 17 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from agricultural fertilizers; soil pollution from chemical contaminants; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers **Land use:** agricultural land: 37.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 10% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 27.1% (2023 est.) forest: 32% (2023 est.) other: 32.6% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 74.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 33.306 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 195,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 27.528 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 5.583 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 6.08 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 30.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 930 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 642.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 160.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 53.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Swiss Confederation conventional short form: Switzerland local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German)/ Confederation Suisse (French)/ Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)/ Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh) local short form: Schweiz (German)/ Suisse (French)/ Svizzera (Italian)/ Svizra (Romansh) abbreviation: CH etymology: name derives from the canton of Schwyz, one of the founding cantons of the Swiss Confederacy formed in the late 13th century **Government type:** federal republic (formally a confederation) **Capital:** name: Bern geographic coordinates: 46 55 N, 7 28 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the origin of the name is uncertain; it is sometimes associated with the German word Baer (bear), but a more likely origin is an Indo-European root word ber, meaning "marshy place" **Administrative divisions:** 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Berne/Bern, Fribourg/Freiburg, Genève (Geneva), Glarus, Graubuenden/Grigioni/Grischun, Jura, Luzern (Lucerne), Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais/Wallis, Vaud, Zug, Zuerich note 1: the names listed above are in the canton's official language(s), with conventional names in parentheses note 2: 6 of the cantons -- Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Nidwalden, Obwalden -- are referred to as half cantons because they elect only one member (instead of two) to the Council of States, and in popular referendums where a majority of popular votes and cantonal votes are required, these 6 cantons have a half vote **Legal system:** civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts, except federal decrees of a general obligatory character **Constitution:** history: previous 1848, 1874; latest adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, effective 1 January 2000 amendment process: proposed by the two houses of the Federal Assembly or by petition of at least one hundred thousand voters (called the "federal popular initiative"); passage of proposals requires majority vote in a referendum; following drafting of an amendment by the Assembly, its passage requires approval by majority vote in a referendum and approval by the majority of cantons **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Switzerland dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 12 years including at least 3 of the last 5 years prior to application **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President of the Swiss Confederation Guy PARMELIN (since 1 January 2026) head of government: President of the Swiss Confederation Guy PARMELIN (since 1 January 2026) cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) indirectly elected by the Federal Assembly for a 4-year term election/appointment process: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among members of the Federal Council for a 1-year, non-consecutive term most recent election date: 11 December 2024 election results: 2024: Karin KELLER-SUTTER elected president for 2025; Federal Assembly vote - Karin KELLER-SUTTER (FDP.The Liberals) 168 of 203; Guy PARLEMIN (SVP) elected vice president for 2025; Federal Assembly vote - 196 of 219 2023: Viola AMHERD elected president for 2024; Federal Assembly vote - Viola AMHERD (The Center) 158 of 204; Karin KELLER-SUTTER (FDP.The Liberals) elected vice president for 2024; Federal Assembly vote - 138 of 196 2022: Alain BERSET elected president for 2023; Federal Assembly vote - Alain BERSET (SP) 140 OF 181; Viola AMHERD elected vice president; Federal assembly vote - 207 of 223 expected date of next election: December 2025 note: the Federal Council, composed of 7 federal councilors, constitutes the federal government of Switzerland; council members rotate the 1-year term of federal president **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung - Assemblée fédérale - Assemblea federale) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Council (Nationalrat - Conseil national - Consiglio nazionale) number of seats: 200 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/22/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) (62); Socialist Party (SP/PS) (41); Centre Party (29); FDP/The Liberals (FDP/PLR) (28); Green Party (GPS/PES) (23); Liberal Green Party (GLP/PVL) (10); Other (7) percentage of women in chamber: 39.5% expected date of next election: October 2027 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Council of States (Ständerat - Conseil des Etats - Consiglio degli Stati) number of seats: 46 (all directly elected) electoral system: other systems scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/22/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Centre Party (15); FDP/The Liberals (FDP/PLR) (11); Socialist Party (SP/PS) (9); Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) (6); Green Party (GPS/PES) (3); Other (2) percentage of women in chamber: 33.3% expected date of next election: October 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Federal Supreme Court (consists of 38 justices and 19 deputy justices organized into 7 divisions) judge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Federal Assembly for 6-year terms; judges are affiliated with political parties and are elected according to linguistic and regional criteria in approximate proportion to party representation in the Federal Assembly subordinate courts: Federal Criminal Court (established in 2004); Federal Administrative Court (established in 2007) note: each of Switzerland's 26 cantons has its own courts **Political parties:** The Center (Die Mitte, Alleanza del Centro, Le Centre, Allianza dal Center) (merger of the Christian Democratic People's Party and the Conservative Democratic Party) Evangelical Peoples' Party or EVP/PEV Federal Democrats or EDU Geneva Citizens Movement or MCR/MCG Green Liberal Party (Gruenliberale Partei or GLP, Parti vert liberale or PVL, Partito Verde-Liberale or PVL, Partida Verde Liberale or PVL) Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) The Liberals or FDP.The Liberals (FDP.Die Liberalen, PLR.Les Liberaux-Radicaux, PLR.I Liberali, Ils Liberals) Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SP, Parti Socialiste Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica di Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph HECKNER (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 2900 Cathedral Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900 FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564 email address and website: washington@eda.admin.ch https://www.eda.admin.ch/washington consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, New York, San Francisco consulate(s): Boston **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Callista GINGRICH (since 23 October 2025) note - also accredited to Liechtenstein embassy: Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern mailing address: 5110 Bern Place, Washington DC 20521-5110 telephone: [41] (031) 357-70-11 FAX: [41] (031) 357-73-20 email address and website: https://ch.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EITI (implementing country), ESA, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation) **National holiday:** Founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291 note: celebrated as Swiss National Day since 1 August 1891 **Flag:** description: red square with an equal-armed white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag history: the origin of the flag is unclear, but a white cross was used to identify Swiss Confederation troops at the Battle of Laupen (1339) note: in 1863, the newly formed International Red Cross chose the inverse of the Swiss flag -- a red cross on a white field -- as its symbol **National symbol(s):** Swiss cross (white cross on red field) **National color(s):** red, white **National anthem(s):** title: the Swiss anthem has four names: "Schweizerpsalm" [German] "Cantique Suisse" [French] "Salmo svizzero," [Italian] "Psalm svizzer" [Romansch] (Swiss Psalm) lyrics/music: Leonhard WIDMER [German], Charles CHATELANAT [French], Camillo VALSANGIACOMO [Italian], and Flurin CAMATHIAS [Romansch]/Alberik ZWYSSIG history: adopted 1981; all four of the versions (German, French, Italian, Romansch) are considered official **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 13 (9 cultural, 4 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Old City of Berne (c); Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch (n); Monte San Giorgio (n); Abbey of St Gall (c); Three Castles, Defensive Wall, and Ramparts of the Market-Town of Bellinzona (c); Rhaetian Railway in the Albula/Bernina Landscapes (c); La Chaux-de-Fonds/Le Locle, Watchmaking Town Planning (c); Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps (c); Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair (c); Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, non-EU European economy; top ten in GDP per capita; renowned banking and financial hub; low unemployment and inflation; slowed GDP growth post-pandemic; highly skilled but aging workforce; key pharmaceutical and precision manufacturing exporter; leader in innovation and competitiveness indices **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $741.035 billion (2024 est.) $731.508 billion (2023 est.) $726.544 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.3% (2024 est.) 0.7% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $82,000 (2024 est.) $82,300 (2023 est.) $82,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $936.564 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.1% (2024 est.) 2.1% (2023 est.) 2.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.6% (2024 est.) industry: 24.7% (2024 est.) services: 72% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 51.1% (2023 est.) government consumption: 11.3% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 25.8% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.2% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 73.3% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -62% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, sugar beets, wheat, potatoes, pork, apples, barley, beef, maize, grapes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, insurance, pharmaceuticals **Industrial production growth rate:** 1.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 5.153 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.2% (2024 est.) 4.1% (2023 est.) 4.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 7.9% (2024 est.) male: 8.3% (2024 est.) female: 7.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 15.8% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 33.8 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 26.6% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $153.795 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $152.488 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 19.9% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 9% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $47.162 billion (2024 est.) $47.455 billion (2023 est.) $72.325 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $675.059 billion (2024 est.) $654.175 billion (2023 est.) $628.737 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Germany 14%, China 12%, USA 11%, Italy 5%, Turkey 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, packaged medicine, vaccines, nitrogen compounds, base metal watches (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $582.554 billion (2024 est.) $556.351 billion (2023 est.) $518.002 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Germany 17%, USA 9%, Italy 8%, France 6%, China 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** gold, packaged medicine, vaccines, cars, jewelry (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $909.366 billion (2024 est.) $863.892 billion (2023 est.) $923.628 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.88 (2024 est.) 0.898 (2023 est.) 0.955 (2022 est.) 0.914 (2021 est.) 0.939 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 26.502 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 55.643 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 33.856 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 27.462 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 4.81 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 34.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 6.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 53% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 4.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 4 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 2.97GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 32.4% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 2 (2025) **Coal:** consumption: 126,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 300 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 156,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 300 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 194,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 2.915 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 2.869 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 99.578 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 3.003 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 11.6 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 129 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** publicly owned Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG/SSR) has 8 national TV networks, 3 broadcasting in German, 3 in French, and 2 in Italian; private commercial TV stations broadcast regionally and locally; German, Italian, and French TV broadcasts widely available via multi-channel cable and satellite TV; SRG/SSR has 17 radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .ch **Internet users:** percent of population: 97% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 4.33 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** HB **Airports:** 66 (2025) **Heliports:** 52 (2025) **Railways:** total: 5,296 km (2020) 5,296 km electrified; Switzerland remains the only country with a fully electrified network **Merchant marine:** total: 17 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 14, general cargo 1, other 2 (includes Liechtenstein) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Swiss Armed Forces (aka Swiss Army or Schweizer Armee); Army (aka Land Forces), Swiss Air Force (2025) note: the federal police maintain internal security and report to the Federal Department of Justice and Police **Military expenditures:** 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 145,000 Swiss Armed Forces (2024) note: the strength figures include professional cadre (approximately 20,000 personnel), people awaiting or participating in mandatory annual training, and people who have already completed their training service obligation **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and imported European and US weapons systems; the Swiss defense industry produces a range of military land vehicles (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** every Swiss man 18-30 is obligated to serve in the military or the alternative civilian service; women can serve on a voluntary basis; required military service is 245 days, including 18-21 weeks of basic training generally between the ages of 19-25, followed by six three-week recalls for refresher training over the following nine years; the system offers opportunities for conscripts to train as non-commissioned and commissioned officers in the militia with longer service commitments (2026) note: alternative civilian service is up to 370 days or 1.5x as many days as military service **Military deployments:** 200 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2025) **Military - note:** the Swiss military is responsible for territorial defense, limited support to international disaster response and peacekeeping, and providing support to civil authorities when their resources are not sufficient to ward off threats to internal security or provide sufficient relief during disasters; Switzerland has long maintained a policy of military neutrality but does periodically participate in EU, NATO, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and UN military and peacekeeping operations; however, Swiss units will only participate in operations under the mandate of the UN or OSCE; Switzerland joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1996; it has contributed to the NATO-led force in Kosovo (KFOR) since 1999 (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 213,177 (2024 est.) IDPs: 97 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 1,267 (2024 est.) --- ## Syria **Slug:** syria **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇸🇾 **Codes:** cek: sy, iso2: SY, iso3: SYR, iso_num: 760, genc: SYR, stanag: SYR, internet: .sy ### Introduction **Background:** After World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French administered the area until granting it independence in 1946. The new country lacked political stability and experienced a series of military coups. Syria united with Egypt in 1958 to form the United Arab Republic. In 1961, the two entities separated, and the Syrian Arab Republic was reestablished. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost control of the Golan Heights region to Israel. During the 1990s, Syria and Israel held occasional, albeit unsuccessful, peace talks over its return. In 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a member of the socialist Ba'ath Party and the minority Alawi sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political stability to the country. Following the death of al-ASAD, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as president by popular referendum in 2000. Syrian troops that were stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role were withdrawn in 2005. During the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hizballah, Syria placed its military forces on alert but did not intervene directly on behalf of its ally Hizballah. In 2007, Bashar al-ASAD's second term as president was again approved in a referendum. In the wake of major uprisings elsewhere in the region, antigovernment protests broke out in the southern province of Dar'a in 2011. Protesters called for the legalization of political parties, the removal of corrupt local officials, and the repeal of the restrictive Emergency Law allowing arrests without charge. Demonstrations and violent unrest spread across Syria, and the government responded with concessions, but also with military force and detentions that led to extended clashes and eventually civil war. International pressure on the Syrian Government intensified after 2011, as the Arab League, the EU, Turkey, and the US expanded economic sanctions against the ASAD regime and those entities that supported it. In 2012, more than 130 countries recognized the Syrian National Coalition as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people. In 2015, Russia launched a military intervention on behalf of the ASAD regime, and domestic and foreign-government-aligned forces recaptured swaths of territory from opposition forces. With foreign support, the regime continued to periodically regain opposition-held territory until 2020, when Turkish firepower halted a regime advance and forced a stalemate between regime and opposition forces. The government lacks territorial control over much of the northeastern part of the country, which the predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) hold, and a smaller area dominated by Turkey. Since 2016, Turkey has conducted three large-scale military operations to capture territory along Syria's northern border. Some opposition forces organized under the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army and Turkish forces have maintained control of northwestern Syria along the Turkish border with the Afrin area of Aleppo Province since 2018. The violent extremist organization Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (formerly the Nusrah Front) emerged in 2017 as the predominant opposition force in Idlib Province, and still dominates an area also hosting Turkish forces. Negotiations have failed to produce a resolution to the conflict, and the UN estimated in 2022 that at least 306,000 people have died during the civil war. Approximately 6.7 million Syrians were internally displaced as of 2022, and 14.6 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance across the country. An additional 5.6 million Syrians were registered refugees in Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and North Africa. The conflict in Syria remains one of the two largest displacement crises worldwide (the other is the full-scale invasion of Ukraine). On 8 December 2024, Syrian Islamist rebels captured the capital city of Damascus and overthrew President Bashar al-ASAD. The former president and his family fled to Moscow, where they were granted political asylum. The al-ASAD regime had ruled Syria for over 50 years. ### Geography **Location:** Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey **Geographic coordinates:** 35 00 N, 38 00 E **Map references:** Middle East **Area:** total : 187,437 sq km land: 185,887 sq km water: 1,550 sq km note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory **Area - comparative:** slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Pennsylvania **Land boundaries:** total: 2,363 km border countries (5): Iraq 599 km; Israel 83 km; Jordan 379 km; Lebanon 403 km; Turkey 899 km **Coastline:** 193 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm **Climate:** mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus **Terrain:** primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Hermon (Jabal a-Shayk) 2,814 m lowest point: Yarmuk River -66 m mean elevation: 514 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 74.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 24% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 44.5% (2023 est.) forest: 2.9% (2023 est.) other: 23% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 9,820 sq km (2022) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Euphrates (shared with Turkey [s], Iran, and Iraq [m]) - 3,596 km; Tigris (shared with Turkey, Iran, and Iraq [m]) - 1,950 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km) **Population distribution:** significant population density along the Mediterranean coast; larger concentrations found in the major cities of Damascus, Aleppo (the country's largest city), and Hims (Homs); more than half of the population lives in the coastal plain, the province of Halab, and the Euphrates River valley note: the recent civil war has altered the population distribution **Natural hazards:** dust storms, sandstorms volcanism: Syria's two historically active volcanoes, Es Safa and an unnamed volcano near the Turkish border, have not erupted in centuries **Geography - note:** the capital of Damascus is located at an oasis fed by the Barada River and is thought to be one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities; there are Israeli settlements and civilian land-use sites in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights (2017) ### People and Society **Population:** total: 24,261,882 (2025 est.) male: 12,183,128 female: 12,078,754 **Nationality:** noun: Syrian(s) adjective: Syrian **Ethnic groups:** Arab ~50%, Alawite ~15%, Kurd ~10%, Levantine ~10%, other ~15% (includes Druze, Ismaili, Imami, Nusairi, Assyrian, Turkoman, Armenian) **Languages:** Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian, French, English major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) ڕاستییەکانی جیهان، باشترین سەرچاوەیە بۆ زانیارییە بنەڕەتییەکان (Kurdish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 87% (official; includes Sunni 74% and Alawi, Ismaili, and Shia 13%), Christian 10% (includes Orthodox, Uniate, and Nestorian), Druze 3% note: the Christian population may be considerably smaller as a result of Christians fleeing the country during the ongoing civil war **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 33% (male 4,037,493/female 3,828,777) 15-64 years: 62.8% (male 7,475,355/female 7,522,797) 65 years and over: 4.2% (2024 est.) (male 468,730/female 532,271) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 58.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 51.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 14.5 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 24.5 years (2025 est.) male: 23.6 years female: 24.7 years **Population growth rate:** 1.63% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 21.26 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 3.97 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** significant population density along the Mediterranean coast; larger concentrations found in the major cities of Damascus, Aleppo (the country's largest city), and Hims (Homs); more than half of the population lives in the coastal plain, the province of Halab, and the Euphrates River valley note: the recent civil war has altered the population distribution **Urbanization:** urban population: 57.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 5.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.585 million DAMASCUS (capital), 2.203 million Aleppo, 1.443 million Hims (Homs), 996,000 Hamah (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 20 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 14.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 16.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 74.8 years (2024 est.) male: 73.4 years female: 76.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.64 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.28 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 95.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 92.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 7.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.9% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.8% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.52 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Hospital bed density:** 1.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 27.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 94.4% (2021 est.) male: 97.2% (2021 est.) female: 91.8% (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; depletion of water resources; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification **Climate:** mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus **Land use:** agricultural land: 74.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 24% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 44.5% (2023 est.) forest: 2.9% (2023 est.) other: 23% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 57.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 5.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 20.243 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 33,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 14.79 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 5.42 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 25.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 519.8 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 144.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 138 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 1.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.5 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 2.5% (2010 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 1.475 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 615.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 14.67 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 16.802 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic conventional short form: Syria local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah local short form: Suriyah former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt) etymology: the source of the name is uncertain; the name appears as "Suri" in Babylonian cuneiform writings dating from about 4000 B.C. **Government type:** transitional presidential republic **Capital:** name: Damascus geographic coordinates: 33 30 N, 36 18 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the city has an ancient, pre-Semitic name of unknown origin **Administrative divisions:** 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah (Latakia), Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq (Damascus), Halab (Aleppo), Hamah, Hims (Homs), Idlib, Rif Dimashq (Damascus Countryside), Tartus **Legal system:** mixed system of civil and Islamic (sharia) law (for family courts) **Constitution:** history: Syria's 2012 constitution was rescinded by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-led government in January 2025; in March 2025, interim authorities announced a transitional constitution to remain in effect for up to five years **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICC **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Syria; if the father is unknown or stateless, the mother must be a citizen of Syria dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Ahmad al-Shara'; former President Bashar al-ASAD was overthrown by Islamist rebels on 8 December 2024 head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad al-BASHIR (since 8 December 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); the president appoints the vice president and prime minister most recent election date: 26 May 2021 election results: 2021: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD (Ba'th Party) 95.2%, Mahmoud Ahmad MAREI (Democratic Arab Socialist Union) 3.3%, other 1.5% 2014: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD (Ba'th Party) 88.7%, Hassan al-NOURI (independent) 4.3%, Maher HAJJER (independent) 3.2%, other/invalid 3.8% expected date of next election: 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: People's Assembly (Majlis Al-Chaab) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 210 (140 indirectly elected; 70 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/5/2025 percentage of women in chamber: 9.6% expected date of next election: March 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Cassation (organized into civil, criminal, religious, and military divisions, each with 3 judges); Supreme Constitutional Court (consists of 7 members) judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), a judicial management body headed by the minister of justice with 7 members, including the national president; judge tenure NA; Supreme Constitutional Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the SJC; judges serve 4-year renewable terms subordinate courts: courts of first instance; magistrates' courts; religious and military courts; Economic Security Court; Counterterrorism Court **Political parties:** legal parties/alliances: Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party Arab Socialist (Ba'ath) Party – Syrian Regional Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syrian Regional Branch, Socialist Unionist Democratic Party Arab Socialist Union of Syria or ASU Democratic Arab Socialist Union National Progressive Front or NPF Socialist Unionist Democratic Party Socialist Unionist Party Syrian Communist Party (two branches) Syrian Social Nationalist Party or SSNP Unionist Socialist Party major political organizations: Kurdish Democratic Union Party or PYD Kurdish National Council or KNC Syriac Union Party Syrian Democratic Council or SDC Syrian Democratic Party Syrian Opposition Coalition de facto governance entities: Democratic Autonomous Administration of Northeast Syria or DAANES Syrian Interim Government or SIG Syrian Salvation Government or SSG **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none note: operations at the embassy were suspended on 18 March 2014 **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); note - on 6 February 2012, the US suspended operations at its embassy in Damascus; Czechia serves as a protecting power for US interests in Syria mailing address: 6110 Damascus Place, Washington DC 20521-6110 email address and website: USIS_damascus@embassy.mzv.cz https://sy.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, ICSID, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WBG, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) **Independence:** 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) **National holiday:** Independence Day (Evacuation Day), 17 April (1946) note: celebrates the last French troops departing and the proclamation of full independence **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black; three five-pointed red stars in a horizontal line, centered on the white band meaning: the design is the same as a previous Syrian national flag (in use 1932-58 and 1961-63), but it is still unclear if the elements will retain the same meanings; the bands formerly represented Syria’s past rulers: white (Umayyad Caliphate), black (Abbasid Caliphate), and green (Rashidun Caliphate); the first star represented Damascus, Aleppo, and Deir ez-Zor, the three administrative subdivisions in Syria in the 1930s; the second star stood for Jabal Druze (the Mountain of the Druze), and the third star for the Alawite Mountains history: in 2011, opponents to the Asad regime adopted the flag; in 2025, it became the new national flag, replacing the two-star design **National symbol(s):** northern bald ibis **National color(s):** red, white, black, green **National anthem(s):** title: “Ħumāt ad-Diyār (Guardians of the Homeland) lyrics/music: Khalil Mardam BEY/Mohammad Salim FLAYFEL and Ahmad Salim FLAYFEL history: adopted 1936, restored 1961; the country had a different anthem between 1958 and 1961, when Syria was part of the United Arab Republic **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 6 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Ancient City of Damascus; Ancient City of Bosra; Site of Palmyra; Ancient City of Aleppo; Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din; Ancient Villages of Northern Syria ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income Middle Eastern economy; prior infrastructure and economy devastated by 11-year civil war; ongoing US sanctions; sporadic trans-migration during conflict; currently being supported by World Bank trust fund; ongoing hyperinflation **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $98.858 billion (2023 est.) $100.066 billion (2022 est.) $99.338 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -1.2% (2023 est.) 0.7% (2022 est.) 1.9% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $4,200 (2023 est.) $4,500 (2022 est.) $4,600 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $19.993 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 94.1% (2022 est.) 98.3% (2021 est.) 114.2% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 43.1% (2022 est.) industry: 12% (2022 est.) services: 44.9% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 114.8% (2022 est.) government consumption: 2.7% (2022 est.) investment in fixed capital: 4.5% (2022 est.) exports of goods and services: 6.8% (2022 est.) imports of goods and services: -28.8% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** wheat, barley, milk, sheep milk, tomatoes, olives, potatoes, maize, oranges, grapes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, cement, oil seeds crushing, automobile assembly **Industrial production growth rate:** -13.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 6.617 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 13% (2024 est.) 13.2% (2023 est.) 13.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 31.5% (2024 est.) male: 27.8% (2024 est.) female: 47.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 26.6 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.8% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 21.1% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.162 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: $3.211 billion (2017 est.) note: government projections for FY2016 **Exports:** $1.609 billion (2022 est.) $2.227 billion (2021 est.) $1.649 billion (2020 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Turkey 29%, Saudi Arabia 16%, Lebanon 10%, India 10%, UAE 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** olive oil, phosphates, spice seeds, cotton, tomatoes (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $6.803 billion (2022 est.) $6.56 billion (2021 est.) $3.751 billion (2020 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Turkey 49%, UAE 11%, China 8%, Egypt 7%, Lebanon 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** tobacco, plastics, wheat flours, plastic products, seed oils (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Debt - external:** $4.573 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Syrian pounds (SYP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2,505.747 (2022 est.) 1,256 (2021 est.) 877.945 (2020 est.) 436.5 (2019 est.) 436.5 (2018 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 89% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 75% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 9.636 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 15.522 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 358.723 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 4.214 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 95.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 15,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 15,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 65,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 102,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 2.5 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 2.763 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 2.763 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 240.693 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 13.569 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 2.816 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 17.6 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 71 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-run TV has 2 networks and 5 satellite channels; roughly two-thirds of homes have a satellite dish with access to foreign TV; 3 state-run radio channels; first private radio station launched in 2005; private radio broadcasters prohibited from transmitting news or political content (2018) **Internet country code:** .sy **Internet users:** percent of population: 35% (2019 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.62 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** YK **Airports:** 42 (2025) **Heliports:** 13 (2025) **Railways:** total: 2,052 km (2014) standard gauge: 1,801 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 251 km (2014) 1.050-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 24 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 1, general cargo 8, oil tanker 1, other 13 **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 1 medium: 1 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Al Ladhiqiyah, Baniyas, Tartus ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** the interim government authorities in Syria have established a Ministry of Defense and are attempting to unify the dozens of armed factions operating in Syria under a single, state-linked army; it has also established a Ministry of Interior to manage police and other security forces (2025) **Military expenditures:** 6.5% of GDP (2019 est.) 6.7% of GDP (2018 est.) 6.8% of GDP (2017 est.) 6.9% of GDP (2016 est.) 7.2% of GDP (2015 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** not available **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military forces of Syria are equipped with Russian and Soviet-era armaments (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** under Bashar al-ASAD, Syrian men aged 18-38 were required to serve 18-21 months in the military; conscription continued until ASAD's fall when the interim government announced that mandatory conscription to Syria’s armed forces would be abolished and only be reinstated in extreme cases, such as national emergencies relating to war (2025) **Military - note:** as of September 2025, the government did not exercise control over all of Syria; areas of the northeast were under the control of ethnic Kurdish-led forces and areas south of the capital Damascus were controlled by members of the Druze religious minority; Turkish forces remained in parts of the north, while Israeli forces had moved into formerly demilitarized areas between Syria and Israel and into some Syrian territory near the frontier the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has operated in the Golan between Israel and Syria since 1974 to monitor the ceasefire following the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and supervise the areas of separation between the two countries; UNDOF has about 1,300 personnel (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Syrian Space Agency (created in 2014); status is unclear since the fall of the ASAD Government (2025) **Space program overview:** status unclear; has been handicapped by the impact of the civil war, including the loss of students and scientists who fled the country; had previously focused on satellite development and related space technologies, as well as scientific research; has relations with the space agency and space industries of Russia (2024) **Key space-program milestones:** 1987 - first and only Syrian astronaut into space as part of a Soviet-crewed mission to the Mir Space Station under the Intercosmos program 2016 - signed a scientific cooperation agreement in the field of space technology and remote sensing with Russia 2018 - announced that developing a satellite would be a primary goal of the space program ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Abdallah Azzam Brigades; Ansar al-Islam; Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq; Hizballah; Hurras al-Din; Islamic Jihad Union; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Kata'ib Hizballah; Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK); al-Qa'ida; Palestine Liberation Front (PLF); Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); PFLP-General Command (PLFP-GC) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 16,402 (2024 est.) IDPs: 7,408,809 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 160,000 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Syria does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Syria remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/syria/ --- ## Taiwan **Slug:** taiwan **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇹🇼 **Codes:** cek: tw, iso2: TW, iso3: TWN, iso_num: 158, genc: TWN, stanag: TWN, internet: .tw ### Introduction **Background:** First inhabited by Austronesian people, Taiwan became home to Han immigrants beginning in the late Ming Dynasty (17th century). In 1895, military defeat forced China's Qing Dynasty to cede Taiwan to Japan, which then governed Taiwan for 50 years. Taiwan came under Chinese Nationalist (Kuomintang, KMT) control after World War II. With the communist victory in the Chinese civil war in 1949, the Nationalist-controlled Republic of China government and 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and continued to claim to be the legitimate government for mainland China and Taiwan, based on a 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Until 1987, however, the Nationalist Government ruled Taiwan under a civil war martial law declaration dating to 1948. Beginning in the 1970s, Nationalist authorities gradually began to incorporate the native population into the governing structure beyond the local level. The democratization process expanded rapidly in the 1980s, leading to the then-illegal founding of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Taiwan’s first opposition party, in 1986 and the lifting of martial law the following year. Taiwan held legislative elections in 1992, the first in over 40 years, and its first direct presidential election in 1996. In the 2000 presidential elections, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power with the KMT loss to the DPP and afterwards experienced two additional democratic transfers of power in 2008 and 2016. Throughout this period, the island prospered and turned into one of East Asia's economic "Tigers," becoming a major investor in mainland China after 2000 as cross-Strait ties matured. The dominant political issues continue to be economic reform and growth, as well as management of sensitive relations between Taiwan and China. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China **Geographic coordinates:** 23 30 N, 121 00 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 35,980 sq km land: 32,260 sq km water: 3,720 sq km note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Kinmen islands **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 1,566.3 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); persistent and extensive cloudiness all year **Terrain:** eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west **Elevation:** highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m lowest point: South China Sea 0 m mean elevation: 1,150 m **Natural resources:** small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, asbestos, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 22% (2023 est.) arable land: 16.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 78% (2022 est.) **Irrigated land:** 3,820 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** distribution exhibits a peripheral coastal settlement pattern, with the largest populations on the north and west coasts **Natural hazards:** earthquakes; typhoons volcanism: Kueishantao Island (401 m), east of Taiwan, is the only historically active volcano, but it has not erupted in centuries **Geography - note:** strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait ### People and Society **Population:** total: 23,600,776 (2025 est.) male: 11,596,835 female: 12,003,941 **Nationality:** noun: Taiwan (singular and plural) adjective: Taiwan (or Taiwanese) note: example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan **Ethnic groups:** Han Chinese (including Holo, who compose approximately 70% of Taiwan's population, Hakka, and other groups originating in mainland China) more than 95%, indigenous Malayo-Polynesian peoples 2.3% note 1: there are 16 officially recognized indigenous groups: Amis, Atayal, Bunun, Hla'alua, Kanakaravu, Kavalan, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Saisiyat, Sakizaya, Seediq, Thao, Truku, Tsou, and Yami; Amis, Paiwan, and Atayal are the largest and account for roughly 70% of the indigenous population note 2: although not definitive, the majority of current genetic, archeological, and linguistic data support the theory that Taiwan is the ultimate source for the spread of humans across the Pacific to Polynesia; the expansion (ca. 3000 B.C. to A.D. 1200) took place via the Philippines and eastern Indonesia and reached Fiji and Tonga by about 900 B.C.; from there voyagers spread across the rest of the Pacific islands over the next two millennia **Languages:** Mandarin (official), Min Nan, Hakka dialects, approximately 16 indigenous languages major-language sample(s): 世界概況 – 不可缺少的基本消息來源 (Mandarin) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Buddhist 35.3%, Taoist 33.2%, Christian 3.9%, folk religion (includes Confucian) approximately 10%, none or unspecified 18.2% (2005 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 12.1% (male 1,472,059/female 1,391,031) 15-64 years: 69% (male 8,132,356/female 8,155,582) 65 years and over: 18.8% (2024 est.) (male 2,002,076/female 2,442,170) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 46.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 17.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 28.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.5 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 45.1 years (2025 est.) male: 43.6 years female: 45.5 years **Population growth rate:** 0.02% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 7.22 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.18 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 1.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** distribution exhibits a peripheral coastal settlement pattern, with the largest populations on the north and west coasts **Urbanization:** urban population: 80.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.65% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 4.504 million New Taipei City, 2.754 million TAIPEI (capital), 2.319 million Taoyuan, 1.553 million Kaohsiung, 1.369 million Taichung, 863,000 Tainan (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 81.6 years (2024 est.) male: 78.6 years female: 84.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.12 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.54 (2025 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal **Climate:** tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); persistent and extensive cloudiness all year **Land use:** agricultural land: 22% (2023 est.) arable land: 16.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 78% (2022 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 80.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.65% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 289.109 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 140.734 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 92.014 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 56.361 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 7.336 million tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.8% (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 67 cubic meters (2011) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: Taiwan former: Formosa etymology: the name may derive from the Chinese words tai (terrace) and wan (bay), referring to the island's terrain; in 1590, the Portuguese named it Formosa, meaning "beautiful" **Government type:** semi-presidential republic **Capital:** name: Taipei geographic coordinates: 25 02 N, 121 31 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "Northern Taiwan," from the Chinese words tai (a short form of Taiwan) and bei (north), reflecting the city's position in the far north of the island **Administrative divisions:** includes main island of Taiwan, plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 13 counties (xian, singular and plural), 3 cities (shi, singular and plural), and 6 special municipalities directly under the jurisdiction of the Executive Yuan counties: Changhua, Chiayi, Hsinchu, Hualien, Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu, Pingtung, Taitung, Yilan, Yunlin cities: Chiayi, Hsinchu, Keelung special municipalities: Kaohsiung (city), New Taipei (city), Taichung (city), Tainan (city), Taipei (city), Taoyuan (city) note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems for names; a modified Wade-Giles system still dominates, but the city of Taipei has adopted a Pinyin romanization for street and place names; other local authorities use different romanization systems **Legal system:** civil law system **Constitution:** history: previous 1912, 1931; latest adopted 25 December 1946, promulgated 1 January 1947, effective 25 December 1947 amendment process: proposed by at least one fourth of the Legislative Yuan membership; passage requires approval by at least three-fourths majority vote of at least three fourths of the Legislative Yuan membership and approval in a referendum by more than half of eligible voters **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Taiwan dual citizenship recognized: yes, except that citizens of Taiwan are not recognized as dual citizens of the People's Republic of China residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 20 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President LAI Ching-te (since 20 May 2024) head of government: Premier CHO Jung-tai (President of the Executive Yuan) (since 20 May 2024) cabinet: Executive Yuan; ministers appointed by president on recommendation of premier election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier most recent election date: 13 January 2024 election results: 2024: LAI Ching-te elected president; percent of vote - LAI Ching-te (DPP) 40.1%, HOU Yu-ih (KMT) 33.5%, KO Wen-je (TPP) 26.5%) 2020: TSAI Ing-wen reelected president; percent of vote - TSAI Ing-wen (DPP) 57.1%, HAN Kuo-yu (KMT) 38.6%, James SOONG (PFP) 4.3% expected date of next election: 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Legislative Yuan legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 113 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 13 January 2024 parties elected and seats per party: Kuomintang (KMT) 52, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) 51, Taiwan People's Party (TPP) 8, independent 2 percentage of women in chamber: 41.6% expected date of next election: January 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and approximately 100 judges organized into civil and criminal panels, each with a chief justice and 4 associate justices); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 13 justices) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court justices appointed for life by the president; Constitutional Court justices appointed by the president, with approval of the Legislative Yuan, for 8-year terms, with half the membership renewed every 4 years subordinate courts: high courts; district courts; hierarchy of administrative courts **Political parties:** Democratic Progressive Party or DPP Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) Taiwan People's Party or TPP note: the DPP and the KMT are the two major political parties; more than 30 parties garnered votes in the 2024 election **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: none Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices (branch offices): Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver (CO), Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC Note: commercial and cultural relations with its citizens in the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), a private nonprofit corporation that performs citizen and consular services similar to those at diplomatic posts, represented by Ambassador Alexander YUI (since 11 December 2023); office: 4201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016; telephone: [1] (202) 895-1800; fax: [1] (202) 363-0999 **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: the US does not have an embassy in Taiwan; commercial and cultural relations with the people of Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), a private nonprofit corporation that performs citizen and consular services similar to those at diplomatic posts; it is managed by Director Raymond F. GREENE (since 8 July 2024) mailing address: 4170 AIT Taipei Place, Washington DC 20521-4170 telephone: [886] 2-2162-2000 FAX: [886] 2-2162-2251 email address and website: TaipeiACS@state.gov https://www.ait.org.tw/ branch office(s): American Institute in Taiwan No. 100, Jinhu Road, Neihu District 11461, Taipei City other offices: Kaohsiung (Branch Office) **International organization participation:** ADB (Chinese Taipei), APEC (Chinese Taipei), BCIE, CABEI, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), SICA (observer), WTO (Chinese Taipei) note: separate customs territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu **National holiday:** Republic Day (National Day), 10 October (1911) note: celebrates the anniversary of the Chinese Revolution, also known as Double Ten (10-10) Day **Flag:** description: red field with a dark blue rectangle in the upper-left corner, bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays meaning: blue stands for liberty, justice, and democracy; red for fraternity, sacrifice, and nationalism; white for equality, frankness, and the people's livelihood; the 12 rays represent the months of the year and the traditional Chinese hours (each ray equals two hours) history: the blue-and-white design of the canton (symbolizing the sun of progress) dates to 1895 note: similar to the flag of Samoa **National symbol(s):** white sun with 12 rays on a blue field **National color(s):** blue, white, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Zhonghua Minguo guoge" (National Anthem of the Republic of China) lyrics/music: HU Han-min, TAI Chi-t'ao, and LIAO Chung-k'ai/CHENG Mao-yun history: adopted 1937; also the song of the Kuomintang Party; informally known as "San Min Chu I" or "San Min Zhu Yi" (Three Principles of the People); the anthem is banned from performance in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income East Asian economy; most technologically advanced computer microchip manufacturing; increasing Chinese interference threatens market capabilities; minimum wages rising; longstanding regional socioeconomic inequality **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.743 trillion (2023 est.) $1.664 trillion (2022 est.) $1.512 trillion (2021 est.) **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.28% (2023 est.) 2.59% (2022 est.) 6.62% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $32,300 (2023 est.) $32,600 (2022 est.) $32,900 (2021 est.) note: data are in current dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $611.391 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.2% (2024 est.) 2.5% (2023 est.) 2.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 48.3% (2023 est.) government consumption: 13.3% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.7% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -0.6% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 64% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -49.1% (2023 est.) **Agricultural products:** rice, vegetables, pork, chicken, cabbages, milk, sugarcane, tropical fruits, pineapples, eggs (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** electronics, communications and information technology products, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals **Unemployment rate:** 3.4% (2024 est.) 3.5% (2023 est.) 3.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 33.9 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 13.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Budget:** revenues: $94.943 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $105.833 billion (2019 est.) **Public debt:** 35.7% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data for central government **Current account balance:** $105.076 billion (2023 est.) $101.032 billion (2022 est.) $118.298 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $432.432 billion (2023 est.) $479.415 billion (2022 est.) $446.371 billion (2021 est.) note: figures complied according to the General Trade System - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 20%, USA 17%, Hong Kong 13%, Singapore 9%, Japan 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** integrated circuits, machine parts, broadcasting equipment, computers, plastics (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $351.441 billion (2023 est.) $428.083 billion (2022 est.) $381.958 billion (2021 est.) note: figures complied according to the General Trade System - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 21%, Japan 13%, USA 11%, S. Korea 9%, Australia 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** integrated circuits, crude petroleum, machinery, natural gas, coal (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** New Taiwan dollars (TWD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 32.108 (2024 est.) 31.15 (2023 est.) 29.777 (2022 est.) 28.022 (2021 est.) 28.211 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 64.535 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 270.648 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 7.907 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 84.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 6.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 4.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 2.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 1 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 0.94GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 6.9% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 5 (2025) **Coal:** production: 5.212 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 64.609 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 47,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 58.15 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 800 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 954,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 2.38 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 60.761 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 27.222 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 26.997 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 6.23 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 206.102 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 10 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 29.8 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 128 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 5 national TV networks with about 22 stations; over 300 satellite TV channels available; about half of households use multi-channel cable TV; almost all subscribe to digital cable TV; national and regional radio networks with about 171 radio stations (2023) **Internet country code:** .tw **Internet users:** percent of population: 90% (2021 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 5,831,470 (2019 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25 (2019 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** B **Airports:** 57 (2025) **Heliports:** 56 (2025) **Railways:** total: 1,613.1 km (2018) standard gauge: 345 km (2018) 1.435-m gauge (345 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,118.1 km (2018) 1.067-m gauge (793.9 km electrified) 150 0.762-m gauge note: the 0.762-gauge track belongs to three entities: the Forestry Bureau, Taiwan Cement, and TaiPower **Merchant marine:** total: 465 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 29, container ship 53, general cargo 58, oil tanker 35, other 290 **Ports:** total ports: 8 (2024) large: 1 medium: 3 small: 2 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 8 key ports: Chi-Lung, Hua-Lien Kang, Kao-Hsiung, Su-Ao ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Taiwan Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Information Communication and Electronic Force (ICEF) Ocean Affairs Council: Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Ministry of Interior: National Police (2025) note: the CGA is a law enforcement organization with homeland security functions during peacetime and national defense missions during wartime **Military expenditures:** 2.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 170,000 active duty Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is a mix of domestically produced and foreign-supplied armaments, mostly from the US either as secondhand or direct acquisitions; Taiwan's domestic defense industry produces weapons systems such as aircraft, armored vehicles, missiles, and naval platforms (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** men 18-36 years of age may volunteer or must complete 12 months of compulsory military service; civil service can be substituted for military service in some cases; women can volunteer (2025) note: in January 2024, Taiwan extended compulsory service from 4 to 12 months for men born in 2005 and thereafter **Military - note:** the military’s primary responsibility is external security, including the defense and protection of the country’s air space, maritime claims, sea lines of communications, sovereignty, and territory; its main focus is the challenge posed by the People’s Republic of China (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Taiwan Space Agency (TASA; renamed and reorganized in 2023 from the former National Space Program Organization or NSPO, which was established in 1991) (2025) **Space launch site(s):** sounding rockets launched from Jui Peng Air Base (Pingtung); has announced intentions to build a future national space port on the southeast coast (Pingtung) (2025) **Space program overview:** has had a national space program since the early 1990s, with a focus on acquiring satellites and developing independent space capabilities, such as rocket manufacturing and satellite launch services; manufactures and operates satellites and sounding rockets; researching and developing other space technologies, including remote sensing, telecommunications, small satellites, satellite payloads and ground station components, spacecraft components, navigational control, and rocket propulsion systems; has bilateral relations with the space programs of France, India, Japan, Paraguay, Poland, the UK, and the US; has a commercial space industry that provides components and expertise for the Taiwan Space Agency and is independently developing satellites and a small satellite launch vehicle; the government passed a space promotion act in 2021 to encourage private investment in the space industry (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1997 - launched first sounding rocket 1999 - first scientific satellite (FORMOSAT-1) built and launched by the US 2004 - first remote sensing (RS) satellite (FORMOSAT-2) built by France and launched by US 2017 - first domestically built RS satellite (FORMOSAT-5) launched by US 2021 - initiated development of a commercial 3-stage, hybrid-engine rocket (Hapith-5) 2023 - first domestically made RS/meteorological satellite (FormoSat-7R/Triton) launched on European rocket ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** IDPs: 380 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Tajikistan **Slug:** tajikistan **Region:** Central Asia **Flag:** 🇹🇯 **Codes:** cek: ti, iso2: TJ, iso3: TJK, iso_num: 762, genc: TJK, stanag: TJK, internet: .tj ### Introduction **Background:** The Tajik people came under Russian imperial rule in the 1860s and 1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution of 1917. At that time, bands of indigenous guerrillas (known as "basmachi") fiercely contested Bolshevik control of the area, which was not fully reestablished until 1925. Tajikistan was first established as an autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic in 1924, but in 1929 the Soviet Union made Tajikistan as a separate republic and transferred to it much of present-day Sughd Province. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial minority in Tajikistan, and ethnic Tajiks an even larger minority in Uzbekistan. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 after the breakup of the Soviet Union, and the country experienced a civil war among political, regional, and religious factions from 1992 to 1997. Despite Tajikistan's general elections for both the presidency (once every seven years) and legislature (once every five years), observers note an electoral system rife with irregularities and abuse, and results that are neither free nor fair. President Emomali RAHMON, who came to power in 1992 during the civil war and was first elected president in 1994, used an attack planned by a disaffected deputy defense minister in 2015 to ban the last major opposition party in Tajikistan. RAHMON further strengthened his position by having himself declared "Founder of Peace and National Unity, Leader of the Nation," with limitless terms and lifelong immunity through constitutional amendments ratified in a referendum. The referendum also lowered the minimum age required to run for president from 35 to 30, which made RAHMON's first-born son Rustam EMOMALI, the mayor of the capital city of Dushanbe, eligible to run for president in 2020. RAHMON orchestrated EMOMALI's selection in 2020 as chairman of the Majlisi Milli (the upper chamber of Tajikistan's parliament), positioning EMOMALI as next in line of succession for the presidency. RAHMON opted to run in the presidential election later that year and received 91% of the vote. The country remains the poorest of the former Soviet republics. Tajikistan became a member of the WTO in 2013, but its economy continues to face major challenges, including dependence on remittances from Tajikistani migrant laborers in Russia and Kazakhstan, pervasive corruption, the opiate trade, and destabilizing violence emanating from neighboring Afghanistan. Tajikistan has endured several domestic security incidents since 2010, including armed conflict between government forces and local strongmen in the Rasht Valley and between government forces and informal leaders in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast. Tajikistan suffered its first ISIS-claimed attack in 2018, when assailants attacked a group of Western bicyclists, killing four. Friction between forces on the border between Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic flared up in 2021, culminating in fatal clashes between border forces in 2021 and 2022. ### Geography **Location:** Central Asia, west of China, south of Kyrgyzstan **Geographic coordinates:** 39 00 N, 71 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 144,100 sq km land: 141,510 sq km water: 2,590 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Wisconsin **Land boundaries:** total: 4,130 km border countries (4): Afghanistan 1,357 km; China 477 km; Kyrgyzstan 984 km; Uzbekistan 1,312 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** mid-latitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains **Terrain:** mountainous region dominated by the Alay Mountains in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofirnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest **Elevation:** highest point: Qullai Somoniyon 7,495 m lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m mean elevation: 3,186 m **Natural resources:** hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold **Land use:** agricultural land: 27.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 20.4% (2023 est.) forest: 3.1% (2023 est.) other: 69% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 5,681 sq km (2022) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Syr Darya (shared with Kyrgyzstan [s], Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan [m]) - 3,078 km; Amu Darya river source (shared with Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan [m]) - 2,620 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea Basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km) **Population distribution:** the population is concentrated at lower elevations, with perhaps as many as 90% living in valleys; overall density increases from east to west **Natural hazards:** earthquakes; floods **Geography - note:** landlocked; highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain in the former USSR ### People and Society **Population:** total: 10,593,876 (2025 est.) male: 5,322,920 female: 5,270,956 **Nationality:** noun: Tajikistani(s) adjective: Tajikistani **Ethnic groups:** Tajik 84.3% (includes Pamiri and Yagnobi), Uzbek 13.8%, other 2% (includes Kyrgyz, Russian, Turkmen, Tatar, Arab) (2014 est.) **Languages:** Tajik (official) 84.4%, Uzbek 11.9%, Kyrgyz 0.8%, Russian 0.5%, other 2.4% (2010 est.) major-language sample(s): Китоби Фактҳои Ҷаҳонӣ, манбаи бебадали маълумоти асосӣ (Tajik) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: Russian widely used in government and business **Religions:** Muslim 98% (Sunni 95%, Shia 3%) other 2% (2014 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 36.9% (male 1,953,472/female 1,877,192) 15-64 years: 59.3% (male 3,086,964/female 3,071,642) 65 years and over: 3.9% (2024 est.) (male 181,382/female 223,411) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 68.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 61.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 14.5 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 22.8 years (2025 est.) male: 22.3 years female: 23.2 years **Population growth rate:** 1.89% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 25.31 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.45 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the population is concentrated at lower elevations, with perhaps as many as 90% living in valleys; overall density increases from east to west **Urbanization:** urban population: 28.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.73% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 987,000 DUSHANBE (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 23.2 years (2017 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 14 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 20.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 24.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 71.9 years (2024 est.) male: 70.1 years female: 73.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.52 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.71 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 95.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 76.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 81.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 4.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 23.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 18.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8% of GDP (2021) 6.4% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.87 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 4.3 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 98.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 14.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.85 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 5.2% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 68% (2020 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.1% (2017) women married by age 18: 8.7% (2017) **Education expenditure:** 5.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 19.3% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** female: 94.6% (2017 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 12 years (2024 est.) male: 12 years (2024 est.) female: 11 years (2024 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution from motor vehicles and industry; water pollution from agricultural runoff and untreated industrial waste and sewage; poor management of water resources; soil erosion; increasing levels of soil salinity **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** mid-latitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains **Land use:** agricultural land: 27.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 20.4% (2023 est.) forest: 3.1% (2023 est.) other: 69% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 28.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.73% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 8.616 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 4.676 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 3.855 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 86,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 53.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.787 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 912 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.61 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 7.378 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 21.91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan conventional short form: Tajikistan local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston local short form: Tojikiston former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the Persian suffix -ostan means "land," so the country name means "Land of the Tajik [people];" the name Tajik comes from the Sanskrit tajika, a name originally used to distinguish Arabs from Turks and derived from the Tay, an Arab people **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Dushanbe geographic coordinates: 38 33 N, 68 46 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means Monday in Persian; today's city was originally at the crossroads where a large bazaar was held on Mondays, or the second day (du) after Saturday (shambe) **Administrative divisions:** 2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor), 1 capital region** (viloyati poytakht), and 1 area referred to as Districts Under Republic Administration***; Dushanbe**, Khatlon (Bokhtar), Kuhistoni Badakhshon [Gorno-Badakhshan]* (Khorugh), Nohiyahoi Tobei Jumhuri***, Sughd (Khujand) note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses **Legal system:** civil law system **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 6 November 1994 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or by at least one third of the total membership of both houses of the Supreme Assembly; adoption of any amendment requires a referendum, which includes approval of the president or approval by at least two-thirds majority of the Assembly of Representatives; passage in a referendum requires participation of an absolute majority of eligible voters and an absolute majority of votes; constitutional articles, including Tajikistan’s form of government, its territory, and its democratic nature, cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Tajikistan dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years or 3 years of continuous residence prior to application **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Emomali RAHMON (since 16 November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly Chairman since 20 November 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Qohir RASULZODA (since 23 November 2013) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme Assembly election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 7-year term (two-term limit), but as the "Leader of the Nation," president has no term limit; prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 11 October 2020 election results: 2020: Emomali RAHMON reelected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMON (PDPT) 92.1%, Rustam LATIFZODA (APT) 3.1%, other 4.8% 2013: Emomali RAHMON reelected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMON (PDPT) 84%, Ismoil TALBAKOV CPT) 5%, other 11% expected date of next election: 2027 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Supreme Council (Majlisi Oli) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Majlisi namoyandogon) number of seats: 63 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/2/2025 parties elected and seats per party: People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan (PDPT) (49); Agrarian Party of Tajikistan (APT) (7); Party of Economic Reforms of Tajikistan (PERT) (5); Other (2) percentage of women in chamber: 28.6% expected date of next election: March 2030 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly (Majlisi milli) number of seats: 33 (25 indirectly elected; 8 appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/28/2025 percentage of women in chamber: 30.3% expected date of next election: March 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chairman, deputy chairmen, and 34 judges organized into civil, family, criminal, administrative offense, and military chambers); Constitutional Court (consists of the court chairman, deputy chairman, and 5 judges); High Economic Court (consists of 16 judicial positions) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, and High Economic Court judges nominated by the president and approved by the National Assembly; judges of all 3 courts appointed for 10-year renewable terms with no term limits, but the last appointment must occur before the age of 65 subordinate courts: regional and district courts; Dushanbe City Court; viloyat (province-level) courts; Court of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region **Political parties:** Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT Democratic Party or DPT Party of Economic Reforms or PERT People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT Socialist Party of Tajikistan or SPT **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Zavqi ZAVQIZODA (since 14 November 2025) chancery: 1005 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090 FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091 email address and website: tajemus@mfa.tj https://mfa.tj/en/washington **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Manuel P. MICALLER Jr. (since 9 March 2023) embassy: 109-A Ismoili Somoni Avenue (Zarafshon district), Dushanbe 734019 mailing address: 7090 Dushanbe Place, Washington DC 20521-7090 telephone: [992] (37) 229-20-00 FAX: [992] (37) 229-20-50 email address and website: DushanbeConsular@state.gov https://tj.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 9 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union) **National holiday:** Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991) **Flag:** description: three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown under seven five-pointed gold stars is in the center of the white stripe meaning: red stands for the sun, victory, and the unity of the nation; white for purity, cotton, and mountain snows; green for Islam and nature's bounty; the crown symbolizes the Tajik people; the stars represent the number seven, which is considered a symbol of perfection and the embodiment of happiness **National symbol(s):** arc of seven five-pointed stars over a crown, Marco Polo sheep **National color(s):** red, white, green **National anthem(s):** title: "Surudi milli" (National Anthem) lyrics/music: Gulnazar KELDI/Sulaimon YUDAKOV history: adopted 1994; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Tajikistan kept the music of its Soviet-era anthem, but adopted new lyrics **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 5 (3 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Proto-urban Site of Sarazm (c); Tajik National Park (Mountains of the Pamirs) (n); Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor (c); Tugay forests of the Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve (n); Cultural Heritage Sites of Ancient Khuttal (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower-middle-income Central Asian economy; large infrastructure projects, including Rogun Dam, and a push towards green development and digitalization driving growth; strong metal mining, electricity, and manufacturing industries; challenges include land scarcity, climate vulnerability, and complex bureaucratic processes for investors **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $50.37 billion (2024 est.) $46.467 billion (2023 est.) $42.905 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 8.4% (2024 est.) 8.3% (2023 est.) 8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $4,800 (2024 est.) $4,500 (2023 est.) $4,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $14.205 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 7.7% (2019 est.) 3.9% (2018 est.) 7.3% (2017 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 22.9% (2023 est.) industry: 33.6% (2023 est.) services: 34.7% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 89.6% (2023 est.) government consumption: 10.7% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 28.3% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 3.4% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 17.2% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -48.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** potatoes, milk, wheat, watermelons, onions, tomatoes, carrots/turnips, cotton, vegetables, grapes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** aluminum, cement, coal, gold, silver, antimony, textile, vegetable oil **Industrial production growth rate:** 9.9% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 2.78 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 11.7% (2024 est.) 11.6% (2023 est.) 11.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 27.1% (2024 est.) male: 30% (2024 est.) female: 23.3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 20.4% (2023 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 34 (2015 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3% (2015 est.) highest 10%: 26.4% (2015 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 47.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 37.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 49.9% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $2.911 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $3.036 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 10.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $887.016 million (2024 est.) $584.022 million (2023 est.) $1.635 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.618 billion (2024 est.) $2.105 billion (2023 est.) $1.753 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Switzerland 31%, Kazakhstan 18%, China 17%, Uzbekistan 10%, Turkey 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, precious metal ore, aluminum, lead ore, antimony (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $6.907 billion (2024 est.) $5.931 billion (2023 est.) $5.261 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 57%, Kazakhstan 13%, Uzbekistan 8%, Turkey 6%, UAE 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** garments, footwear, cars, wheat, vehicle parts/accessories (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $3.304 billion (2023 est.) $3.847 billion (2022 est.) $2.499 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $3.024 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Tajikistani somoni (TJS) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 10.799 (2024 est.) 10.845 (2023 est.) 11.031 (2022 est.) 11.309 (2021 est.) 10.322 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 99% electrification - rural areas: 100% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 6.481 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 15.275 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 3.101 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 714.025 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.94 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 7.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 92.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 2.394 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 2.297 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 475,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 147,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 4.075 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 300 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 31,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 12 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 18.476 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 43.767 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 24.196 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 5.663 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 16.192 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 502,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 7.92 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 119 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-run broadcaster has 9 national TV and 10 radio stations, and 4 regional stations; 31 independent TV and 20 independent radio stations broadcast locally and regionally; Russian and other foreign stations available via cable and satellite (2016) **Internet country code:** .tj **Internet users:** percent of population: 57% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 6,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** EY **Airports:** 19 (2025) **Heliports:** 1 (2025) **Railways:** total: 680 km (2014) broad gauge: 680 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan: Ground Forces, Mobile Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces Tajik National Guard (TNG); Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Troops of Tajikistan; State Committee on National Security: Border Troops (aka Tajik Border Service) (2025) note 1: the Mobile Forces are the airborne, air assault, mountain, and rapid reaction troops of the Armed Forces note 2: the Tajik National Guard, formerly the Presidential Guard, is a paramilitary force under direct authority of the President; it is tasked with ensuring public safety and security, similar to the tasks of the Internal Troops; it also has ceremonial duties **Military expenditures:** 1.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 10,000 active Armed Forces; estimated 5-10,000 active paramilitary National Guard, Border Service, and Internal Troops personnel (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military is equipped with mostly older Russian and Soviet-era armaments; it also has smaller amounts of items from suppliers such as China, Türkiye, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-27 years of age for compulsory (men only) or voluntary (men and women) military service; up to a 24-month service obligation for conscripts based on education level (2025) note 1: in addition to the Armed Forces, conscripts are assigned to Tajikistan's other security agencies note 2: those called up to perform military service can participate in just one month of military training instead of fulfilling the full service obligation for a fee of about the equivalent of $2,200 USD **Military - note:** the military's primary concerns are terrorism, border security, territorial defense, and regional security, particularly in neighboring Afghanistan; Russia is traditionally Tajikistan’s most important security partner and thousands of Russian troops are stationed in the country, primarily at the 201st military base, which Moscow has leased until at least 2042; Russia and Tajikistan have a joint air defense system, and they conduct periodic joint exercises; Tajikistan has been a member of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) since 1994 and contributes troops to CSTO's rapid reaction force; Tajikistan also cooperates on security matters with China, including joint military training Tajikistan is the only former Soviet republic that did not form its armed forces from old Soviet Army units following the collapse of the USSR in 1991; rather, Russia retained command of the Soviet units there while the Tajik government raised a military from scratch; the first ground forces were officially created in 1993 from groups that fought for the government during the Tajik Civil War (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note 1: US-designated foreign terrorist groups such as the Islamic Jihad Union, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province have operated in the area where the Uzbek, Kyrgyz, and Tajik borders converge and ill-defined and porous borders allow for the relatively free movement of people and illicit goods note 2: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 15,191 (2024 est.) IDPs: 238 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 4,466 (2024 est.) --- ## Tanzania **Slug:** tanzania **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇹🇿 **Codes:** cek: tz, iso2: TZ, iso3: TZA, iso_num: 834, genc: TZA, stanag: TZA, internet: .tz ### Introduction **Background:** Tanzania contains some of Africa’s most iconic national parks and famous paleoanthropological sites, and its diverse cultural heritage reflects the multiple ethnolinguistic groups that live in the country. Its long history of integration into trade networks spanning the Indian Ocean and the African interior led to the development of Swahili as a common language in much of east Africa and the introduction of Islam into the region. A number of independent coastal and island trading posts in what is now Tanzania came under Portuguese control after 1498 when they began to take control of much of the coast and Indian Ocean trade. By 1700, the Sultanate of Oman had become the dominant power in the region after ousting the Portuguese, who were also facing a series of local uprisings. During the next hundred years, Zanzibar -- an archipelago off the coast that is now part of Tanzania -- became a hub of Indian Ocean trade, with Arab and Indian traders establishing and consolidating trade routes with communities in mainland Tanzania that contributed to the expansion of the slave trade. Zanzibar briefly became the capital of the Sultanate of Oman before it split into separate Omani and Zanzibar Sultanates in 1856. Beginning in the mid-1800s, European explorers, traders, and Christian missionaries became more active in the region. The Germans eventually established control over mainland Tanzania -- which they called Tanganyika -- and the British established control over Zanzibar. Tanganyika came under British administration after the German defeat in World War I. Tanganyika gained independence from Great Britain in 1961, and Zanzibar followed in 1963 as a constitutional monarchy. In Tanganyika, Julius NYERERE, a charismatic and idealistic socialist, established a one-party political system that centralized power and encouraged national self-reliance and rural development. In 1964, a popular uprising overthrew the Sultan in Zanzibar and either killed or expelled many of the Arabs and Indians who had dominated the isles for more than 200 years. Later that year, Tanganyika and Zanzibar combined to form the United Republic of Tanzania, but Zanzibar retained considerable autonomy. Their two ruling parties combined to form the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party in 1977, which has since won every presidential election. Tanzania held its first multi-party elections in 1995, but CCM candidates have continued to dominate politics. The ruling party has claimed victory in four contentious elections since 1995, despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities. In 2001, 35 people died in Zanzibar when soldiers fired on protestors. John MAGUFULI won the 2015 and 2020 presidential elections, and the CCM won over two-thirds of the seats in Parliament in both elections. MAGUFULI died in 2021 while in office and was succeeded by his vice president, Samia Suluhu HASSAN. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique **Geographic coordinates:** 6 00 S, 35 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 947,300 sq km land: 885,800 sq km water: 61,500 sq km note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar **Area - comparative:** more than six times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than twice the size of California **Land boundaries:** total: 4,161 km border countries (8): Burundi 589 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 479 km; Kenya 775 km; Malawi 512 km; Mozambique 840 km; Rwanda 222 km; Uganda 391 km; Zambia 353 km **Coastline:** 1,424 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands **Terrain:** plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south **Elevation:** highest point: Kilimanjaro (highest point in Africa) 5,895 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 1,018 m **Natural resources:** hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones (including tanzanite, found only in Tanzania), gold, natural gas, nickel **Land use:** agricultural land: 44.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 15.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 27.1% (2023 est.) forest: 50.1% (2023 est.) other: 5.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,840 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Victoria (shared with Uganda and Kenya) - 62,940 sq km; Lake Tanganyika (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Zambia) - 32,000 sq km; Lake Malawi (shared with Mozambique and Malawi) - 22,490 salt water lake(s): Lake Rukwa - 5,760 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Nile (shared with Rwanda [s], Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt [m]) - 6,650 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km) Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km) **Population distribution:** the largest and most populous East African country; population distribution is extremely uneven, but greater population clusters occur in the northern half of country and along the east coast, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Ol Doinyo Lengai (2,962 m) has emitted lava in recent years; other historically active volcanoes include Kieyo and Meru **Geography - note:** Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa and one of only three mountain ranges on the continent that has glaciers (the others are Mount Kenya in Kenya and the Ruwenzori Mountains on the Uganda-Democratic Republic of the Congo border); Tanzania is bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world's second-deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) in the southwest ### People and Society **Population:** total: 69,145,464 (2025 est.) male: 34,597,449 female: 34,548,015 **Nationality:** noun: Tanzanian(s) adjective: Tanzanian **Ethnic groups:** mainland - African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, African, mixed Arab and African **Languages:** Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic, many local languages major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, Chanzo cha Lazima Kuhusu Habari ya Msingi. (Kiswahili) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Christian 63.1%, Muslim 34.1%, folk religion 1.1%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, unspecified 1.6% (2020 est.) note: Zanzibar is almost entirely Muslim **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 41.2% (male 14,039,292/female 13,740,439) 15-64 years: 55.4% (male 18,677,388/female 18,708,390) 65 years and over: 3.4% (2024 est.) (male 975,224/female 1,321,388) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 81.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 76 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 17.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 18.8 years (2025 est.) male: 18.8 years female: 19.4 years **Population growth rate:** 2.85% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 33.45 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.96 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the largest and most populous East African country; population distribution is extremely uneven, but greater population clusters occur in the northern half of country and along the east coast, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 37.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 262,000 Dodoma (legislative capital) (2018), 7.776 million DAR ES SALAAM (administrative capital), 1.311 million Mwanza, 800,000 Zanzibar (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.9 years (2022 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 15-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 276 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 28.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 32.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 70.8 years (2024 est.) male: 69 years female: 72.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 4.45 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 2.19 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 81.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 49% of population (2022 est.) total: 60.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 18.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 51% of population (2022 est.) total: 39.2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 3.4% of GDP (2021) 5.1% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.13 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 0.6 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 89.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 27.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 50.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 10.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 72.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 49.9% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 8.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 7.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.74 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 6.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 6.5% (2025 est.) male: 11.3% (2025 est.) female: 2% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 11.4% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 59.2% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 5.2% (2022) women married by age 18: 29.1% (2022) men married by age 18: 3.5% (2022) **Education expenditure:** 3.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 13.4% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 78.2% (2022 est.) male: 84.2% (2022 est.) female: 73.1% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 9 years (2021 est.) male: 9 years (2021 est.) female: 9 years (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution; improper management of liquid waste; indoor air pollution from burning wood or charcoal for cooking and heating; soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; coral reef destruction; illegal hunting and animal trade, especially ivory; loss of biodiversity; solid waste disposal **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands **Land use:** agricultural land: 44.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 15.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 27.1% (2023 est.) forest: 50.1% (2023 est.) other: 5.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 37.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 17.707 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1.687 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 12.066 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 3.954 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 14.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 568.3 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,176.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 168.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 1,226.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 9.277 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 12.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 527 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 25 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 4.632 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 96.27 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Ngorongoro Lengai (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania conventional short form: Tanzania local long form: Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania local short form: Tanzania former: German East Africa, Trust Territory of Tanganyika, Republic of Tanganyika, People's Republic of Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar etymology: the country's name is a combination of the first letters of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, the two states that merged to form Tanzania in 1964 **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Dodoma geographic coordinates: 6 48 S, 39 17 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name comes from the name of a nearby mountain; the origin of the mountain's name is unclear **Administrative divisions:** 31 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Geita, Iringa, Kagera, Kaskazini Pemba (Pemba North), Kaskazini Unguja (Zanzibar North), Katavi, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Kusini Pemba (Pemba South), Kusini Unguja (Zanzibar Central/South), Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Mjini Magharibi (Zanzibar Urban/West), Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Njombe, Pwani (Coast), Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Simiyu, Singida, Songwe, Tabora, Tanga **Legal system:** English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 25 April 1977 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments to constitutional articles including those on sovereignty of the United Republic, the authorities and powers of the government, the president, the Assembly, and the High Court requires two-thirds majority vote of the mainland Assembly membership and of the Zanzibar House of Representatives membership; House of Representatives approval of other amendments is not required **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Tanzania; if a child is born abroad, the father must be a citizen of Tanzania dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Samia Suluhu HASSAN (since 19 March 2021) head of government: President Samia Suluhu HASSAN (since 19 March 2021) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among members of the National Assembly election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 29 October 2025 election results: 2025: Samia Suluhu HASSAN reelected; percent of vote - Samia Suluhu HASSAN (CCM) 97.7%, others 2.3% expected date of next election: October 2030 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Bunge) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 403 (272 directly elected; 120 indirectly elected; 10 appointed; 1 other) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 10/29/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Revolutionary Party of Tanzania (CCM) (383); ACT-Wazalendo (2) percentage of women in chamber: 39.5% expected date of next election: October 2030 note: the Attorney General fills the "other" seat as an ex-officio member **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal of the United Republic of Tanzania (consists of the chief justice and 14 justices); High Court of the United Republic for Mainland Tanzania (consists of the principal judge and 30 judges organized into commercial, land, and labor courts); High Court of Zanzibar (consists of the chief justice and 10 justices) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and High Court justices appointed by the national president after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission for Tanzania, a judicial body of high-level judges and 2 members appointed by the national president; Court of Appeal and High Court judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 60, but terms can be extended; High Court of Zanzibar judges appointed by the national president after consultation with the Judicial Commission of Zanzibar; judges can serve until mandatory retirement at age 65 subordinate courts: Resident Magistrates Courts; Kadhi courts (for Islamic family matters); district and primary courts **Political parties:** Alliance for Change and Transparency (Wazalendo) or ACT-Wazalendo Civic United Front (Chama Cha Wananchi) or CUF Party of Democracy and Development (Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo) or CHADEMA Revolutionary Party of Tanzania (Chama Cha Mapinduzi) or CCM **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Elsie Sia KANZA (since 1 December 2021) chancery: 1232 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 884-1080 FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408 email address and website: ubalozi@tanzaniaembassy-us.org https://us.tzembassy.go.tz/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Andrew LENTZ (since January 2025) embassy: 686 Old Bagamoyo Road, Msasani, P.O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam mailing address: 2140 Dar es Salaam Place, Washington, DC 20521-2140 telephone: [255] (22) 229-4000 FAX: [255] (22) 229-4721 email address and website: DRSACS@state.gov https://tz.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, EAC, EADB, EITI, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 26 April 1964 (Tanganyika united with Zanzibar to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar); 29 October 1964 (renamed United Republic of Tanzania); notable earlier dates: 9 December 1961 (Tanganyika became independent from UK-administered UN trusteeship); 10 December 1963 (Zanzibar became independent from UK) **National holiday:** Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964) **Flag:** description: divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band, from the lower left corner to the upper right corner; the upper triangle (left side) is green, and the lower is blue meaning: colors come from the flags of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; green stands for natural vegetation, gold for rich mineral deposits, black for the Swahili people, and blue for lakes and rivers, as well as the Indian Ocean **National symbol(s):** Uhuru (freedom) torch, giraffe **National color(s):** green, yellow, blue, black **National anthem(s):** title: "Mungu ibariki Afrika" (God Bless Africa) lyrics/music: collective/Enoch Mankayi SONTONGA history: adopted 1961; the anthem, which is also a popular African popular song in Africa, shares the melody of Zambia's anthem and is part of South Africa's anthem **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 7 (3 cultural, 3 natural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Ngorongoro Conservation Area (m); Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara (c); Serengeti National Park (n); Selous Game Reserve (n); Kilimanjaro National Park (n); Stone Town of Zanzibar (c); Kondoa Rock-Art Sites (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** emerging lower middle-income East African economy; resource-rich and growing tourism; strong post-pandemic recovery from hospitality, electricity, mining, and transit sectors; declining poverty; stable inflation; gender-based violence economic and labor force disruptions **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $246.706 billion (2024 est.) $233.786 billion (2023 est.) $222.506 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5.5% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 4.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $3,700 (2024 est.) $3,600 (2023 est.) $3,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $78.78 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.1% (2024 est.) 3.8% (2023 est.) 4.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 23.4% (2024 est.) industry: 28.7% (2024 est.) services: 28.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 52.9% (2024 est.) government consumption: 9.2% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 41.4% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -1.6% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 19.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -21.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, bananas, milk, sugarcane, rice, vegetables, beans, sunflower seeds (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine); mining (diamonds, gold, and iron), salt, soda ash; cement, oil refining, shoes, apparel, wood products, fertilizer **Industrial production growth rate:** 5.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 32.983 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.6% (2024 est.) 2.6% (2023 est.) 2.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 3.3% (2024 est.) male: 2.6% (2024 est.) female: 4.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 26.4% (2018 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 40.5 (2018 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 26.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.9% (2018 est.) highest 10%: 33.1% (2018 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $11.716 billion (2024 est.) expenditures: $13.583 billion (2024 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 11.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$2.958 billion (2023 est.) -$5.482 billion (2022 est.) -$2.374 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $13.98 billion (2023 est.) $11.986 billion (2022 est.) $9.874 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** India 15%, UAE 14%, Uganda 12%, South Africa 10%, China 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, refined petroleum, dried legumes, refined copper, coal (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $16.059 billion (2023 est.) $16.674 billion (2022 est.) $11.61 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 32%, India 13%, UAE 9%, Saudi Arabia 5%, Japan 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, plastics, garments, fertilizers, wheat (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $5.05 billion (2018 est.) $5.888 billion (2017 est.) $4.351 billion (2016 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $17.513 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Tanzanian shillings (TZS) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2,597.9 (2024 est.) 2,383.043 (2023 est.) 2,303.034 (2022 est.) 2,297.764 (2021 est.) 2,294.146 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 45.8% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 74.7% electrification - rural areas: 36% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 1.818 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 9.109 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 157.688 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.039 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 74.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 24.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 2.341 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 740,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1.602 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 21 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.41 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 85,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 2.016 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 2.016 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 6.513 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 4.091 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 76,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 86.8 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 127 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** about 45 TV stations, with 13 national that broadcast free-to-air TV; 196 radio stations, most operating at the district level, but also including 5 independent national stations and 1 state-owned national radio station; international broadcasts widely available through satellite TV; 3 major satellite TV providers (2020) **Internet country code:** .tz **Internet users:** percent of population: 29% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.66 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 5H **Airports:** 206 (2025) **Railways:** total: 4,097 km (2022) standard gauge: 421 km (2022) narrow gauge: 969 km (2022) 1.067 m gauge broad gauge: 2,707 km (2022) 1.000 m guage **Merchant marine:** total: 381 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 4, container ship 17, general cargo 170, oil tanker 58, other 132 **Ports:** total ports: 8 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 3 very small: 4 ports with oil terminals: 4 key ports: Chake Chake, Dar Es Salaam, Tanga, Zanzibar ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Tanzania People's Defense Forces (TPDF or Jeshi la Wananchi la Tanzania, JWTZ): Land Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force, Nation Building Army (Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa, JKT), Reserve Forces Ministry of Home Affairs: Tanzania Police Force (Jeshi la Polisi Tanzania) (2025) note 1: the Nation Building Army (aka National Services) is a paramilitary organization under the Defense Forces that provides six months of military and vocational training to individuals as part of their two years of public service; after completion of training, some graduates join the regular Defense Forces while the remainder become part of the Reserves note 2: the Tanzania Police Force includes the Police Field Force (aka Field Force Unit), a special police division with the responsibility for controlling unlawful demonstrations and riots **Military expenditures:** 1.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 25,000 active Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the TPDF's inventory includes mostly British, Chinese, and Russian/Soviet-era armaments (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** generally 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women, but may go up to 35 years of age depending on education levels and for medical specialists; no conscription (2026) **Military deployments:** 520 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); more than 1,000 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO and Southern African Development Community regional force); 125 Lebanon (UNIFIL); approximately 300 Mozambique (under bi-lateral agreement to assist with combatting an insurgency) (2025) **Military - note:** the chief concerns of the Tanzania Defense Forces (TDPF) are maritime piracy and smuggling, border security, terrorism, animal poaching, and spillover from instability in neighboring countries, particularly Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); it participates in multinational training exercises, regional peacekeeping deployments, and has ties with a variety of foreign militaries, including those of China, India, and the US; it has contributed troops to the UN’s Force Intervention Brigade in the DRC; the TPDF also participated in the former Southern African Development Community intervention force in Mozambique, which assisted the Mozambique military in combating fighters affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); the regional force withdrew in 2024, but the TPDF continues to maintain troops in Mozambique as part of a separate bilateral security agreement; since 2020, the TPDF has reinforced the border with Mozambique following several cross-border attacks by ISIS fighters (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): al-Shabaab; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 218,123 (2024 est.) IDPs: 75,117 (2024 est.) --- ## Thailand **Slug:** thailand **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇹🇭 **Codes:** cek: th, iso2: TH, iso3: THA, iso_num: 764, genc: THA, stanag: THA, internet: .th ### Introduction **Background:** Two unified Thai kingdoms emerged in the mid-13th century. The Sukhothai Kingdom, located in the south-central plains, gained its independence from the Khmer Empire to the east. By the late 13th century, Sukhothai’s territory extended into present-day Burma and Laos. Sukhothai lasted until the mid-15th century. The Thai Lan Na Kingdom was established in the north with its capital at Chang Mai; the Burmese conquered Lan Na in the 16th century. The Ayutthaya Kingdom (14th-18th centuries) succeeded the Sukhothai and would become known as the Siamese Kingdom. During the Ayutthaya period, the Thai/Siamese peoples consolidated their hold on what is present-day central and north-central Thailand. Following a military defeat at the hands of the Burmese in 1767, the Siamese Kingdom rose to new heights under the military ruler TAKSIN, who defeated the Burmese occupiers and expanded the kingdom’s territory into modern-day northern Thailand (formerly the Lan Na Kingdom), Cambodia, Laos, and the Malay Peninsula. In the mid-1800s, Western pressure led to Siam signing trade treaties that reduced the country’s sovereignty and independence. In the 1890s and 1900s, the British and French forced the kingdom to cede Cambodian, Laotian, and Malay territories that had been under Siamese control. Following a bloodless revolution in 1932 that led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy, Thailand's political history was marked by a series of mostly bloodless coups with power concentrated among military and bureaucratic elites. Periods of civilian rule were unstable. The Cold War era saw a communist insurgency and the rise of strongman leaders. Thailand became a US treaty ally in 1954 after sending troops to Korea and later fighting alongside the US in Vietnam. In the 21st century, Thailand has experienced additional turmoil, including a military coup in 2006 that ousted then Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat and large-scale street protests led by competing political factions in 2008-2010. In 2011, THAKSIN's youngest sister, YINGLAK Chinnawat, led the Puea Thai Party to an electoral win and assumed control of the government. In 2014, after months of major anti-government protests in Bangkok, the Constitutional Court removed YINGLAK from office, and the Army, led by Gen. PRAYUT Chan-ocha, then staged a coup against the caretaker government. The military-affiliated National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) ruled the country under PRAYUT for more than four years, drafting a new constitution that allowed the military to appoint the entire 250-member Senate and required a joint meeting of the House and Senate to select the prime minister -- which effectively gave the military a veto on the selection. King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet passed away in 2016 after 70 years on the throne; his only son, WACHIRALONGKON (aka King RAMA X), formally ascended the throne in 2019. The same year, a long-delayed election allowed PRAYUT to continue his premiership, although the results were disputed and widely viewed as skewed in favor of the party aligned with the military. The country again experienced major anti-government protests in 2020. The reformist Move Forward Party won the most seats in the 2023 election but was unable to form a government, and Srettha THRAVISIN from the Pheu Thai Party replaced PRAYUT as prime minister after forming a coalition of moderate and conservative parties. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma **Geographic coordinates:** 15 00 N, 100 00 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 513,120 sq km land: 510,890 sq km water: 2,230 sq km **Area - comparative:** about three times the size of Florida; slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming **Land boundaries:** total: 5,673 km border countries (4): Burma 2,416 km; Cambodia 817 km; Laos 1,845 km; Malaysia 595 km **Coastline:** 3,219 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid **Terrain:** central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere **Elevation:** highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,565 m lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m mean elevation: 287 m **Natural resources:** tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 43.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 31% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 1.6% (2023 est.) forest: 39% (2023 est.) other: 17.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 64,150 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Thalesap Songkhla - 1,290 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Mae Nam Khong (Mekong) (shared with China [s], Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam [m]) - 4,350 km; Salween (shared with China [s] and Burma [m]) - 3,060 km; Mun - 1,162 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Indian Ocean drainage: Salween (271,914 sq km) Pacific Ocean drainage: Mekong (805,604 sq km) **Population distribution:** highest population density is found in and around Bangkok; significant population clusters throughout large parts of the country, particularly north and northeast of Bangkok and in the extreme southern region of the country **Natural hazards:** land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts **Geography - note:** controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore ### People and Society **Population:** total: 70,025,248 (2025 est.) male: 34,101,016 female: 35,924,232 **Nationality:** noun: Thai (singular and plural) adjective: Thai **Ethnic groups:** Thai 97.5%, Burmese 1.3%, other 1.1%, unspecified <0.1% (2015 est.) note: data represent population by nationality **Languages:** Thai (official) only 90.7%, Thai and other languages 6.4%, only other languages 2.9% (includes Malay, Burmese); English is a secondary language among the elite (2010 est.) major-language sample(s): สารานุกรมโลก - แหล่งข้อมูลพื้นฐานที่สำคัญ (Thai) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: data represent population by language(s) spoken at home **Religions:** Buddhist 92.5%, Muslim 5.4%, Christian 1.2%, other 0.9% (includes animist, Confucian, Hindu, Jewish, Sikh, and Taoist) (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 15.8% (male 5,669,592/female 5,394,398) 15-64 years: 69% (male 23,681,528/female 24,597,535) 65 years and over: 15.1% (2024 est.) (male 4,714,191/female 5,863,754) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 45.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 22.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 23.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 41.9 years (2025 est.) male: 40.2 years female: 42.7 years **Population growth rate:** 0.13% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 9.82 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.08 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** highest population density is found in and around Bangkok; significant population clusters throughout large parts of the country, particularly north and northeast of Bangkok and in the extreme southern region of the country **Urbanization:** urban population: 53.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 11.070 million BANGKOK (capital), 1.454 Chon Buri, 1.359 million Samut Prakan, 1.213 million Chiang Mai, 1.005 million Songkla, 1.001 million Nothaburi (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 23.3 years (2009 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 34 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 6.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 78.2 years (2024 est.) male: 75.2 years female: 81.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.55 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.75 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.2% of GDP (2021) 16.1% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.54 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Hospital bed density:** 2.3 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 10% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 6.86 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.85 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 4.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 18.1% (2025 est.) male: 36.1% (2025 est.) female: 1.6% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 6.7% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 52.4% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 5.5% (2022) women married by age 18: 17% (2022) men married by age 18: 5.8% (2022) **Education expenditure:** 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 12.6% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 91.1% (2022 est.) male: 90.7% (2022 est.) female: 91.5% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2023 est.) male: 16 years (2023 est.) female: 16 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; water scarcity; deforestation; soil erosion; illegal hunting; hazardous waste disposal **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid **Land use:** agricultural land: 43.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 31% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 1.6% (2023 est.) forest: 39% (2023 est.) other: 17.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 53.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 336.693 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 79.928 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 160.931 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 95.834 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 26.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 708.8 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 2,109.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 635.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 57.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 26.853 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 40% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 2.739 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 2.777 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 51.79 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 438.61 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 2 global geoparks and regional networks: Khorat; Satun (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand conventional short form: Thailand local long form: Ratcha Anachak Thai local short form: Prathet Thai former: Siam etymology: the name means "Land of the Thai," referring to the local population; the people's name comes from the Thai word tha, meaning "to be free;" the former name of Siam comes from the Sanskrit word syama, meaning "dark" **Government type:** constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Bangkok geographic coordinates: 13 45 N, 100 31 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is from the Thai words bang (region) and kok (olive trees); the city's full ceremonial name holds the world record for longest place name, Krungthepmahanakhon amonrattanakosin mahintharayutthaya mahadilokphop noppharatratchathaniburirom udomratchaniwetmahasathan amonphimanawatansathit sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit, which means "City of angels, great city of immortals, magnificent city of the nine gems, seat of the king, city of royal palaces, home of gods incarnate, erected by Vishvakarman at Indra's behest" **Administrative divisions:** 76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural) and 1 municipality* (maha nakhon); Amnat Charoen, Ang Thong, Bueng Kan, Buri Ram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep* (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket, Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Saraburi, Satun, Sing Buri, Si Sa Ket, Songkhla, Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon **Legal system:** civil law system with common law influences **Constitution:** history: many previous; latest drafted and presented 29 March 2016, approved by referendum 7 August 2016, signed into law by the king on 6 April 2017 amendment process: amendments require a majority vote in a joint session of the House and Senate and further require at least one fifth of opposition House members and one third of the Senate vote in favor; a national referendum is additionally required for certain amendments; all amendments require signature by the king **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Thailand dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal and compulsory **Executive branch:** chief of state: King WACHIRALONGKON; also spelled Vajiralongkorn (since 1 December 2016) head of government: Prime Minister ANUTIN Charnvirakul (since 5 Sep 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the king; a Privy Council advises the king election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister candidate approved by House of Representatives and appointed by the king **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Rathhasapha) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Saphaphuthan Ratsadon) number of seats: 500 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 5/14/2023 (House of Representatives dissolved on 12 December 2025) parties elected and seats per party: Move Forward (151); Pheu Thai (141); Bhumjaithai (71); Palang Pracharath (40); United Thai Nation (36); Democrat Party (25); Other (36) percentage of women in chamber: 19.6% expected date of next election: 8 February 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Wuthisapha) number of seats: 200 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 6/9/2024 to 6/26/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 22.5% expected date of next election: June 2029 note: Senate members are indirectly elected from 20 eligible groups of professions, including agriculture, artists or athletes, business owners, education, employees or workers, independent professionals, industrialists, law and justice, mass communication, public health, science and technology, tourism-related professions, women, and elderly, disabled, or ethnic groups **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the court president, 6 vice presidents, 60-70 judges, and organized into 10 divisions); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president and 8 judges); Supreme Administrative Court (number of judges determined by Judicial Commission of the Administrative Courts) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges selected by the Judicial Commission of the Courts of Justice and approved by the monarch; judge term determined by the monarch; Constitutional Court justices - 3 judges drawn from the Supreme Court, 2 judges drawn from the Administrative Court, and 4 judge candidates selected by the Selective Committee for Judges of the Constitutional Court, and confirmed by the Senate; judges appointed by the monarch serve single 9-year terms; Supreme Administrative Court judges selected by the Judicial Commission of the Administrative Courts and appointed by the monarch; judges serve for life subordinate courts: courts of first instance and appeals courts within both the judicial and administrative systems; military courts **Political parties:** Bhumjaithai Party or BJT (aka Phumchai Thai Party or PJT; aka Thai Pride Party) Chat Thai Phatthana Party (Thai Nation Development Party) or CTP Democrat Party Move Forward Party or MFP (dissolved by order of the Constitutional Court, August 2024) Palang Pracharat Party (People's State Power Party) or PPRP Pheu (Puea) Thai Party (For Thais Party) or PTP Prachachat Party or PCC Prachathipat Party (Democrat Party) or DP Thai Sang Thai Party United Thai Nation (Ruam Thai Sang Chat) or UTN note: more than 50 parties have registered for the February 2026 general election **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. SURIYA Chindawongse (since 17 June 2024) chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600 FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611 email address and website: thai.wsn@thaiembdc.org https://washingtondc.thaiembassy.org/en/index consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Sean O'NEILL (since 16 December 2025) embassy: 95 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330 mailing address: 7200 Bangkok Place, Washington DC 20521-7200 telephone: [66] 2-205-4000 FAX: [66] 2-205-4103 email address and website: acsbkk@state.gov https://th.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai **International organization participation:** ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, BIS, CD, CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized) **National holiday:** Birthday of King WACHIRALONGKON, 28 July (1952) **Flag:** description: five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double-width), white, and red meaning: red stands for the nation and the blood of life, white for religion and the purity of Buddhism, and blue for the monarchy note: similar to the flag of Costa Rica, but with the blue and red colors reversed **National symbol(s):** garuda (mythical half-man, half-bird figure), elephant **National color(s):** red, white, blue **National coat of arms:** in 1911, King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) of Thailand officially adopted the Garuda as the national coat of arms and emblem; this mythological half-man, half-bird figure from the Hindu and Buddhist traditions is considered the vahana (vehicle) of the god Vishnu (Narayana) and was a symbol of royalty in Thailand for centuries **National anthem(s):** title: "Phleng Chat Thai" (National Anthem of Thailand) lyrics/music: Luang SARANUPRAPAN/Phra JENDURIYANG history: music adopted 1934, lyrics adopted 1939; it is the law that citizens stand and show respect for nation when the anthem is heard; the anthem is played each day at 8:00 am and 6:00 pm when the flag is raised and lowered _____ title: "Phleng Sanlasoen Phra Barami" (A Salute to the Monarch) lyrics/music: Narisara NUWATTIWONG and King VAJIRAVUDH/Pyotr SHCHUROVSKY history: royal anthem, played in the presence of the royal family and during certain state ceremonies **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 8 (5 cultural, 3 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic City of Ayutthaya (c); Historic Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns (c); Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries (n); Ban Chiang Archaeological Site (c); Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex (n); Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex (n); The Ancient Town of Si Thep and its Associated Dvaravati Monuments (n); Phu Phrabat, a testimony to the Sīma stone tradition of the Dvaravati period (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income Southeast Asian economy; substantial infrastructure; major electronics, food, and automobile parts exporter; globally used currency; extremely low unemployment, even amid COVID-19; ongoing Thailand 4.0 economic development **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.558 trillion (2024 est.) $1.519 trillion (2023 est.) $1.489 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.5% (2024 est.) 2% (2023 est.) 2.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $21,700 (2024 est.) $21,200 (2023 est.) $20,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $526.411 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.4% (2024 est.) 8.5% (2023 est.) -1.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 8.7% (2024 est.) industry: 32.1% (2024 est.) services: 59.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 58.2% (2024 est.) government consumption: 16.7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.2% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -0.6% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 70.1% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -66.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, rice, cassava, oil palm fruit, maize, rubber, tropical fruits, chicken, mangoes/guavas, fruits (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry and electric appliances, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics, automobiles and automotive parts, agricultural machinery, air conditioning and refrigeration, ceramics, aluminum, chemical, environmental management, glass, granite and marble, leather, machinery and metal work, petrochemical, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, printing, pulp and paper, rubber, sugar, rice, fishing, cassava, world's second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.9% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 40.623 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 0.7% (2024 est.) 0.8% (2023 est.) 1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 4.3% (2024 est.) male: 3.1% (2024 est.) female: 6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 5.4% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 33.5 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 25.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.4% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 26.1% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 1.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $102.84 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $114.521 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 61.1% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 15.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $11.089 billion (2024 est.) $7.412 billion (2023 est.) -$17.162 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $369.191 billion (2024 est.) $337.45 billion (2023 est.) $324.111 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 18%, China 13%, Japan 7%, Australia 4%, Singapore 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** machine parts, integrated circuits, trucks, cars, broadcasting equipment (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $351.419 billion (2024 est.) $327.008 billion (2023 est.) $334.44 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 26%, Japan 11%, USA 7%, UAE 6%, Taiwan 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, integrated circuits, natural gas, gold, vehicle parts/accessories (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $236.934 billion (2024 est.) $224.47 billion (2023 est.) $216.501 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $37.065 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** baht per US dollar - Exchange rates: 35.294 (2024 est.) 34.802 (2023 est.) 35.061 (2022 est.) 31.977 (2021 est.) 31.294 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 99.9% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 100% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 55.971 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 215.281 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 2.256 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 35.805 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 14.44 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 81.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 1.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 3.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 10.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 12.812 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 42.371 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 65,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 29.757 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.063 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 386,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 1.397 million bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 252.75 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 29.614 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 52.351 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 22.738 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 138.243 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 80.602 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 4.087 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 115 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 161 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 26 digital TV stations and 6 terrestrial TV stations broadcast nationally via relay stations, with 2 of the terrestrial stations military-owned and the other 4 state-owned or state-controlled; some leased to private enterprise; all required to broadcast government-produced news; multi-channel satellite and cable TV subscriptions available; radio frequencies allotted for over 500 government and commercial radio stations; many small community radio stations operate with low-power transmitters (2017) **Internet country code:** .th **Internet users:** percent of population: 90% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 11.5 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** HS **Airports:** 105 (2025) **Heliports:** 5 (2025) **Railways:** total: 4,127 km (2017) standard gauge: 84 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (84 km electrified) narrow gauge: 4,043 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 884 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 28, container ship 28, general cargo 88, oil tanker 251, other 489 **Ports:** total ports: 21 (2024) large: 1 medium: 2 small: 3 very small: 15 ports with oil terminals: 14 key ports: Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF): Royal Thai Army (RTA), Royal Thai Navy (RTN; includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) Office of the Prime Minister: Royal Thai Police (2025) note: official paramilitary forces in Thailand include the Thai Rangers (Thahan Phran or "Hunter Soldiers") under the Army; the Paramilitary Marines under the Navy; the Border Patrol Police (BPP) under the Royal Thai Police; the Volunteer Defense Corps (VDC or O So) and National Defense Volunteers (NDV), both under the Ministry of Interior; there are also several government-backed volunteer militias created to provide village security against insurgents in the Deep South or to assist government security forces **Military expenditures:** 1.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 350,000 active-duty Armed Forces (250,000 Army; 70,000 Navy; 30,000 Air Force) (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the RTARF has a diverse array of foreign-supplied armaments, as well as some domestically produced items; its imported weapons and equipment are from a variety of suppliers, including China, several European countries, Israel, Russia, South Korea, and the US; Thailand's domestic defense industry produces such items as armored vehicles, artillery systems, naval vessels, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other military technologies (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; all men register at 17 years of age and are subject to selective compulsory military service at 21; volunteer service obligation may be as short as 6-18 months, depending on educational qualifications; conscript service obligation also varies by educational qualifications, but is typically 24 months (2025) note: serving in the armed forces is a national duty of all Thai citizens; conscription was introduced in 1905; it includes women, however, only men over the age of 21 who have not gone through reserve training are conscripted; conscripts are chosen by lottery (on draft day, eligible draftees can request volunteer service, or they may choose to stay for the conscription lottery) **Military deployments:** 280 South Sudan (UNMISS) (2025) **Military - note:** the missions of the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF) include defending the country’s territory and sovereignty, protecting the monarchy, ensuring internal security, and responding to natural disasters; the military has historically had a large role in domestic politics and has attempted as many as 20 coups since the fall of absolute monarchy in 1932, the most recent being in 2014 key areas of emphasis for the RTARF are disputed international borders and a low-level insurgency in the country's south; RTARF and Cambodian military forces clashed at multiple locations along the Thai-Cambodian border in July and December 2025; the fighting included ground attacks, cross-border artillery shelling, and air attacks by fighter aircraft and drones; since 2004, the RTARF and Thai paramilitary forces have combated a separatist insurgency in the southern Thailand provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, as well as parts of Songkhla; the insurgency is rooted in ethnic Malay nationalist resistance to Thai rule that followed the extension of Siamese sovereignty over the Patani Sultanate in the 18th century; the insurgency consists of several armed groups, the largest of which is the Barisan Revolusi Nasional-Koordinasi (BRN-C) (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA; created in 2000 from the Thailand Remote Sensing Center that was established in 1979); National Space Policy Committee (NSPC) (2025) note: GISTDA is under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation; the NSPC is an advisory body to the prime minister **Space launch site(s):** none; in 2023, announced intentions to build a spaceport with South Korean assistance (2025) **Space program overview:** has an ambitious national space program focused on the acquisition, production, and operation of satellites, as well as research and development of related infrastructure, sciences, and technologies; operates communications and remote sensing (RS) satellites; manufactures scientific/research/testing cube satellites and is developing the capabilities to produce RS satellites (has historically built satellites with foreign assistance); works with a range of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, France, India, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Russia, South Korea, and the US; founding member of the China-led Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO); has a commercial space industry, including Southeast Asia’s first dedicated satellite manufacturing facility, which opened in 2021 (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1982 - established first satellite ground station 1993 - first foreign-built commercial communications satellite (Thaicom-1) launched on European rocket 2008 - first remote sensing satellite (Theos-1; aka Thaichote) co-developed with France and launched by Russia 2018 - first domestically produced scientific/research satellite (KNACKSAT) launched by US 2024 - signed memorandum of understanding with China for cooperation on Beijing's lunar research station project and space exploration; signed US-led Artemis Accords ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 87,025 (2024 est.) IDPs: 19 (2023 est.) stateless persons: 612,524 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Timor-Leste **Slug:** timor-leste **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇹🇱 **Codes:** cek: tt, iso2: TL, iso3: TLS, iso_num: 626, genc: TLS, stanag: TLS, internet: .tl ### Introduction **Background:** The island of Timor was actively involved in Southeast Asian trading networks for centuries, and by the 14th century, it exported sandalwood, slaves, honey, and wax. The sandalwood trade attracted the Portuguese, who arrived in the early 16th century; by mid-century, they had colonized the island, which was previously ruled by local chieftains. In 1859, Portugal ceded the western portion of the island to the Dutch. Imperial Japan occupied Portuguese Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. The eastern part of Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975, but Indonesian forces invaded and occupied the area nine days later. It was incorporated into Indonesia in 1976 as the province of Timor Timur (East Timor or Timor Leste). Indonesia conducted an unsuccessful pacification campaign in the province over the next two decades, during which as many as 250,000 people died. In a UN-supervised referendum in 1999, an overwhelming majority of the people of Timor-Leste voted for independence from Indonesia. However, anti-independence Timorese militias -- organized and supported by the Indonesian military -- began a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution, killing approximately 1,400 Timorese and displacing nearly 500,000. Most of the country's infrastructure was destroyed, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply systems, schools, and most of the electrical grid. Australian-led peacekeeping troops eventually deployed to the country and ended the violence. In 2002, Timor-Leste was internationally recognized as an independent state. In 2006, Australia and the UN had to step in again to stabilize the country, which allowed presidential and parliamentary elections to be conducted in 2007 in a largely peaceful atmosphere. In 2008, rebels staged an unsuccessful attack against the president and prime minister. Since that attack, Timor-Leste has made considerable progress in building stability and democratic institutions, holding a series of successful parliamentary and presidential elections since 2012. Nonetheless, weak and unstable political coalitions have led to periodic episodes of stalemate and crisis. The UN continues to provide assistance on economic development and strengthening governing institutions. Currently, Timor-Leste is one of the world's poorest nations, with an economy that relies heavily on energy resources in the Timor Sea. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note - Timor-Leste includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco **Geographic coordinates:** 8 50 S, 125 55 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 14,874 sq km land: 14,874 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Connecticut; almost half the size of Maryland **Land boundaries:** total: 253 km border countries (1): Indonesia 253 km **Coastline:** 706 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons **Terrain:** mountainous **Elevation:** highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble **Land use:** agricultural land: 23% (2023 est.) arable land: 7.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 10.1% (2023 est.) forest: 71% (2023 est.) other: 6% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 350 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** most of the population is concentrated in the western third of the country, particularly around Dili **Natural hazards:** floods and landslides are common; earthquakes; tsunamis; tropical cyclones **Geography - note:** the island of Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands; the district of Oecussi is an exclave separated from Timor-Leste proper by Indonesia; Timor-Leste is the only Asian country located completely in the Southern Hemisphere ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,404,785 (2025 est.) male: 693,940 female: 710,845 **Nationality:** noun: Timorese adjective: Timorese **Ethnic groups:** Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) (includes Tetun, Mambai, Tokodede, Galoli, Kemak, Baikeno), Melanesian-Papuan (includes Bunak, Fataluku, Bakasai), small Chinese minority **Languages:** Tetun Prasa 30.6%, Mambai 16.6%, Makasai 10.5%, Tetun Terik 6.1%, Baikenu 5.9%, Kemak 5.8%, Bunak 5.5%, Tokodede 4%, Fataluku 3.5%, Waima'a 1.8%, Galoli 1.4%, Naueti 1.4%, Idate 1.2%, Midiki 1.2%, other 4.5% (2015 est.) note: data represent population by mother tongue; Tetun and Portuguese are official languages; Indonesian and English are working languages; there are about 32 indigenous languages **Religions:** Catholic 90.7%, other 7.1%, Protestant Evangelical 1.9%; less than 1%: Islam, Buddhist, Hindu (2022 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 38.7% (male 299,929/female 283,416) 15-64 years: 56.8% (male 418,493/female 437,727) 65 years and over: 4.5% (2024 est.) (male 32,243/female 35,101) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 62 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 54.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 7.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 12.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 23 years (2025 est.) male: 19.8 years female: 21.3 years **Population growth rate:** 1.28% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 23.39 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.86 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -3.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is concentrated in the western third of the country, particularly around Dili **Urbanization:** urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.31% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 281,000 DILI (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 23 years (2016 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 192 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 41.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 35.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 28.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 70.5 years (2024 est.) male: 68.9 years female: 72.3 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.79 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.35 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 81.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 87% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 18.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 13% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 11.4% of GDP (2021) 8.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.75 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 94.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 64% of population (2022 est.) total: 73.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 5.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 36% of population (2022 est.) total: 26.3% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 3.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 36.1% (2025 est.) male: 62.6% (2025 est.) female: 8.9% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 31.9% (2020 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 56.4% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 2.6% (2016) women married by age 18: 14.9% (2016) men married by age 18: 1.2% (2016) **Education expenditure:** 5.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.3% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 72.5% (2022 est.) male: 73.1% (2022 est.) female: 71.8% (2022 est.) **People - note:** one of only two predominantly Christian nations in Southeast Asia, the other being the Philippines ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution and deterioration of air quality; water quality, scarcity, and access; land and soil degradation; forest depletion; deforestation and soil erosion from slash-and-burn agriculture; loss of biodiversity **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons **Land use:** agricultural land: 23% (2023 est.) arable land: 7.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 10.1% (2023 est.) forest: 71% (2023 est.) other: 6% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.31% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 660,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 660,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 20.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 63,900 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.5% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 99 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 2 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.071 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 8.215 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste conventional short form: Timor-Leste local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e (Tetum)/ Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste (Portuguese) local short form: Timor Lorosa'e (Tetum)/ Timor-Leste (Portuguese) former: East Timor, Portuguese Timor etymology: the name partly derives from the Indonesian and Malay word timur, meaning "east;" leste is the Portuguese word for "east," so "Timor-Leste" literally means "Eastern-East" note: pronounced TEE-mor LESS-tay **Government type:** semi-presidential republic **Capital:** name: Dili geographic coordinates: 8 35 S, 125 36 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) **Administrative divisions:** 12 municipalities (municipios, singular - municipio) and 1 special adminstrative region* (regiao administrativa especial); Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Covalima (Suai), Dili, Ermera (Gleno), Lautem (Lospalos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oe-Cusse Ambeno* (Pante Macassar), Viqueque note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; exceptions show the administrative center name in parentheses **Legal system:** civil law system based on the Portuguese model **Constitution:** history: drafted 2001, approved 22 March 2002, entered into force 20 May 2002 amendment process: proposed by Parliament and parliamentary groups; consideration of amendments requires at least four-fifths majority approval by Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by Parliament and promulgation by the president of the republic; passage of amendments to the republican form of government and the flag requires approval in a referendum **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Timor-Leste dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 17 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President José RAMOS-HORTA (since 20 May 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 1 July 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers; ministers proposed to the prime minister by the coalition in the Parliament and sworn in by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); following parliamentary elections, the president appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as the prime minister most recent election date: 19 March 2022, with a runoff on 19 April 2022 election results: 2022: José RAMOS-HORTA elected president in second round - RAMOS-HORTA (CNRT) 62.1%, Francisco GUTERRES (FRETILIN) 37.9% 2017: Francisco GUTERRES elected president; Francisco GUTERRES (FRETILIN) 57.1%, António da CONCEICAO (PD) 32.5%, other 10.4% expected date of next election: April 2027 note: the president is commander in chief of the military and can veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Parliament legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 65 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 5/21/2023 parties elected and seats per party: National Congress for the Reconstruction of Timor-Leste (CNRT) (31); Revolutionary Front for an independent East Timor (FRETILIN) (19); Democratic Party (PD) (6); Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan (KHUNTO) (5); People's Liberation Party (PLP) (4) percentage of women in chamber: 35.4% expected date of next election: May 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeals (consists of the court president and NA judges) judge selection and term of office: court president appointed by the president of the republic from among the other court judges to serve a 4-year term; other court judges appointed - 1 by the Parliament and the others by the Supreme Council for the Judiciary, a body chaired by the court president and that includes mostly presidential and parliamentary appointees; other judges serve for life subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Administrative, Tax, and Audit Court; district courts; magistrates' courts; military courts **Political parties:** Democratic Party or PD National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction or CNRT National Unity of the Sons of Timor (Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan or KHUNTO) People's Liberation Party or PLP Revolutionary Front of Independent Timor-Leste or FRETILIN **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador José Luis GUTERRES (since 17 June 2024) chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 504, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-3202 FAX: [1] (202) 966-3205 email address and website: info@timorlesteembassy.org **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Bruce BEGNELL (since July 2025) embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Coqueiros, Dili mailing address: 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250 telephone: (670) 332-4684, (670) 330-2400 FAX: (670) 331-3206 email address and website: ConsDili@state.gov https://tl.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ADB, AOSIS, ARF, ASEAN, CPLP, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO **Independence:** 28 November 1975 (from Portugal); 20 May 2002 (from Indonesia) **National holiday:** Restoration of Independence Day, 20 May (2002); Proclamation of Independence Day, 28 November (1975) **Flag:** description: red with a black isosceles triangle (based on the left side) on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to the center of the flag; a white star is in the center of the black triangle meaning: yellow stands for past colonialism, black for obscurantism that needs to be overcome, and red for the struggle for freedom; the white star represents peace and a guiding light **National symbol(s):** Mount Ramelau **National color(s):** red, yellow, black, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Patria" (Fatherland) lyrics/music: Fransisco Borja DA COSTA/Afonso DE ARAUJO history: adopted 2002; the song was first used as an anthem when Timor-Leste declared its independence from Portugal in 1975; the lyricist, Francisco Borja DA COSTA, was killed in the Indonesian invasion just days after independence was declared ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower middle-income Southeast Asian economy; government expenditures funded via oil fund drawdowns; endemic corruption undermines growth; foreign aid-dependent; wide-scale poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $5.863 billion (2024 est.) $5.995 billion (2023 est.) $7.322 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -2.2% (2024 est.) -18.1% (2023 est.) -20.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $4,200 (2024 est.) $4,300 (2023 est.) $5,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.881 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.1% (2024 est.) 8.4% (2023 est.) 7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 16.9% (2023 est.) industry: 23.9% (2023 est.) services: 61% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 70% (2023 est.) government consumption: 52.9% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 17.4% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 3.1% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 22.9% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -66.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** maize, rice, coconuts, root vegetables, vegetables, cassava, other meats, pork, beans, coffee (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth **Industrial production growth rate:** -57% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 615,900 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 1.7% (2024 est.) 1.6% (2023 est.) 1.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 3.4% (2024 est.) male: 3.2% (2024 est.) female: 3.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 11.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 9.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.877 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $1.826 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 21.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$529.738 million (2024 est.) -$177.336 million (2023 est.) $408.059 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $278.047 million (2024 est.) $701.808 million (2023 est.) $1.858 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 46%, Singapore 25%, Japan 15%, Indonesia 5%, USA 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, natural gas, coffee, scrap iron, telephones (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $1.197 billion (2024 est.) $1.169 billion (2023 est.) $1.286 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Indonesia 34%, China 26%, Singapore 9%, Taiwan 5%, India 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, rice, cars, plastic products, trucks (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $736.967 million (2024 est.) $781.995 million (2023 est.) $830.81 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $238.042 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** the US dollar is used ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 99.7% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 100% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 277,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 411.519 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 99.481 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 99.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 122,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 521.034 million cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 521.034 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 6.825 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 2,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 1.63 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 116 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 7 TV stations (3 nationwide satellite coverage; 2 terrestrial coverage, mostly in Dili; 2 cable) and 21 radio stations (3 nationwide coverage) (2019) **Internet country code:** .tl **Internet users:** percent of population: 34% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 0 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 4W **Airports:** 11 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 1 (2023) by type: other 1 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Dili ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Timor-Leste Defense Force (Falintil-Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, Falintil (F-FDTL)): Land Component, Air Force Component, Naval Component Ministry of Interior: National Police of Timor-Leste (Polícia Nacional de Timor-Leste, PNTL) (2025) **Military expenditures:** 2.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 2,000 Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military is lightly armed with a limited inventory consisting mostly of donated equipment from countries such as Australia, China, Portugal, South Korea, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; according to Timorese law on military service, all citizens 18-30 must contribute to the defense of independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country and render their contribution through defense and security institutions (2025) **Military - note:** the Timor-Leste Defense Force (F-FDTL) has both external defense and internal security roles; it also engages in national development missions, international peacekeeping, and regional security cooperation; the F-FDTL has ties with a variety of partners, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Portugal, the UN, and the US (2025) --- ## Togo **Slug:** togo **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇹🇬 **Codes:** cek: to, iso2: TG, iso3: TGO, iso_num: 768, genc: TGO, stanag: TGO, internet: .tg ### Introduction **Background:** From the 11th to the 16th centuries, various ethnic groups settled the Togo region. From the 16th to the 18th centuries, the coastal region became a major trading center for enslaved people, and the surrounding region took on the name of "The Slave Coast." In 1884, Germany declared the area a protectorate called Togoland, which included present-day Togo. After World War I, colonial rule over Togo was transferred to France. French Togoland became Togo upon independence in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA, installed as military ruler in 1967, ruled Togo with a heavy hand for almost four decades. Despite the facade of multi-party elections instituted in the early 1990s, EYADEMA largely dominated the government. His Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party has been in power almost continually since 1967, with its successor, the Union for the Republic, maintaining a majority of seats in today's legislature. Upon EYADEMA's death in 2005, the military installed his son, Faure GNASSINGBE, as president and then engineered his formal election two months later. Togo held its first relatively free and fair legislative elections in 2007. Since then, GNASSINGBE has started the country along a gradual path to democratic reform. Togo has held multiple presidential and legislative elections, and in 2019, the country held its first local elections in 32 years. Despite those positive moves, political reconciliation has moved slowly, and the country experiences periodic outbursts of protests from frustrated citizens, leading to violence between security forces and protesters. Constitutional changes in 2019 to institute a runoff system in presidential elections and to establish term limits have done little to reduce the resentment many Togolese feel after more than 50 years of one-family rule. GNASSINGBE became eligible for his current fourth term and one additional fifth term under the new rules. The next presidential election is set for 2025. ### Geography **Location:** Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana **Geographic coordinates:** 8 00 N, 1 10 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 56,785 sq km land: 54,385 sq km water: 2,400 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than West Virginia **Land boundaries:** total: 1,880 km border countries (3): Benin 651 km; Burkina Faso 131 km; Ghana 1,098 km **Coastline:** 56 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 30 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm note: the US does not recognize the territorial sea claim **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north **Terrain:** gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes **Elevation:** highest point: Mont Agou 986 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 236 m **Natural resources:** phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 70.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 48.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 18.4% (2023 est.) forest: 22.4% (2023 est.) other: 7.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 70 sq km (2012) **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Volta (410,991 sq km) **Population distribution:** one of the more densely populated African nations, with most of the population residing in rural communities; density is highest in the south on or near the Atlantic coast, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts **Geography - note:** stretches through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna ### People and Society **Population:** total: 9,143,439 (2025 est.) male: 4,488,825 female: 4,654,614 **Nationality:** noun: Togolese (singular and plural) adjective: Togolese **Ethnic groups:** Adja-Ewe/Mina 42.4%, Kabye/Tem 25.9%, Para-Gourma/Akan 17.1%, Akposso/Akebu 4.1%, Ana-Ife 3.2%, other Togolese 1.7%, foreigners 5.2%, no response 0.4% (2013-14 est.) note: Togo has an estimated 37 ethnic groups **Languages:** French (official, language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (in the north) **Religions:** Christian 42.3%, folk religion 36.9%, Muslim 14%, Hindu <1%, Buddhist <1%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, none 6.2% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 38.7% (male 1,749,533/female 1,699,084) 15-64 years: 57% (male 2,486,142/female 2,597,914) 65 years and over: 4.3% (2024 est.) (male 159,596/female 225,725) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 74.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 66.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 12.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 20.9 years (2025 est.) male: 19.9 years female: 21.4 years **Population growth rate:** 2.37% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 30.17 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.64 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** one of the more densely populated African nations, with most of the population residing in rural communities; density is highest in the south on or near the Atlantic coast, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 44.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.6% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.982 million LOME (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 25 years (2017 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 349 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 34.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 43 deaths/1,000 live births female: 33.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 72.1 years (2024 est.) male: 69.5 years female: 74.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 4.03 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.99 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 87% of population (2022 est.) rural: 58.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 71% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 13% of population (2022 est.) rural: 41.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 29% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.6% of GDP (2021) 2.6% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 0.6 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 82% of population (2022 est.) rural: 19.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 46.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 18% of population (2022 est.) rural: 80.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 53.3% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 8.4% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 5% (2025 est.) male: 9.3% (2025 est.) female: 0.7% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 15.2% (2017 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 63.7% (2017 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 6.4% (2017) women married by age 18: 24.8% (2017) men married by age 18: 2.6% (2017) **Education expenditure:** 4.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 11.6% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 72.6% (2022 est.) male: 82.8% (2022 est.) female: 63.7% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 12 years (2017 est.) male: 13 years (2017 est.) female: 11 years (2017 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation from slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; very little rainforest still present and what remains is highly degraded; desertification; water pollution; air pollution in urban areas **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north **Land use:** agricultural land: 70.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 48.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 18.4% (2023 est.) forest: 22.4% (2023 est.) other: 7.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 44.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.6% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 2.656 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 372,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.941 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 343,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 33.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 43.3 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 51.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 31.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 10.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.109 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 3.5% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 140.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 6.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 76 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 14.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Togolese Republic conventional short form: Togo local long form: République Togolaise local short form: none former: French Togoland etymology: the name derives from the town of Togodo (now Togoville) on the northern shore of Lake Togo; the town's name probably comes from the lake's name, which is composed of the Ewe words to ("water") and go ("shore") **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Lome geographic coordinates: 6 07 N, 1 13 E time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name comes from a local word meaning "little market" **Administrative divisions:** 5 regions (régions, singular - région); Centrale, Kara, Maritime, Plateaux, Savanes **Legal system:** customary law system **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 27 September 1992, effective 14 October 1992; revised 6 May 2024 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or supported by at least one fifth of the National Assembly membership; passage requires four-fifths majority vote by the Assembly; a referendum is required if approved by only two-thirds majority of the Assembly or if requested by the president; constitutional articles on the republican and secular form of government cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Togo dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Jean-Lucien Kwassi Savi de TOVE (since 3 May 2025) head of government: President of Council of Ministers Faure GNASSINGBE (since 3 May 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the president of the council of ministers election/appointment process: president is appointed by the national assembly for one six-year term; the president of the council of ministers is the leader of the majority party in the national assembly and is confirmed by the Constitutional Court with no term limits election results: 2020: Faure GNASSINGBE reelected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE (UNIR) 70.8%, Agbeyome KODJO (MPDD) 19.5%, Jean-Pierre FABRE (ANC) 4.7%, other 5% 2015: Faure GNASSINGBE reelected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE (UNIR) 58.8%, Jean-Pierre FABRE (ANC) 35.2%, Tchaboure GOGUE (ADDI) 4%, other 2% note: in May 2024, the President signed into law changes to the constitution that converted the presidential system to a parliamentary republic and created the President of Council of Ministers position **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral note: party lists are required to contain equal numbers of men and women **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) number of seats: 113 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 4/29/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Union for the Republic (UNIR) (108); Other (5) percentage of women in chamber: 15% expected date of next election: April 2030 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Sénat) number of seats: 61 (41 directly elected; 20 appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 2/15/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Union for the Republic (UNIR) (34); Independents (3); Other (4) percentage of women in chamber: 24.6% expected date of next election: February 2031 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Suprême (organized into criminal and administrative chambers, each with a chamber president and advisors); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, including the court president) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by decree of the president of the republic on the proposal of the Supreme Council of the Magistracy, a 9-member judicial, advisory, and disciplinary body; other judicial appointments and judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the National Assembly; judge tenure NA subordinate courts: Court of Assizes (sessions court); Appeal Court; tribunals of first instance (divided into civil, commercial, and correctional chambers; Court of State Security; military tribunal **Political parties:** Action Committee for Renewal or CAR Alliance of Democrats for Integral Development or ADDI Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA Democratic Forces for the Republic or FDR National Alliance for Change or ANC New Togolese Commitment Pan-African National Party or PNP Pan-African Patriotic Convergence or CPP Patriotic Movement for Democracy and Development or MPDD Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR The Togolese Party Union of Forces for Change or UFC Union for the Republic or UNIR **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Frédéric Edem HEGBE (since 24 April 2017) chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190 email address and website: embassyoftogo@hotmail.com https://embassyoftogousa.com/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Richard C. MICHAELS (since June 2025) embassy: Boulevard Eyadema B.P. 852, Lomé mailing address: 2300 Lome Place, Washington, DC 20521-2300 telephone: [228] 2261-5470 FAX: [228] 2261-5501 email address and website: consularLome@state.gov https://tg.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AIIB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 27 April (1960) **Flag:** description: five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; a five-pointed white star on a red square is in the upper-left corner meaning: the five horizontal stripes stand for the country's regions; red stands for the people's loyalty and patriotism; green for hope, fertility, and agriculture; yellow for mineral wealth and faith that hard work and strength will bring prosperity; the star symbolizes life, purity, peace, dignity, and national independence history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement **National symbol(s):** lion **National color(s):** green, yellow, red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Salut à toi, pays de nos aieux" (Hail to Thee, Land of Our Forefathers) lyrics/music: Alex CASIMIR-DOSSEH history: adopted 1960, restored 1992; anthem was replaced during one-party rule between 1979 and 1992 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Koutammakou; the Land of the Batammariba ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income West African economy; primarily agrarian economy; has a deep-water port; growing international shipping locale; improving privatization and public budgeting transparency; key phosphate mining industry; extremely high rural poverty **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $27.115 billion (2024 est.) $25.75 billion (2023 est.) $24.199 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5.3% (2024 est.) 6.4% (2023 est.) 5.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $2,800 (2024 est.) $2,800 (2023 est.) $2,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $9.926 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.9% (2024 est.) 5.3% (2023 est.) 7.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 18% (2024 est.) industry: 20% (2024 est.) services: 52% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 78.3% (2024 est.) government consumption: 13.1% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.3% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 24.4% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -38.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** cassava, maize, yams, sorghum, soybeans, beans, rice, vegetables, oil palm fruit, cotton (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts, textiles, beverages **Industrial production growth rate:** 4.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 3.345 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2% (2024 est.) 2% (2023 est.) 2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 3.4% (2024 est.) male: 3.3% (2024 est.) female: 3.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 45.5% (2018 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 37.9 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.8% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 29.6% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 7.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 8% of GDP (2022 est.) 7.8% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.801 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $2.407 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 14.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$20.738 million (2020 est.) -$55.444 million (2019 est.) -$184.852 million (2018 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.722 billion (2020 est.) $1.665 billion (2019 est.) $1.703 billion (2018 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UAE 40%, India 13%, Angola 13%, Burkina Faso 4%, Cote d'Ivoire 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, refined petroleum, soybeans, phosphates, coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $2.389 billion (2020 est.) $2.261 billion (2019 est.) $2.329 billion (2018 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 26%, India 26%, Belgium 6%, Netherlands 6%, USA 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, garments, rice, palm oil, motorcycles and cycles (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Debt - external:** $1.923 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 57.2% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 96.5% electrification - rural areas: 25% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 326,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.815 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 1.1 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 206.938 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 79.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 11.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 8.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 163,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 10 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 163,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 14,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 176.16 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 176.16 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 4.538 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 67,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 7.69 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 81 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 state-owned TV station with multiple transmission sites; five private local TV stations; cable TV available; state-owned radio network with two stations; several dozen private radio stations and a few community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters available (2019) **Internet country code:** .tg **Internet users:** percent of population: 37% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 114,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 5V **Airports:** 7 (2025) **Railways:** total: 568 km (2014) narrow gauge: 568 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 397 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 10, general cargo 250, oil tanker 56, other 80 **Ports:** total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Kpeme, Lome ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Togolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Togolaise, FAT): Togolese Army, Togolese Navy, Togolese Air Force, National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale Togolaise or GNT) Ministry of Security and Civil Protection: Togolese Police (2025) note: the Police and GNT are responsible for law enforcement and maintenance of order within the country; the GNT is also responsible for migration and border enforcement; the GNT falls under the Ministry of the Armed Forces but also reports to the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection on many matters involving law enforcement and internal security; in 2022, the Ministry of the Armed Forces was made part of the Office of the Presidency **Military expenditures:** 2.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 3% of GDP (2023 est.) 4% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 20,000 active Armed Forces, including Gendarmerie (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the FAT has a small inventory of mostly obsolescent or older armaments originating from several countries, including Brazil, France, Russia/former Soviet Union, Türkiye, the UK, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-24 years of age for military service for men and women; initial 24-month service obligation; no conscription (2025) **Military - note:** the Togolese Armed Forces (FAT) are responsible for both external defense and internal security; the FAT’s primary concerns are border security, terrorism, and maritime security; in recent years, it has boosted operations in the northern border region of the country to secure the frontier and prevent banditry, illicit smuggling, and infiltrations from Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), a coalition of al-Qa'ida-affiliated militant groups based in Mali that also operates in neighboring Burkina Faso; in 2022, the Togolese Government declared a state of emergency in the north following an attack by JNIM fighters on a Togolese military post that killed several soldiers; the Navy and Air Force have increased focus on combating piracy and smuggling in the Gulf of Guinea since its creation in 1963, the Togolese military has had a history of involvement in the country’s politics, including assassinations, coups, and a crackdown in 2005 that killed hundreds of civilians; over the past decade, it has made efforts to reform and professionalize, which have included increasing its role in UN peacekeeping activities, participating in multinational exercises, and receiving training from foreign partners, particularly France and the US; in addition, Togo has established a regional peacekeeping training center for military and police in Lome (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 48,756 (2024 est.) IDPs: 18,429 (2024 est.) --- ## Tokelau **Slug:** tokelau **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇹🇰 **Codes:** cek: tl, iso2: TK, iso3: TKL, iso_num: 772, genc: TKL, stanag: TKL, internet: .tk ### Introduction **Background:** Tokelau is composed of three atolls (Fakaofo, Atafu, and Nukunonu), and it was first settled by Polynesians around A.D. 1000. The atolls operated relatively independently, but Fakaofo Atoll eventually subjugated the others. British explorers first saw the atolls in 1765 and 1791. Catholic and Protestant missionaries arrived in the 1840s and converted the population on the islands on which they landed. In 1863 Peruvian slave raiders abducted many islanders, and roughly contemporary outbreaks of disease reduced the population to about 200. Settlers of diverse nationalities subsequently intermarried with Tokelauans. In the same period, local governance moved to a system based on a Council of Elders, which still exists today. British interest began in the late 1870s, and Tokelau became a British protectorate in 1889, and in 1916 under the name Union Group, Tokelau became part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony. In 1925, the UK placed Tokelau under New Zealand administration. The Tokelau Islands Act of 1948 formally transferred sovereignty from the UK to New Zealand, and Tokelauans were granted New Zealand citizenship. In 1979, the US relinquished its claim to Tokelau in the Treaty of Tokehega, and Tokelau relinquished its claim to Swains Island, which is part of American Samoa. Economic opportunities in Tokelau are sparse, and about 80% of Tokelauans live in New Zealand. Tokelau held self-governance referendums in 2006 and 2007 in which more than 60% of voters chose free association with New Zealand; however, the referendums failed to achieve the two-thirds majority necessary to enact a status change. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand **Geographic coordinates:** 9 00 S, 172 00 W **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 12 sq km land: 12 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about 17 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 101 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) **Terrain:** low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons **Elevation:** highest point: unnamed location 5 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 60% (2023 est.) arable land: 0% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 60% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 40% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** the small population is fairly evenly distributed among the three atolls **Natural hazards:** lies in Pacific cyclone belt **Geography - note:** consists of three atolls (Atafu, Fakaofo, Nukunonu), each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over 3 m (10 ft) above sea level ### People and Society **Population:** total: 2,453 (2024 est.) male: 1,201 (2024 est.) female: 1,252 (2024 est.) **Nationality:** noun: Tokelauan(s) adjective: Tokelauan **Ethnic groups:** Tokelauan 64.5%, part Tokelauan/Samoan 9.7%, part Tokelauan/Tuvaluan 2.8%, Tuvaluan 7.5%, Samoan 5.8%, other Pacific Islander 3.4%, other 5.6%, unspecified 0.8% (2016 est.) **Languages:** Tokelauan 88.1% (a Polynesian language), English 48.6%, Samoan 26.7%, Tuvaluan 11.2%, Kiribati 1.5%, other 2.8%, none 2.8%, unspecified 0.8% (2016 ests.) note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census **Religions:** Congregational Christian Church 50.4%, Roman Catholic 38.7%, Presbyterian 5.9%, other Christian 4.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2016 est.) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 52.7 (2024) youth dependency ratio: 40 (2024) elderly dependency ratio: 12.6 (2024) potential support ratio: 7.9 (2024) **Population growth rate:** -0.01% (2019 est.) **Net migration rate:** -3.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Population distribution:** the small population is fairly evenly distributed among the three atolls **Urbanization:** urban population: 0% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: rural: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: rural: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.67 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 100% (2022 est.) male: 100% (2022 est.) female: 100% (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** overfishing; damage to forest resources; pollution of freshwater and coastal waters from improper disposal of chemicals **Climate:** tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) **Land use:** agricultural land: 60% (2023 est.) arable land: 0% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 60% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 40% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 0% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tokelau former: Union Islands, Tokelau Islands etymology: the name comes from the Polynesian word tokelau, meaning "north wind;" the name "Tokelau Islands" was adopted in 1946, and the shortened form in 1976 **Government type:** parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy **Dependency status:** Tokelau is a non-self-governing territory of New Zealand and part of the Realm of New Zealand; Tokelau has its own political institutions, judicial system, public services (including telecommunications and shipping), and budget control **Capital:** time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: there is no designated, official capital for Tokelau; the location of the capital rotates among the three atolls along with the head of government or Ulu o Tokelau **Legal system:** common law system of New Zealand **Constitution:** history: many previous; latest effective 1 January 1949 (Tokelau Act 1948 of New Zealand) amendment process: proposed as a resolution by the General Fono; passage requires support by each village and approval by the General Fono note: Tokelau is a non-self-governing territory and has been administered by New Zealand since 1926; Tokelau is considered "part of New Zealand” under the Tokelau Act 1948, and Tokelauans are New Zealand citizens; in the mid-2000s Tokelau held two referenda on becoming self-governing in free association with New Zealand; the first vote was held in February 2006 but narrowly missed the two-thirds majority required for a change of status, as did a second vote held in 2007; since the self-government referenda, Tokelau has put questions about its constitutional status on hold; it remains a territory of New Zealand but exercises a substantial degree of self-government **Citizenship:** see New Zealand **Suffrage:** 21 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General of New Zealand Dame Cindy KIRO (since 21 September 2021); New Zealand is represented by Administrator Don HIGGINS (since June 2022) head of government: (Ulu o Tokelau) Esera Fofō Filipo Tuisano TUISANO (since 17 March 2025) cabinet: Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau (or Tokelau Council) functions as a cabinet; consists of 3 village leaders (Faipule) and 3 village mayors (Pulenuku) election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; head of government chosen from the Council of Faipule to serve a 1-year term note: the meeting place of the Tokelau Council and the head of government position rotates annually among the three atolls; this tradition has given rise to the somewhat misleading description that the capital rotates yearly between the three atolls, but Tokelau has no capital **Legislative branch:** legislature name: General Fono (Fono Fakamua) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 20 electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 3 years most recent election date: 26 January 2023 parties elected and seats per party: independents (20) percentage of women in chamber: 15% expected date of next election: January 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (in New Zealand) (consists of the court president and 8 judges sitting in 3- or 5-judge panels, depending on the case) judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Judicial Selection Committee and approved by three-quarters majority of the Parliament; judges serve for life subordinate courts: High Court (in New Zealand); Council of Elders or Taupulega **Political parties:** none **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (territory of New Zealand) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** none (territory of New Zealand) **International organization participation:** PIF (associate member), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU **Independence:** none (territory of New Zealand) **National holiday:** Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) note: Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand **Flag:** description: a stylized yellow Tokelauan canoe on a dark blue field sails toward four white five-pointed stars on the left side meaning: the stars are the Southern Cross constellation and represent the role of Christianity in Tokelauan culture; the stars and canoe together symbolize the country navigating into the future; yellow stands for happiness and peace, and blue for the ocean **National symbol(s):** tuluma (fishing tackle box) **National color(s):** blue, yellow, white **National anthem(s):** title: “Viki O Tokelau” (Anthem of Tokelau) lyrics/music: Eric Lemuelu FALIMA history: adopted 2012; national contest was held to choose a local anthem _____ title: "God Defend New Zealand" lyrics/music: Thomas BRACKEN [English], Thomas Henry SMITH [Maori]/John Joseph WOODS history: official anthem, as a territory of New Zealand; played when no members of the royal family or the governor-general are present _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as a territory of New Zealand; normally played only when a member of the royal family or the governor-general is present ### Economy **Economic overview:** small New Zealand territorial island economy; labor force can work in New Zealand or Australia; significant remittances; largely solar-powered infrastructure; reliant on New Zealand funding; stamp, coin, and crafts producer **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $7,711,583 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars. **Real GDP per capita:** $6,004 (2017 est.) $4,855 (2016 est.) $4,292 (2015 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $12.658 million (2017 est.) note: data uses New Zealand Dollar (NZD) as the currency of exchange. **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4% (2020 est.) 2.5% (2019 est.) 11% (2017 est.) note: Tokelau notes that its wide inflation swings are due almost entirely to cigarette prices, a chief import. **Agricultural products:** coconuts, root vegetables, tropical fruits, pork, bananas, eggs, chicken (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing **Budget:** revenues: $24,324,473 (2017 est.) expenditures: $11,666,542 (2017 est.) **Exports - partners:** Czechia 92%, Singapore 2%, Brazil 1%, South Africa 1%, Sri Lanka 1% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** cars, telephones, garments, iron fasteners, fabric (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports - partners:** Samoa 31%, Italy 23%, France 21%, Netherlands 16%, Germany 2% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** integrated circuits, stone processing machines, refined petroleum, gas turbines, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.652 (2024 est.) 1.628 (2023 est.) 1.577 (2022 est.) 1.414 (2021 est.) 1.542 (2020 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 300 (2010 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (2010 est.) **Broadcast media:** Sky TV access for about a third of the population; each atoll operates a radio service with shipping news and weather reports (2019) **Internet country code:** .tk **Internet users:** percent of population: 58.3% (2021 est.) ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of New Zealand --- ## Tonga **Slug:** tonga **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇹🇴 **Codes:** cek: tn, iso2: TO, iso3: TON, iso_num: 776, genc: TON, stanag: TON, internet: .to ### Introduction **Background:** The first humans arrived in Tonga around 1000 B.C. The islands’ politics were highly centralized under the Tu’i Tonga, or Tongan king, by A.D. 950, and by 1200, the Tu’i Tonga had expanded his influence throughout Polynesia and into Melanesia and Micronesia. The Tongan Empire began to decline in the 1300s, with civil wars, a military defeat to Samoa, and internal political strife. By the mid-1500s, some Tu’i Tongans were ethnic Samoan, and day-to-day administration of Tonga was transferred to a new position occupied by ethnic Tongans. Dutch navigators explored the islands in the 1600s, followed by the British in the 1770s, who named them the Friendly Islands. Between 1799 and 1852 Tonga went through a period of war and disorder. In the 1830s, a low-ranking chief from Ha’apai began to consolidate control over the islands and was crowned King George TUPOU I in 1845, establishing the only still-extant Polynesian monarchy. During TUPOU's reign (1845–93), Tonga became a unified and independent country with a modern constitution (1875), legal code, and administrative structure. In separate treaties, Germany (1876), Great Britain (1879), and the US (1888) recognized Tonga’s independence. His son and successor, King George TUPOU II, agreed to enter a protectorate agreement with the UK in 1900 after rival Tongan chiefs tried to overthrow him. As a protectorate, Tonga never completely lost its indigenous governance, but it did become more isolated and the social hierarchy became more stratified between a group of nobles and a large class of commoners. Today, about one third of parliamentary seats are reserved for nobles. Tonga regained full control of domestic and foreign affairs and became a fully independent nation within the Commonwealth in 1970. A pro-democracy movement gained steam in the early 2000s, led by ‘Akilisi POHIVA, and in 2006, riots broke out in Nuku’alofa to protest the lack of progress on reform. To appease the activists, in 2008, King George TUPOU V announced he was relinquishing most of his powers leading up to parliamentary elections in 2010 and henceforth most of the monarch’s governmental decisions, except those relating to the judiciary, were to be made in consultation with the prime minister. The 2010 Legislative Assembly was called Tonga’s first democratically elected Parliament. King George TUPOU V died in 2012 and was succeeded by his brother Crown Prince Tupouto‘a Lavaka who ruled as George TUPOU VI. In 2015, ‘Akalisi POHIVA became Tonga’s first non-noble prime minister. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand **Geographic coordinates:** 20 00 S, 175 00 W **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 747 sq km land: 717 sq km water: 30 sq km **Area - comparative:** four times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 419 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December) **Terrain:** mostly flat islands with limestone bedrock formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic rock **Elevation:** highest point: Kao Volcano on Kao Island 1,046 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** arable land, fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 48.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 27.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 15.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 5.6% (2023 est.) forest: 12.1% (2023 est.) other: 39.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** over two thirds of the population lives on the island of Tongatapu; only 45 of the nation's 171 islands are occupied **Natural hazards:** cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou volcanism: moderate volcanic activity; Fonualei (180 m) has had frequent activity in recent years, and Niuafo'ou (260 m) has forced evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Late and Tofua **Geography - note:** the western islands (making up the Tongan Volcanic Arch) are all of volcanic origin; the eastern islands are nonvolcanic and are composed of coral limestone and sand ### People and Society **Population:** total: 104,519 (2025 est.) male: 52,421 female: 52,098 **Nationality:** noun: Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan **Ethnic groups:** Tongan 96.5%, other (European, Fijian, Samoan, Indian, Chinese, other Pacific Islander, other Asian, other) 3.5% (2021 est.) **Languages:** Tongan only 85%, Tongan and other language 13.9%, Tongan not used at home 1.1% (2021 est.) note: data represent language use at home of persons aged 5 and older **Religions:** Protestant 63.9% (Free Wesleyan Church 34.2%, Free Church of Tonga 11.3%, Church of Tonga 6.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.5%, Assembly of God 2.5%, Tokaikolo/Maamafo'ou 1.5%, Constitutional Church of Tonga 1.2%, other Protestant 4%), Church of Jesus Christ 19.7%, Roman Catholic 13.7%, other 2.1%, none 0.6%, no answer 0.1% (2021 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 29.3% (male 15,627/female 15,142) 15-64 years: 63.2% (male 33,445/female 32,867) 65 years and over: 7.4% (2024 est.) (male 3,534/female 4,274) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 57.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 45.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 11.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 26.4 years (2025 est.) male: 25.4 years female: 26.4 years **Population growth rate:** -0.37% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 19.43 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.98 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -18.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** over two thirds of the population lives on the island of Tongatapu; only 45 of the nation's 171 islands are occupied **Urbanization:** urban population: 23.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 23,000 NUKU'ALOFA (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 24.9 years (2012 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 67 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 11.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 12.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 78 years (2024 est.) male: 76.4 years female: 79.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.59 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.28 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.3% of GDP (2021) 8.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.01 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 48.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 30.5% (2025 est.) male: 46.1% (2025 est.) female: 15.8% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 0.8% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 50.7% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.4% (2019) women married by age 18: 10.1% (2019) men married by age 18: 2.8% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 5.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 9.3% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 91.1% (2019 est.) male: 83.8% (2019 est.) female: 97.6% (2019 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 18 years (2020 est.) male: 16 years (2020 est.) female: 19 years (2020 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation from land being cleared for agriculture and settlement; soil exhaustion; water pollution due to salinization, sewage, and toxic chemicals from farming activities; coral reefs and marine populations threatened **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December) **Land use:** agricultural land: 48.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 27.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 15.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 5.6% (2023 est.) forest: 12.1% (2023 est.) other: 39.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 23.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 174,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 174,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 7.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 17,200 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 12.2% (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga conventional short form: Tonga local long form: Pule'anga Fakatu'i 'o Tonga local short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands etymology: the name is of local origin and is said to mean "island;" the former name, the Friendly Islands, came from Captain James COOK in 1773, based on the welcome he received from the inhabitants **Government type:** constitutional monarchy **Capital:** name: Nuku'alofa geographic coordinates: 21 08 S, 175 12 W time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in November; ends second Sunday in January etymology: name is said to be composed of the local words nuku, meaning "residence or abode," and alofa, meaning "love;" it may also mean "the south," describing Tonga's position in relation to most other Polynesian islands **Administrative divisions:** 5 island divisions; 'Eua, Ha'apai, Ongo Niua, Tongatapu, Vava'u **Legal system:** English common law **Constitution:** history: adopted 4 November 1875, revised 1988, 2016 amendment process: proposed by the Legislative Assembly; passage requires approval by the Assembly in each of three readings, the unanimous approval of the Privy Council (a high-level advisory body to the monarch), the Cabinet, and assent to by the monarch **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Tonga; if a child is born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen of Tonga dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 21 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King TUPOU VI (since 18 March 2012) head of government: Prime Minister Fatafehi FAKAFANUA (since 18 December 2025) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister indirectly elected by the Legislative Assembly and appointed by the monarch most recent election date: 15 December 2025 election results: 2025: Fatafehi FAKAFANUA elected prime minister by the Legislative Assembly; Fatafehi FAKAFANUA (Independent) 16 votes, Aisake Valu EKE (Independent) 10 votes 2024: Aisake Valu EKE elected prime minister by the Legislative Assembly; Aisake Valu EKE (Independent) 16 votes, Viliami LATU (Independent) 8 note: a Privy Council advises the monarch **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 30 (17 directly elected; 9 indirectly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/20/2025 percentage of women in chamber: 3.8% expected date of next election: November 2025 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and a number of judges determined by the monarch) judge selection and term of office: judge appointments and tenures made by the King in Privy Council and subject to consent of the Legislative Assembly subordinate courts: Supreme Court; Magistrates' Courts; Land Courts note: appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are brought before the King in Privy Council, the monarch's advisory organ that has both judicial and legislative powers **Political parties:** Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands or DPFI or PTOA Tonga People's Party (Paati ʻa e Kakai ʻo Tonga) or PAK or TPPI **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Viliana Va’inga TONE (since 20 April 2021) chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025 FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024 email address and website: tongaconsnot@gmail.com consulate(s) general: San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Marie DAMOUR (since 6 December 2022); note - Ambassador DAMOUR is based in the US Embassy in the Republic of Fiji and is accredited to Tonga as well as Kiribati, Nauru, and Tuvalu embassy: although the US opened an embassy in Tonga on 9 May 2023, the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga while the Embassy is being staffed **International organization participation:** ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate status) **National holiday:** Official birthday of King TUPOU VI, 4 July (1959) note: the monarch's actual birthday is 12 July 1959, 4 July (2015) is the day the king was crowned; Constitution Day (National Day), 4 November (1875) **Flag:** description: red with a red cross on a white rectangle in the upper-left corner meaning: the cross stands for Christianity in Tonga, red for Christ's blood and sacrifice, and white for purity **National symbol(s):** red cross on white field **National color(s):** red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Ko e fasi 'o e tu'i 'o e 'Otu Tonga" (Song of the King of the Tonga Islands) lyrics/music: Uelingatoni Ngu TUPOUMALOHI/Karl Gustavus SCHMITT history: in use since 1874; more commonly known as "Fasi Fakafonua" (National Song) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income Pacific island economy; enormous diaspora and remittance reliance; key tourism and agricultural sectors; major fish exporter; rapidly growing Chinese infrastructure investments; rising methamphetamine hub **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $740.082 million (2023 est.) $724.972 million (2022 est.) $742.114 million (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.1% (2023 est.) -2.3% (2022 est.) 0.4% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $7,100 (2023 est.) $6,900 (2022 est.) $7,000 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $508.735 million (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.2% (2024 est.) 6.4% (2023 est.) 11% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 17.5% (2023 est.) industry: 13.5% (2023 est.) services: 50.2% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 107.6% (2023 est.) government consumption: 29.1% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 27.3% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -0.3% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 18.8% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -75.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** coconuts, pumpkins/squash, cassava, sweet potatoes, vegetables, yams, taro, root vegetables, plantains, lemons/limes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** tourism, construction, fishing **Industrial production growth rate:** -11.1% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 34,800 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.2% (2024 est.) 2.3% (2023 est.) 2.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 6.3% (2024 est.) male: 3.9% (2024 est.) female: 10% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 20.6% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 27.1 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 4% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 22% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 50% of GDP (2023 est.) 41.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 42% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $276.025 million (2023 est.) expenditures: $244.97 million (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 43.9% of GDP (2020 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 23.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$21.165 million (2024 est.) -$30.087 million (2023 est.) -$27.749 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $119.511 million (2024 est.) $95.345 million (2023 est.) $59.926 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Guyana 17%, USA 17%, NZ 15%, Australia 15%, UAE 12% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, gold, processed fruits and nuts, cassava, fish (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $392.888 million (2024 est.) $383.475 million (2023 est.) $330.306 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Fiji 27%, NZ 24%, China 21%, Australia 8%, USA 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, plastic products, poultry, cars, sheep and goat meat (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $377.299 million (2024 est.) $396.53 million (2023 est.) $375.564 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $159.276 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** pa'anga (TOP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 2.373 (2024 est.) 2.364 (2023 est.) 2.328 (2022 est.) 2.265 (2021 est.) 2.3 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 34,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 67.01 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 5.99 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 89% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 9.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 1,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 23.272 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 11,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 64,800 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 62 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 state-owned TV station and 3 privately owned TV stations; satellite and cable TV services available; 1 state-owned and 5 privately owned radio stations; Radio Australia available via satellite (2019) **Internet country code:** .to **Internet users:** percent of population: 59% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 9,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** A3 **Airports:** 6 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 29 (2023) by type: container ship 1, general cargo 13, oil tanker 1, other 14 **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Neiafu, Nuku Alofa, Pangai ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** His Majesty's Armed Forces Tonga (HMAF; aka Tonga Defense Services): Tonga Royal Guard, Tonga Land Force (Royal Tongan Marines), Tonga Navy, Air Wing Ministry of Police and Fire Services: Tonga Police Force (2025) **Military expenditures:** 1.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 600 active Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory consists of light weapons, as well as some naval patrol vessels acquired from Australia (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 16-25 years of age for men and women to apply for trainee soldier; no conscription (2025) **Military - note:** the military's primary missions are defending Tonga's sovereignty, providing maritime security, and protecting the King; it is also responsible for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, search and rescue operations, monitoring against illegal fishing, and delivering supplies to the outer islands; the military has contributed limited numbers of personnel to multinational military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Solomon Islands; Australia, New Zealand, and the US are key partners Tonga has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Tonga's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas Tonga participated in World War I as part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, but the Tonga Defense Force (TDF) was not established until 1939 at the beginning of World War II; in 1943, New Zealand helped train about 2,000 Tongan troops who saw action in the Solomon Islands; the TDF was disbanded at the end of the war, but was reactivated in 1946 as the Tonga Defense Services (TDS); in 2013, the name of the TDS was changed to His Majesty’s Armed Forces of Tonga (HMAF) (2025) --- ## Trinidad and Tobago **Slug:** trinidad-and-tobago **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇹🇹 **Codes:** cek: td, iso2: TT, iso3: TTO, iso_num: 780, genc: TTO, stanag: TTO, internet: .tt ### Introduction **Background:** First colonized by the Spanish, Trinidad and Tobago came under British control in the early 19th century. The emancipation of enslaved people in 1834 disrupted the twin islands' sugar industry. Contract workers arriving from India between 1845 and 1917 augmented the labor force, which boosted sugar production as well as the cocoa industry. The discovery of oil on Trinidad in 1910 added another important export that remains the country's dominant industry. Trinidad and Tobago attained independence in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean, thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. The government is struggling to reverse a surge in violent crime. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela **Geographic coordinates:** 11 00 N, 61 00 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 5,128 sq km land: 5,128 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Delaware **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 362 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin note: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines **Climate:** tropical; rainy season (June to December) **Terrain:** mostly plains with some hills and low mountains **Elevation:** highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 83 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, asphalt **Land use:** agricultural land: 10.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 4.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 1.4% (2023 est.) forest: 44.2% (2023 est.) other: 45.2% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 70 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** population on Trinidad is concentrated in the western half of the island, on Tobago in the southern half **Natural hazards:** outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms **Geography - note:** Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt ### People and Society **Population:** total: 1,410,170 (2025 est.) male: 708,677 female: 701,493 **Nationality:** noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s) adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian note: Trinbagonian is used on occasion to describe a citizen of the country without specifying the island of origin **Ethnic groups:** East Indian 35.4%, African descent 34.2%, mixed - other 15.3%, mixed - African/East Indian 7.7%, other 1.3%, unspecified 6.2% (2011 est.) **Languages:** English (official), Trinidadian Creole English, Tobagonian Creole English, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Trinidadian Creole French, Spanish, Chinese **Religions:** Protestant 32.1% (Pentecostal/Evangelical/Full Gospel 12%, Baptist 6.9%, Anglican 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 4.1%, Presbyterian/Congregational 2.5%, other Protestant 0.9%), Roman Catholic 21.6%, Hindu 18.2%, Muslim 5%, Jehovah's Witness 1.5%, other 8.4%, none 2.2%, unspecified 11.1% (2011 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 18.7% (male 134,508/female 129,180) 15-64 years: 67.2% (male 481,606/female 465,150) 65 years and over: 14.1% (2024 est.) (male 92,146/female 106,376) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 49.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 27.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 21.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 39.1 years (2025 est.) male: 38 years female: 39 years **Population growth rate:** 0.08% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.33 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population on Trinidad is concentrated in the western half of the island, on Tobago in the southern half **Urbanization:** urban population: 53.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 545,000 PORT-OF-SPAIN (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 54 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 14.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 17.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.5 years (2024 est.) male: 74.6 years female: 78.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.63 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.8 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 98.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 1.1% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7% of GDP (2021) 10.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.16 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Hospital bed density:** 1.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 18.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 5.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 42.7% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.7% (2022) women married by age 18: 4.2% (2022) **Education expenditure:** 3% of GDP (2023 est.) 12.6% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** female: 93.8% (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; widespread pollution of waterways and coastal areas; illegal dumping; deforestation; soil erosion; fisheries and wildlife depletion **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; rainy season (June to December) **Land use:** agricultural land: 10.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 4.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 1.4% (2023 est.) forest: 44.2% (2023 est.) other: 45.2% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 53.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 33.629 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 6,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 3.634 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 29.989 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 10.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 160.3 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 4.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 59.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 6 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 727,900 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 16.2% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 237.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 128.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 16.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 3.84 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the larger island "La Isla de la Trinidad" (The Island of the Trinity) in 1498, possibly because of the three mountain peaks on the island; COLUMBUS may have gotten the name Tobago, spelled "tobaco" in Spanish, from the tobacco grown and smoked locally, or from its elongated cigar shape **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Port of Spain geographic coordinates: 10 39 N, 61 31 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: translation of the name the Spanish gave the town in 1595, Puerto de España; the name was anglicized after the British captured Trinidad in 1797 **Administrative divisions:** 9 regions, 3 boroughs, 2 cities, 1 ward regions: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco borough: Arima, Chaguanas, Point Fortin cities: Port of Spain, San Fernando ward: Tobago **Legal system:** English common law; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts **Constitution:** history: previous 1962; latest 1976 amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments affecting constitutional provisions, such as human rights and freedoms or citizenship, requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses and assent of the president; passage of amendments, such as the powers and authorities of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, and the procedure for amending the constitution, requires at least three-quarters majority vote by the House membership, two-thirds majority vote by the Senate membership, and assent of the president **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Christine KANGALOO (since 20 March 2023) head of government: Prime Minister Kamla Susheila PERSAD-BISSESSAR (since 1 May 2025) cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among members of Parliament election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by an electoral college of selected Senate and House of Representatives members for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives as prime minister most recent election date: 20 January 2023 election results: 2023: Christine KANGALOO elected president by the electoral college on 20 January 2023; electoral college vote Christine KANGALOO (PNM) 48, Israel KHAN (UNC) 22 2018: Paula-Mae WEEKES (independent) elected president; ran unopposed and was elected without a vote; she was Trinidad and Tabago's first female head of state expected date of next election: by February 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly (19 seats; 15 assemblymen directly elected by simple majority vote and 4 appointed councilors - 3 on the advice of the chief secretary and 1 on the advice of the minority leader; members serve 4-year terms) **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives number of seats: 42 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 4/28/2025 parties elected and seats per party: United National Congress (UNC) (26); People's National Movement (PNM) (13); Other (2) percentage of women in chamber: 23.8% expected date of next election: April 2030 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 31 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 5/23/2025 percentage of women in chamber: 25.8% expected date of next election: May 2030 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Judicature (consists of a chief justice for both the Court of Appeal with 12 judges and the High Court with 24 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the parliamentary leader of the opposition; other judges appointed by the Judicial Legal Services Commission, headed by the chief justice and 5 members with judicial experience; all judges serve for life with mandatory retirement normally at age 65 subordinate courts: Courts of Summary Criminal Jurisdiction; Petty Civil Courts; Family Court note: Trinidad and Tobago can file appeals beyond its Supreme Court to the Caribbean Court of Justice, with final appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) **Political parties:** People's National Movement or PNM United National Congress or UNC Tobago People’s Party or Tobago **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Venessa RAMHIT-RAMROOP (since 4 June 2025) chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036-1975 telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490 FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130 email address and website: embdcinfo@foreign.gov.tt https://foreign.gov.tt/missions-consuls/tt-missions-abroad/diplomatic-missions/embassy-washington-dc-us/ consulate(s) general: Miami, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Jenifer NEIDHART de ORTIZ (since January 2025) embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port of Spain mailing address: 3410 Port of Spain Place, Washington DC 20521-3410 telephone: (868) 622-6371 FAX: (868) 822-5905 email address and website: ptspas@state.gov https://tt.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 31 August 1962 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 31 August (1962) **Flag:** description: red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper left to the lower right meaning: the colors represent the elements of earth, water, and fire; black also stands for the wealth of the land and the dedication of the people; white for the sea, the purity of the country's aspirations, and equality; red for the sun, the vitality of the land, and the people's courage and friendliness **National symbol(s):** scarlet ibis (bird of Trinidad), cocrico (bird of Tobago), chaconia flower **National color(s):** red, white, black **National coat of arms:** designed in 1962, the coat of arms shows the scarlet ibis (national bird of Trinidad) and the cocrico (national bird of Tobago); they support a shield displaying two hummingbirds, because Trinidad is home to 18 species of the bird and is called the “Land of Hummingbirds;” three gold ships on a backdrop of national colors represent Christopher Columbus, who visited the islands; the three peaks in the lower left refer to Trinidad being named after the Holy Trinity and also represent a famous mountain; the image of a gold ship's wheel in front of a coconut palm was also used on the Great Seals of British Colonial Tobago; the gold helmet represents Queen Elizabeth II of England (ruler of the country at the time), and the national motto promotes harmony in diversity **National anthem(s):** title: "Forged From the Love of Liberty" lyrics/music: Patrick Stanislaus CASTAGNE history: adopted 1962; song originally written as an anthem for the West Indies Federation; Trinidad and Tobago adopted it when the Federation dissolved ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income Caribbean economy; major hydrocarbon exporter; key tourism and finance sectors; high inflation and growing public debt; long foreign currency access delays; large foreign reserves and sovereign wealth fund **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $43.362 billion (2024 est.) $42.658 billion (2023 est.) $42.058 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.7% (2024 est.) 1.4% (2023 est.) 1.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $31,700 (2024 est.) $31,200 (2023 est.) $30,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $26.429 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 0.5% (2024 est.) 4.6% (2023 est.) 5.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.8% (2023 est.) industry: 35% (2023 est.) services: 59.9% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 78.9% (2017 est.) government consumption: 16.4% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 19.8% (2021 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2021 est.) exports of goods and services: 45.4% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -48.7% (2017 est.) **Agricultural products:** chicken, fruits, coconuts, citrus fruits, maize, oranges, plantains, eggs, taro, mangoes/guavas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products, beverages, food processing, cement, cotton textiles **Industrial production growth rate:** -4.7% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 649,900 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.6% (2024 est.) 4.3% (2023 est.) 4.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 11.1% (2024 est.) male: 10.3% (2024 est.) female: 12% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $5.698 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $7.822 billion (2019 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 16.7% (of GDP) (2019 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $1.117 billion (2024 est.) $2.948 billion (2023 est.) $4.967 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $11.087 billion (2024 est.) $11.545 billion (2023 est.) $17.584 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 28%, China 7%, Guyana 5%, Chile 5%, Netherlands 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** natural gas, alcohols, ammonia, crude petroleum, iron reductions (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $10.19 billion (2024 est.) $9.219 billion (2023 est.) $10.968 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 29%, Guyana 27%, China 8%, Brazil 4%, Canada 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** railway cargo containers, refined petroleum, cars, iron ore, excavation machinery (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $5.601 billion (2024 est.) $6.256 billion (2023 est.) $6.832 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TTD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 6.75 (2024 est.) 6.75 (2023 est.) 6.754 (2022 est.) 6.759 (2021 est.) 6.751 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 2.139 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 9.001 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 492 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 99.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 6 metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 2,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 72,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 26,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 242.982 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 25.994 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 15.316 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 10.737 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 298.063 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 311,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 1.79 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 119 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 6 free-to-air TV networks, 2 of which are state-owned; 24 subscription providers (cable and satellite); over 36 radio frequencies (2019) **Internet country code:** .tt **Internet users:** percent of population: 85% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 404,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 9Y **Airports:** 3 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 102 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, other 101 **Ports:** total ports: 10 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 4 very small: 5 ports with oil terminals: 8 key ports: Galeota Point Terminal, Point Lisas Industrial Port, Point Lisas Port, Pointe-a-Pierre, Port of Spain ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF): Trinidad and Tobago Regiment (Army/Land Forces), Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard, Defense Force Reserves (2026) note: the Ministry of Homeland Security oversees both the TTDF and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) **Military expenditures:** 0.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 5,000 Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the TTDF's ground force inventory consists of light weapons, while the Coast Guard and Air Guard field mostly secondhand equipment from several countries, including Australia, China, Italy, the Netherlands, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** generally 18-24 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025) **Military - note:** the primary responsibilities of the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF) are conducting border and maritime security, assisting civil authorities in times of crisis or disaster, providing search and rescue services, securing ports, and supporting civil law enforcement, particularly in countering gang-related crime and trafficking of narcotics and other illicit goods; the Police Service maintains internal security (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Tren de Aragua (TdA) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 24,134 (2024 est.) --- ## Tunisia **Slug:** tunisia **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇹🇳 **Codes:** cek: ts, iso2: TN, iso3: TUN, iso_num: 788, genc: TUN, stanag: TUN, internet: .tn ### Introduction **Background:** Many empires have controlled Tunisia, including the Phoenicians (as early as the 12 century B.C.), Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, various Arab and Berber kingdoms, and Ottomans (16th to late-19th centuries). Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia culminated in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a protectorate. Agitation for independence in the decades after World War I finally convinced the French to recognize Tunisia as an independent state in 1956. The country's first president, Habib BOURGUIBA, established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women. In 1987, Zine el Abidine BEN ALI replaced BOURGUIBA in a bloodless coup. Street protests that began in Tunis in 2010 over high unemployment, corruption, widespread poverty, and high food prices escalated in 2011, culminating in rioting that led to hundreds of deaths and later became known as the start of the regional Arab Spring uprising. BEN ALI dismissed the government and fled the country, and a "national unity government" was formed. Elections for the new Constituent Assembly were held later that year, and human rights activist Moncef MARZOUKI was elected as interim president. The Assembly began drafting a new constitution in 2012 and, after several iterations and a months-long political crisis that stalled the transition, ratified the document in 2014. Parliamentary and presidential elections for a permanent government were held at the end of 2014. Beji CAID ESSEBSI was elected as the first president under the country's new constitution. After ESSEBSI’s death in office in 2019, Kais SAIED was elected. SAIED's term, as well as that of Tunisia's 217-member parliament, was set to expire in 2024. However, in 2021, SAIED used the exceptional powers allowed under Tunisia's constitution to dismiss the prime minister and suspend the legislature. Tunisians approved a new constitution through public referendum in 2022, expanding presidential powers and creating a new bicameral legislature. ### Geography **Location:** Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya **Geographic coordinates:** 34 00 N, 9 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 163,610 sq km land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Georgia **Land boundaries:** total: 1,495 km border countries (2): Algeria 1,034 km; Libya 461 km **Coastline:** 1,148 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 12 nm **Climate:** temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south **Terrain:** mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara **Elevation:** highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m mean elevation: 246 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt **Land use:** agricultural land: 62.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 18.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 13.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 30.6% (2023 est.) forest: 4.5% (2023 est.) other: 33.1% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 3,920 sq km (2013) **Major aquifers:** North Western Sahara Aquifer System **Population distribution:** the overwhelming majority of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the south remains largely underpopulated, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** flooding; earthquakes; droughts **Geography - note:** strategic location in central Mediterranean ### People and Society **Population:** total: 11,962,995 (2025 est.) male: 5,926,741 female: 6,036,254 **Nationality:** noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian **Ethnic groups:** Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1% **Languages:** Arabic (official, one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce), Tamazight major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، أحسن كتاب تتعلم به المعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: despite having no official status, French plays a major role in the country and is spoken by about two thirds of the population **Religions:** Muslim (official; Sunni) 99%, other (includes Christian, Jewish, Shia Muslim, and Baha'i) <1% **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 24.4% (male 1,516,871/female 1,426,522) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 3,861,731/female 3,990,802) 65 years and over: 10.4% (2024 est.) (male 593,640/female 659,281) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 50.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 35.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 15.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 6.6 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 34.1 years (2025 est.) male: 33.6 years female: 35.1 years **Population growth rate:** 0.38% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 11.35 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the overwhelming majority of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the south remains largely underpopulated, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 70.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.475 million TUNIS (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 36 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 10.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 77.3 years (2024 est.) male: 75.7 years female: 79.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.59 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.77 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 93.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 97.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 6.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 2.8% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7% of GDP (2021) 11.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.32 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Hospital bed density:** 2.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 98.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 99% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 26.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 19% (2025 est.) male: 37.6% (2025 est.) female: 1.4% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 1.6% (2018 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 52.5% (2023 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0% (2018) women married by age 18: 1.5% (2018) men married by age 18: 0% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 6.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 17.3% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 86.2% (2023 est.) male: 92.7% (2023 est.) female: 80.1% (2023 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2016 est.) male: 14 years (2016 est.) female: 15 years (2016 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** toxic and hazardous waste disposal; water pollution from raw sewage; limited freshwater resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south **Land use:** agricultural land: 62.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 18.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 13.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 30.6% (2023 est.) forest: 4.5% (2023 est.) other: 33.1% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 70.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 24.645 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 4,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 14.249 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 10.392 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 26.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 88 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 94.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 97.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 3 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.7 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.9% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 815.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 61.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 2.71 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 4.615 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Tunisia conventional short form: Tunisia local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah local short form: Tunis etymology: the country name derives from the capital city of Tunis **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Tunis geographic coordinates: 36 48 N, 10 11 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the origin of the ancient name is unclear; it is sometimes associated with the name of the Phoenician goddess Tanith **Administrative divisions:** 24 governorates (wilayat, singular - wilayah); Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili (Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), L'Ariana (Aryanah), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bouzid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan) **Legal system:** mixed system of civil law, based on the French civil code and Islamic (sharia) law; Supreme Court reviews some legislative acts in joint session **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest draft published by the president 30 June 2022, approved by referendum 25 July 2022, and adopted 27 July 2022 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or one third of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People membership; following Constitutional Court review, approval to proceed requires an absolute majority vote in the Assembly, and final passage requires a two-thirds Assembly majority vote; the president can opt to submit an amendment to a referendum, which requires an absolute majority of votes cast for passage **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Tunisia dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal except for active government security forces (including the police and the military), people with mental disabilities, people who have served more than three months in prison (criminal cases only), and people given a suspended sentence of more than six months **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Kais SAIED (since 23 October 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Sarra ZAAFRANI Zenzri (since 21 March 2025) cabinet: prime minister appointed by the president; cabinet members appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 6 October 2024 election results: 2024: Kais SAIED reelected president in first round - Kais SAIED (independent) 90.7%, Ayachi ZAMMEL (Long Live Tunisia) 7.3%, Zouhair MAGHZAOUI (People's Movement) 2% 2019: Kais SAIED elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Kais SAIED (independent) 18.4%, Nabil KAROUI (Heart of Tunisia) 15.6%, Abdelfattah MOUROU (Nahda Movement) 12.9%, Abdelkrim ZBIDI (independent) 10.7%, Youssef CHAHED (Long Live Tunisia) 7.4%, Safi SAID (independent) 7.1%, Lotfi MRAIHI (Republican People's Union) 6.6%, other 21.3%; percent of vote in second round - Kais SAIED 72.7%, Nabil KAROUI 27.3% expected date of next election: 2029 note: the president can dismiss any member of government on his own initiative or in consultation with the prime minister **Legislative branch:** legislative structure: bicameral note: in 2022, President SAIED issued a new electoral law that requires all legislative candidates to run as independents **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Assembly of People's Representatives (Majlis Nawwab ash-Sha'ab) number of seats: 161 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 12/17/2022 to 1/29/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 15.8% expected date of next election: December 2027 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: National Council of Regions and Districts number of seats: 77 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 4/19/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 13% expected date of next election: April 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Cassation (consists of the first president, chamber presidents, and magistrates; organized into 27 civil and 11 criminal chambers) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Supreme Judicial Council, an independent 4-part body consisting mainly of elected judges and the remainder legal specialists; judge tenure based on terms of appointment; Constitutional Court (established in the 2014 and 2022 constitutions, but never implemented) subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; administrative courts; Court of Audit; Housing Court; courts of first instance; lower district courts; military courts note: the Tunisian constitution of January 2014 called for the establishment of a constitutional court by the end of 2015, but the court was never formed; the new constitution of July 2022 calls for the establishment of a constitutional court consisting of 9 members appointed by presidential decree; members to include former senior judges of other courts **Political parties:** Afek Tounes Al Badil Al-Tounisi (The Tunisian Alternative) Al-Amal Party Call for Tunisia Party (Nidaa Tounes) Current of Love (formerly the Popular Petition party) Democratic Current Democratic Patriots' Unified Party Dignity Coalition or Al Karama Coalition Ennahda Movement (The Renaissance) Ettakatol Party Free Destourian Party or PDL Green Tunisia Party Harakat Hak Heart of Tunisia (Qalb Tounes) July 25 Movement Labor and Achievement Party Long Live Tunisia (Tahya Tounes) Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS National Coalition Party National Salvation Front New Carthage Party Party of the Democratic Arab Vanguard People's Movement Republican Party (Al Joumhouri) The Movement Party (Hizb Harak) Third Republic Party Tunisian Ba'ath Movement Voice of the Republic Workers' Party note: President SAIED in 2022 issued a decree that forbids political parties' participation in legislative elections; although parties remain a facet of Tunisian political life, they have lost significant influence **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Anis HAJRI (since 1 August 2025) chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858 email address and website: AT.Washington@Tunisiaembassy.org https://www.tunisianembassy.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Bill BAZZI (since 21 November 2025) embassy: Les Berges du Lac, 1053 Tunis mailing address: 6360 Tunis Place, Washington DC 20521-6360 telephone: [216] 71-107-000 FAX: [216] 71-107-090 email address and website: tuniswebsitecontact@state.gov https://tn.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AIIB, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CD, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 20 March 1956 (from France) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 20 March (1956); Revolution and Youth Day, 14 January (2011) **Flag:** description: red with a white disk in the center that displays a red crescent around a five-pointed red star meaning: red stands for martyrs' blood shed the fight against oppression, and white for peace; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam history: resembles the Ottoman flag (red banner with white crescent and star), a reference to Tunisia's history as part of the Ottoman Empire **National symbol(s):** red crescent moon and five-pointed star in a white circle **National color(s):** red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Humat Al Hima" (Defenders of the Homeland) lyrics/music: Mustafa Sadik AL-RAFII and Aboul-Qacem ECHEBBI/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB history: adopted 1957, replaced 1958, restored 1987; Mohamad Abdel WAHAB also composed the music for the anthem of the United Arab Emirates **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 9 (8 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Amphitheatre of El Jem (c); Archaeological Site of Carthage (c); Medina of Tunis (c); Ichkeul National Park (n); Punic Town of Kerkuane (c); Kairouan (c); Medina of Sousse (c); Dougga / Thugga (c); Djerba: Testimony to a settlement pattern in an island territory (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower middle-income North African economy; drafting reforms for foreign lenders; high unemployment, especially for youth and women; hit hard by COVID-19; high public sector wages; high public debt; protectionist austerity measures; key EU trade partner **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $156.086 billion (2024 est.) $154.006 billion (2023 est.) $153.945 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.4% (2024 est.) 0% (2023 est.) 2.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $12,700 (2024 est.) $12,600 (2023 est.) $12,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $53.41 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 7.2% (2024 est.) 9.3% (2023 est.) 8.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 9.3% (2023 est.) industry: 23.6% (2023 est.) services: 62.1% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 76.2% (2024 est.) government consumption: 18.6% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 13.4% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 48.4% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -56.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, tomatoes, olives, onions, chillies/peppers, watermelons, potatoes, wheat, dates, oranges (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate, iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages **Industrial production growth rate:** -2.5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 4.247 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 16.3% (2024 est.) 15.2% (2023 est.) 15.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 40.1% (2024 est.) male: 41.1% (2024 est.) female: 37.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 16.6% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 33.7 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 22.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3.1% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 27% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 6% of GDP (2023 est.) 6.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 6.3% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $10.866 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $12.375 billion (2019 est.) **Current account balance:** -$1.111 billion (2023 est.) -$3.969 billion (2022 est.) -$2.77 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $19.732 billion (2023 est.) $17.254 billion (2022 est.) $14.054 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** France 22%, Italy 17%, Germany 13%, USA 4%, Libya 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** garments, insulated wire, olive oil, refined petroleum, crude petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $21.953 billion (2023 est.) $22.453 billion (2022 est.) $18.178 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Italy 13%, France 12%, China 10%, Russia 8%, Germany 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, natural gas, plastic products, cars, plastics (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $9.344 billion (2024 est.) $9.24 billion (2023 est.) $8.094 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $21.212 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 3.107 (2024 est.) 3.106 (2023 est.) 3.104 (2022 est.) 2.794 (2021 est.) 2.812 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 99.7% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 6.639 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 19.153 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 80 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 2.576 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 4.629 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 96.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 1.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 2,000 metric tons (2022 est.) exports: 28 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 3,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 35,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 104,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 425 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 1.313 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 5.131 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 3.887 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 65.129 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 33.754 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.863 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 14.4 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 118 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 2 state-owned TV stations; 10 private local TV stations; satellite TV service available; state-owned radio network with 2 stations; several dozen private radio stations and community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters available (2019) **Internet country code:** .tn **Internet users:** percent of population: 72% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.73 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** TS **Airports:** 14 (2025) **Heliports:** 11 (2025) **Railways:** total: 2,173 km (2014) (1,991 in use) standard gauge: 471 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,694 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) dual gauge: 8 km (2014) 1.435-1.000-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 72 (2023) by type: container ship 1, general cargo 8, oil tanker 1, other 62 **Ports:** total ports: 16 (2024) large: 0 medium: 3 small: 7 very small: 6 ports with oil terminals: 10 key ports: Ashtart Oil Terminal, Banzart, Didon Terminal, Gabes, La Goulette, Menzel Bourguiba, Mersa Sfax, Sousse, Tazerka Oil Terminal, Tunis ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Tunisian Armed Forces (Forces Armées Tunisiennes, FAT): Tunisian Army (includes Air Defense Force), Tunisian Navy, Tunisia Air Force Ministry of Interior (MoI): Internal Security Forces (National Police, National Guard) (2025) note: the National Police has primary responsibility for law enforcement in the major cities, while the National Guard (gendarmerie) oversees border security and patrols smaller towns and rural areas **Military expenditures:** 2.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 3% of GDP (2021 est.) 3% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 35,000 active-duty Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Tunisian military's inventory consists mostly of older or secondhand equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Austria, France, Italy, Türkiye, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary service for men and women; men 20-35 years of age subject to 12 months of compulsory national service (2025) note: compulsory national service may be in the Armed Forces or other government ministries as needed **Military deployments:** 840 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025) **Military - note:** the Tunisian Armed Forces (FAT) are responsible for territorial defense and internal security; operational areas of focus include counterterrorism and assisting with securing the border regions, particularly along the frontiers with Algerian and Libya the FAT conducts bilateral and multinational training exercises with a variety of countries, including Algeria and other North African and Middle Eastern countries, France, and the US, as well as NATO; it also participates in UN peacekeeping operations; Tunisia has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) network in Tunisia (known locally as Ajnad al-Khilafah or the Army of the Caliphate); al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 12,575 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Tunisia was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/tunisia --- ## Turkey **Slug:** turkey **Region:** Middle East **Codes:** cek: tu --- ## Turkmenistan **Slug:** turkmenistan **Region:** Central Asia **Flag:** 🇹🇲 **Codes:** cek: tx, iso2: TM, iso3: TKM, iso_num: 795, genc: TKM, stanag: TKM, internet: .tm ### Introduction **Background:** Present-day Turkmenistan has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. Various Persian empires ruled the area in antiquity, and Alexander the Great, Muslim armies, the Mongols, Turkic warriors, and eventually the Russians conquered it. In medieval times, Merv (located in present-day Mary province) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia in the late 1800s, Turkmen territories later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik resistance in Central Asia. In 1924, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic; it achieved independence when the USSR dissolved in 1991. President for Life Saparmurat NIYAZOV died in 2006, and Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV, a deputy chairman under NIYAZOW, emerged as the country's new president. BERDIMUHAMEDOV won Turkmenistan's first multi-candidate presidential election in 2007, and again in 2012 and 2017 with over 97% of the vote in elections widely regarded as undemocratic. In 2022, BERDIMUHAMEDOV announced that he would step down from the presidency and called for an election to replace him. His son, Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV, won the ensuing election with 73% of the vote. Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV, although no longer head of state, maintains an influential political position as head of the Halk Maslahaty (People’s Council) and as National Leader of the Turkmen People, a title that provides additional privileges and immunity for him and his family. Since Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV stepped down from the presidency, state-controlled media upgraded his honorific from Arkadag (protector) to Hero-Arkadag, and began referring to Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV as Arkadagly Serdar, which can be translated as "Serdar who has a protector to support him." Turkmenistan has sought new export markets for its extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves, which have yet to be fully exploited. Turkmenistan's reliance on gas exports has made the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in the global energy market, and economic hardships since the drop in energy prices in 2014 have led many citizens of Turkmenistan to emigrate, mostly to Turkey. ### Geography **Location:** Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan **Geographic coordinates:** 40 00 N, 60 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 488,100 sq km land: 469,930 sq km water: 18,170 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly more than three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California **Land boundaries:** total: 4,158 km border countries (4): Afghanistan 804 km; Iran 1,148 km; Kazakhstan 413 km; Uzbekistan 1,793 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) note: Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** subtropical desert **Terrain:** flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west **Elevation:** highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya (Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya, the lake has dropped as low as -110 m) -81 m mean elevation: 230 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt **Land use:** agricultural land: 84.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 80.8% (2023 est.) forest: 5% (2023 est.) other: 10.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 16,459 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Amu Darya (shared with Tajikistan [s], Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan [m]) - 2,620 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km) **Population distribution:** the most densely populated areas are the southern, eastern, and northeastern oases; approximately 50% of the population lives in and around the capital of Ashgabat **Natural hazards:** earthquakes; mudslides; droughts; dust storms; floods **Geography - note:** landlocked; the western and central low-lying desolate portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau ### People and Society **Population:** total: 5,795,896 (2025 est.) male: 2,867,835 female: 2,928,061 **Nationality:** noun: Turkmenistani(s) adjective: Turkmenistani **Ethnic groups:** Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003 est.) **Languages:** Turkmen (official) 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7% major-language sample(s): Dünýä Faktlar Kitaby – esasy maglumatlaryň wajyp çeşmesidir (Turkmen) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 93%, Christian 6.4%, Buddhist <1%, folk religion <1%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, unspecified <1% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 24.5% (male 711,784/female 692,967) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 1,956,740/female 1,984,333) 65 years and over: 6.9% (2024 est.) (male 174,346/female 223,981) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 46.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 35.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 10.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 9.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 31.6 years (2025 est.) male: 30.7 years female: 31.7 years **Population growth rate:** 0.88% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 16.43 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the most densely populated areas are the southern, eastern, and northeastern oases; approximately 50% of the population lives in and around the capital of Ashgabat **Urbanization:** urban population: 54% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 902,000 ASHGABAT (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 24.2 years (2019) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 5 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 35 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 43.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 72.4 years (2024 est.) male: 69.4 years female: 75.5 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.02 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.99 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.6% of GDP (2021) 8.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.93 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 18.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 4.8% (2025 est.) male: 9.4% (2025 est.) female: 0.5% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 3.1% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 65% (2019 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.2% (2019) women married by age 18: 6.1% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 2.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 29.6% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 99.9% (2022 est.) male: 99.9% (2022 est.) female: 99.9% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2023 est.) male: 12 years (2022 est.) female: 12 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** soil and groundwater pollution from agricultural chemicals and pesticides; salination, waterlogging of soil due to poor irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; river diversion for irrigation; soil erosion; desertification **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** subtropical desert **Land use:** agricultural land: 84.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 3.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 80.8% (2023 est.) forest: 5% (2023 est.) other: 10.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 54% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 106.215 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 100 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 18.062 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 88.153 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 28.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 5,451.4 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 294.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 44.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 1.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 500,000 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 453.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 806.765 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 16.12 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 24.765 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turkmenistan local long form: none local short form: Turkmenistan former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the suffix -stan means "land," so the country name means the "Land of the Turkmen [people];" the people's name means "Turk-like," from the Persian words tork and mandan, referring to their formerly nomadic lifestyle that differed from the settled Turks of Turkey **Government type:** presidential republic; authoritarian **Capital:** name: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad) geographic coordinates: 37 57 N, 58 23 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: derived from the Turkmen words ushq, meaning "love," and abad, meaning "inhabited place" or "town;" the city was originally a military outpost built in 1881 that took its name from an ancient settlement on the site **Administrative divisions:** 5 provinces (velayatlar, singular - velayat) and 1 independent city*: Ahal Velayat (Arkadag), Ashgabat*, Balkan Velayat (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Velayat, Lebap Velayat (Turkmenabat), Mary Velayat note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; exceptions show the administrative center name in parentheses **Legal system:** civil law system with Islamic (sharia) law influences **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 14 September 2016 amendment process: proposed by the Assembly or Mejlis; passage requires two-thirds majority vote or absolute majority approval in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Turkmenistan dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV (since 19 March 2022) head of government: President Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV (since 19 March 2022) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 7-year term (no term limits) most recent election date: 12 March 2022 election results: 2022: Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV elected president; percent of vote - Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV (DPT) 73%, Khydyr NUNNAYEV (independent) 11.1%, Agadzhan BEKMYRADOV (IAP) 7.2%, other 8.7% 2017: Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV (DPT) 97.7%, other 2.3% expected date of next election: 2029 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Assembly (Mejlis) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 56 (48 indirectly elected; 8 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/28/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (DPT) (65); Groups of citizens of Turkmenistan (28); Agrarian Party (24); Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (8) percentage of women in chamber: 25.5% expected date of next election: March 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Turkmenistan (consists of the court president and 21 associate judges and organized into civil, criminal, and military chambers) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president for 5-year terms subordinate courts: High Commercial Court; appellate courts; provincial, district, and city courts; military courts **Political parties:** Agrarian Party of Turkmenistan or TAP Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan or TSTP The Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or TDP note: all parties support President BERDIMUHAMEDOV; unofficial, small opposition movements exist abroad **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Meret ORAZOV (since 14 February 2001) chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 588-1500 email address and website: turkmenembassyus@verizon.net https://usa.tmembassy.gov.tm/en **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth ROOD (since 31 July 2024) embassy: 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat 744000 mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 20521-7070 telephone: [993] (12) 94-00-45 FAX: [993] (12) 94-26-14 email address and website: ConsularAshgab@state.gov https://tm.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, CIS (associate member, has not ratified the 1993 CIS charter although it participates in meetings and held the chairmanship of the CIS in 2012), EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO **Independence:** 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 27 October (1991) **Flag:** description: green field with a vertical red stripe near the left side; the stripe has five tribal guls (designs used in producing carpets) stacked above two crossed olive branches; five five-pointed white stars and a white crescent moon appear in the upper left corner of the main field meaning: the green color and crescent moon stand for Islam, the five stars for the country's regions, and the guls for national identity **National symbol(s):** Akhal-Teke horse **National color(s):** green, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Garaşsyz, Bitarap Türkmenistanyň" (Independent, Neutral, Turkmenistan State Anthem) lyrics/music: collective/Veli MUKHATOV history: adopted 1997; lyrics revised in 2008 to eliminate references to deceased President Saparmurat NYYAZOW **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 5 (4 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Ancient Merv (c); Kunya-Urgench (c); Parthian Fortresses of Nisa (c); Cold Winter Deserts of Turan (n); Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper-middle-income Central Asian economy; houses fourth-largest natural gas reserves and rich in natural resources; authoritarian and dominated by state-owned enterprises; challenges include overvalued currency, high inflation risks, lack of economic diversification due to heavy state control and bureaucracy **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $134.555 billion (2024 est.) $131.576 billion (2023 est.) $123.778 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.3% (2024 est.) 6.3% (2023 est.) 6.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $18,000 (2024 est.) $17,900 (2023 est.) $17,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $64.24 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 11.5% (2022 est.) 19.5% (2021 est.) 6.1% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 11.3% (2023 est.) industry: 39.3% (2023 est.) services: 49.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** milk, wheat, potatoes, cotton, watermelons, tomatoes, grapes, barley, beef, lamb/mutton (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing **Labor force:** 2.445 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.4% (2024 est.) 4.1% (2023 est.) 4.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 9.6% (2024 est.) male: 14.7% (2024 est.) female: 6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Average household expenditures:** on food: 36.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $5.954 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $6.134 billion (2019 est.) **Exports:** $13.111 billion (2023 est.) $14.67 billion (2022 est.) $10.282 billion (2021 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 63%, Turkey 11%, Greece 7%, Uzbekistan 6%, Azerbaijan 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** natural gas, refined petroleum, fertilizers, crude petroleum, electricity (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $7.563 billion (2023 est.) $7.362 billion (2022 est.) $6.25 billion (2021 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Turkey 21%, UAE 21%, China 20%, Kazakhstan 8%, Germany 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** broadcasting equipment, cars, wheat, computers, iron pipes (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Debt - external:** $3.696 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Turkmenistani manat (TMM) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 4.125 (2017 est.) 3.5 (2016 est.) 3.5 (2015 est.) 3.5 (2014 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 6.512 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 21.526 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 9 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.258 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** imports: 200 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 799.999 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 272,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 152,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 600 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 84.277 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 44.936 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 41.334 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 11.327 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 261.142 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 802,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 6.25 million (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 88 (2021 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-controlled broadcast media; 7 state-owned TV and 4 state-owned radio networks; satellite dishes available for other broadcasts; officials sometimes limit access to satellite TV by removing satellite dishes **Internet country code:** .tm **Internet users:** percent of population: 21% (2017 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 377,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** EZ **Airports:** 23 (2025) **Heliports:** 25 (2025) **Railways:** total: 5,113 km (2017) broad gauge: 5,113 km (2017) 1.520-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 73 (2023) by type: general cargo 6, oil tanker 8, other 59 ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of Turkmenistan (aka Turkmen National Army): Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Troops, Turkmen (National) Police, Federal/State Border Guard Service (2025) **Military expenditures:** 1.9% of GDP (2019 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2018 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2017 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2016 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2015 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 35,000 active Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory is comprised largely of Russian/Soviet-era armaments with smaller quantities from suppliers such as Brazil, China, Italy, and Türkiye (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-27 years of age for compulsory military service for men and volunteer service for men and women; 24-month conscript service obligation (2025) **Military - note:** the military is responsible for external defense and works closely with the Border Service on protecting the country’s borders; areas of emphasis for the military include border security, competition on the Caspian Sea, regional stability, and military modernization; while Turkmenistan has a policy of permanent and "positive" neutrality and has declined to participate in post-Soviet military groupings such as the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, it has participated in multinational exercises and bilateral training with neighboring countries, including Russia and Uzbekistan; Turkmenistan joined NATO's Partnership for Peace program in 1994, but it does not offer any military forces to NATO-led operations (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Turkmenistan National Space Agency (established 2011; transferred to the Space Department of the Ministry of Communications in 2019) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a small space program focused on acquiring satellites and developing the infrastructure to build and operate satellites; particularly interested in communications and remote sensing satellites; has cooperated with the space agencies and/or space industries of France, Italy, Russia, South Korea, and the US (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2015 - first commercial telecommunications satellite (Turkmen Sat 52E) built by European company and launched by US 2024 - announced beginning of program to develop or acquire a second communications satellite ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 3,409 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Turkmenistan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so, therefore Turkmenistan was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/turkmenistan/ --- ## Turks and Caicos Islands **Slug:** turks-and-caicos-islands **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇹🇨 **Codes:** cek: tk, iso2: TC, iso3: TCA, iso_num: 796, genc: TCA, stanag: TCA, internet: .tc ### Introduction **Background:** The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate Crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed, and the islands remain a British overseas territory. Grand Turk Island suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017. ### Geography **Location:** two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti; note - although the Turks and Caicos Islands do not border the Caribbean Sea, geopolitically they are often designated as being Caribbean **Geographic coordinates:** 21 45 N, 71 35 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 948 sq km land: 948 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** 2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 389 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry **Terrain:** low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps **Elevation:** highest point: Blue Hill on Providenciales and Flamingo Hill on East Caicos 48 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** spiny lobster, conch **Land use:** agricultural land: 1.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 11.1% (2023 est.) other: 87.9% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** eight of the thirty islands are inhabited; the island of Providenciales is the most populated, but the most densely populated is Grand Turk **Natural hazards:** frequent hurricanes **Geography - note:** include eight large islands and numerous smaller cays, islets, and reefs; only two of the Caicos Islands and six of the Turks group are inhabited ### People and Society **Population:** total: 61,504 (2025 est.) male: 30,911 female: 30,593 **Nationality:** noun: none adjective: none **Ethnic groups:** Black 87.6%, White 7.9%, mixed 2.5%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.7% (2006 est.) **Languages:** English (official) **Religions:** Protestant 72.8% (Baptist 35.8%, Church of God 11.7%, Anglican 10%, Methodist 9.3%, Seventh Day Adventist 6%), Roman Catholic 11.4%, Jehovah's Witness 1.8%, other 14% (2006 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 20.4% (male 6,288/female 6,056) 15-64 years: 73.2% (male 22,232/female 22,011) 65 years and over: 6.4% (2024 est.) (male 1,869/female 1,983) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 36.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 27.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 9.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 10.8 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 36.6 years (2025 est.) male: 36.5 years female: 36.1 years **Population growth rate:** 1.73% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 12.73 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 3.59 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 8.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** eight of the thirty islands are inhabited; the island of Providenciales is the most populated, but the most densely populated is Grand Turk **Urbanization:** urban population: 94.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 5,000 GRAND TURK (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 13.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 81.3 years (2024 est.) male: 78.5 years female: 84.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.7 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.83 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 91.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 8.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.2% of population (2022 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 98.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 97.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.7% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 2.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.3% of population (2022 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 0.4% (2020 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 59.3% (2020 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0% (2020) women married by age 18: 23.3% (2020) men married by age 18: 5.1% (2020) **Education expenditure:** 2.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 9.8% national budget (2025 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 14 years (2023 est.) **People - note:** destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Bahamas and the US ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited natural freshwater resources **Climate:** tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry **Land use:** agricultural land: 1.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 11.1% (2023 est.) other: 87.9% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 94.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 447,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 447,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands abbreviation: TCA etymology: the Turks Islands are named after the Turk's cap cactus, which is native to the islands and appears on the flag and coat of arms; the name Caicos may derive from caya hico, a phrase meaning “string of islands” in the Lucayan (Arawak) language, or from the Spanish word cayo, meaning "rock" **Government type:** parliamentary democracy **Dependency status:** overseas territory of the UK **Capital:** name: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town) geographic coordinates: 21 28 N, 71 08 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November etymology: named after Sir Francis COCKBURN, who served as governor of the Bahamas from 1837 to 1844 **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law and civil law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest signed 7 August 2012, effective 15 October 2012 (The Turks and Caicos Constitution Order 2011) **Citizenship:** see United Kingdom **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Dileeni Daniel-SELVARATNAM (since 29 June 2023) head of government: Premier Washington MISICK (since 19 February 2021) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor from among members of the House of Assembly election/appointment process: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor appoints the leader of the majority party as the premier **Legislative branch:** legislature name: House of Assembly legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 21 (directly elected or appointed) electoral system: mixed scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 2/07/2025 parties elected and seats per party: PNP (16); PDM (2); independents (1) percentage of women in chamber: 27.3% expected date of next election: 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and other judges, as determined by the governor); Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 2 justices) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Appeals Court judges appointed by the governor in accordance with the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body of high-level judicial officials; Supreme Court judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 65, but terms can be extended to age 70; Appeals Court judge tenure determined by individual terms of appointment subordinate courts: magistrates' courts note: appeals beyond the Supreme Court are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) **Political parties:** People's Democratic Movement or PDM Progressive National Party or PNP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK) **International organization participation:** Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU **Independence:** none (overseas territory of the UK) **Flag:** description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the right half of the flag; the shield is yellow and displays a conch shell, a spiny lobster, and Turk's cap cactus **National symbol(s):** conch shell, Turk's cap cactus **National anthem(s):** title: "This Land of Ours" lyrics/music: Conrad HOWELL history: serves as a local anthem _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as a UK overseas territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** British Caribbean island territorial economy; GDP and its tourism industry hit hard by COVID-19 disruptions; major biodiversity locale; US dollar user; fossil fuel dependent; negative trade balance; increasing unemployment **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.554 billion (2024 est.) $1.471 billion (2023 est.) $1.293 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 5.6% (2024 est.) 13.7% (2023 est.) 14.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $33,400 (2024 est.) $31,800 (2023 est.) $28,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.745 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 8.5% (2022 est.) 5% (2021 est.) 2.3% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.4% (2024 est.) industry: 9.3% (2024 est.) services: 72.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** corn, beans, cassava (manioc, tapioca), citrus fruits; fish **Industries:** tourism, offshore financial services **Industrial production growth rate:** 9% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $247.3 million (2017 est.) expenditures: $224.3 million (2017 est.) **Current account balance:** $172.709 million (2018 est.) $35.016 million (2017 est.) $247.081 million (2016 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $826.824 million (2018 est.) $602.581 million (2017 est.) $741.173 million (2016 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Gabon 27%, USA 25%, Zimbabwe 17%, Czechia 8%, UAE 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** plastics, shellfish, carbonates, tobacco, garments (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $544.219 million (2018 est.) $484.842 million (2017 est.) $438.041 million (2016 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** USA 73%, Dominican Republic 4%, Italy 3%, Japan 3%, China 2% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, aluminum structures, furniture, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** the US dollar is used ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 99.9% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 100% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 94,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 252.088 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 12.912 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 98.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 4,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 25,100 (2004 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2004 est.) **Broadcast media:** no local terrestrial TV stations; broadcasts from the Bahamas, multi-channel cable, and satellite TV available; state-run radio network operates alongside private broadcasters, with a total of about 15 stations **Internet country code:** .tc **Internet users:** percent of population: 93.5% (2022) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** VQ-T **Airports:** 9 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 3 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, other 2 **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 2 size unknown: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Cockburn Harbor, Grand Turk, Providenciales ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the UK ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 8 (2024 est.) --- ## Tuvalu **Slug:** tuvalu **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇹🇻 **Codes:** cek: tv, iso2: TV, iso3: TUV, iso_num: 798, genc: TUV, stanag: TUV, internet: .tv ### Introduction **Background:** Voyagers from either Samoa or Tonga first populated Tuvalu in the first millennium A.D., and the islands provided a stepping-stone for various Polynesian communities that subsequently settled in Melanesia and Micronesia. Tuvalu eventually came under Samoan and Tongan spheres of influence, although proximity to Micronesia allowed some Micronesian communities to flourish in Tuvalu, in particular on Nui Atoll. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, a series of American, British, Dutch, and Russian ships visited the islands, which were named the Ellice Islands in 1819. The UK declared a protectorate over islands in 1892 and merged them with the Micronesian Gilbert Islands. The Gilbert and Ellice Islands Protectorate became a colony in 1916. During World War II, the US set up military bases on a few islands, and in 1943, after Japan captured many of the northern Gilbert Islands, the UK transferred administration of the colony southward to Funafuti. After the war, Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands was once again made the colony’s capital, and the center of power was firmly in the Gilbert Islands, including the colony’s only secondary school. Amid growing tensions with the Gilbertese, Tuvaluans voted to secede from the colony in 1974, were granted self-rule in 1975, and gained independence in 1978 as Tuvalu. In 1979, the US relinquished its claims to the Tuvaluan islands in a treaty of friendship. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way from Hawaii to Australia **Geographic coordinates:** 8 00 S, 178 00 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 26 sq km land: 26 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 24 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March) **Terrain:** low-lying and narrow coral atolls **Elevation:** highest point: unnamed location 5 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 2 m **Natural resources:** fish, coconut (copra) **Land use:** agricultural land: 60% (2023 est.) arable land: 0% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 60% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 34.3% (2023 est.) other: 5.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** over half of the population resides on the atoll of Funafuti **Natural hazards:** severe tropical storms are usually rare, but in 1997 there were three cyclones; low levels of islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level **Geography - note:** one of the smallest and most remote countries on earth; six of the nine coral atolls -- Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and Nukulaelae -- have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon ### People and Society **Population:** total: 11,824 (2025 est.) male: 5,865 female: 5,959 **Nationality:** noun: Tuvaluan(s) adjective: Tuvaluan **Ethnic groups:** Tuvaluan 97%, Tuvaluan/I-Kiribati 1.6%, Tuvaluan/other 0.8%, other 0.6% (2017 est.) **Languages:** Tuvaluan (official), English (official), Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui) **Religions:** Protestant 92.7% (Congregational Christian Church of Tuvalu 85.9%, Brethren 2.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.5%, Assemblies of God 1.5%), Baha'i 1.5%, Jehovah's Witness 1.5%, other 3.9%, none or refused 0.4% (2017 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 29.2% (male 1,754/female 1,672) 15-64 years: 63.2% (male 3,736/female 3,675) 65 years and over: 7.6% (2024 est.) (male 326/female 570) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 59 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 46.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 12.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 7.9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 28.1 years (2025 est.) male: 26.8 years female: 28.8 years **Population growth rate:** 0.75% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 21.57 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 7.78 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -6.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** over half of the population resides on the atoll of Funafuti **Urbanization:** urban population: 66.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.08% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 7,000 FUNAFUTI (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 170 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 27.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 31.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 24 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 69 years (2024 est.) male: 66.5 years female: 71.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.76 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.34 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 20% of GDP (2021) 11.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.35 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 96.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 93.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 95.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 3.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 6.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 4.2% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 51.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 32.4% (2025 est.) male: 46.2% (2025 est.) female: 18.1% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.9% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 64.2% (2020 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0% (2020) women married by age 18: 1.8% (2020) men married by age 18: 1.7% (2020) **Education expenditure:** 12.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 16.8% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 100% (2022 est.) male: 100% (2022 est.) female: 100% (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited freshwater resources; beach erosion; deforestation; damage to coral reefs; rising sea levels **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March) **Land use:** agricultural land: 60% (2023 est.) arable land: 0% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 60% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 34.3% (2023 est.) other: 5.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 66.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.08% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 6.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 4,000 tons (2024 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tuvalu local long form: none local short form: Tuvalu former: Ellice Islands etymology: the name in the local language means "group of eight" or "eight standing together," referring to eight of the country's nine islands; the remaining island, Nui, was left out of the original grouping because its inhabitants spoke a different language; the former name was given in honor of Canadian shipping company owner Alexander Ellice, who owned a ship that visited the islands in 1819 **Government type:** parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm **Capital:** name: Funafuti geographic coordinates: 8 31 S, 179 13 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the town has the same name as the island it is located on; the name may either come from the Polynesian word futi (banana) or the name Futi, one of the wives of a local ruler, with the word funa added as a feminine prefix note: the capital is an atoll of 29 islets; administrative offices are in Vaiaku Village on Fongafale Islet **Administrative divisions:** 7 island councils and 1 town council*; Funafuti*, Nanumaga, Nanumea, Niutao, Nui, Nukufetau, Nukulaelae, Vaitupu **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law and local customary law **Constitution:** history: previous 1978 (at independence); latest effective 1 October 1986 amendment process: proposed by the House of Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership in the final reading **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes; for a child born abroad, at least one parent must be a citizen of Tuvalu dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: na **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Tofiga Vaevalu FALANI (since 29 August 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Feleti Penitala TEO (since 27 February 2024) cabinet: Cabinet members selected by the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the prime minister and the parliament; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from members of House of Assembly following parliamentary elections election results: 2024: TEO was the only candidate nominated by the House of Assembly 2019: Kausea NATANO elected prime minister by House of Assembly; House of Assembly vote - 10 to 6 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Palamene) legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: Parliament of Tuvalu (Palamene o Tuvalu) number of seats: 16 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 1/26/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 0% expected date of next election: January 2028 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and not less than 3 appeals judges); High Court (consists of the chief justice); appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the Cabinet; judge tenure based on terms of appointment; High Court chief justice appointed by the governor general on the advice of the Cabinet; chief justice serves for life; other judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the Cabinet after consultation with chief justice; judge tenure set by terms of appointment subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; island courts; land courts **Political parties:** note: no political parties, but members of parliament usually align in informal groupings **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Tapugao FALEFOU (since 19 April 2023); note - also Permanent Representative to UN chancery: 685 Third Avenue, Suite 1104, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534 FAX: [1] (212) 808-4975 email address and website: tuvalumission.un@gmail.com tuvalu.unmission@gov.tv https://www.un.int/tuvalu/about note: the Tuvalu Permanent Mission to the UN serves as the Embassy **Diplomatic representation from the US:** embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu **International organization participation:** ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, IBRD, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO **Independence:** 1 October 1978 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 1 October (1978) **Flag:** description: light blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant; the right half of the flag has nine five-pointed yellow stars meaning: the stars represent a map of the country, with each symbolizing an atoll in the ocean **National symbol(s):** maneapa (native meeting house) **National color(s):** light blue, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Tuvalu mo te Atua" (Tuvalu for the Almighty) lyrics/music: Afaese MANOA history: adopted 1978; the anthem's name is also the nation's motto title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: used since 1745 ### Economy **Economic overview:** upper middle-income Pacific island economy; extremely environmentally fragile; currency pegged to Australian dollar; large international aid recipient; subsistence agrarian sector; Te Kakeega sustainable development; domain name licensing incomes **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $57.055 million (2023 est.) $54.938 million (2022 est.) $54.568 million (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.9% (2023 est.) 0.7% (2022 est.) 1.8% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $5,800 (2023 est.) $5,500 (2022 est.) $5,400 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $62.28 million (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 11.5% (2022 est.) 6.2% (2021 est.) 1.9% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 15.9% (2015 est.) industry: 7% (2015 est.) services: 70% (2012 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** coconuts, vegetables, tropical fruits, bananas, root vegetables, pork, chicken, eggs, pork fat, pork offal (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** fishing **Remittances:** 4.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 4.9% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $87 million (2019 est.) expenditures: $88 million (2019 est.) note: revenue data include Official Development Assistance from Australia **Current account balance:** $2.713 million (2022 est.) $14.533 million (2021 est.) $8.46 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $2.232 million (2022 est.) $2.745 million (2021 est.) $3.089 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Thailand 88%, Japan 6%, Philippines 3%, Ireland 1%, USA 1% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fish (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports:** $57.388 million (2022 est.) $63.962 million (2021 est.) $56.947 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 42%, Fiji 24%, Japan 11%, Australia 11%, NZ 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** ships, refined petroleum, iron structures, fish, hand tools (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Exchange rates:** Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.515 (2024 est.) 1.505 (2023 est.) 1.442 (2022 est.) 1.331 (2021 est.) 1.453 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 99.1% ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 2,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 9,880 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 99 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** no TV stations; many households use satellite dishes to watch foreign TV; 1 state-owned radio station, Radio Tuvalu, includes relays from international broadcasters (2019) **Internet country code:** .tv **Internet users:** percent of population: 74% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 0 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** T2 **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 270 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 21, container ship 3, general cargo 29, oil tanker 19, other 198 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Funafuti Atoll ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; Tuvalu Police Force **Military - note:** as part of the Falepili Union treaty between Australia and Tuvalu, which entered into force in August 2024, Australia committed to assist Tuvalu in response to a major natural disaster, health pandemic, or military aggression; Tuvalu pledged to mutually agree with Australia any partnership, arrangement, or engagement with any other State or entity on security and defense-related matters in Tuvalu Tuvalu has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Tuvalu's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025) --- ## Uganda **Slug:** uganda **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇺🇬 **Codes:** cek: ug, iso2: UG, iso3: UGA, iso_num: 800, genc: UGA, stanag: UGA, internet: .ug ### Introduction **Background:** An ancient crossroads for various migrations, Uganda has as many as 65 ethnic groups that speak languages from three of Africa’s four major linguistic families. As early as 1200, fertile soils and regular rainfall in the south fostered the formation of several large, centralized kingdoms, including Buganda, from which the country derives its name. Muslim traders from Egypt reached northern Uganda in the 1820s, and Swahili merchants from the Indian Ocean coast arrived in the south by the 1840s. The area attracted the attention of British explorers seeking the source of the Nile River in the 1860s, and this influence expanded in subsequent decades with the arrival of Christian missionaries and trade agreements; Uganda was declared a British protectorate in 1894. Buganda and other southern kingdoms negotiated agreements with Britain to secure privileges and a level of autonomy that were rare during the colonial period in Africa. Uganda's colonial boundaries grouped together a wide range of ethnic groups with different political systems and cultures, and the disparities between how Britain governed southern and northern areas compounded these differences, complicating efforts to establish a cohesive independent country. Uganda gained independence in 1962 with one of the more developed economies and one of the strongest education systems in Sub-Saharan Africa, but it descended within a few years into political turmoil and internal conflict that lasted more than two decades. In 1966, Prime Minister Milton OBOTE suspended the constitution and violently deposed President Edward MUTESA, who was also the king of Buganda. Idi AMIN seized power in 1971 through a military coup and led the country into economic ruin and rampant mass atrocities that killed as many as 500,000 civilians. AMIN’s annexation of Tanzanian territory in 1979 provoked Tanzania to invade Uganda, depose AMIN, and install a coalition government. In the aftermath, Uganda continued to experience atrocities, looting, and political instability and had four different heads of state between 1979 and 1980. OBOTE regained the presidency in 1980 through a controversial election that sparked renewed guerrilla warfare, killing as an estimated 300,000 civilians. Gen. Tito OKELLO seized power in a coup in 1985, but his rule was short-lived, with Yoweri MUSEVENI becoming president in 1986 after his insurgency captured the capital. MUSEVENI is widely credited with restoring relative stability and economic growth to Uganda but has resisted calls to leave office. In 2017, parliament removed presidential age limits, making it possible for MUSEVENI to remain in office for life. ### Geography **Location:** East-Central Africa, west of Kenya, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo **Geographic coordinates:** 1 00 N, 32 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 241,038 sq km land: 197,100 sq km water: 43,938 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly more than two times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oregon **Land boundaries:** total: 2,729 km border countries (5): Democratic Republic of the Congo 877 km; Kenya 814 km; Rwanda 172 km; South Sudan 475 km; Tanzania 391 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast **Terrain:** mostly plateau with rim of mountains **Elevation:** highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m lowest point: Albert Nile 614 m **Natural resources:** copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land, gold **Land use:** agricultural land: 71.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 34.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 26.5% (2023 est.) forest: 12.1% (2023 est.) other: 16% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 105 sq km (2013) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Victoria (shared with Tanzania and Kenya) - 62,940 sq km; Lake Albert (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo) - 5,590 sq km; Lake Kyoga - 4,430 sq km; Lake Edward (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo) - 2,150 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Nile (shared with Rwanda [s], Tanzania, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt [m]) - 6,650 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km) **Population distribution:** population density is relatively high in comparison to other African nations; most of the population is concentrated in the central and southern parts of the country, particularly along the shores of Lake Victoria and Lake Albert; the northeast is least populated, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** droughts; floods; earthquakes; landslides; hailstorms **Geography - note:** landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers; Lake Victoria, the world's largest tropical lake and second-largest freshwater lake, is shared among three countries: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda ### People and Society **Population:** total: 50,863,850 (2025 est.) male: 24,835,513 female: 26,028,337 **Nationality:** noun: Ugandan(s) adjective: Ugandan **Ethnic groups:** Baganda 16.5%, Banyankole 9.6%, Basoga 8.8%, Bakiga 7.1%, Iteso 7%, Langi 6.3%, Bagisu 4.9%, Acholi 4.4%, Lugbara 3.3%, other 32.1% (2014 est.) **Languages:** English (official), Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo languages and the language used most often in the capital), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili (official), Arabic **Religions:** Protestant 45.1% (Anglican 32.0%, Pentecostal/Born Again/Evangelical 11.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.7%, Baptist .3%), Roman Catholic 39.3%, Muslim 13.7%, other 1.6%, none 0.2% (2014 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 47% (male 11,747,745/female 11,427,932) 15-64 years: 50.6% (male 11,788,483/female 13,131,051) 65 years and over: 2.4% (2024 est.) (male 504,332/female 683,498) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 96.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 92.1 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 4.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 20.8 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 16.4 years (2025 est.) male: 15.5 years female: 17.1 years **Population growth rate:** 3.13% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 38.91 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population density is relatively high in comparison to other African nations; most of the population is concentrated in the central and southern parts of the country, particularly along the shores of Lake Victoria and Lake Albert; the northeast is least populated, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 26.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 5.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.846 million KAMPALA (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.4 years (2016 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 170 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 27.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 31.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 25.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 69.7 years (2024 est.) male: 67.5 years female: 72 years **Total fertility rate:** 5.08 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 2.5 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 80.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 51.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 59.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 19.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 48.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 40.7% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.7% of GDP (2021) 4.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.19 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 67.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 27.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 38.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 32.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 72.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 61.8% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 5.3% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 6.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.85 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 5.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 4.5% (2025 est.) male: 7.8% (2025 est.) female: 1.5% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 9.7% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 57.8% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 7.3% (2016) women married by age 18: 34% (2016) men married by age 18: 5.5% (2016) **Education expenditure:** 2.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 8.5% national budget (2022 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 69.1% (2016 est.) male: 78.5% (2016 est.) female: 61% (2016 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 9 years (2016 est.) male: 10 years (2016 est.) female: 9 years (2016 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial discharge and water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; widespread poaching **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification **Climate:** tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast **Land use:** agricultural land: 71.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 34.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 26.5% (2023 est.) forest: 12.1% (2023 est.) other: 16% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 26.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 5.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 6.354 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: -398 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 6.354 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 31.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 7.045 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 24.1% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 328 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 50 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 259 million cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 60.1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Uganda conventional short form: Uganda etymology: the name is derived from the Swahili word u, meaning "land" or "country," and the Ganda people; the origin of the Ganda name is unclear **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Kampala geographic coordinates: 0 19 N, 32 33 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is said to come from an African antelope, the impala **Administrative divisions:** 134 districts and 1 capital city*; Abim, Adjumani, Agago, Alebtong, Amolatar, Amudat, Amuria, Amuru, Apac, Arua, Budaka, Bududa, Bugiri, Bugweri, Buhweju, Buikwe, Bukedea, Bukomansimbi, Bukwo, Bulambuli, Buliisa, Bundibugyo, Bunyangabu, Bushenyi, Busia, Butaleja, Butambala, Butebo, Buvuma, Buyende, Dokolo, Gomba, Gulu, Hoima, Ibanda, Iganga, Isingiro, Jinja, Kaabong, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido, Kagadi, Kakumiro, Kalaki, Kalangala, Kaliro, Kalungu, Kampala*, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kapelebyong, Karenga, Kasese, Kasanda, Katakwi, Kayunga, Kazo, Kibaale, Kiboga, Kibuku, Kikuube, Kiruhura, Kiryandongo, Kisoro, Kitagwenda, Kitgum, Koboko, Kole, Kotido, Kumi, Kwania, Kween, Kyankwanzi, Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, Kyotera, Lamwo, Lira, Luuka, Luwero, Lwengo, Lyantonde, Madi-Okollo, Manafwa, Maracha, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara, Mitooma, Mityana, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nabilatuk, Nakapiripirit, Nakaseke, Nakasongola, Namayingo, Namisindwa, Namutumba, Napak, Nebbi, Ngora, Ntoroko, Ntungamo, Nwoya, Obongi, Omoro, Otuke, Oyam, Pader, Pakwach, Pallisa, Rakai, Rubanda, Rubirizi, Rukiga, Rukungiri, Rwampara, Sembabule, Serere, Sheema, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe, Zombo **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law and customary law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 27 September 1995, promulgated 8 October 1995 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership in the second and third readings; proposals affecting "entrenched clauses," including the sovereignty of the people, supremacy of the constitution, human rights and freedoms, the democratic and multiparty form of government, presidential term of office, independence of the judiciary, and the institutions of traditional or cultural leaders, also requires passage by referendum, ratification by at least two-thirds majority vote of district council members in at least two thirds of Uganda's districts, and assent of the president of the republic **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent or grandparent must be a native-born citizen of Uganda dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: an aggregate of 20 years and continuously for the last 2 years prior to applying for citizenship **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since 26 January 1986) head of government: Prime Minister Robinah NABBANJA (since 14 June 2021) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected members of Parliament or persons who qualify to be elected as members of Parliament election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (no term limits) most recent election date: 15 January 2026 election results: 2026: Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (NRM) 71.7%, Robert Kyagulanyi SSENTAMU (aka Bobi WINE) (NUP) 24.7%, Other 3.6% expected date of next election: 2031 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 529 (499 directly elected; 30 indirectly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 1/14/2021 to 1/18/2021 parties elected and seats per party: National Resistance Movement (NRM) (336); National Unity Platform (NUP) (57); Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) (32); Independents (74); Other (30) percentage of women in chamber: 34.1% expected date of next election: 1/15/2026 to 2/6/2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Uganda (consists of the chief justice and at least 6 justices) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the president of the republic in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission, an 8-member independent advisory body, and approved by the National Assembly; justices serve until mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Appeal (also acts as the Constitutional Court); High Court (includes 12 High Court Circuits and 8 High Court Divisions); Industrial Court; Chief Magistrate Grade One and Grade Two Courts throughout the country; qadhis courts; local council courts; family and children courts **Political parties:** Democratic Party or DP Forum for Democratic Change or FDC Justice Forum or JEEMA National Resistance Movement or NRM National Unity Platform People's Progressive Party or PPP Uganda People's Congress or UPC **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Robie KAKONGE (since 12 December 2022) chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727 email address and website: washington@mofa.go.ug https://washington.mofa.go.ug/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador William W. POPP (since 20 September 2023) embassy: 1577 Ggaba Road, Kampala mailing address: 2190 Kampala Place, Washington DC 20521-2190 telephone: [256] (0) 312-306-001 FAX: [256] (0) 414-259-794 email address and website: KampalaWebContact@state.gov https://ug.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, C, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITC, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCDF, UNCTAD, UNECA, UNDP, UNFPA, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNOCI, UNOPS, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFP, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 9 October 1962 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 9 October (1962) **Flag:** description: six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black, yellow, and red; a white disk is at the center and shows a grey crowned crane (the national symbol) meaning: black stands for the African people, yellow for sunshine and vitality, and red for African brotherhood **National symbol(s):** grey crowned crane **National color(s):** black, yellow, red **National anthem(s):** title: "O Uganda, Land of Beauty!" lyrics/music: George Wilberforce KAKOMOA history: adopted 1962; one of the shortest national anthems in the world **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (1 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (n); Rwenzori Mountains National Park (n); Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income, primarily agrarian East African economy; COVID-19 hurt economic growth and poverty reduction; lower oil prices threaten prior sector investments; endemic corruption; natural resource rich; high female labor force participation but undervalued **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $144.137 billion (2024 est.) $135.803 billion (2023 est.) $128.923 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 6.1% (2024 est.) 5.3% (2023 est.) 4.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $2,900 (2024 est.) $2,800 (2023 est.) $2,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $53.652 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.3% (2024 est.) 5.4% (2023 est.) 7.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 24.7% (2024 est.) industry: 24.9% (2024 est.) services: 43.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 66.3% (2024 est.) government consumption: 10% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.5% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.8% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 16.9% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -24.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** plantains, sugarcane, milk, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, vegetables, beans, potatoes, tea (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** sugar processing, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles; cement, steel production **Industrial production growth rate:** 4.9% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 22.829 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 3% (2024 est.) 2.8% (2023 est.) 2.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 4.5% (2024 est.) male: 3.5% (2024 est.) female: 5.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 20.3% (2019 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 42.7 (2019 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 38.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.4% (2019 est.) highest 10%: 34.5% (2019 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 2.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.9% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $7.616 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $10.043 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 53.1% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 13% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$3.766 billion (2023 est.) -$4.064 billion (2022 est.) -$3.605 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $9.084 billion (2023 est.) $6.116 billion (2022 est.) $6.231 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** India 21%, UAE 16%, Hong Kong 10%, South Sudan 8%, Kenya 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, coffee, fish, refined petroleum, tobacco (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $13.853 billion (2023 est.) $11.079 billion (2022 est.) $10.62 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 19%, UAE 12%, Tanzania 11%, India 10%, Kenya 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, gold, plastics, packaged medicine, palm oil (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $3.359 billion (2018 est.) $3.721 billion (2017 est.) $3.098 billion (2016 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $10.469 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Ugandan shillings (UGX) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 3,757.263 (2024 est.) 3,726.14 (2023 est.) 3,689.817 (2022 est.) 3,587.052 (2021 est.) 3,718.249 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 47.1% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 72% electrification - rural areas: 35.9% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 1.452 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 4.254 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 400.349 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 23.289 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.116 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 86.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 8.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 19 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 100 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 19 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 799.999 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 44,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 2.5 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** proven reserves: 14.158 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 2.252 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 116,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 41.6 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 83 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** public broadcaster, Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC), operates radio and TV networks; 31 Free-To-Air (FTA) TV stations, 2 digital terrestrial TV stations, 3 cable TV stations, and 5 digital satellite TV stations; 258 FM stations **Internet country code:** .ug **Internet users:** percent of population: 15% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 44,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 5X **Airports:** 39 (2025) **Railways:** total: 1,244 km (2014) narrow gauge: 1,244 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF): Land Force (includes marines), Air Force, Special Forces Command, Reserve Force Ministry of Internal Affairs: Uganda Police Force (2025) note 1: the Special Forces Command is a separate branch within the UPDF; it evolved from the former Presidential Guard Brigade and has continued to retain presidential protection duties in addition to its traditional missions, such as counterinsurgency note 2: the Uganda Police Force includes air, field, territorial, and marine units, as well as a presidential guard force note 3: in 2018, President MUSEVENI created a volunteer force of Local Defense Units under the military to beef up local security in designated parts of the country **Military expenditures:** 2% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2019 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 45,000 active Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** most of the UPDF's arms are of Russian/Soviet origin with smaller quantities from such suppliers as Bulgaria, China, Czechia, Israel, and South Africa, as well as some domestically produced items; Uganda has a small defense industry that assembles or manufactures light armored vehicles and performs maintenance on some military equipment, including its Russian-made helicopters (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-22 years of age for voluntary military duty for men and women; 9-year service obligation (2025) **Military deployments:** estimated 3,000 Democratic Republic of Congo; up to 4,500 Somalia (African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia or AUSSOM) (2025) **Military - note:** the responsibilities of the Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF) include defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Uganda, assisting the civilian authorities in emergencies and natural disasters, contributing to regional security, participating in socio-economic development projects, conducting military diplomacy, and ensuring internal security, including against civil unrest, internal insurgency, and terrorism; in recent years it has beefed up its presence along the borders with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan; the UPDF participates in African and UN peacekeeping missions and is a key contributor to the East Africa Standby Force; the UPDF is constitutionally granted seats in parliament and is widely viewed as a key constituency for MUSEVENI; it has been used to break up rallies, raid opposition offices, and surveil rival candidates the military traces its history back to the formation of the Uganda Rifles in 1895 under the British colonial government; the Uganda Rifles were merged with the Central Africa Regiment and the East Africa Rifles to form the King’s African Rifles (KAR) in 1902, which participated in both world wars, as well as the Mau Mau rebellion in Kenya (1952-1960); in 1962, the Ugandan battalion of the KAR was transformed into the country's first military force, the Uganda Rifles, which was subsequently renamed the Uganda Army; the UPDF was established in 1995 from the former rebel National Resistance Army following the enactment of the 1995 Constitution of Uganda (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): al-Shabaab; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Democratic Republic of Congo (ISIS-DRC) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 1,796,597 (2024 est.) IDPs: 22,209 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 10,284 (2024 est.) --- ## Ukraine **Slug:** ukraine **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇺🇦 **Codes:** cek: up, iso2: UA, iso3: UKR, iso_num: 804, genc: UKR, stanag: UKR, internet: .ua ### Introduction **Background:** Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state, Kyivan Rus, which was the largest and most powerful state in Europe during the 10th and 11th centuries. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid the foundation for Ukrainian nationalism. A new Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the 18th century, the Russian Empire absorbed most Ukrainian territory. After czarist Russia collapsed in 1917, Ukraine -- which has long been known as the region's "bread basket" for its agricultural production -- achieved a short-lived period of independence (1917-20), but the country was reconquered and endured a Soviet rule that engineered two famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over eight million died. In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for seven to eight million more deaths. In 1986, a sudden power surge during a reactor-systems test at Ukraine's Chernobyl power station triggered the worst nuclear disaster in history, releasing massive amounts of radioactive material. Although Ukraine overwhelmingly voted for independence in 1991 as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) dissolved, democracy and prosperity remained elusive, with the legacy of state control, patronage politics, and endemic corruption stalling efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties. In 2004 and 2005, a mass protest dubbed the "Orange Revolution" forced the authorities to overturn a presidential election and allow a new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. Rival Viktor YANUKOVYCH became prime minister in 2006 and was elected president in 2010. In 2012, Ukraine held legislative elections that Western observers widely criticized as corrupt. In 2013, YANUKOVYCH backtracked on a trade and cooperation agreement with the EU -- in favor of closer economic ties with Russia -- and then used force against protestors who supported the agreement, leading to a three-month protestor occupation of Kyiv's central square. The government's use of violence to break up the protest camp in 2014 led to multiple deaths, international condemnation, a failed political deal, and the president's abrupt departure for Russia. Pro-West President Petro POROSHENKO took office later that year; Volodymyr ZELENSKYY succeeded him in 2019. Shortly after YANUKOVYCH's departure in 2014, Russian President Vladimir PUTIN ordered the invasion of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula. In response, the UN passed a resolution confirming Ukraine's sovereignty and independence. In mid-2014, Russia began an armed conflict in two of Ukraine's eastern provinces. International efforts to end the conflict failed, and by 2022, more than 14,000 civilians were killed or wounded. On 24 February 2022, Russia escalated the conflict by invading the country on several fronts, in what has become the largest conventional military attack on a sovereign state in Europe since World War II. Russia made substantial gains in the early weeks of the invasion but underestimated Ukrainian resolve and combat capabilities. Despite Ukrainian resistance, Russia has laid claim to four Ukrainian oblasts -- Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia -- although none is fully under Russian control. The international community has not recognized the annexations. The invasion has also created Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II, with over six million Ukrainian refugees recorded globally. It remains one of the two largest displacement crises worldwide (the other is the conflict in Syria). President ZELENSKYY has focused on boosting Ukrainian identity to unite the country behind the goals of ending the war through reclaiming territory and advancing Ukraine’s candidacy for EU membership. ### Geography **Location:** Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Belarus, Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east **Geographic coordinates:** 49 00 N, 32 00 E **Map references:** AsiaEurope **Area:** total : 603,550 sq km land: 579,330 sq km water: 24,220 sq km note: Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, an area of approximately 27,000 sq km (10,400 sq miles) **Area - comparative:** almost four times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 5,581 km border countries (6): Belarus 1,111 km; Hungary 128 km; Moldova 1,202 km; Poland 498 km; Romania 601 km; Russia 1,944 km, Slovakia 97 km **Coastline:** 2,782 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; warm summers across the greater part of the country, hot in the south **Terrain:** mostly fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus, with mountains found only in the west (the Carpathians) or in the extreme south of the Crimean Peninsula **Elevation:** highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m lowest point: Black Sea 0 m mean elevation: 175 m **Natural resources:** iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 71.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 56.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 13% (2023 est.) forest: 17.3% (2023 est.) other: 10.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,000 sq km (2022) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Dunay (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km; Dnipro (Dnieper) river mouth (shared with Russia [s] and Belarus) - 2,287 km; Dnister (Dniester) river source and mouth (shared with Moldova) - 1,411 km; Vistula (shared with Poland [s/m] and Belarus) - 1,213 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km), Don (458,694 sq km), Dnieper (533,966 sq km) **Population distribution:** densest settlement in the eastern (Donbas) and western regions; notable concentrations in and around major urban areas of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donets'k, Dnipropetrovs'k, and Odesa note: the ongoing war with Russia has shifted significant portions of the population, particularly in the east **Natural hazards:** occasional floods; occasional droughts **Geography - note:** strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia; second-largest country in Europe after Russia ### People and Society **Population:** total: 36,529,111 (2025 est.) male: 17,669,741 female: 18,859,370 **Nationality:** noun: Ukrainian(s) adjective: Ukrainian **Ethnic groups:** Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan 0.5%, Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian 0.3%, Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001 est.) **Languages:** Ukrainian (official) 67.5%, Russian (regional language) 29.6%, other (includes Crimean Tatar, Moldovan/Romanian, and Hungarian) 2.9% (2001 est.) major-language sample(s): Свiтова Книга Фактiв – найкраще джерело базової інформації. (Ukrainian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Orthodox (includes the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC), and the Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP)), Ukrainian Greek Catholic, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish (2013 est.) note: Ukraine's population is overwhelmingly Christian; the vast majority - up to two thirds - identify themselves as Orthodox, but many do not specify a particular branch; the OCU and the UOC-MP each represent less than a quarter of the country's population, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church accounts for 8-10%, and the UAOC accounts for 1-2%; Muslim and Jewish adherents each compose less than 1% of the total population **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 12.3% (male 2,278,116/female 2,122,500) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 12,784,928/female 11,376,460) 65 years and over: 19.9% (2024 est.) (male 2,447,105/female 4,652,717) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 48.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 18.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 29.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.4 (2025 est.) note: data include Crimea **Median age:** total: 44.6 years (2025 est.) male: 41.4 years female: 49.2 years **Population growth rate:** 2.42% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 6.24 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 17.61 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 35.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** densest settlement in the eastern (Donbas) and western regions; notable concentrations in and around major urban areas of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donets'k, Dnipropetrovs'k, and Odesa note: the ongoing war with Russia has shifted significant portions of the population, particularly in the east **Urbanization:** urban population: 70.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.017 million KYIV (capital), 1.421 million Kharkiv, 1.008 million Odesa, 942,000 Dnipropetrovsk, 888,000 Donetsk (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 26.2 years (2019 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 15 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 70.5 years (2024 est.) male: 65.4 years female: 75.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.22 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.59 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 90.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 93.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 9.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 6.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 8% of GDP (2021) 10.6% of national budget (2021 est.) **Physician density:** 3.53 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 6.3 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 24.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 5.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 20.4% (2025 est.) male: 35.5% (2025 est.) female: 8% (2025 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.1% of GDP (2021 est.) 12.7% national budget (2021 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2021) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2021 est.) male: 13 years (2021 est.) female: 14 years (2021 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air and water pollution; land degradation; solid waste management; biodiversity loss; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986 nuclear accident in Chornobyl' **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds **Climate:** temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; warm summers across the greater part of the country, hot in the south **Land use:** agricultural land: 71.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 56.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.5% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 13% (2023 est.) forest: 17.3% (2023 est.) other: 10.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 70.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 106.847 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 45.512 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 24.488 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 36.847 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 15.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 1,003.4 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 341.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 409.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 70.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 15.242 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 4.5% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 1.66 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 2.188 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 1.031 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 175.28 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ukraine local long form: none local short form: Ukraina former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the name derives from the Old East Slavic or Old Russian word ukraina, meaning "borderland," which was used to describe the area on medieval Russia's border at the time of the Tatar invasion in the 13th century **Government type:** semi-presidential republic **Capital:** name: Kyiv (Kiev is the transliteration from Russian) geographic coordinates: 50 26 N, 30 31 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the origin of the name is unclear; traditionally, the name comes from a Prince Kiy, who is said to have founded the city in the 9th century **Administrative divisions:** 24 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous republic* (avtonomna respublika), and 2 municipalities** (mista, singular - misto) with oblast status; Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Crimea or Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol), Dnipropetrovsk (Dnipro), Donetsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmelnytskyi, Kirovohrad (Kropyvnytskyi), Kyiv**, Kyiv, Luhansk, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sevastopol**, Sumy, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Volyn (Lutsk), Zakarpattia (Uzhhorod), Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr note 1: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; exceptions show the administrative center name in parentheses note 2: the United States does not recognize Russia's annexation or renaming of Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the municipality of Sevastopol; it similarly does not recognize the annexation of the Ukrainian oblasts Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson **Legal system:** civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted and ratified 28 June 1996 amendment process: proposed by the president of Ukraine or by at least one third of the Supreme Council members; adoption requires simple majority vote by the Council and at least two-thirds majority vote in its next regular session; adoption of proposals relating to general constitutional principles, elections, and amendment procedures requires two-thirds majority vote by the Council and approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on personal rights and freedoms, national independence, and territorial integrity cannot be amended **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Ukraine dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Volodymyr ZELENSKYY (since 20 May 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Yulia SVYRYDENKO (since 17 July 2025) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, approved by the Verkhovna Rada election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister selected by the Verkhovna Rada most recent election date: 31 March and 21 April 2019 election results: 2019: Volodymyr ZELENSKYY elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Volodymyr ZELENSKYY (Servant of the People) 30.2%, Petro POROSHENKO (BPP-Solidarity) 15.6%, Yuliya TYMOSHENKO (Fatherland) 13.4%, Yuriy BOYKO (Opposition Platform-For Life) 11.7%, 35 other candidates 29.1%; percent of vote in the second round - Volodymyr ZELENSKYY 73.2%, Petro POROSHENKO 24.5%, other 2.3%; Denys SHMYHAL (independent) elected prime minister; Verkhovna Rada vote - 291-59 2014: Petro POROSHENKO elected president in first round; percent of vote - Petro POROSHENKO (independent) 54.5%, Yuliya TYMOSHENKO (Fatherland) 12.9%, Oleh LYASHKO (Radical Party) 8.4%, other 24.2%; Volodymyr HROYSMAN (BPP) elected prime minister; Verkhovna Rada vote - 257-50 expected date of next election: scheduled for March/April 2024, but not held because Ukraine has been under martial law since February 2022 note: a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC was created in 1992 and tasked with developing national security policy on domestic and international matters and advising the president; a presidential administration helps draft presidential edicts and provides policy support to the president **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Verkhovna Rada) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 450 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 7/21/2019 parties elected and seats per party: Servant of the People (254); Opposition Platform - For Life (43); Fatherland (26); European Solidarity (25); Independents (46); Other (30) percentage of women in chamber: 21.2% expected date of next election: May 2025 note 1: the next legislative election is expected to take place after the Russian-Ukrainian War ends note 2: voting not held in Crimea and parts of two Russian-occupied eastern oblasts leaving 26 seats vacant; although this brings the total to 424 elected members (of 450 potential), article 83 of the constitution mandates that a parliamentary majority consists of 226 seats **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Ukraine or SCU (consists of 100 judges, organized into civil, criminal, commercial and administrative chambers, and a grand chamber); Constitutional Court (consists of 18 justices); High Anti-Corruption Court (consists of 39 judges, including 12 in the Appeals Chamber) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges recommended by the High Qualification Commission of Judges (a 16-member state body responsible for judicial candidate testing and assessment and judicial administration), submitted to the High Council of Justice, a 21-member independent body of judicial officials; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 65; High Anti-Corruption Court judges are selected by the same process, with one addition – a majority of a combined High Qualification Commission of Judges and a 6-member Public Council of International Experts must vote in favor of potential judges in order to recommend their nomination to the High Council of Justice; Constitutional Court justices appointed - 6 each by the president, the Congress of Judges, and the Verkhovna Rada; judges serve 9-year nonrenewable terms subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; district courts **Political parties:** European Solidarity or YeS Fatherland or VOB Holos Servant of the People or SN **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Olha STEFANISHYNA (since 19 September 2025) chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 349-2963 FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817 email address and website: emb_us@mfa.gov.ua https://usa.mfa.gov.ua/en consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador Julie S. DAVIS (since 5 May 2025) embassy: 4 A. I. Igor Sikorsky Street, 04112 Kyiv mailing address: 5850 Kyiv Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850 telephone: [380] (44) 521-5000 FAX: [380] (44) 521-5544 email address and website: kyivacs@state.gov https://ua.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** Australia Group, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CICA (observer), CIS (participating member, has not signed the 1993 CIS charter), EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC note: Ukraine is an EU candidate country and must complete accession criteria before being granted full membership **Independence:** 24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: ca. 982 (VOLODYMYR I consolidates Kyivan Rus); 1199 (Principality (later Kingdom) of Ruthenia formed); 1648 (establishment of the Cossack Hetmanate); 22 January 1918 (from Soviet Russia) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 24 August (1991) note: 22 January 1918, the day Ukraine first declared its independence from Soviet Russia, is now celebrated as Unity Day **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and yellow meaning: the colors date back to medieval heraldry, but they are sometimes said to represent grain fields under a blue sky **National symbol(s):** tryzub (trident), sunflower **National color(s):** blue, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Shche ne vmerla Ukraina" (Ukraine Has Not Yet Perished) lyrics/music: Paul CHUBYNSKYI/Mikhail VERBYTSKYI history: music adopted 1991, lyrics adopted 2003; current version of the anthem is the first verse of CHUBYNSKYI's poem, plus the chorus **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 8 (7 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Kyiv: Saint Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (c); Lviv Historic Center (c); Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatian Metropolitans, Chernivtsi (c); Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese, Sevastopol (c); Wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian Region (c); Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (n); Struve Geodetic Arc (c); The Historic Centre of Odesa (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower-middle-income, non-EU, Eastern European economy; key wheat and corn exporter; gradual recovery after 30% GDP contraction at start of war; damage to infrastructure and agriculture balanced by consumer and business resilience in western Ukraine; international aid has stabilized foreign exchange reserves, allowing managed currency float; continued progress on anti-corruption reforms **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $577.583 billion (2024 est.) $561.23 billion (2023 est.) $531.796 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.9% (2024 est.) 5.5% (2023 est.) -28.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $16,300 (2024 est.) $15,900 (2023 est.) $13,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $190.741 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 6.5% (2024 est.) 12.8% (2023 est.) 20.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 7.1% (2024 est.) industry: 19% (2024 est.) services: 60.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 62.4% (2024 est.) government consumption: 37.9% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 18.9% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -0.3% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 29.4% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -48.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** maize, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, milk, barley, soybeans, rapeseed, tomatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** industrial machinery, ferrous and nonferrous metals, automotive and aircraft components, electronics, chemicals, textiles, mining, construction **Industrial production growth rate:** 4.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 20.539 million (2021 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 9.9% (2021 est.) 9.5% (2020 est.) 8.2% (2019 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 19.1% (2021 est.) male: 18.1% (2021 est.) female: 20.4% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 1.6% (2020 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 25.6 (2020 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 41.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 6.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 4.3% (2020 est.) highest 10%: 21.7% (2020 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 6.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 8.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.4% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $86.185 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $121.657 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 58.7% of GDP (2020 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 17.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$13.749 billion (2024 est.) -$9.564 billion (2023 est.) $7.976 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $56.114 billion (2024 est.) $51.28 billion (2023 est.) $57.517 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Poland 12%, Romania 9%, Turkey 7%, China 6%, Spain 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** corn, seed oils, wheat, iron ore, soybeans (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $92.025 billion (2024 est.) $89.159 billion (2023 est.) $83.254 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 16%, Poland 14%, Germany 8%, Turkey 6%, USA 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, cars, natural gas, packaged medicine, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $43.781 billion (2024 est.) $40.51 billion (2023 est.) $28.506 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $90.003 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** hryvnia (UAH) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 40.152 (2024 est.) 36.574 (2023 est.) 32.342 (2022 est.) 27.286 (2021 est.) 26.958 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 60.297 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 89.402 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 6.1 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 3.28 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 10.347 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 32.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 50.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 4.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 9.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 15 (2025) Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 2 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 13.11GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 55% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 4 (2025) **Coal:** production: 19.603 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 25.012 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 32,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 5.442 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 34.375 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 192,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 395 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 17.681 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 19.705 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 95.994 million cubic meters (2022 est.) imports: 2.028 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.104 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 57.856 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.434 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 50.3 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 133 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** media landscape dominated by oligarch-owned news outlets; United News created for 24-hour news about the war with Russia, a joint effort from the Ukrainian public broadcaster and top commercial TV channels; Ukraine Radio's Suspilne and privately owned Radio NV are the national talk radio networks (2021) **Internet country code:** .ua **Internet users:** percent of population: 82% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 8.07 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** UR **Airports:** 152 (2025) **Heliports:** 44 (2025) **Railways:** total: 21,733 km (2014) standard gauge: 49 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (49 km electrified) broad gauge: 21,684 km (2014) 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 410 (2023) by type: container ship 1, general cargo 83, oil tanker 14, other 312 **Ports:** total ports: 26 (2024) large: 3 medium: 0 small: 8 very small: 15 ports with oil terminals: 8 key ports: Berdyansk, Dnipro-Buzkyy, Feodosiya, Illichivsk, Kerch, Kherson, Mariupol, Mykolayiv, Odesa, Sevastopol, Yuzhnyy ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU; Zbroyni Syly Ukrayiny or ZSU): Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces, Air Assault Forces, Marine Corps, Special Operations Forces, Unmanned Systems Forces, Territorial Defense Forces (Reserves) Ministry of Internal Affairs: National Guard of Ukraine, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (includes Maritime Border Guard or Sea Guard), National Police of Ukraine (2025) note 1: combat units of the National Guard, National Police, and Border Guards come under the control of the Armed Forces in wartime. note 2: the Territorial Defense Forces (TDF) were formally established in July 2021; the TDF evolved from former Territorial Defense Battalions and other volunteer militia and paramilitary units that were organized in 2014-2015 to fight Russian-backed separatists in the Donbas; in January 2022, the TDF was activated as a separate military branch note 3: collectively, the AFU and the forces under the Ministry of Interior are known as the Defense Forces of Ukraine (DFU) **Military expenditures:** 4% of GDP (2021 est.) 4.4% of GDP (2020 est.) 3.4% of GDP (2019 est.) 3.1% of GDP (2018 est.) 3.1% of GDP (2017 est.) note: since Russia's invasion of the country in early 2022, annual defense spending has increased to more than 30% of GDP according to some estimates **Military and security service personnel strengths:** estimated 850,000-1 million active Defense Forces (2025) note: following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, President ZELENSKY announced a general mobilization of the country; prior to the invasion, Ukraine had approximately 200,000 active Armed Forces troops, approximately 50,000 National Guard, and approximately 40,000 State Border Guard **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** prior to the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, the Ukrainian military was equipped largely with Russian-origin and Soviet-era weapons systems; since the invasion, it has received considerable quantities of weapons, including Soviet-era and more modern Western systems, from European countries and the US; Ukraine also has a growing inventory of domestically produced armaments (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18 years of age for voluntary service for men and women; 25 years of age for conscription for men; 18-24 months service obligation (2025) note 1: conscription was abolished in 2012, but reintroduced in 2014; following the Russian invasion in 2022, all non-exempt men ages 18-60 were required to register with their local recruitment offices and undergo medical screening for possible service; the Territorial Defense Forces accept volunteers, 18-60 years of age note 2: in February 2025, the military implemented a new option for volunteers age 18-24 to sign one-year contracts in return for higher wages, a signing bonus, exemption from mobilization for 12 months, and other social benefits note 3: women have been able to volunteer for military service since 1993; as of 2024, nearly 70,000 women were serving in the armed forces in both uniformed and civilian positions note 4: since 2015, the Ukrainian military has allowed foreigners and stateless persons, 18-45 (in special cases up to 60), to join on 3-5-year contracts, based on qualifications; following the 2022 Russian invasion, the military began accepting medically fit foreign volunteers on a larger scale into an International Legion **Military deployments:** note: prior to the Russian invasion in 2022, Ukraine had committed about 500 troops to the Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine joint military brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG), which was established in 2014; the brigade is headquartered in Poland and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units; units affiliated with the multinational brigade remain within the structures of the armed forces of their respective countries until the brigade is activated for participation in an international operation **Military - note:** the primary focus of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) is defense against Russian aggression; in February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in what is the largest conflict in Europe since the end of World War II in 1945; as of 2025, the front line of the fighting stretched about 1,000 kilometers (some 600 miles) north and south in eastern and southern Ukraine; Russia’s forces have also launched missile and armed drone strikes throughout Ukraine, hitting critical infrastructure, including power, water, and heating facilities, as well as other civilian targets; Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2014, occupying Ukraine’s province of Crimea and backing separatist forces in the Donbas region with arms, equipment, and training, as well as military personnel, although Moscow denied their presence prior to 2022; the UAF has received outside military assistance since the Russian invasion, including equipment and training, chiefly from Europe and the US Ukraine has a relationship with NATO dating back to the early 1990s, when Ukraine joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (1991) and the Partnership for Peace program (1994); the relationship intensified in the wake of the 2014 Russia-Ukraine conflict and Russian seizure of Crimea to include NATO support for Ukrainian military capabilities development and capacity-building; NATO and individual NATO countries further increased support to the Ukrainian military following Russia’s 2022 invasion (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** State Space Agency of Ukraine (SSAU; established 1992 as the National Space Agency of Ukraine or NSAU and renamed in 2010) (2025) **Space program overview:** the country inherited a large, well-developed space program when it gained independence in 1991, taking over all the former Soviet defense/space industry that was located on its territory; the modern program includes the production of satellite/space launch vehicles (SLVs)/rocket carriers, satellites, and related components; prior to the Russian invasion in 2022, the country was producing more than 100 SLVs, SLV stages, or SLV engines annually; has worked with numerous foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, Kazakhstan, Russia (curtailed after 2014), Turkey, and the US, as well as the ESA, the EU, and their member states (particularly Italy and Poland); has about 20 state-run space industries; in 2019, the Ukrainian Parliament began allowing private companies to engage in space activities (2025) note: Dnipro, known as Ukraine's “Rocket City,” was one of the Soviet Union’s main centers for space, nuclear, and military industries and played a crucial role in the development and manufacture of both civilian and military rockets **Key space-program milestones:** 1995 - first domestically produced remote sensing (RS) satellite (Sich-1) launched on Ukrainian Tsyklon-3 rocket 1997 - first Ukrainian astronaut in space on US Space Shuttle 1999 - first launch of Dnipro-1, a domestically produced satellite launch vehicle (SLV) 2008 - first launch of Zenit-3SLB, a domestically produced SLV 2014 - launched first domestically produced microsatellite (PolyITAN-1) 2020 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration 2021 - first successful launch of joint Ukrainian-US commercial light SLV (Alpha) 2022 - domestically produced RS microsatellite (Sich 2-30) launched by US 2024 - first Ukrainian woman to suborbital space on US commercial spacecraft ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 2,876 (2024 est.) IDPs: 3,665,165 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 10,910 (2024 est.) --- ## United Arab Emirates **Slug:** united-arab-emirates **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇦🇪 **Codes:** cek: ae, iso2: AE, iso3: ARE, iso_num: 784, genc: ARE, stanag: ARE, internet: .ae ### Introduction **Background:** The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th-century treaties. In 1971, six of these states -- Abu Dhabi, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn -- merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Ra's al Khaymah joined in 1972. The UAE's per-capita GDP is on par with those of leading West European nations. For more than three decades, oil and global finance drove the UAE's economy. In 2008-09, the confluence of falling oil prices, collapsing real estate prices, and the international banking crisis hit the UAE especially hard. The UAE did not experience the "Arab Spring" unrest seen elsewhere in the Middle East in 2010-11, partly because of the government's multi-year, $1.6-billion infrastructure investment plan for the poorer northern emirates, and its aggressive pursuit of advocates for political reform. The UAE in recent years has played a growing role in regional affairs. In addition to donating billions of dollars in economic aid to help stabilize Egypt, the UAE was one of the first countries to join the Defeat ISIS coalition, and to participate as a key partner in a Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. In 2020, the UAE and Bahrain signed a peace agreement (the Abraham Accords) with Israel -- brokered by the US -- in Washington, D.C. The UAE and Bahrain thus became the third and fourth Middle Eastern countries, along with Egypt and Jordan, to recognize Israel. ### Geography **Location:** Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia **Geographic coordinates:** 24 00 N, 54 00 E **Map references:** Middle East **Area:** total : 83,600 sq km land: 83,600 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than South Carolina; slightly smaller than Maine **Land boundaries:** total: 1,066 km border countries (2): Oman 609 km; Saudi Arabia 457 km **Coastline:** 1,318 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** desert; cooler in eastern mountains **Terrain:** flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert; mountains in east **Elevation:** highest point: Jabal Bil 'Ays 1,905 m lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m mean elevation: 149 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas **Land use:** agricultural land: 5.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.2% (2023 est.) forest: 4.6% (2023 est.) other: 89.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 940 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** population is heavily concentrated to the northeast on the Musandam Peninsula; the three largest emirates -- Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah -- are home to nearly 85% of the population **Natural hazards:** frequent sand and dust storms **Geography - note:** strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a transit point for crude oil; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) together account for over 90% of UAE's area and two-thirds of the population ### People and Society **Population:** total: 10,093,593 (2025 est.) male: 6,831,802 female: 3,261,791 **Nationality:** noun: Emirati(s) adjective: Emirati **Ethnic groups:** Emirati 11.6%, South Asian 59.4% (includes Indian 38.2%, Bangladeshi 9.5%, Pakistani 9.4%, other 2.3%), Egyptian 10.2%, Filipino 6.1%, other 12.8% (2015 est.) note: data represent the total population; as of 2019, immigrants make up about 87.9% of the total population, according to UN data **Languages:** Arabic (official), English, Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu, Pashto, Tagalog, Persian major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 74.5% (official) (Sunni 63.3%, Shia 6.7%, other 4.4%), Christian 12.9%, Hindu 6.2%, Buddhist 3.2%, agnostic 1.3%, other 1.9% (2020 est.) note: data represent the total population; as of 2020, immigrants make up about 88.1% of the total population, according to UN data **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16.4% (male 842,577/female 802,302) 15-64 years: 81.4% (male 5,812,470/female 2,353,750) 65 years and over: 2.2% (2024 est.) (male 169,084/female 52,030) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 23.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 20.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 33.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 35.8 years (2025 est.) male: 38.1 years female: 29.8 years **Population growth rate:** 0.62% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.65 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 1.73 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -2.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** population is heavily concentrated to the northeast on the Musandam Peninsula; the three largest emirates -- Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah -- are home to nearly 85% of the population **Urbanization:** urban population: 87.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.008 million Dubai, 1.831 million Sharjah, 1.567 million ABU DHABI (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.47 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 3.25 male(s)/female total population: 2.13 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 79.9 years (2024 est.) male: 78.6 years female: 81.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.6 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.78 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 5.3% of GDP (2021) 12.1% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.99 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 31.7% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 2.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 10.7% (2025 est.) male: 13.9% (2025 est.) female: 2.4% (2025 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 67.4% (2018 est.) **Education expenditure:** 3.9% of GDP (2021 est.) 14.8% national budget (2021 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 98.8% (2024 est.) male: 99% (2024 est.) female: 98.4% (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 16 years (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution; water scarcity; lack of natural freshwater resources; land degradation and desertification; waste generation, beach pollution from oil spills **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea **Climate:** desert; cooler in eastern mountains **Land use:** agricultural land: 5.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.2% (2023 est.) forest: 4.6% (2023 est.) other: 89.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 87.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 271.703 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 12.788 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 126.038 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 132.876 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 38.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 1,573.7 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 47.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 448.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 2.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 5.618 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 24.5% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 2.297 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 55 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 2.466 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 150 million cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: United Arab Emirates conventional short form: none local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah local short form: none former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States abbreviation: UAE etymology: self-descriptive country name; the name Arabia can be traced back at least as far as the ancient Egyptians, who referred to the region as "Ar Rabi;" "emirates" derives from amir, the Arabic word for "commander," "lord," or "prince;" the former name, Trucial States, refers to a maritime truce from 1820 between the British and the Arab sheikhdoms **Government type:** federation of monarchies **Capital:** name: Abu Dhabi geographic coordinates: 24 28 N, 54 22 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: in Arabic, abu means "father," and dhabi refers to a personal name, Dhabi or Zabi, that comes from the word zab, or "gazelle" **Administrative divisions:** 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn **Legal system:** mixed system of Islamic (sharia) law and civil law **Constitution:** history: previous 1971 (provisional); latest drafted in 1979, became permanent May 1996 amendment process: proposed by the Supreme Council and submitted to the Federal National Council; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote of Federal National Council members present and approval of the Supreme Council president **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of the United Arab Emirates; if the father is unknown, the mother must be a citizen dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 30 years **Suffrage:** limited note: rulers of the seven emirates each select a proportion of voters for the Federal National Council (FNC) that accounts for about 12 percent of Emirati citizens **Executive branch:** chief of state: President MUHAMMAD BIN ZAYID Al Nuhayyan (since 14 May 2022) head of government: Prime Minister and Co-Vice President MUHAMMAD BIN RASHID Al Maktum (since 5 January 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers announced by the prime minister and approved by the president election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected by the Federal Supreme Council -- composed of the rulers of the 7 emirates -- for a 5-year term (no term limits); prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: unscheduled election held on 14 May 2022, after the death of President KHALIFA bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan election results: 2022: MUHAMMAD BIN ZAYID Al-Nuhayyan elected president; Federal Supreme Council vote - NA expected date of next election: 2027 note: the Federal Supreme Council (FSC) is composed of the 7 emirate rulers and is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; the FSC establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets 4 times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Federal National Council (Majlis Watani Itihadi) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 40 (20 indirectly elected; 20 appointed) electoral system: other systems scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/7/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 50% expected date of next election: October 2027 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Federal Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 4 judges; jurisdiction limited to federal cases) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the federal president after approval from the Federal Supreme Council, the highest executive and legislative authority consisting of the 7 emirate rulers; judges serve until retirement age or the expiration of their appointment terms subordinate courts: Federal Court of Cassation (determines the constitutionality of laws); the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ra's al Khaymah have parallel court systems; the other 4 emirates have incorporated their courts into the federal system note: the Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts and the Dubai International Financial Center Courts, the country’s two largest financial free zones, adjudicate civil and commercial disputes **Political parties:** note: political parties are banned; all candidates run as independents **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Yousif AL OTAIBA (since 28 July 2008) chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400 FAX: [1] (202) 243-2408 email address and website: info@uaeembassy-usa.org https://www.uae-embassy.org/ consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Eric GAUDIOSI (since August 2025) embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38, Sector W59-02, Street No. 4, Abu Dhabi mailing address: 6010 Abu Dhabi Place, Washington DC 20521-6010 telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200 FAX: [971] (2) 414-2241 email address and website: abudhabiacs@state.gov https://ae.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Dubai **International organization participation:** ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BIS, BRICS, CAEU, CICA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 2 December 1971 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day (National Day), 2 December (1971) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black, with a wider vertical red band on the left side meaning: the flag incorporates all four pan-Arab colors, which in this case represent fertility (green), neutrality (white), oil (black), and unity (red); red is a traditional color that was part of all the emirates' flags before their unification **National symbol(s):** golden falcon **National color(s):** green, white, black, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Nashid al-watani al-imarati" (National Anthem of the UAE) lyrics/music: AREF Al Sheikh Abdullah Al Hassan/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB history: music adopted 1971, lyrics adopted 1986; Mohamad Abdel WAHAB also composed the music for Tunisia's and Libya's anthem **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 2 ( both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Cultural Sites of Al Ain (Hafit, Hili, Bidaa Bint Saud, and Oases Areas); Faya Palaeolandscape (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, oil-driven Middle Eastern economy; fastest GDP growth of Gulf states; diversification through tourism, construction, and services; strong foreign direct investment orientation; continued government investment and business-friendly reforms **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $745.994 billion (2024 est.) $718.95 billion (2023 est.) $693.842 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.8% (2024 est.) 3.6% (2023 est.) 7.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $68,600 (2024 est.) $68,600 (2023 est.) $68,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $537.079 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 1.7% (2024 est.) 1.6% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.7% (2023 est.) industry: 47.7% (2023 est.) services: 51.6% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 45.6% (2023 est.) government consumption: 12.4% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 27.1% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 108.6% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -93.7% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** dates, cucumbers/gherkins, camel milk, goat milk, tomatoes, chicken, goat meat, eggs, milk, camel meat (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizer, commercial ship repair, construction materials, handicrafts, textiles **Industrial production growth rate:** 0.8% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 7.09 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 2.2% (2024 est.) 2.2% (2023 est.) 2.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 6.4% (2024 est.) male: 4.1% (2024 est.) female: 12.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 26.4 (2018 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 12.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.8% (2018 est.) highest 10%: 20.5% (2018 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Budget:** revenues: $23.248 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $19.349 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 19.7% of GDP (2017 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 0.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Exports:** $558.402 billion (2023 est.) $521.897 billion (2022 est.) $425.156 billion (2021 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 11%, India 11%, Japan 10%, Iraq 6%, Thailand 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, refined petroleum, gold, broadcasting equipment, natural gas (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $481.852 billion (2023 est.) $427.992 billion (2022 est.) $347.529 billion (2021 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 19%, India 7%, USA 6%, Turkey 4%, Japan 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** gold, broadcasting equipment, cars, refined petroleum, diamonds (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $237.931 billion (2024 est.) $189.491 billion (2023 est.) $138.433 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Emirati dirhams (AED) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 3.672 (2024 est.) 3.672 (2023 est.) 3.672 (2022 est.) 3.672 (2021 est.) 3.672 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 44.462 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 157.974 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 613 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 501.067 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 7.914 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 75.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 19.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 4.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 4 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 5.35GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 19.7% (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 5.411 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 82,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 5.512 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 4.146 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 846,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 97.8 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 55.8 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 67.734 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 6.863 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 18.938 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 6.091 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 450.432 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 2.259 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 22.4 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 203 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** most TV and radio stations state-owned, but many private organizations now operating in media free zones in Abu Dhabi and Dubai; widespread use of satellite dishes to access pan-Arab and other international broadcasts (2022) **Internet country code:** .ae **Internet users:** percent of population: 100% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 3.95 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** A6 **Airports:** 42 (2025) **Heliports:** 204 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 655 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 2, container ship 3, general cargo 122, oil tanker 16, other 512 **Ports:** total ports: 20 (2024) large: 1 medium: 4 small: 9 very small: 6 ports with oil terminals: 17 key ports: Abu Zaby, Jabal Az Zannah/Ruways, Khawr Fakkan, Mina Jabal Ali, Zirkuh ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** United Arab Emirates Armed Forces: Land Forces (Army), Navy, Air Force, Presidential Guard (includes special operations forces), National Guard (includes Coast Guard) (2025) note: each emirate maintains a local police force called a general directorate, which is officially a branch of the federal Ministry of Interior; all emirate-level general directorates of police enforce their respective emirate’s laws autonomously; they also enforce federal laws within their emirate in coordination with one another under the federal ministry; the State Security Directorate (SSD) in Abu Dhabi and Dubai State Security (DSS) have primary responsibility for counterterrorism law enforcement efforts; local, emirate-level police forces, especially the Abu Dhabi Police and Dubai Police, are the first responders in such cases and provide technical assistance to SSD and DSS **Military expenditures:** 4% of GDP (2024 est.) 4.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 4% of GDP (2022 est.) 4.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 6.1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 65,000 active Armed Forces (45,000 Land Forces; 3,000 Navy; 5,000 Air Force; 12,000 Presidential Guard) (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military is equipped with mostly modern imported armaments, and a smaller amount of domestically produced weapons; foreign suppliers have included China, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Türkiye, and the US; the UAE's domestic defense industry produces or co-produces such items as armored vehicles, naval vessels, precision munitions, and unmanned aerial vehicles/drones for both internal use and export (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-40 for voluntary service; 18-30 years of age for compulsory national service for men with a 36-month service obligation for those without a secondary education and 11 months for secondary school graduates; women may volunteer for national service (11-month service obligation regardless of education) (2025) note 1: compulsory service may be completed in the uniformed military, the Ministry of Interior, or other security institutions designated by the military leadership note 2: the UAE military employs a considerable number of foreign personnel on contracted service **Military deployments:** maintains a few hundred troops in Somalia and Yemen (2025) **Military - note:** the UAE Armed Forces (UAEAF) are responsible for defending the state, its resources, and territory, preserving internal security, and supporting the UAE's foreign policy objectives; key security concerns include regional stability and cross-border threats, such as piracy and terrorism; in recent years, the UAE has undertaken a military modernization program to go along with an assertive security policy which has included military involvements in Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen the UAE has close security ties to France and the US; it hosts a multi-service French military base, which includes the French naval command for the Indian Ocean (ALINDIEN); the UAE has a defense cooperation agreement with the US and hosts thousands of US military troops, mostly air and naval personnel; it also has defense ties with a number of other countries, including Australia, China, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Malaysia, South Korea, and the UK, as well as NATO and fellow members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, particularly Saudi Arabia the UAEAF traces its origins to the establishment of the Trucial Oman Scouts in 1951, a joint UK-Abu Dhabi organization modeled after Jordan’s Arab Legion, which became the Abu Dhabi Defense Force in 1965; the modern UAEAF were formed in 1976 (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** UAE Space Agency (created in 2014); Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC; established 2006) (2025) **Space program overview:** has an ambitious and growing national space program; focused on satellite development, including communications, remote sensing, and navigation, as well as deep space exploration; is building expertise, infrastructure, technology, and research and development capabilities; has elected to use foreign partners to launch payloads from spaceports abroad; has looked to invest in foreign commercial space companies and develop global partnerships; has a foreign-assisted astronaut training program; seeking to establish UAE as an international hub for space education; founding member of the Arab Space Cooperation Group; works with major global and regional players, including China, Egypt, the ESA, France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Turkey, the UK, and the US; sees its commercial space industry as a key to diversifying and developing the country’s non-oil economy; dozens of space companies operate in the UAE, including international and start-ups, plus several space-science research centers (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1997 - initiated a national space sector 2009 - first remote sensing (RS) satellite (DubaiSat-1) developed jointly with South Korea and launched by Russia 2017 - announced Mars 2117 project, which included building a “Mars Science City” as the first step to establishing a human settlement on Mars within 100 years 2018 - first domestically produced RS satellite (KhalifaSat or DubaiSat-3) launched by Japan 2019 - first UAE astronaut (trained by Russia and US) in space on the International Space Station 2020 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration 2021 - became first Arab country to successfully place a probe (al Amal or Hope) in Mars orbit; announced plans to launch a probe in 2028 to land on an asteroid between Mars and Jupiter 2025 - domestically produced advanced RS/Earth imaging satellite (MBZ-SAT) launched by US ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 7,634 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## United Kingdom **Slug:** united-kingdom **Region:** Europe **Flag:** 🇬🇧 **Codes:** cek: uk, iso2: GB, iso3: GBR, iso_num: 826, genc: GBR, stanag: GBR, internet: .uk ### Introduction **Background:** The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was created when the Kingdoms of England and Scotland -- which previously had been distinct states under a single monarchy -- were joined under the 1707 Acts of Union. The island of Ireland was incorporated under the 1800 Acts of Union, while Wales had been part of the Kingdom of England since the 16th century. The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. The 18th and 19th centuries saw the rapid expansion of the British Empire despite the loss of the Thirteen Colonies, and at its zenith in the early 20th century, the British Empire stretched over one fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw two World Wars seriously deplete the UK's strength and the Irish Republic withdraw from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council and a founding member of NATO and the Commonwealth of Nations, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The devolved Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1998. The UK was an active member of the EU after its accession in 1973, although it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union. However, motivated in part by frustration at a remote bureaucracy in Brussels and massive migration into the country, UK citizens in 2016 voted by 52 to 48 percent to leave the EU. On 31 January 2020, the UK became the only country to depart the EU -- a move known as "Brexit" -- after prolonged negotiations on EU-UK economic and security relationships. ### Geography **Location:** Western Europe, islands - including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland - between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea; northwest of France **Geographic coordinates:** 54 00 N, 2 00 W **Map references:** Europe **Area:** total : 243,610 sq km land: 241,930 sq km water: 1,680 sq km note 1: England covers 53% of the area, Scotland 32%, Wales 9%, and Northern Ireland 6% note 2: includes Rockall and the Shetland Islands, which are part of Scotland **Area - comparative:** twice the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oregon **Land boundaries:** total: 499 km border countries (1): Ireland 499 km **Coastline:** 12,429 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm **Climate:** temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast **Terrain:** mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast **Elevation:** highest point: Ben Nevis 1,345 m lowest point: The Fens -4 m mean elevation: 162 m **Natural resources:** coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 70.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 25% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 45.2% (2023 est.) forest: 13.4% (2023 est.) other: 14.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 718 sq km (2018) **Population distribution:** the core of the population lies in and around London, with significant clusters found in central Britain around Manchester and Liverpool, in the Scottish lowlands between Edinburgh and Glasgow, in southern Wales in and around Cardiff, and in far-eastern Northern Ireland, centered on Belfast **Natural hazards:** winter windstorms; floods **Geography - note:** lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km (22 mi) from France and linked by tunnel under the English Channel (the Channel Tunnel or Chunnel); because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km (78 mi) from tidal waters ### People and Society **Population:** total: 68,751,311 (2025 est.) male: 34,145,455 female: 34,605,856 **Nationality:** noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural) adjective: British **Ethnic groups:** White 87.2%, Black/African/Caribbean/black British 3%, Asian/Asian British: Indian 2.3%, Asian/Asian British: Pakistani 1.9%, mixed 2%, other 3.7% (2011 est.) **Languages:** English note: the following are recognized regional languages: Scots (about 30% of the population of Scotland), Scottish Gaelic (about 60,000 speakers in Scotland), Welsh (about 20% of the population of Wales), Irish (about 10% of the population of Northern Ireland), Cornish (some 2,000 to 3,000 people in Cornwall) (2012 est.) **Religions:** Christian (includes Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 59.5%, Muslim 4.4%, Hindu 1.3%, other 2%, unspecified 7.2%, none 25.7% (2011 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 16.7% (male 5,872,937/female 5,592,665) 15-64 years: 63.9% (male 22,062,643/female 21,702,401) 65 years and over: 19.3% (2024 est.) (male 6,069,865/female 7,158,544) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 56.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 26 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 30.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 40.9 years (2025 est.) male: 40.1 years female: 41.5 years **Population growth rate:** 0.4% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.76 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.25 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 2.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the core of the population lies in and around London, with significant clusters found in central Britain around Manchester and Liverpool, in the Scottish lowlands between Edinburgh and Glasgow, in southern Wales in and around Cardiff, and in far-eastern Northern Ireland, centered on Belfast **Urbanization:** urban population: 84.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 9.648 million LONDON (capital), 2.791 million Manchester, 2.665 million Birmingham, 1.929 million West Yorkshire, 1.698 million Glasgow, 952,000 Southampton/Portsmouth (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 29 years (2018 est.) note: data represents England and Wales only **Maternal mortality ratio:** 8 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 82.2 years (2024 est.) male: 80.1 years female: 84.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.64 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.8 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 11.3% of GDP (2022) 20.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.3 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Hospital bed density:** 2.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 27.8% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 9.8 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.61 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 11.5% (2025 est.) male: 13.3% (2025 est.) female: 9.8% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 0.6% (2019 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 49.7% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 18: 0% (2021) **Education expenditure:** 5.9% of GDP (2021 est.) 11.8% national budget (2021 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 18 years (2022 est.) male: 17 years (2022 est.) female: 18 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution in the London region; soil pollution from pesticides and heavy metals; decline in marine and coastal habitats from housing, tourism, and industry **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast **Land use:** agricultural land: 70.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 25% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 45.2% (2023 est.) forest: 13.4% (2023 est.) other: 14.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 84.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 340.94 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 17.093 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 197.133 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 126.713 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 7.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 353.4 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,030.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 1,070.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 62 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 30.771 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 34.2% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 6.227 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.01 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.183 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 147 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 10 (2025) global geoparks and regional networks: Arran; Black Country; Cuilcagh Lakelands (includes Ireland); English Riviera; Fforest Fawr; GeoMôn; Mourne Gullion Strangford; North Pennines AONB; North-West Highlands; Shetland (2025) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; note - the island of Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales conventional short form: United Kingdom abbreviation: UK etymology: the name United Kingdom is self-descriptive; the name Britain probably derives from the Celtic word pretani, meaning "painted people;" the designation of Great Britain for England, Scotland, and Wales dates back to medieval times and was used to distinguish the island from Little Britain, or Brittany, in modern France; the name Ireland evolved from the Gaelic name Eriu, which is possibly derived from the Old Celtic iveriu, meaning "good land" **Government type:** parliamentary constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm **Capital:** name: London geographic coordinates: 51 30 N, 0 05 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October time zone note: the time statements apply to the United Kingdom proper, not to its crown dependencies or overseas territories etymology: the name derives from the Roman settlement of Londinium, established on the current site of London around A.D. 43; the original meaning of the name is uncertain **Administrative divisions:** England: 24 two-tier counties, 32 London boroughs and 1 City of London or Greater London, 36 metropolitan districts, 59 unitary authorities (including 4 single-tier counties*) two-tier counties: Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Worcestershire London boroughs and City of London or Greater London: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, City of London, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster metropolitan districts: Barnsley, Birmingham, Bolton, Bradford, Bury, Calderdale, Coventry, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Kirklees, Knowlsey, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Oldham, Rochdale, Rotherham, Salford, Sandwell, Sefton, Sheffield, Solihull, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport, Sunderland, Tameside, Trafford, Wakefield, Walsall, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton unitary authorities: Bath and North East Somerset; Bedford; Blackburn with Darwen; Blackpool; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; Bracknell Forest; Brighton and Hove; City of Bristol; Buckinghamshire; Central Bedfordshire; Cheshire East; Cheshire West and Chester; Cornwall; Darlington; Derby; Dorset; Durham County*; East Riding of Yorkshire; Halton; Hartlepool; Herefordshire*; Isle of Wight*; Isles of Scilly; City of Kingston upon Hull; Leicester; Luton; Medway; Middlesbrough; Milton Keynes; North East Lincolnshire; North Lincolnshire; North Northamptonshire; North Somerset; Northumberland*; Nottingham; Peterborough; Plymouth; Portsmouth; Reading; Redcar and Cleveland; Rutland; Shropshire; Slough; South Gloucestershire; Southampton; Southend-on-Sea; Stockton-on-Tees; Stoke-on-Trent; Swindon; Telford and Wrekin; Thurrock; Torbay; Warrington; West Berkshire; West Northamptonshire; Wiltshire; Windsor and Maidenhead; Wokingham; York Northern Ireland: 5 borough councils, 4 district councils, 2 city councils borough councils: Antrim and Newtownabbey; Ards and North Down; Armagh City, Banbridge, and Craigavon; Causeway Coast and Glens; Mid and East Antrim district councils: Derry City and Strabane; Fermanagh and Omagh; Mid Ulster; Newry, Murne, and Down city councils: Belfast; Lisburn and Castlereagh Scotland: 32 council areas council areas: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, The Scottish Borders, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian Wales: 22 unitary authorities unitary authorities: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea, The Vale of Glamorgan, Torfaen, Wrexham **Dependent areas:** Anguilla; Bermuda; British Indian Ocean Territory; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands; Falkland Islands; Gibraltar; Montserrat; Pitcairn Islands; Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Turks and Caicos Islands (12) **Legal system:** common law system; has nonbinding judicial review of Acts of Parliament under the Human Rights Act of 1998 **Constitution:** history: uncoded; partly statutes, partly common law and practice amendment process: proposed as a bill for an Act of Parliament by the government, by the House of Commons, or by the House of Lords; passage requires agreement by both houses and by the monarch (Royal Assent) **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the United Kingdom dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Keir STARMER (since 5 July 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister note 1: in addition to serving as the UK head of state, the British sovereign is the constitutional monarch for 14 additional Commonwealth countries (each referred to as a "Commonwealth realm") note 2: King CHARLES III succeeded his mother, Queen ELIZABETH II, after serving as Prince of Wales (heir apparent) for over 64 years -- the longest such tenure in British history **Legislative branch:** legislature name: UK Parliament legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Commons number of seats: 650 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 7/4/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Labour Party (411); Conservative Party (121); Liberal Democrats (72); Other (46) percentage of women in chamber: 40.5% expected date of next election: July 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: House of Lords number of seats: 800 (all appointed) parties elected and seats per party: Conservative Party (286); Labour Party (212); Liberal Democrats (76); Crossover (Independents) 180; other (6) percentage of women in chamber: 31% note: the number of total seats in the House of Lords does not include ineligible members or members on leave of absence **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 12 justices, including the court president and deputy president) judge selection and term of office: judge candidates selected by an independent committee of several judicial commissions, then recommended to the prime minister, and appointed by the monarch; justices serve for life subordinate courts: England and Wales: Court of Appeal (civil and criminal divisions); High Court; Crown Court; County Courts; Magistrates' Courts; Scotland: Court of Sessions; Sheriff Courts; High Court of Justiciary; tribunals; Northern Ireland: Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland; High Court; county courts; magistrates' courts; specialized tribunals **Political parties:** Alliance Party or APNI (Northern Ireland) Conservative and Unionist Party Democratic Unionist Party or DUP (Northern Ireland) Green Party of England and Wales or Greens Labor (Labour) Party Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems) Party of Wales (Plaid Cymru) Reform UK Scottish National Party or SNP Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) Traditional Unionist Voice or TUV UK Independence Party or UKIP Ulster Unionist Party or UUP (Northern Ireland) Workers Party of Great Britian **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires James ROSCOE (since 11 September 2025) chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500 FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870 email address and website: ukin.washington@fcdo.gov.uk https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-washington consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Warren A. STEPHENS (since 21 May 2025) embassy: 33 Nine Elms Lane, London, SW11 7US mailing address: 8400 London Place, Washington DC 20521-8400 telephone: [44] (0) 20-7499-9000 FAX: [44] (0) 20-7891-3845 email address and website: SCSLondon@state.gov https://uk.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, C, CBSS (observer), CD, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (permanent), UNSOM, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** no official date of independence: 927 (minor English kingdoms unite); 3 March 1284 (enactment of the Statute of Rhuddlan uniting England and Wales); 1536 (Act of Union incorporates England and Wales); 1 May 1707 (Acts of Union unite England, Scotland, and Wales as Great Britain); 1 January 1801 (Acts of Union unite Great Britain and Ireland as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland); 6 December 1921 (Anglo-Irish Treaty formalizes partition of Ireland; six counties become Northern Ireland and remain part of the UK); 12 April 1927 (Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act establishes current name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) **National holiday:** the UK does not celebrate one particular national holiday **Flag:** description: blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white on top of the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is on top of the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland) history: the official name is the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union Jack; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags **National symbol(s):** lion (all of Britain); lion, Tudor rose, oak (England); lion, unicorn, thistle (Scotland); dragon, daffodil, leek (Wales); shamrock, flax (Northern Ireland) **National color(s):** red, white, blue (all of Britain); red, white (England); blue, white (Scotland); red, white, green (Wales) **National anthem(s):** title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: in use since 1745; by tradition, the song serves as both the national and royal anthem; it is known as either "God Save the Queen" or "God Save the King," depending on the gender of the reigning monarch; it also serves as the royal anthem for many Commonwealth nations **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 33 (28 cultural, 4 natural, 1 mixed); note - includes one site in Bermuda selected World Heritage Site locales: Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast (n); Ironbridge Gorge (c); Stonehenge, Avebury, and Associated Sites (c); Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd (c); Blenheim Palace (c); City of Bath (c); Tower of London (c); St Kilda (m); Maritime Greenwich (c); Old and New Towns of Edinburgh (c); Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (c); The English Lake District (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, non-EU European economy; global financial center and dominant service sector; sluggish growth from stringent monetary policy, reduced business investment, low productivity and participation rates; fiscal austerity in face of high public debt **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $3.636 trillion (2024 est.) $3.596 trillion (2023 est.) $3.582 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 1.1% (2024 est.) 0.4% (2023 est.) 4.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $52,500 (2024 est.) $52,500 (2023 est.) $53,000 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $3.644 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.3% (2024 est.) 6.8% (2023 est.) 7.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.6% (2024 est.) industry: 16.7% (2024 est.) services: 72.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 61.3% (2023 est.) government consumption: 20.5% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 17.6% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -0.4% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 32% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -33.1% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, wheat, sugar beets, barley, potatoes, chicken, rapeseed, pork, beef, oats (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, other consumer goods **Industrial production growth rate:** -0.5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 35.359 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.2% (2024 est.) 4% (2023 est.) 3.8% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 12.4% (2024 est.) male: 14.9% (2024 est.) female: 9.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 18.6% (2017 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 32.4 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 8.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 24.6% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $1.211 trillion (2023 est.) expenditures: $1.442 trillion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 138.6% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 27.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$96.634 billion (2024 est.) -$118.354 billion (2023 est.) -$70.962 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $1.117 trillion (2024 est.) $1.078 trillion (2023 est.) $1.041 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 14%, China 8%, Germany 8%, Netherlands 7%, Ireland 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** cars, gold, gas turbines, packaged medicine, crude petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $1.158 trillion (2024 est.) $1.114 trillion (2023 est.) $1.1 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 13%, USA 11%, Germany 10%, France 5%, Norway 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, gold, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $174.598 billion (2024 est.) $177.915 billion (2023 est.) $176.41 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** British pounds (GBP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 0.782 (2024 est.) 0.805 (2023 est.) 0.811 (2022 est.) 0.727 (2021 est.) 0.78 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 99.9% electrification - rural areas: 100% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 114.749 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 262.166 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 9.449 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 33.212 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 28.961 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 36.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 13.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 4.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 30.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 1.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 12.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 9 (2025) Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 2 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 5.88GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 12.5% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 36 (2025) **Coal:** production: 1.568 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 7.372 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 981,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 6.633 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 26 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 753,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 1.406 million bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 2.5 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 34.029 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 63.553 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 15.842 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 45.226 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 180.661 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 94.28 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 26.627 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 84.1 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 122 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** public-service British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the largest broadcasting company in the world; BBC operates multiple TV networks with regional and local TV; mixed system of public and commercial TV broadcasters along with satellite and cable systems provide access to hundreds of international TV stations; BBC operates multiple national, regional, and local radio networks with multiple transmission sites; large number of commercial and satellite radio stations available (2018) **Internet country code:** .uk **Internet users:** percent of population: 96% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 28.2 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** G **Airports:** 1,057 (2025) **Heliports:** 139 (2025) **Railways:** total: 16,390 km (2020) 6,167 km electrified **Merchant marine:** total: 868 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 34, container ship 46, general cargo 62, oil tanker 13, other 713 note: includes Channel Islands (total fleet 2; general cargo 1, other 1); excludes Isle of Man **Ports:** total ports: 185 (2024) large: 7 medium: 24 small: 67 very small: 86 size unknown: 1 ports with oil terminals: 67 key ports: Aberdeen, Barrow-in-Furness, Barry, Belfast, Blyth, Bristol, Cardiff, Dundee, Falmouth Harbour, Glasgow, Greenock, Grimsby, Immingham, Kingston-upon-Hull, Leith, Lerwick, Liverpool, London, Londonderry, Lyness, Manchester, Milford Haven, Newport, Peterhead, Plymouth, Portland Harbour, Portsmouth Harbour, Southampton, Sunderland, Teesport, Tynemouth **Transportation - note:** begun in 1988 and completed in 1994, the Channel Tunnel (nicknamed the Chunnel) is a 50.5-km (31.4-mi) rail tunnel under the English Channel at the Strait of Dover; it runs from Folkestone, Kent, in England to Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais, in northern France and is the only fixed link between the island of Great Britain and mainland Europe ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** United Kingdom Armed Forces (aka British Armed Forces, aka His Majesty's Armed Forces): British Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force (2025) **Military expenditures:** 2.4% of GDP (2025 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 138,000 Regular Forces (75,000 Army including the Gurkhas; 32,000 Navy including the Royal Marines; 31,000 Air Force) (2025) note: the military also maintains approximately 40-45,000 reserves and other personnel on active duty **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the British military's inventory is comprised of domestically produced armaments and imported Western weapons systems, particularly from the US; the UK defense industry is capable of producing air, land, and sea weapons systems and is one of the world's top weapons suppliers; it also cooperates with other European countries, as well as Australia and the US, in the research and development of weapons systems (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 16 years of age for enlisted ranks (with parental consent for under 18) and 18 years of age for officers; maximum age varies by military service; conscription abolished in 1963 (2026) note 1: women serve in all branches and made up nearly 12% of the military's full-time personnel in 2025 note 2: the British military allows Commonwealth nationals who are current UK residents and have been in the country for at least 5 years to apply; it also accepts Irish citizens note 3: the British Army has continued the historic practice of recruiting Gurkhas from Nepal to serve in the Brigade of Gurkhas; the British began to recruit Nepalese citizens (Gurkhas) into the East India Company Army during the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816); the Gurkhas subsequently were brought into the British Indian Army and by 1914, there were 10 Gurkha regiments, collectively known as the Gurkha Brigade; following the partition of India in 1947, an agreement between Nepal, India, and Great Britain allowed for the transfer of the 10 regiments from the British Indian Army to the separate British and Indian armies; four of the regiments were transferred to the British Army, where they have since served continuously as the Brigade of Gurkhas **Military deployments:** the British military has more than 8,000 personnel on permanent or long-term rotational deployments around the globe in support of NATO, UN, or other commitments and agreements; key deployments include approximately 1,000 in Brunei, approximately 2,500 in Cyprus (includes 250 for UNFICYP), approximately 900-1,000 in Estonia (NATO), over 1,000 in the Falkland Islands, 500-600 in Gibraltar, and more than 1,000 in the Middle East; its air and naval forces conduct missions on a global basis; the British military also participates in large scale NATO exercises, including providing some 16,000 personnel for the 6-month 2024 Steadfast Defender exercise (2024) **Military - note:** the British military has a long history, a global presence, and a wide range of missions and responsibilities, including protecting the UK, its dependencies and territories, national interests, and values, preventing conflict, providing humanitarian assistance, participating in international peacekeeping, building relationships, and fulfilling the UK’s alliance and treaty commitments; in addition to its role in the UN, the UK is a leading member of NATO the UK is a member of the Five Power Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; in 2014, the UK led the formation of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a pool of high-readiness military forces from the Baltic and Scandinavian countries intended to respond to a wide range of contingencies both in peacetime and in times of crisis or conflict; the UK military also has strong bilateral ties with a variety of foreign militaries, particularly the US, with which it has a mutual defense treaty; British and US military forces have routinely operated side-by-side across a wide range of operations; other close military relationships include Australia, France, Germany, and the Netherlands; in 2010, for example, France and the UK signed a declaration on defense and security cooperation that included greater military interoperability and a Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF), a deployable, combined Anglo-French military force for use in a range of crisis scenarios (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** UK Space Agency (UKSA; established in 2010) (2025) note 1: the UKSA replaced the British National Space Center (BNSC; established in 1985); in 2025, the UK Government announced that the UKSA would be absorbed into the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT) as of April 2026 note 2: in 2021, the British formed the joint service UK Space Command under the Ministry of Defense for military space operations, space workforce, and space capabilities **Space launch site(s):** Spaceport 1 (Outer Hebrides, Scotland); Spaceport Machrihanish (Argyll, Scotland); Glasgow Prestwick (South Ayrshire, Scotland); Spaceport Snowdonia (Gwynedd, Wales); SaxaVord UK Spaceport (Unst, Shetland Islands); Sutherland Spaceport (Sutherland, Scotland); Sutherland, Scotland (Cornwall Airport Newquay, Cornwall) (2024) **Space program overview:** has a long-standing, comprehensive national space program; is active across all areas of the space sector except human space flight, including satellite launch vehicles (SLVs)/rockets, probes, satellites, and spaceports; is a founding member of the ESA and is deeply involved in ESA programs; has bilateral relations with many ESA members and is a close partner of the US NASA; since 2016 has forged over 350 relationships with international organizations across nearly 50 countries; participates in international programs such as the International Space Station and the James Webb Space Telescope; has a large commercial space sector; the UK has a space industrial plan, and the UK Space Agency has provided funding for commercial space projects (2025) note: the UK was part of several EU-sponsored space programs until departing the EU in 2020, including the Galileo global positioning system and the Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) project; it remained part of the Copernicus Earth observation and Horizon Europe research and innovation programs after 2020; the UK has participated or continues to participate in multiple ESA programs, including Cassini-Huygens research mission to Saturn, the Mars Express space exploration missions, the Rosetta comet probe, and the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission **Key space-program milestones:** 1957 - first suborbital sounding rocket (Skylark) launched 1960s - first satellite (Ariel) launched by US; development of Black Arrow satellite launch vehicle (SLV); launched first of Skynet family of communications satellites 1971 - first successful placement of satellite (Prospero) in orbit on a 3-stage Black Arrow SLV (Black Arrow SLV program ended in early 1970s) 1973 - began participating in development of Ariane SLV along with other European states, particularly France and Germany 1991 - first British astronaut into space to Russian Mir space station 2015 - first British astronaut on International Space Station 2019-2020 - began participating in US Gateway lunar orbital station program and signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration 2024 - first military remote sensing satellite (Tyche) launched by US ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa'ida; Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 640,460 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 4,672 (2024 est.) **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## United States **Slug:** united-states **Region:** North America **Flag:** 🇺🇸 **Codes:** cek: us, iso2: US, iso3: USA, iso_num: 840, genc: USA, stanag: USA, internet: .us ### Introduction **Background:** Thirteen of Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. Two of the most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65), in which a northern Union of states defeated a secessionist Confederacy of 11 southern slave states, and the Great Depression of the 1930s, an economic downturn during which about a quarter of the labor force lost its jobs. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation state. Since the end of World War II, the economy has achieved relatively steady growth, low unemployment, and rapid advances in technology. ### Geography **Location:** North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico **Geographic coordinates:** 38 00 N, 97 00 W **Map references:** North America **Area:** total : 9,833,517 sq km land: 9,147,593 sq km water: 685,924 sq km note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia, no overseas territories **Area - comparative:** about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the size of the European Union **Land boundaries:** total: 12,002 km border countries (2): Canada 8,891 km (including 2,475 km with Alaska); Mexico 3,111 km note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28.5 km **Coastline:** 19,924 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified **Climate:** mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains note: many consider Mount McKinley, the highest peak in the United States, to be the world’s coldest mountain because of its combination of high elevation and its subarctic location at 63 degrees north latitude; permanent snow and ice cover over 75 percent of the mountain, and enormous glaciers, up to 45 miles long and 3,700 feet thick, spider out from its base in every direction; it is home to some of the world’s coldest and most violent weather, where winds of over 150 miles per hour and temperatures of -93˚F have been recorded. **Terrain:** vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii **Elevation:** highest point: Mount McKinley 6,190 m (highest point in North America) lowest point: Death Valley (lowest point in North America) -86 m mean elevation: 760 m note 1: Mount McKinley is one of the most striking features on the entire planet; at 20,310 feet, it is the crowning peak of the Alaska Range and the highest mountain on North America; it towers three and one-half vertical miles above its base, making it a mile taller from base to summit than Mt. Everest; McKinley's base sits at about 2,000 feet above sea level and rises over three and one-half miles to its 20,310 foot summit; Everest begins on a 14,000-foot high plain, then summits at 29,028 feet note 2: the peak of Mauna Kea (4,207 m above sea level) on the island of Hawaii rises about 10,200 m above the Pacific Ocean floor; by this measurement, it is the world's tallest mountain -- higher than Mount Everest (8,850 m), which is recognized as the tallest mountain above sea level **Natural resources:** coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, rare earth elements, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber, arable land note: the US has the world's largest coal reserves with 491 billion short tons accounting for 27% of the world's total **Land use:** agricultural land: 46.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 16.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 29.2% (2023 est.) forest: 33.8% (2023 est.) other: 18.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 234,782 sq km (2017) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Michigan – 57,750 sq km; Superior* – 53,348 sq km; Huron* – 23,597 sq km; Erie* – 12,890 sq km; Ontario* – 9,220 sq km; Lake of the Woods – 4,350 sq km; Iliamna – 2,590 sq km; Okeechobee – 1,810 sq km; Belcharof – 1,190 sq km; Red – 1,170 sq km; Saint Clair – 1,113 sq km; Champlain – 1,100 sq km note - Great Lakes* area shown as US waters salt water lake(s): Great Salt – 4,360 sq km; Pontchartrain – 1,620 sq km; Selawik – 1,400 sq km; Salton Sea – 950 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Missouri - 3,768 km; Mississippi - 3,544 km; Yukon river mouth (shared with Canada [s]) - 3,190 km; Saint Lawrence (shared with Canada) - 3,058 km; Rio Grande river source (mouth shared with Mexico) - 3,057 km; Colorado river source (shared with Mexico [m]) - 2,333 km; Arkansas - 2,348 km; Columbia river mouth (shared with Canada [s]) - 2,250 km; Red - 2,188 km; Ohio - 2,102 km); Snake - 1,670 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Gulf of America) Mississippi* (3,202,185 sq km); Rio Grande (607,965 sq km); (Gulf of Saint Lawrence) Saint Lawrence* (1,049,636 sq km total, US only 505,000 sq km) Pacific Ocean drainage: Yukon* (847,620 sq km, US only 23,820 sq km); Colorado (703,148 sq km); Columbia* (657,501 sq km, US only 554,501 sq km) note: watersheds shared with Canada shown with * **Major aquifers:** Northern Great Plains Aquifer, Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer System, Californian Central Valley Aquifer System, Ogallala Aquifer (High Plains), Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains Aquifer **Population distribution:** large urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western-tier states; mountainous areas such as the Rocky Mountains and Appalachians, deserts in the southwest, the dense boreal forests in the extreme north, and the central prairie states are less densely populated; Alaska's population is concentrated along its southern coast, particularly around Anchorage, and Hawaii's is centered on the island of Oahu **Natural hazards:** tsunamis; volcanoes; earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of America coasts; tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska is a major impediment to development volcanism: volcanic activity in the Hawaiian Islands, Western Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and in the Northern Mariana Islands; Mauna Loa (4,170 m) in Hawaii and Mount Rainier (4,392 m) in Washington have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pavlof (2,519 m) is the most active volcano in Alaska's Aleutian Arc and poses a significant threat to intercontinental air travel; St. Helens (2,549 m), famous for the devastating 1980 eruption, remains active today; other historically active volcanoes are mostly concentrated in the Aleutian arc and Hawaii, including (in Alaska) Aniakchak, Augustine, Chiginagak, Fourpeaked, Iliamna, Katmai, Kupreanof, Martin, Novarupta, Redoubt, Spurr, Wrangell, Trident, Ugashik-Peulik, Ukinrek Maars, Veniaminof, (in Hawaii) Haleakala, Kilauea, Loihi, (in the Northern Mariana Islands) Anatahan, (in the Pacific Northwest) Mount Baker, and Mount Hood; see note 2 under "Geography - note" **Geography - note:** note 1: world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is the highest point (6,190 m; 20,308 ft) in North America, and Death Valley is the lowest point (-86 m; -282 ft) note 2: the western US coast and the southern coast of Alaska lie along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes note 3: the Aleutian Islands are a chain of volcanic islands that divide the Bering Sea (north) from the main Pacific Ocean (south); they extend about 1,800 km (1,118 mi) westward from the Alaskan Peninsula; the archipelago consists of 14 larger islands, 55 smaller islands, and hundreds of islets; there are 41 active volcanoes on the islands, which together form a large northern section of the Ring of Fire note 4: Mammoth Cave, in west-central Kentucky, is the world's longest known cave system with more than 650 km (405 miles) of surveyed passageways, which is nearly twice as long as the second-longest cave system, the Sac Actun underwater cave in Mexico (see "Geography - note" under Mexico) note 5: Kazumura Cave on the island of Hawaii is the world's longest and deepest lava-tube cave; it has been surveyed at 66 km (41 mi) long and 1,102 m (3,614 ft) deep note 6: Bracken Cave outside San Antonio, Texas is the world's largest bat cave and the summer home to the largest colony of bats in the world; an estimated 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats roost in the cave from March to October, making it the world's largest known concentration of mammals ### People and Society **Population:** total: 338,016,259 (2025 est.) male: 167,543,554 female: 170,472,705 **Nationality:** noun: American(s) adjective: American **Ethnic groups:** White 61.6%, Black or African American 12.4%, Asian 6%, Indigenous and Alaska native 1.1%, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.2%, other 8.4%, two or more races 10.2% (2020 est.) note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean persons of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin including those of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic, Spanish, and Central or South American origin living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (White, Black, Asian, etc.); an estimated 18.7% of the total US population is Hispanic as of 2020 **Languages:** English only (official) 78.2%, Spanish 13.4%, Chinese 1.1%, other 7.3% (2017 est.) note: data represent the language spoken at home; English is the official national language as of March 2025, but English previously had official status in 32 of the 50 states; Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii, and 20 indigenous languages are official in Alaska **Religions:** Protestant 46.5%, Roman Catholic 20.8%, Jewish 1.9%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.6%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim 0.9%, Jehovah's Witness 0.8%, Buddhist 0.7%, Hindu 0.7%, other 1.8%, unaffiliated 22.8%, don't know/refused 0.6% (2014 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 18.1% (male 31,618,532/female 30,254,223) 15-64 years: 63.4% (male 108,553,822/female 108,182,491) 65 years and over: 18.5% (2024 est.) (male 28,426,426/female 34,927,914) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 56 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 26.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 29.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 39.5 years (2025 est.) male: 37.8 years female: 40 years **Population growth rate:** 0.45% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.75 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 8.76 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 2.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** large urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western-tier states; mountainous areas such as the Rocky Mountains and Appalachians, deserts in the southwest, the dense boreal forests in the extreme north, and the central prairie states are less densely populated; Alaska's population is concentrated along its southern coast, particularly around Anchorage, and Hawaii's is centered on the island of Oahu **Urbanization:** urban population: 83.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.96% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 18.937 million New York-Newark, 12.534 million Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, 8.937 million Chicago, 6.707 million Houston, 6.574 million Dallas-Fort Worth, 5.490 million WASHINGTON, D.C. (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 27.5 years (2023 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 17 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 5.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 80.9 years (2024 est.) male: 78.7 years female: 83.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.63 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.02 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 16.6% of GDP (2022) 24.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 3.68 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 2.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 36.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 8.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 3.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 22.1% (2025 est.) male: 27.7% (2025 est.) female: 16.7% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 0.4% (2018 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 52.1% (2022 est.) **Education expenditure:** 5.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 11.3% national budget (2021 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 16 years (2022 est.) male: 15 years (2022 est.) female: 17 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; declining natural freshwater resources in the west; deforestation; mining; desertification; species conservation; invasive species **International environmental agreements:** party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Protocol **Climate:** mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains note: many consider Mount McKinley, the highest peak in the United States, to be the world’s coldest mountain because of its combination of high elevation and its subarctic location at 63 degrees north latitude; permanent snow and ice cover over 75 percent of the mountain, and enormous glaciers, up to 45 miles long and 3,700 feet thick, spider out from its base in every direction; it is home to some of the world’s coldest and most violent weather, where winds of over 150 miles per hour and temperatures of -93˚F have been recorded. **Land use:** agricultural land: 46.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 16.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 29.2% (2023 est.) forest: 33.8% (2023 est.) other: 18.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 83.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.96% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 4.795 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 777.302 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.258 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 1.76 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 7.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 20,500.6 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 9,063.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 4,974 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 758.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 265.225 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 14.8% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 58.39 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 209.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 176.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 3.069 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: United States of America conventional short form: United States abbreviation: US or USA etymology: the name America was first used in 1507 and is derived from the first name of Amerigo VESPUCCI (1454-1512), an Italian explorer, navigator, and cartographer; the name United States first appeared in a document subtitle during the discussions that led to the Declaration of Independence in 1776 **Government type:** constitutional federal republic **Capital:** name: Washington, D.C. geographic coordinates: 38 53 N, 77 02 W time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November; note - no DST for Hawaii and most of Arizona time zone note: the 50 United States cover six time zones etymology: named after George WASHINGTON (1732-1799), the first president of the United States **Administrative divisions:** 50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming **Dependent areas:** American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island (14) note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a political relationship with all four political entities: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994) **Legal system:** common law system based on English common law at the federal level; state legal systems based on common law, except Louisiana, where state law is based on Napoleonic civil code; judicial review of legislative acts **Constitution:** history: previous 1781 (Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union); latest drafted July - September 1787, submitted to the Congress of the Confederation 20 September 1787, submitted for states' ratification 28 September 1787, ratification completed by nine of the 13 states 21 June 1788, effective 4 March 1789 amendment process: proposed as a "joint resolution" by Congress, which requires a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by at least two thirds of the state legislatures; passage requires ratification by three fourths of the state legislatures or passage in state-held constitutional conventions as specified by Congress; the US president has no role in the constitutional amendment process **International law organization participation:** withdrew acceptance of compulsory ICJ jurisdiction in 2005; withdrew acceptance of ICCt jurisdiction in 2002 **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no, but the US government acknowledges such situtations exist; US citizens are not encouraged to seek dual citizenship since it limits protection by the US residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025) head of government: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, approved by the Senate election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by the Electoral College of electors chosen from each state; president and vice president serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 5 November 2024 election results: 2024: Donald J. TRUMP elected president; electoral vote - Donald J. TRUMP (Republican Party) 312, Kamala HARRIS (Democratic Party) 226; percent of direct popular vote - Donald J. TRUMP 49.8%, Kamala HARRIS 48.3%, other 1.9% 2020: Joseph R. BIDEN, Jr. elected president; electoral vote - Joseph R. BIDEN, Jr. (Democratic Party) 306, Donald J. TRUMP (Republican Party) 232; percent of direct popular vote - Joseph R. BIDEN Jr. 51.3%, Donald J. TRUMP 46.9%, other 1.8% expected date of next election: 7 November 2028 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Congress legislative structure: bicameral note: in addition to the regular members of the House of Representatives there are 6 non-voting delegates elected from the District of Columbia and the US territories of American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands; these are single seat constituencies directly elected by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term (except for the resident commissioner of Puerto Rico who serves a 4-year term); the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote; election of delegates last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held on 3 November 2024) **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives number of seats: 435 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 2 years most recent election date: 11/5/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Republican Party (220); Democratic Party (215) percentage of women in chamber: 28.9% expected date of next election: November 2026 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 100 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 11/5/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Republican Party (15); Democratic Party (19) percentage of women in chamber: 26% expected date of next election: November 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): US Supreme Court (consists of 9 justices -- the chief justice and 8 associate justices) judge selection and term of office: president nominates and, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoints Supreme Court justices; justices serve for life subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (includes the US Court of Appeal for the Federal District and 12 regional appeals courts); 94 federal district courts in 50 states and territories note: the US court system consists of the federal court system and the state court systems; each court system is responsible for hearing certain types of cases, but neither is completely independent of the other, and the systems often interact **Political parties:** Alliance Party Constitution Party Democratic Party Green Party Libertarian Party Republican Party Vermont Progressive Party **International organization participation:** ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, EAPC, EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Quad, SAARC (observer), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UN Security Council (permanent), UNTSO, UPU, USMCA, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC **Independence:** 4 July 1776 (declared independence from Great Britain); 3 September 1783 (recognized by Great Britain) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 4 July (1776) **Flag:** description: 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue rectangle in the upper-left corner has 50 five-pointed white stars, arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars meaning: the stars represent the 50 states, and the stripes represent the 13 original colonies; blue stands for loyalty, devotion, truth, justice, and friendship; red for courage, zeal, and fervency; white for purity and rectitude of conduct note 1: sometimes referred to by its nickname of "Old Glory" note 2: the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico **National symbol(s):** bald eagle **National color(s):** red, white, blue **National anthem(s):** title: "The Star-Spangled Banner" lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH history: adopted 1931; during the War of 1812, Francis Scott KEY witnessed the successful American defense of Baltimore's Fort McHenry against a British naval bombardment, later writing a poem about it that would become the US national anthem; the lyrics were set to the tune of "The Anacreontic Song;" there are four verses, but only the first verse is sung **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 26 (13 cultural, 12 natural, 1 mixed); note - includes one site in Puerto Rico selected World Heritage Site locales: Yellowstone National Park (n); Grand Canyon National Park (n); Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site (c); Independence Hall (c); Statue of Liberty (c); Yosemite National Park (n); Papahānaumokuākea (m); Monumental Earthworks of Poverty Point (c); The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright (c); Mesa Verde National Park (c); Mammoth Cave National Park (n); Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville (c); Olympic National Park (n); Everglades National Park (n); Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek (n); Redwood National and State Parks (n); Great Smoky Mountains National Park (n); La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico (c); Chaco Culture (c); Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (n); Taos Pueblo (c); Carlsbad Caverns National Park (n); Waterton Glacier International Peace Park (n); Moravian Church Settlements (c); San Antonio Missions (c); Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** world’s largest economy by nominal GDP; largest importer and second-largest exporter; home to leading financial exchanges and global reserve currency; high and growing public debt; inflation moderating but remains above pre-pandemic levels **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $25.676 trillion (2024 est.) $24.977 trillion (2023 est.) $24.276 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.8% (2024 est.) 2.9% (2023 est.) 2.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $75,500 (2024 est.) $74,200 (2023 est.) $72,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $29.185 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 2.9% (2024 est.) 4.1% (2023 est.) 8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 0.9% (2024 est.) industry: 17.3% (2024 est.) services: 79.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 67.9% (2024 est.) government consumption: 13.4% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.6% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.1% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 10.9% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -14% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** maize, soybeans, milk, wheat, sugar beets, sugarcane, potatoes, chicken, pork, tomatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** highly diversified, world leading, high-technology innovator, second-largest industrial output in the world; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.25% (2021 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 174.174 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.2% (2024 est.) 3.7% (2023 est.) 3.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 9.4% (2024 est.) male: 10.4% (2024 est.) female: 8.3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 41.8 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 6.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.8% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 30.4% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0% of GDP (2024 est.) 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $4.877 trillion (2023 est.) expenditures: $6.857 trillion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 114.8% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 10.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$1.134 trillion (2024 est.) -$905.378 billion (2023 est.) -$1.012 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $3.191 trillion (2024 est.) $3.072 trillion (2023 est.) $3.039 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Canada 14%, Mexico 13%, China 8%, Germany 5%, Japan 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, gas turbines, cars (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $4.108 trillion (2024 est.) $3.857 trillion (2023 est.) $3.984 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Mexico 15%, China 15%, Canada 14%, Germany 5%, Japan 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment, computers, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $910.037 billion (2024 est.) $773.426 billion (2023 est.) $706.644 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** British pounds per US dollar: 0.782 (2024 est.), 0.805 (2023 est.), 0.811 (2022 est.), 0.727 (2021 est.), 0.780 (2020 est.) Canadian dollars per US dollar: 1.369 (2024 est.), 1.35 (2023 est.), 1.302 (2022 est.), 1.254 (2021 est.), 1.341 (2020 est.) Chinese yuan per US dollar: 0.783 (2024 est.), 7.084 (2023 est.), 6.737 (2022 est.), 6.449 (2021 est.), 6.901 (2020 est.) euros per US dollar: 0.924 (2024 est.), 0.925 (2023 est.), 0.950 (2022 est.), 0.845 (2021 est.), 0.876 (2020 est.) Japanese yen per US dollar: 151.366 (2024 est.), 140.49 (2023 est.), 131.50 (2022 est.), 109.75 (2021 est.), 106.78 (2020 est.) note 1: the following countries and territories use the US dollar officially as their legal tender: British Virgin Islands, Ecuador, El Salvador, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Timor Leste, Turks and Caicos, and islands of the Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba) note 2: the following countries and territories use the US dollar as official legal tender alongside local currency: Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, and Panama ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 1.235 billion kW (2023 est.) consumption: 4.085 trillion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 19.87 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 38.874 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 191.104 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 58.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 18.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 5.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 9.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 5.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 94 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 96.95GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 18.5% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 41 (2025) **Coal:** production: 534.234 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 495.156 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 92.28 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 3.825 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 247.883 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 20.953 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 20.307 million bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 38.212 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 1.072 trillion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 920.47 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 215.48 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 82.917 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 13.402 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 278.474 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 87.987 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 391 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 113 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 4 major terrestrial TV networks with affiliate stations, plus cable and satellite networks, independent stations, and a limited public broadcasting sector; thousands of TV stations broadcasting; multiple national radio networks with many affiliate stations; over 15,000 radio stations, most commercial; National Public Radio (NPR) has a network of about 900 member stations; satellite radio available (2018) **Internet country code:** .us **Internet users:** percent of population: 93% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 131 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** N **Airports:** 16,116 (2025) **Heliports:** 8,130 (2025) **Railways:** total: 293,564.2 km (2014) standard gauge: 293,564.2 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 3,533 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 4, container ship 60, general cargo 96, oil tanker 68, other 3,305 note - oceangoing self-propelled, cargo-carrying vessels of 1,000 gross tons and above **Ports:** total ports: 666 (2024) large: 21 medium: 38 small: 132 very small: 475 ports with oil terminals: 204 key ports: Baltimore, Boston, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Chester, Cleveland, Detroit, Galveston, Houston, Los Angeles, Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP), Mobile, New Orleans, New York City, Norfolk, Oakland, Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Tri-City Port ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** United States Armed Forces (aka US Military): US Army (USA), US Navy (USN; includes US Marine Corps or USMC), US Air Force (USAF), US Space Force (USSF); US Coast Guard (USCG); National Guard (Army National Guard and Air National Guard) (2025) note 1: the US Coast Guard is administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the Navy note 2: the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard are reserve components of their services and operate in part under state authority; the US military also maintains reserve forces for each branch note 3: US law enforcement personnel include those of federal agencies, such as the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice, the 50 states, special jurisdictions, local sheriff’s offices, and municipal, county, regional, and tribal police departments note 4: some US states have "state defense forces" (SDFs), which are military units that operate under the sole authority of state governments; SDFs are authorized by state and federal law and are under the command of the governor of each state; most are organized as ground units, but air and naval units also exist **Military expenditures:** 3.2% of GDP (2025 est.) 3.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 3.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.5% of GDP (2021 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 1.28 million active duty Armed Forces (450,000 Army; 334,000 Navy; 317,000 Air Force; 10,000 Space Force; 168,000 Marine Corps); 42,000 Coast Guard) (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the US military's inventory is comprised almost entirely of domestically produced weapons systems (some assembled with foreign components) along with a smaller mix of imported equipment from a variety of countries such as Germany and the UK; the US defense industry is capable of designing, developing, maintaining, and producing the full spectrum of weapons systems; the US is the world's leading arms exporter (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 17 years of age (under 18 with parental consent) for voluntary service for men and women; maximum enlistment age varies by service; 8-year initial service obligation, including 2-5 years active duty depending on the particular military service (2025) note 1: the US military has been all-volunteer since 1973, but an act of Congress can reinstate the draft in case of a national emergency; males aged 18-25 must register with Selective Service note 2: all military occupations and positions open to women; women comprised 17.7% of the total US regular military personnel as of 2023 note 3: non-citizens living permanently and legally in the US may join as enlisted personnel; they must have permission to work in the US, a high school diploma, and speak, read, and write English fluently; under the Compact of Free Association, citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands may volunteer **Military deployments:** the US has approximately 200,000 military personnel deployed overseas on a permanent or a long-term rotational (typically 3-9 months) basis (2025) **Military - note:** the US military's primary missions are to deter potential enemies, provide for the defense of the US, its Territories, Commonwealths and possessions, and any areas occupied by the US, and to protect US national interests; its responsibilities are worldwide and include providing humanitarian assistance, participating in international military exercises and operations, conducting military diplomacy, and fulfilling the US's alliance and treaty commitments; the US has been a leading member of NATO since the Alliance's formation in 1949 the US military has a global presence; the separate services operate jointly under 11 regional or functionally based joint service "combatant" commands: Africa Command; Central Command, Cyber Command, European Command, Indo-Pacific Command, Northern Command, Southern Command, Space Command, Special Operations Command, Strategic Command, and Transportation Command Congress officially created the US military in September 1789; the US Army was established in June 1775 as the Continental Army; after the declaration of independence in July 1776, the Continental Army and the militia in the service of Congress became known collectively as the Army of the United States; when Congress ordered the Continental Army to disband in 1784, it retained a small number of personnel that would form the nucleus of the 1st American Regiment for national service formed later that year; both the US Navy and the US Marines were also established in 1775, but the Navy fell into disuse after the Revolutionary War, and was reestablished by Congress in 1794; the first US military unit devoted exclusively to aviation began operations in 1913 as part of the US Army; the Army Air Corps (AAC) was the US military service dedicated to aerial warfare between 1926 and 1941; the AAC became the US Army Air Forces in 1941 and remained as a combat arm of the Army until the establishment of the US Air Force in 1947 (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA; established 1958) (2025) note: the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO; established in 1961) is responsible for designing, building, launching, and maintaining intelligence satellites; the US Space Command (USSPACECOM; established in 2019) is one of 11 unified combatant commands within the Department of Defense and is responsible for military operations in outer space, specifically all operations over 100 kilometers or 62 miles above mean sea level); the US Space Force (USSF; established 2019) is a branch of the US Armed Forces **Space launch site(s):** has 20 government and commercial spaceports licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration spread across 10 states (Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia) (2025) **Space program overview:** has a large, comprehensive space program and is one of the world’s top space powers; builds, launches, and operates space launch vehicles (SLVs)/rockets and the full spectrum of spacecraft, including interplanetary probes, manned craft, reusable rockets, satellites, space stations, and space planes/shuttles; has an astronaut program and a corps of astronauts; researching and developing a broad range of other space-related technologies, including advanced telecommunications and optics, navigational aids, propulsion, and robotics; has launched orbital or lander probes to the Sun and all the planets in the solar system, as well as to asteroids and beyond the solar system; has dozens of international missions and projects, including with Canada, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the ESA; as of January 2026, 60 countries had signed onto the US-led Artemis Accords to enhance the governance of civil exploration and use of outer space; the US commercial space industry is one of the world’s largest and is active across the spectrum of US government space programs; US commercial companies conduct the majority of NASA and US military space launches (2026) **Key space-program milestones:** 1958-1963 - Project Mercury first manned space flights 1961-1963 - Project Gemini (longer-duration manned flights in preparation for Moon landings) 1963-1971 - Project Apollo Moon landings (world's first manned landing on the Moon, 1969) 1964 - launched first successful Mars probe (Mariner) 1965-1979 - operated Skylab space station 1977 - began launching Voyager probes to Jupiter, Saturn, and beyond the solar system 1980s-2011 - operated Space Shuttle program (world’s first re-usable space orbiters) 1990 - launched Hubble Space Telescope 1993 - began participating in International Space Station project 2003 - launched surface rover vehicles (Spirit and Opportunity) to Mars 2011 - launched orbital probe (Juno) to Jupiter 2016 - launched OSIRIS-REx mission to retrieve asteroid sample (landed on asteroid Bennu in 2020 and returned with sample in 2023) 2017 - initiated Artemis lunar landing project 2019 - initiated Gateway lunar orbital station project 2021 - launched James Webb Space Telescope (ESA contributed launch vehicle and launch site); surface rover vehicle (Perseverance) with robot helicopter (Ingenuity) successfully landed on surface of Mars 2024 - successfully placed a commercial lander on the Moon and launched probe (Europa Clipper) to study Jupiter's Europa moon ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): al-Qa'ida; Hizballah; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); La Mara Salvatruche (MS-13); Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LeT); Tren de Aragua (TdA) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 3,619,495 (2024 est.) IDPs: 21,737 (2024 est.) --- ## United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges **Slug:** united-states-pacific-island-wildlife-refuges **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Codes:** cek: um ### Introduction **Background:** All of the following US Pacific Island territories except Midway Atoll constitute the Pacific Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex and as such are managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior. Midway Atoll NWR has been included in a Refuge Complex with the Hawaiian Islands NWR and also designated as part of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. These remote refuges are the most widespread collection of marine- and terrestrial-life protected areas on the planet under a single country's jurisdiction. They sustain many endemic species including corals, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, seabirds, water birds, land birds, insects, and vegetation not found elsewhere. Baker Island: The US took possession of the island in 1857. US and British companies mined its guano deposits during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization began but was disrupted by World War II, and the island was thereafter abandoned. Baker Island was declared a National Wildlife Refuge in 1974. Howland Island: The US discovered the island early in the 19th century and officially claimed it in 1857. Both US and British companies mined guano on the island until about 1890. Earhart Light, a day beacon near the middle of the west coast, was partially destroyed during World War II but subsequently rebuilt; it is named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART. The US Department of the Interior administers the island as a National Wildlife Refuge. Jarvis Island: First discovered by the British in 1821, the uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858 but abandoned in 1879 after tons of guano deposits were removed for use in producing fertilizer. The UK annexed the island in 1889 but never carried out plans for further exploitation. The US occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935. Abandoned after World War II, the island is currently a National Wildlife Refuge administered by the US Department of the Interior. Johnston Atoll: Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late 1880s. Johnston Atoll was designated a wildlife refuge in 1926. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934, and the US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used for high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s, and until 2000, the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site for chemical weapons. Cleanup and closure of the weapons facility ended in 2005. Kingman Reef: The US annexed Kingman Reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flights during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant and diverse marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef out to 12 nm were designated a US National Wildlife Refuge. Midway Islands: The US took formal possession of the Midway Islands in 1867. The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval station until 1993. Today the islands are a US National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge was open to the public from 1996 to 2002 and again from 2008 to 2012, but it is now closed. Palmyra Atoll: The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not include Palmyra Atoll, which is now partly privately owned by the Nature Conservancy and partly US Government-owned and administered as a nature preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12-nautical-mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and were designated a National Wildlife Refuge in 2001. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania Baker Island: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 3,390 km southwest of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia Howland Island: island in the North Pacific Ocean 3,360 km southwest of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia Jarvis Island: island in the South Pacific Ocean 2,415 km south of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and Cook Islands Johnston Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,330 km southwest of Honolulu, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands Kingman Reef: reef in the North Pacific Ocean 1,720 km south of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa Midway Islands: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 2,335 km northwest of Honolulu near the end of the Hawaiian Archipelago, about one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo Palmyra Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,780 km south of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa **Geographic coordinates:** Baker Island: 0 13 N, 176 28 W Howland Island: 0 48 N, 176 38 W Jarvis Island: 0 23 S, 160 01 W Johnston Atoll: 16 45 N, 169 31 W Kingman Reef: 6 23 N, 162 25 W Midway Islands: 28 12 N, 177 22 W Palmyra Atoll: 5 53 N, 162 05 W **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** land: 6,959.41 sq km (emergent land - 22.41 sq km; submerged - 6,937 sq km) Baker Island: total - 129.1 sq km; emergent land - 2.1 sq km; submerged - 127 sq km Howland Island: total - 138.6 sq km; emergent land - 2.6 sq km; submerged - 136 sq km Jarvis Island: total - 152 sq km; emergent land - 5 sq km; submerged - 147 sq km Johnston Atoll: total - 276.6 sq km; emergent land - 2.6 sq km; submerged - 274 sq km Kingman Reef: total - 1,958.01 sq km; emergent land - 0.01 sq km; submerged - 1,958 sq km Midway Islands: total - 2,355.2 sq km; emergent land - 6.2 sq km; submerged - 2,349 sq km Palmyra Atoll: total - 1,949.9 sq km; emergent land - 3.9 sq km; submerged - 1,946 sq km **Area - comparative:** Baker Island: about 2.5 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Howland Island: about three times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Jarvis Island: about eight times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Johnston Atoll: about 4.5 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Kingman Reef: a little more than 1.5 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Midway Islands: about nine times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Palmyra Atoll: about 20 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** Baker Island: 4.8 km Howland Island: 6.4 km Jarvis Island: 8 km Johnston Atoll: 34 km Kingman Reef: 3 km Midway Islands: 15 km Palmyra Atoll: 14.5 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun Johnston Atoll and Kingman Reef: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation Midway Islands: subtropical with cool, moist winters (December to February) and warm, dry summers (May to October); moderated by prevailing easterly winds; most of the 107 cm of annual rainfall occurs during the winter Palmyra Atoll: equatorial, hot; located within the low pressure area of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) where the northeast and southeast trade winds meet, it is extremely wet with between 400-500 cm of rainfall each year **Terrain:** low and nearly flat sandy coral islands with narrow fringing reefs that have developed at the top of submerged volcanic mountains, which in most cases rise steeply from the ocean floor **Elevation:** highest point: Baker Island, unnamed location 8 m; Howland Island, unnamed location 3 m; Jarvis Island, unnamed location 7 m; Johnston Atoll, Sand Island 10 m; Kingman Reef, unnamed location 2 m; Midway Islands, unnamed location less than 13 m; Palmyra Atoll, unnamed location 3 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** terrestrial and aquatic wildlife **Land use:** other: 100% (2018 est.) **Natural hazards:** Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef around the island poses a maritime hazard Kingman Reef: wet or awash most of the time; maximum elevation of less than 2 m makes the reef a maritime hazard **Geography - note:** Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, vines, and low-growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; closed to the public Johnston Atoll: Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands that have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; the egg-shaped reef is 34 km (21 mi) in circumference; closed to the public Kingman Reef: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public Midway Islands: a coral atoll managed as a National Wildlife Refuge and open to the public for wildlife observation and photography Palmyra Atoll: high rainfall and lush vegetation make the environment of this atoll unique among the US Pacific Island territories; supports a large undisturbed stand of Pisonia beach forest ### People and Society **Population:** note: entry is only allowed through a Special Use Permit when the activity is deemed appropriate with purposes to the refuge establishment. ### Environment **Environmental issues:** Baker Island: no natural freshwater resources Howland Island: no natural freshwater resources Jarvis Island: no natural freshwater resources Johnston Atoll: no natural freshwater resources; invasion of non-native species Midway Islands: pollution from plastic; predominantly non-native plant species Kingman Reef: none Palmyra Atoll: none **Climate:** Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun Johnston Atoll and Kingman Reef: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation Midway Islands: subtropical with cool, moist winters (December to February) and warm, dry summers (May to October); moderated by prevailing easterly winds; most of the 107 cm of annual rainfall occurs during the winter Palmyra Atoll: equatorial, hot; located within the low pressure area of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) where the northeast and southeast trade winds meet, it is extremely wet with between 400-500 cm of rainfall each year **Land use:** other: 100% (2018 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 294,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 294,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Palmyra Atoll etymology: self-descriptive name specifying the territories' affiliation and location **Dependency status:** with the exception of Palmyra Atoll, the constituent islands are unincorporated, unorganized territories of the US; administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System note: Palmyra Atoll is part privately owned and part federally owned; the Office of Insular Affairs of the US Department of the Interior continues to administer nine excluded areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within the 12 nm territorial sea or within the lagoon **Legal system:** the laws of the US apply **Diplomatic representation from the US:** none (territories of the US) **Flag:** the US flag is used ### Energy **Coal:** imports: 108,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 2 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the US --- ## Uruguay **Slug:** uruguay **Region:** South America **Flag:** 🇺🇾 **Codes:** cek: uy, iso2: UY, iso3: URY, iso_num: 858, genc: URY, stanag: URY, internet: .uy ### Introduction **Background:** The Spanish founded the city of Montevideo in modern-day Uruguay in 1726 as a military stronghold, and it soon became an important commercial center due to its natural harbor. Argentina initially claimed Uruguay, but Brazil annexed the country in 1821. Uruguay declared its independence in 1825 and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century launched widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros (or Movimiento de Liberación Nacional-Tupamaros) launched in the late 1960s and pushed Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By year-end, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was restored in 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio (FA) Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control by the Colorado and National (Blanco) parties. The left-of-center coalition retained the presidency and control of both chambers of congress until 2019. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the South American continent. ### Geography **Location:** Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil **Geographic coordinates:** 33 00 S, 56 00 W **Map references:** South America **Area:** total : 176,215 sq km land: 175,015 sq km water: 1,200 sq km **Area - comparative:** about the size of Virginia and West Virginia combined; slightly smaller than the state of Washington **Land boundaries:** total: 1,591 km border countries (2): Argentina 541 km; Brazil 1,050 km **Coastline:** 660 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental margin **Climate:** warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown **Terrain:** mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland **Elevation:** highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 109 m **Natural resources:** arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 81.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 12.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 68.6% (2023 est.) forest: 11.4% (2023 est.) other: 7.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 2,230 sq km (2018) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Lagoa Mirim (shared with Brazil) - 2,970 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Rio de la Plata/Parana river mouth (shared with Brazil [s], Argentina, Paraguay) - 4,880 km; Uruguay river mouth (shared with Brazil [s] and Argentina) - 1,610 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major aquifers:** Guarani Aquifer System **Population distribution:** most of the country's population resides in the southern half of the country; approximately 80% of the populace is urban; nearly half of the population lives in and around the capital of Montevideo **Natural hazards:** seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind that blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts **Geography - note:** second-smallest South American country (after Suriname); most of the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep ### People and Society **Population:** total: 3,449,444 (2025 est.) male: 1,678,419 female: 1,771,025 **Nationality:** noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan **Ethnic groups:** White 87.7%, Black 4.6%, Indigenous 2.4%, other 0.3%, none or unspecified 5% (2011 est.) note: data represent primary ethnic identity **Languages:** Spanish (official, Rioplatense is the most widely spoken dialect) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 36.5%, Protestant 5% (Evangelical (non-specific) 4.6%, Adventist 0.2%, Protestant (non-specific) 0.3%), African American Cults/Umbanda 2.8%, Jehovah's Witness 0.6%, Church of Jesus Christ 0.2%, other 1%, Believer (not belonging to the church) 1.8%, agnostic 0.3%, atheist 1.3%, none 47.3%, unspecified 3.4% Roman Catholic 42%, Protestant 15%, other 6%, agnostic 3%, atheist 10%, unspecified 24% (2023 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 18.9% (male 329,268/female 317,925) 15-64 years: 65.4% (male 1,112,622/female 1,128,418) 65 years and over: 15.7% (2024 est.) (male 218,242/female 318,855) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 48.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 26.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 22.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 4.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 37.4 years (2025 est.) male: 34.9 years female: 38.2 years **Population growth rate:** -0.06% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 9.05 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.88 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the country's population resides in the southern half of the country; approximately 80% of the populace is urban; nearly half of the population lives in and around the capital of Montevideo **Urbanization:** urban population: 95.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.774 million MONTEVIDEO (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 15 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 9.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 78.9 years (2024 est.) male: 75.8 years female: 82.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.27 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.62 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 95.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.5% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 4.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.5% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 9.4% of GDP (2021) 20.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 4.67 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Hospital bed density:** 2.5 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 27.9% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 5.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.86 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.86 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.71 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 18% (2025 est.) male: 21.3% (2025 est.) female: 14.9% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 1.8% (2018 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 55.4% (2023 est.) **Education expenditure:** 4.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 15.6% national budget (2023 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 98.9% (2024 est.) male: 98.6% (2024 est.) female: 99.2% (2024 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 18 years (2022 est.) male: 16 years (2022 est.) female: 19 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution from meat-packing, tannery industries; heavy metal pollution; inadequate solid and hazardous waste disposal; deforestation **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation **Climate:** warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown **Land use:** agricultural land: 81.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 12.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 68.6% (2023 est.) forest: 11.4% (2023 est.) other: 7.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 95.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 6.896 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 39,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 6.681 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 177,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 8.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 18.1 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 730.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 115.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 2.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.26 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 24.8% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 424.428 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 603.701 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 3.479 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 172.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Grutas del Palacio (2023) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay conventional short form: Uruguay local long form: República Oriental del Uruguay local short form: Uruguay former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province etymology: name derives from the Uruguay River, which makes up the western border of the country; the river's name comes from the Guarani words uru (bird) and guay (tail) **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Montevideo geographic coordinates: 34 51 S, 56 10 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the origin of the name is disputed but refers to a hill or mountain (monte); one theory combines the Spanish word monte (mountain) with the Latin video (I see) **Administrative divisions:** 19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandú, Rio Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San José, Soriano, Tacuarembó, Treinta y Tres **Legal system:** civil law system based on the Spanish civil code **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest approved by plebiscite 27 November 1966, effective 15 February 1967, reinstated in 1985 at the conclusion of military rule amendment process: initiated by public petition of at least 10% of qualified voters, proposed by agreement of at least two fifths of the General Assembly membership, or by existing "constitutional laws" sanctioned by at least two thirds of the membership in both houses of the Assembly; proposals can also be submitted by senators, representatives, or by the executive power and require the formation of and approval in a national constituent convention; final passage by either method requires approval by absolute majority of votes cast in a referendum **International law organization participation:** accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3-5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal and compulsory **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Yamandú ORSI Martínez (since 1 March 2025) head of government: President Yamandú ORSI Martínez (since 1 March 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the General Assembly election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for nonconsecutive terms) most recent election date: 27 October 2024, with a runoff on 24 November 2024 election results: 2024: Yamandú ORSI Martínez elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Yamandú ORSI Martínez (FA) 46.2%, Álvaro Luis DELGADO Ceretta (PN) 28.2%, Andrés OJEDA Ojeda Spitz (PC) 16.9%, other 8.7%; percent of vote in second round - Yamandú ORSI Martínez 52.1%, Álvaro Luis DELGADO Ceretta 47.9% 2019: Luis Alberto LACALLE POU elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Daniel MARTINEZ (FA) 40.7%, Luis Alberto LACALLE POU (PN) 29.7%, Ernesto TALVI (Colorado Party) 12.8%, Guido MANINI RIOS (Open Cabildo) 11.3%, other 5.5%; percent of vote in second round - Luis Alberto LACALLE POU 50.6%, Daniel MARTINEZ 49.4% expected date of next election: 28 October 2029, with a runoff, if needed, on 25 November 2029 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government **Legislative branch:** legislature name: General Assembly (Asamblea General) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Cámara de Representantes) number of seats: 99 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 10/27/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Broad Front (FA) (48); National Party (PN) (29); Colorado Party (PC) (17); Other (5) percentage of women in chamber: 31.3% expected date of next election: October 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Cámara de Senadores) number of seats: 31 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 10/27/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Broad Front (FA) (16); National Party (PN) (9); Colorado Party (PC) (5) percentage of women in chamber: 32.3% expected date of next election: October 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of 5 judges) judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the president and appointed by two-thirds vote in joint conference of the General Assembly; judges serve 10-year terms, with reelection possible after a lapse of 5 years following the previous term subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; District Courts (Juzgados Letrados); Peace Courts (Juzgados de Paz); Rural Courts (Juzgados Rurales) **Political parties:** Broad Front or FA (Frente Amplio) - (a broad governing coalition that comprises 34 factions including Popular Participation Movement or MPP, Uruguay Assembly, Progressive Alliance, Broad Social Democratic Space, Socialist Party, Vertiente Artiguista, Christian Democratic Party, Big House, Communist Party, The Federal League, Fuerza Renovadora) Colorado Party or PC (including Batllistas and Ciudadanos) Intransigent Radical Ecologist Party (Partido Ecologista Radical Intransigente) or PERI Independent Party National Party or PN (including Todos (Everyone) and National Alliance) Open Cabildo Popular Unity **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel CASTILLOS Gómez (since 5 September 2025) chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142 email address and website: urueeuu@mrree.gub.uy https://embassyofuruguay.us/ consulate(s) general: Miami, New York, San Francisco **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Lou RINALDI (since 30 September 2025) embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200 mailing address: 3360 Montevideo Place, Washington DC 20521-3360 telephone: (+598) 1770-2000 FAX: [+598] 1770-2128 email address and website: MontevideoACS@state.gov https://uy.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 25 August 1825 (from Brazil) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 25 August (1825) **Flag:** description: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; a white square in the upper-left corner has a yellow sun with a human face (outlined in black) known as the Sun of May, with 16 rays that alternate between triangular and wavy meaning: the stripes represent the country's nine original departments; the sun refers to the legend of the sun breaking through the clouds on 25 May 1810 as independence was declared from Spain; the sun is said to be Inti, the Inca god of the sun note: the banner was inspired by the national colors of Argentina and the design of the US flag **National symbol(s):** Sun of May (a sun-with-face symbol) **National color(s):** blue, white, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Himno Nacional" (National Anthem of Uruguay) lyrics/music: Francisco Esteban ACUNA de Figueroa/Francisco Jose DEBALI history: adopted 1848; the anthem is also known as "Orientales, la Patria o la tumba!" ("Uruguayans, the Fatherland or Death!"); it is the world's longest national anthem in terms of music (105 bars; almost five minutes); usually only the first verse and chorus are sung **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic City of Colonia del Sacramento; Fray Bentos Industrial Landscape; The work of engineer Eladio Dieste: Church of Atlántida ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, export-oriented South American economy; South America’s largest middle class; low socioeconomic inequality; growing homicide rates; growing Chinese and EU relations; 2019 Argentine recession hurt; key milk, beef, rice, and wool exporter **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $108.502 billion (2024 est.) $105.231 billion (2023 est.) $104.456 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 3.1% (2024 est.) 0.7% (2023 est.) 4.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $32,000 (2024 est.) $31,100 (2023 est.) $30,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $80.962 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 4.8% (2024 est.) 5.9% (2023 est.) 9.1% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 6.4% (2024 est.) industry: 16.8% (2024 est.) services: 65.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 66.8% (2015 est.) government consumption: 13.8% (2015 est.) investment in fixed capital: 19.8% (2015 est.) investment in inventories: -0.1% (2015 est.) exports of goods and services: 22.5% (2015 est.) imports of goods and services: -22.9% (2015 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, rice, wheat, barley, soybeans, beef, rapeseed, sugarcane, maize, beef offal (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages **Industrial production growth rate:** 4.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 1.768 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 8.5% (2024 est.) 8.4% (2023 est.) 7.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 26.4% (2024 est.) male: 23.5% (2024 est.) female: 29.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 10.1% (2023 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 40.9 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 18.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.1% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 30.8% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $27.781 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $17.808 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 62.4% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 18.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$821.38 million (2024 est.) -$2.64 billion (2023 est.) -$2.675 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $23.329 billion (2024 est.) $21.946 billion (2023 est.) $23.56 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** China 21%, Brazil 17%, USA 8%, Argentina 5%, Netherlands 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** wood pulp, beef, milk, rice, wood (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $19.117 billion (2024 est.) $19.259 billion (2023 est.) $19.639 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** Brazil 22%, China 18%, Argentina 11%, USA 9%, Nigeria 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** crude petroleum, refined petroleum, cars, trucks, fertilizers (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $17.378 billion (2024 est.) $16.257 billion (2023 est.) $15.127 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** Uruguayan pesos (UYU) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 40.213 (2024 est.) 38.824 (2023 est.) 41.171 (2022 est.) 43.555 (2021 est.) 42.013 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 5.682 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 9.826 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 2 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 84 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.136 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 37% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 27.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 23.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 8,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 13,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 400 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 50,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Natural gas:** consumption: 90.018 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 90.871 million cubic meters (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 45.755 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 1.205 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 4.93 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 146 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** mix of privately owned and state-run broadcast media; over 100 commercial radio stations and about 20 TV channels; cable TV is available; many community radio and TV stations; adopted the hybrid Japanese/Brazilian HDTV standard (ISDB-T) in 2010 (2019) **Internet country code:** .uy **Internet users:** percent of population: 90% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1.1 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** CX **Airports:** 65 (2025) **Heliports:** 4 (2025) **Railways:** total: 1,673 km (2016) (operational; government claims overall length is 2,961 km) standard gauge: 1,673 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 58 (2023) by type: container ship 1, general cargo 4, oil tanker 3, other 50 **Ports:** total ports: 8 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 1 very small: 6 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Colonia, Fray Bentos, Jose Ignacio, La Paloma, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Puerto Sauce ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of Uruguay (Fuerzas Armadas del Uruguay or FF.AA. del Uruguay): National Army, National Navy (includes Coast Guard (Prefectura Nacional Naval or PRENA)), Uruguayan Air Force Ministry of Interior: National Police (2025) note: the National Police includes the paramilitary National Republican Guard (Guardia Nacional Republicana) **Military expenditures:** 2.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 2% of GDP (2023 est.) 2% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 2% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 23,000 active-duty Armed Forces (15,000 Army; 5,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force) (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the military's inventory includes a variety of mostly older or secondhand equipment originating from a range of suppliers, including Brazil, Germany, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Korea, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** generally 18-30 years of age (up to 22 for the Navy and up to 40 for some specialist positions) for voluntary military service for men and women; initial 24-month service obligation (2025) **Military deployments:** 630 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 210 Golan Heights (UNDOF) (2025) **Military - note:** the armed forces are responsible for defense of the country’s independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity, as well as protecting strategic resources; it has some domestic responsibilities, including perimeter security for a number of prisons, border security, and providing humanitarian/disaster assistance; it also assists the Ministry of Interior in combating narcotics trafficking; the military participates in UN peacekeeping missions and multinational exercises with foreign partners; Uruguay traditionally has held security ties with Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and the US; since 2018, it has also signed defense cooperation agreements with China and Russia (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 32,149 (2024 est.) IDPs: 33 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 5 (2024 est.) --- ## Uzbekistan **Slug:** uzbekistan **Region:** Central Asia **Flag:** 🇺🇿 **Codes:** cek: uz, iso2: UZ, iso3: UZB, iso_num: 860, genc: UZB, stanag: UZB, internet: .uz ### Introduction **Background:** Uzbekistan is the geographic and population center of Central Asia, with a diverse economy and a relatively young population. Russia conquered and united the disparate territories of present-day Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after the Bolshevik Revolution was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic established in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to the overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, leaving the land degraded and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half-dry. Independent since the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) dissolved in 1991, the country has diversified agricultural production while developing its mineral and petroleum export capacity and increasing its manufacturing base, although cotton remains a major part of its economy. Uzbekistan’s first president, Islom KARIMOV, led Uzbekistan for 25 years until his death in 2016. His successor, former Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV, has improved relations with Uzbekistan’s neighbors and introduced wide-ranging economic, judicial, and social reforms. MIRZIYOYEV was reelected in 2021 with 80% of the vote and again following a 2023 constitutional referendum with 87% of the vote. ### Geography **Location:** Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan **Geographic coordinates:** 41 00 N, 64 00 E **Map references:** Asia **Area:** total : 447,400 sq km land: 425,400 sq km water: 22,000 sq km **Area - comparative:** about four times the size of Virginia; slightly larger than California **Land boundaries:** total: 6,893 km border countries (5): Afghanistan 144 km; Kazakhstan 2,330 km; Kyrgyzstan 1,314 km; Tajikistan 1,312 km; Turkmenistan 1,793 km **Coastline:** 0 km (doubly landlocked) note: Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline **Maritime claims:** none (doubly landlocked) **Climate:** mostly mid-latitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east **Terrain:** mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zaravshan; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west **Elevation:** highest point: Xazrat Sulton Tog' 4,643 m lowest point: Sariqamish Kuli -12 m **Natural resources:** natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum **Land use:** agricultural land: 58.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 47.9% (2023 est.) forest: 8.7% (2023 est.) other: 31.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 37,305 sq km (2022) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Aral Sea (shared with Kazakhstan) - largely dried up **Major rivers (by length in km):** Syr Darya (shared with Kyrgyzstan [s], Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan [m]) - 3,078 km; Amu Darya river mouth (shared with Tajikistan [s], Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan) - 2,620 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km) **Population distribution:** most of the population is concentrated in the fertile Fergana Valley in the easternmost arm of the country; the south has significant clusters of people, but the central and western deserts are sparsely populated **Natural hazards:** earthquakes; floods; landslides or mudslides; avalanches; droughts **Geography - note:** along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world ### People and Society **Population:** total: 37,015,151 (2025 est.) male: 18,576,048 female: 18,439,103 **Nationality:** noun: Uzbekistani adjective: Uzbekistani **Ethnic groups:** Uzbek 83.8%, Tajik 4.8%, Kazakh 2.5%, Russian 2.3%, Karakalpak 2.2%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.9% (2017 est.) **Languages:** Uzbek (official) 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1% major-language sample(s): Jahon faktlari kitobi, asosiy ma'lumotlar uchun zaruriy manba. (Uzbek) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: in the semi-autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, both the Karakalpak language and Uzbek have official status **Religions:** Muslim 88% (mostly Sunni), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3% **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 29.6% (male 5,597,947/female 5,213,403) 15-64 years: 63.7% (male 11,649,017/female 11,617,411) 65 years and over: 6.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,077,849/female 1,364,966) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 57.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 46.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 11.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 9 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 29.2 years (2025 est.) male: 28.1 years female: 29.8 years **Population growth rate:** 1.26% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 18.93 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is concentrated in the fertile Fergana Valley in the easternmost arm of the country; the south has significant clusters of people, but the central and western deserts are sparsely populated **Urbanization:** urban population: 50.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.603 million TASHKENT (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 23.7 years (2019 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 26 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 17.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 21.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.2 years (2024 est.) male: 73.6 years female: 79 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.6 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.25 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98% of population (2022 est.) rural: 95.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 96.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 4.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 3.4% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 7.7% of GDP (2021) 7.1% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 2.81 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Hospital bed density:** 4.9 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 98.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 1.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 16.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 2.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 15.4% (2025 est.) male: 30.2% (2025 est.) female: 1% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 1.8% (2021 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 74.7% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.2% (2022) women married by age 18: 3.4% (2022) **Education expenditure:** 5.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 22.1% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 100% (2022 est.) male: 100% (2022 est.) female: 100% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2024 est.) male: 13 years (2024 est.) female: 13 years (2024 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts in the shrinking Aral Sea; desertification; water pollution and soil salination from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** mostly mid-latitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east **Land use:** agricultural land: 58.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 47.9% (2023 est.) forest: 8.7% (2023 est.) other: 31.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 50.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 110.992 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 12.845 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 13.437 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 84.71 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 46.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 848.1 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 868.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 261.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 4.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 4 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 31.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 2.3 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 1.2 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 41 billion cubic meters (2022) **Total renewable water resources:** 48.87 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan conventional short form: Uzbekistan local long form: O'zbekiston Respublikasi local short form: O'zbekiston former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the name comes from the local people, the Uzbeks, whose name is said to have originated with Mongol leader Ghiyath ad-Din Muhammad UZBEK; the Persian suffix -stan means "country" **Government type:** presidential republic; highly authoritarian **Capital:** name: Tashkent (Toshkent) geographic coordinates: 41 19 N, 69 15 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the current name of the ancient city was first used in the 11th century and comes from the Sogdian (Turkic) words tash (stone) and kent (town); the city was first recorded in the 5th or 4th century B.C. with the name of Chach or Shash **Administrative divisions:** 12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (avtonom respublikasi), and 3 cities** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati [Bukhara Province], Farg'ona Viloyati [Fergana Province], Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Shahri, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qoraqalpog'iston Respublikasi [Karakalpakstan Republic]* (Nukus), Samarqand Shahri [Samarkand City], Samarqand Viloyati [Samarkand Province], Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri [Tashkent City]**, Toshkent Viloyati [Nurafshon], Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch) note: administrative divisions show the same names as their administrative centers; exceptions show the administrative center name in parentheses **Legal system:** civil law system note: in 2020, the criminal code, criminal procedure code, and code of administrative responsibility were reformed; a constitutional referendum in 2023 included additional criminal code reforms **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 8 December 1992 amendment process: proposed by the Supreme Assembly or by referendum; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of both houses of the Assembly or passage in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Uzbekistan dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (since 14 December 2016) head of government: Prime Minister Abdulla ARIPOV (since 14 December 2016) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with most requiring approval of the Senate chamber of the Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis) election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister nominated by majority party in the Supreme Assembly but appointed along with the ministers and deputy ministers by the president most recent election date: 9 July 2023 election results: 2023: Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV reelected president in snap election; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 87.7%, Robaxon Maxmudova (Adolat) 4.5%, Ulugbek Inoyatov (PDP) 4%, Abdushukur Xamzayev (Ecological Party) 3.8% 2021: Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 80.3%, Maqsuda VORISOVA (PDP) 6.7%, Alisher QODIROV (National Revival Democratic Party) 5.5%, Narzullo OBLOMURODOV (Ecological Party) 4.1%, Bahrom ABDUHALIMOV (Adolat) 3.4% expected date of next election: 2030 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis) legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: Legislative Chamber (Qonunchilik palatasi) number of seats: 150 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/7/2024 to 11/12/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Movement of Entrepreneurs and Businesspeople - Liberal Democratic Party (UzLiDeP) (64); Milliy Tiklanish Democratic Party (O'zMTDP) (29); Social Democratic Party ("Adolat" SDP) (21); People's Democratic Party (XDP) (20); Ecological Party (O'EP) (16) percentage of women in chamber: 38% expected date of next election: October 2029 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate (Senat) number of seats: 65 (56 indirectly elected; 9 appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 10/27/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 24.6% expected date of next election: November 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 67 judges organized into administrative, civil, criminal, and economic sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: judges of the highest courts nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate of the Oliy Majlis; judges appointed for a single 10-year term; the court chairman and deputies appointed for 10-year terms without the right to reelection. (Article 132 of the constitution) subordinate courts: regional, district, city, and town courts **Political parties:** Ecological Party of Uzbekistan or EPU Justice Social Democratic Party or ASDP People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan or PDP Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party or UzLiDep Uzbekistan National Revival Democratic Party or UzMTDP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Furqat SIDIKOV (since 19 April 2023) chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804 email address and website: info.washington@mfa.uz https://www.uzbekistan.org/ consulate(s) general: New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Jonathan HENICK (since 14 October 2022) embassy: 3 Moyqorghon, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, 100093 Tashkent mailing address: 7110 Tashkent Place, Washington DC 20521-7110 telephone: [998] 78-120-5450 FAX: [998] 78-120-6335 email address and website: ACSTashkent@state.gov https://uz.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ADB, CICA, CIS, EAEU (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EEU (observer), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) **Independence:** 1 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 1 September (1991) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by narrow red stripes with a vertical white crescent moon and 12 five-pointed white stars in the left corner of the top band meaning: blue stands for the Turkic peoples and the sky, white for peace and the striving for purity in thoughts and deeds, and green for nature and Islam; the red stripes represent the vital force of all living organisms; the crescent stands for Islam, and the 12 stars for the months and constellations of the Uzbek calendar **National symbol(s):** khumo (mythical bird) **National color(s):** blue, white, red, green **National anthem(s):** title: "O'zbekiston Respublikasining Davlat Madhiyasi" (National Anthem of the Republic of Uzbekistan) lyrics/music: Abdulla ARIPOV/Mutal BURHANOV history: adopted 1992; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan kept the music of its Soviet-era anthem but adopted new lyrics **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 7 (5 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Itchan Kala (c); Historic Bukhara (c); Historic Shakhrisyabz (c); Samarkand - Crossroad of Cultures (c); Western Tien Shan (n); Cold Winter Deserts of Turan (n); Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower-middle income Central Asian economy; key exporter of natural gas, cotton, and gold; ongoing reform efforts to reduce state-owned sector dominance, attract foreign investment, and improve sustainability of cotton production **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $379.989 billion (2024 est.) $356.797 billion (2023 est.) $335.678 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 6.5% (2024 est.) 6.3% (2023 est.) 6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $10,500 (2024 est.) $10,000 (2023 est.) $9,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $114.965 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 9.6% (2024 est.) 10% (2023 est.) 11.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 18.3% (2024 est.) industry: 31.8% (2024 est.) services: 45.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 68% (2024 est.) government consumption: 13.9% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 37.1% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -3.8% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 22.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -38% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** milk, wheat, cotton, potatoes, carrots/turnips, tomatoes, grapes, watermelons, vegetables, apples (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, mining, hydrocarbon extraction, chemicals **Industrial production growth rate:** 7.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 13.974 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.5% (2024 est.) 4.5% (2023 est.) 4.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 10.9% (2024 est.) male: 7.2% (2024 est.) female: 18.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 11% (2023 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 34.5 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 46.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.1% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 25.3% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 14.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 13.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 17.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $21.565 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $25.953 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 11.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$5.738 billion (2024 est.) -$7.799 billion (2023 est.) -$2.847 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $26.173 billion (2024 est.) $25.05 billion (2023 est.) $20.966 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Switzerland 34%, Russia 12%, UK 11%, China 7%, Turkey 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, cotton yarn, garments, fertilizers, fabric (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $43.624 billion (2024 est.) $42.646 billion (2023 est.) $35.643 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 32%, Russia 17%, Kazakhstan 8%, S. Korea 6%, Turkey 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** cars, vehicle parts/accessories, packaged medicine, refined petroleum, aircraft (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $41.237 billion (2024 est.) $34.558 billion (2023 est.) $35.774 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $25.714 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 12,652.287 (2024 est.) 11,734.833 (2023 est.) 11,050.145 (2022 est.) 10,609.464 (2021 est.) 10,054.261 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 17.901 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 75.753 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 2.043 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 4.977 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.433 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 90.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 8.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 6.379 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 8.941 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 4,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 3.521 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.375 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 64,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 111,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 594 million barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 43.249 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 44.455 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 1.308 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 2.514 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.841 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 55.305 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 6.147 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 40.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1,110 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-controlled media; 17 state-owned broadcasters, including 13 TV and 4 radio, with national service; about 20 privately owned TV stations, overseen by local officials, broadcast locally; privately owned TV stations required to lease transmitters from state-owned Republic TV and Radio Industry Corporation (2019) **Internet country code:** .uz **Internet users:** percent of population: 89% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 10.8 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** UK **Airports:** 74 (2025) **Heliports:** 3 (2025) **Railways:** total: 4,642 km (2018) broad gauge: 4,642 km (2018) 1.520-m gauge (1,684 km electrified) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Armed Forces of Uzbekistan: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces; National Guard Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Security Troops, Border Guards, police (2024) note 1: the National Guard is under the Defense Ministry, but is independent of the other military services; it is responsible for ensuring public order and the security of diplomatic missions, radio and television broadcasting, and other state entities note 2: the State Security Service, whose chairperson reports directly to the president, is responsible for national security and intelligence matters, including terrorism, corruption, organized crime, border control, and narcotics **Military expenditures:** 2.8% of GDP (2019 est.) 2.9% of GDP (2018 est.) 2.7% of GDP (2017 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2016 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2015 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** limited available information; estimated 50,000 active Armed Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Uzbek Armed Forces use mainly Russian or Soviet-era armaments with smaller quantities of items from suppliers such as China, Türkiye, and the US; Uzbekistan has a small defense industry, which is involved in repairing and maintaining aircraft and armored vehicles, as well as producing light armored vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles/drones, and other military items (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-30 for voluntary/contract service for men and women; 18-27 years of age for compulsory military service for men with a 12-month service obligation (2025) note: those conscripted have the option of paying for a shorter service of one month while remaining in the reserves until the age of 27; Uzbek citizens who have completed their service terms in the armed forces have privileges in employment and admission to higher educational institutions **Military - note:** the military’s responsibilities include ensuring the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, securing its borders, and assisting with internal security; regional security and international terrorism are areas of concern; Uzbekistan joined the Russian-sponsored Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in the 1990s but withdrew in 1999; it returned in 2006 but left again in 2012; although not part of CSTO, Uzbekistan continues to maintain defense ties with Russia, including joint military exercises and defense industrial cooperation; it also has defense ties with other regional countries, including Azerbaijan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and Turkey; it is part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and participates in SCO training exercises (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Space Research and Technology Agency (UzCosmos or UzSpace; established 2019) (2025) note: Uzcosmos operates under the Ministry of Digital Technologies **Space program overview:** has a small but growing space effort focused on acquiring satellites and developing the country’s space industries and technologies in key sectors, including cartography, data processing, environmental and disaster monitoring, land use, resource management, and telecommunications; recognized for its astronomy program; member of international space organizations; cooperates with foreign space agencies or commercial companies from a variety of countries, including those of Canada, China, France, India, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, and the UAE (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2018 - signed space cooperation agreements with France and India 2022 - signed space cooperation agreement with Kazakhstan 2025 - Uzbek engineers began two-year satellite development training program in Japan with goal of building country's first satellite; signed space cooperation agreement with South Korea; announced development of 10-year national space program ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Islamic Jihad Union (IJU); Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Khorasan (ISIS-K) note 1: these groups have typically been active in the area where the Uzbek, Kyrgyz, and Tajik borders converge and ill-defined and porous borders allow for the relatively free movement of people and illicit goods note 2: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 8,505 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 20,000 (2024 est.) --- ## Vanuatu **Slug:** vanuatu **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇻🇺 **Codes:** cek: nh, iso2: VU, iso3: VUT, iso_num: 548, genc: VUT, stanag: VUT, internet: .vu ### Introduction **Background:** Austronesian speakers from the Solomon Islands first settled Vanuatu around 2000 B.C. By around 1000, localized chieftain systems began to develop on the islands. Around 1600, Melanesian Chief ROI MATA united some of the islands of modern-day Vanuatu under his rule. In 1606, a Portuguese explorer was the first European to see Vanuatu's Banks Islands and Espiritu Santo, setting up a short-lived settlement on the latter. The next European explorers arrived in the 1760s, and the islands -- then known as the New Hebrides -- were frequented by whalers in the 1800s. European interest in harvesting the islands’ sandalwood trees caused conflict with the inhabitants. In the 1860s, European planters in Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, and Samoa needed labor and kidnapped almost half the adult males on the islands to work as indentured servants. With growing and overlapping interests in the islands, France and the UK agreed that the New Hebrides would be neutral in 1878 and established a joint naval commission in 1887. In 1906, the two countries created the UK-France condominium to jointly administer the islands, with separate laws, police forces, currencies, and education and health systems. The condominium arrangement was dysfunctional, and the UK used France’s initial defeat in World War II to assert greater control over the islands. During the war, the US stationed up to 50,000 soldiers in Vanuatu. In 1945, they withdrew and sold their equipment, leading to the rise of political and religious movements known as "cargo cults," such as the John Frum movement. The UK-France condominium was reestablished after World War II. The UK was interested in moving the condominium toward independence in the 1960s, but France was hesitant. Political parties agitating for independence began to form, largely divided along linguistic lines. France eventually relented, and elections were held in 1974, with independence granted to the newly named Vanuatu in 1980 under English-speaking Prime Minister Walter LINI. The Nagriamel Movement, with support from French-speaking landowners, then declared the island of Espiritu Santo independent from Vanuatu, but the short-lived state was dissolved 12 weeks later. Linguistic divisions have lessened over time, but highly fractious political parties have led to weak coalition governments that require support from both Anglophone and Francophone parties. Since 2008, prime ministers have been ousted more than a dozen times through no-confidence motions or temporary procedural issues. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia **Geographic coordinates:** 16 00 S, 167 00 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 12,189 sq km land: 12,189 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited **Area - comparative:** slightly larger than Connecticut **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 2,528 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin note: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines **Climate:** tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April **Terrain:** mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains **Elevation:** highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** manganese, hardwood forests, fish **Land use:** agricultural land: 15.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 10.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 3.4% (2023 est.) forest: 74.8% (2023 est.) other: 9.8% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Population distribution:** three quarters of the population lives in rural areas; the urban populace lives primarily in two cities, Port-Vila and Lugenville; the three largest islands -- Espiritu Santo, Malakula, and Efate -- accommodate over half of the populace **Natural hazards:** tropical cyclones (January to April); volcanic activity; volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis volcanism: significant volcanic activity with multiple eruptions in recent years; Yasur (361 m), one of the world's most active volcanoes, has experienced continuous activity in recent centuries; other historically active volcanoes include Aoba, Ambrym, Epi, Gaua, Kuwae, Lopevi, Suretamatai, and Traitor's Head **Geography - note:** a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes, including several underwater volcanoes ### People and Society **Population:** total: 322,915 (2025 est.) male: 160,255 female: 162,660 **Nationality:** noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural) adjective: Ni-Vanuatu **Ethnic groups:** Ni-Vanuatu 99%, other 1% (European, Asian, other Melanesian, Polynesian, Micronesian, other) (2020 est.) **Languages:** indigenous languages (more than 100) 82.6%, Bislama (official; creole) 14.5%, English (official) 2.1%, French (official) 0.8% (2020 est.) note: data represent first language spoken for population aged 3 years and above **Religions:** Protestant 39.9% (Presbyterian 27.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 14.8%, Anglican 12%, Churches of Christ 5%, Assemblies of God 4.9%, Neil Thomas Ministry/Inner Life Ministry 3.2%), Roman Catholic 12.1%, Apostolic 2.3%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.8%, customary beliefs (including Jon Frum cargo cult) 3.1%, other 12%, none 1.4%, unspecified 0.1% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 31.1% (male 50,584/female 48,475) 15-64 years: 63.8% (male 99,496/female 103,425) 65 years and over: 5% (2024 est.) (male 7,852/female 8,175) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 55.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 47.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 8.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 12.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 24.9 years (2025 est.) male: 24.1 years female: 25 years **Population growth rate:** 1.51% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 20.36 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.02 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** three quarters of the population lives in rural areas; the urban populace lives primarily in two cities, Port-Vila and Lugenville; the three largest islands -- Espiritu Santo, Malakula, and Efate -- accommodate over half of the populace **Urbanization:** urban population: 26% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.55% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 53,000 PORT-VILA (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 100 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 13.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 75.7 years (2024 est.) male: 74 years female: 77.4 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.46 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.2 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 88.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 91.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 11.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 8.7% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.4% of GDP (2021) 3.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.16 physicians/1,000 population (2019) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 94% of population (2022 est.) rural: 66.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 73.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 33.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 26.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 25.2% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 1.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.34 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.87 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 17.8% (2020 est.) male: 33% (2020 est.) female: 2.6% (2020 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 68.6% (2020 est.) **Education expenditure:** 7.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 20.1% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 88% (2023 est.) male: 87.7% (2023 est.) female: 88.2% (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** water pollution; limited potable water; inadequate sanitation; deforestation **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April **Land use:** agricultural land: 15.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 1.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 10.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 3.4% (2023 est.) forest: 74.8% (2023 est.) other: 9.8% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 26% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.55% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 292,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 292,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 9.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 70,200 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 52.9% (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 10 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu conventional short form: Vanuatu local long form: Ripablik blong Vanuatu local short form: Vanuatu former: New Hebrides etymology: the name means "Our land forever" in several of the Austronesian languages spoken on the islands; the former name, New Hebrides, was given by Captain James COOK in 1774 because he thought they looked similar to the Hebrides islands off the coast of Scotland **Government type:** parliamentary republic **Capital:** name: Port-Vila (on Efate) geographic coordinates: 17 44 S, 168 19 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the local name of Vila is sometimes used alone for the the port town; its meaning is unknown **Administrative divisions:** 6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law, French law, and customary law **Constitution:** history: draft completed August 1979, finalized by constitution conference 19 September 1979, ratified by French and British Governments 23 October 1979, effective 30 July 1980 at independence amendment process: proposed by the prime minister or by the Parliament membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by Parliament in special session with at least three fourths of the membership; passage of amendments affecting the national and official languages, or the electoral and parliamentary system also requires approval in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Vanuatu; in the case of only one parent, it must be the father who is a citizen dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Nikenike VUROBARAVU (since 23 July 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Jotham NAPAT (since 11 February 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and presidents of the 6 provinces; national president serves a 5-year term; following legislative elections, the Parliament usually elects the leader of the majority party or majority coalition (who must also be a member of Parliament) as prime minister most recent election date: 23 July 2022 election results: 2022: Nikenike VUROBARAVU elected president in eighth round; electoral college vote - Nikenike VUROBARAVU (VP) 48 votes, Solas MOLISA (VP) 4 votes expected date of next election: 2027 note: the National Council of Chiefs (Malvatu Mauri) is a formal advisory body of chiefs recognized by the country's constitution; it advises the government on matters of culture and language **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 52 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 1/16/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Leaders Party of Vanuatu (LPV) (9); Vanua'aku Pati (VP) (7); Iauko Group (IG) (6); Union of Moderate Parties (UMP) (6); Rural Development Party (RDP) (6); Graon mo Jastis Pati (Land and Justice Party, GJP) (5); Reunification Movement for Change (RMC) (5); Other (8) percentage of women in chamber: 1.9% expected date of next election: January 2029 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of 2 or more judges of the Supreme Court designated by the chief justice); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 6 puisne judges -- 3 local and 3 expatriate) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; other judges appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, a 4-member advisory body; judges serve until the age of retirement subordinate courts: Magistrates Courts; Island Courts **Political parties:** Iauko Group (Eagle Party) or IG Land and Justice Party (Graon mo Jastis Pati or GJP) Leaders Party of Vanuatu or LPV Rural Development Party or RDP Reunification of Movement for Change or RMC Union of Moderate Parties or UMP Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land Party) or VP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Odo TEVI (since 8 September 2017) note - also Permanent Representative to the UN chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400B, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 661-4303 FAX: [1] (212) 422-3427 email address and website: vanunmis@aol.com https://www.un.int/vanuatu/ note: the Vanuatu Permanent Mission to the UN serves as the embassy **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Ann Marie YASTISHOCK (since 16 April 2024); note - also accredited to the Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea embassy: Port Vila email address and website: https://vt.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 30 July 1980 (from France and the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 30 July (1980) **Flag:** description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black isosceles triangle (based on the left side); a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal "Y" faces the left side and encloses the triangle; a boar's tusk in the triangle circles two crossed namele fern fronds, all in yellow meaning: red stands for unity and the blood of men and boars, green for the richness of the islands, and black for the ni-Vanuatu people; the yellow "Y" reflects the islands' layout in the Pacific Ocean and symbolizes the light of the Gospel; the boar's tusk is a symbol of prosperity; the ferns represent peace note: one of four national flags that reflect the shape of the country in the flag design; the others are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, and Eritrea **National symbol(s):** boar's tusk with crossed fern fronds **National color(s):** red, black, green, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Yumi, Yumi, Yumi" (We, We, We) lyrics/music: Francois Vincent AYSSAV history: adopted 1980; the anthem is written in the native Bislama **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Chief Roi Mata’s Domain ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower-middle income Pacific island economy; extremely reliant on subsistence agriculture and tourism; environmentally fragile; struggling post-pandemic and Tropical Cyclone Harold rebound; sizeable inflation; road infrastructure aid from Australia **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.039 billion (2024 est.) $999.162 million (2023 est.) $1.009 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4% (2024 est.) -1% (2023 est.) 5.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $3,200 (2024 est.) $3,100 (2023 est.) $3,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $1.161 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 11.2% (2023 est.) 6.7% (2022 est.) 2.3% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 24.9% (2022 est.) industry: 7.5% (2022 est.) services: 60.4% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 77.2% (2022 est.) government consumption: 23.9% (2022 est.) investment in fixed capital: 38.8% (2022 est.) investment in inventories: 0.4% (2022 est.) exports of goods and services: 9.6% (2022 est.) imports of goods and services: -55.5% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** coconuts, oranges, yams, cabbages, taro, bananas, chillies/peppers, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, cassava (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning **Industrial production growth rate:** -19.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 118,100 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.1% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 5.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 11.6% (2024 est.) male: 9.6% (2024 est.) female: 14% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 15.9% (2019 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 32.3 (2019 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 3% (2019 est.) highest 10%: 24.7% (2019 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 12.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 19.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 20.3% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $386.577 million (2023 est.) expenditures: $378.659 million (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 71.7% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 17.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$127.432 million (2022 est.) -$75.451 million (2021 est.) -$57.858 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $152.087 million (2022 est.) $82.08 million (2021 est.) $132.943 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Thailand 49%, Japan 19%, Cote d'Ivoire 10%, China 7%, USA 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** fish, ships, perfume plants, wood, copra (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $579.347 million (2022 est.) $520.391 million (2021 est.) $438.373 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 26%, Australia 15%, Angola 11%, Fiji 9%, NZ 8% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, ships, plastic products, poultry, trucks (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $614.65 million (2024 est.) $643.768 million (2023 est.) $638.537 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $299.746 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** vatu (VUV) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 119.167 (2024 est.) 119.112 (2023 est.) 115.354 (2022 est.) 109.452 (2021 est.) 115.38 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 70% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 97% electrification - rural areas: 60.7% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 39,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 74.766 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 5.264 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 74.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 8.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 11.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 12.934 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 3,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 286,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 89 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** 1 state-owned TV station; multi-channel pay TV available; state-owned Radio Vanuatu has 2 radio stations; 2 privately owned radio broadcasters; multiple international broadcasts available (2023) **Internet country code:** .vu **Internet users:** percent of population: 46% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 4,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** YJ **Airports:** 31 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 338 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 11, container ship 3, general cargo 101, other 223 **Ports:** total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Forari Bay, Luganville, Port Vila ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) note: the VPF includes the paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF) and Police Maritime Wing (VMW); the VMF has external security responsibilities **Military - note:** the separate British and French police forces were unified in 1980 as the New Hebrides Constabulary, which was commanded by Ni-Vanuatu officers while retaining some British and French officers as advisors; the Constabulary was subsequently renamed the Vanuatu Police Force later in 1980 the Vanuatu Mobile Force has received training and other support from Australia, China, France, New Zealand, and the US Vanuatu has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Vanuatu's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** IDPs: 2,336 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Vanuatu does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but the government has devoted sufficient resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards; therefore, Vanuatu was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 and remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/vanuatu/ --- ## Venezuela **Slug:** venezuela **Region:** South America **Flag:** 🇻🇪 **Codes:** cek: ve, iso2: VE, iso3: VEN, iso_num: 862, genc: VEN, stanag: VEN, internet: .ve ### Introduction **Background:** Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830, the others being Ecuador and New Granada (Colombia). For most of the first half of the 20th century, military strongmen ruled Venezuela and promoted the oil industry while allowing some social reforms. Democratically elected governments largely held sway until 1999, but Hugo CHAVEZ, who was president from 1999 to 2013, exercised authoritarian control over other branches of government. This trend continued in 2018 when Nicolas MADURO claimed the presidency for his second term in an election boycotted by most opposition parties and widely viewed as fraudulent. The legislative elections in 2020 were also seen as fraudulent, and most opposition parties and many international actors consider the resulting National Assembly illegitimate. In 2021, many opposition parties broke a three-year election boycott and participated in mayoral and gubernatorial elections, despite flawed conditions. As a result, the opposition more than doubled its representation at the mayoral level and retained four of 23 governorships. The 2021 regional elections marked the first time since 2006 that the EU was allowed to send an electoral observation mission to Venezuela. MADURO has placed strong restrictions on free speech and the press. Since CHAVEZ, the ruling party has expanded the state's role in the economy through expropriations of major enterprises, strict currency exchange and price controls, and over-dependence on the petroleum industry for revenues. Years of economic mismanagement left Venezuela ill-prepared to weather the global drop in oil prices in 2014, sparking an economic decline that has resulted in reduced government social spending, shortages of basic goods, and high inflation. Worsened living conditions have prompted nearly 8 million Venezuelans to emigrate, mainly settling in nearby countries. The US imposed financial sanctions on MADURO and his representatives in 2017 and on sectors of the Venezuelan economy in 2018. Limited sanctions relief followed when the MADURO administration began making democratic and electoral concessions. The government's mismanagement and lack of investment in infrastructure has also weakened the country's energy sector. Caracas has relaxed some controls to mitigate the impact of its sustained economic crisis, such as allowing increased import flexibility for the private sector and the informal use of US dollars and other international currencies. Ongoing concerns include human rights abuses, rampant violent crime, political manipulation of the judicial and electoral systems, and corruption. ### Geography **Location:** Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana **Geographic coordinates:** 8 00 N, 66 00 W **Map references:** South America **Area:** total : 912,050 sq km land: 882,050 sq km water: 30,000 sq km **Area - comparative:** almost six times the size of Georgia; slightly more than twice the size of California **Land boundaries:** total: 5,267 km border countries (3): Brazil 2,137 km; Colombia 2,341 km; Guyana 789 km **Coastline:** 2,800 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 15 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands **Terrain:** Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast **Elevation:** highest point: Pico Bolivar 4,978 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 450 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds **Land use:** agricultural land: 24.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 20.6% (2023 est.) forest: 53.5% (2023 est.) other: 22.1% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 10,550 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Lago de Maracaibo - 13,010 sq km **Major rivers (by length in km):** Rio Negro (shared with Colombia [s] and Brazil [m]) - 2,250 km; Orinoco river source and mouth (shared with Colombia) - 2,101 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km) **Population distribution:** most of the population is concentrated in the northern and western highlands along an eastern spur at the northern end of the Andes, an area that includes the capital of Caracas **Natural hazards:** subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts **Geography - note:** note 1: the country lies on major sea and air routes linking North and South America note 2: Venezuela has some of the most unique geology in the world; tepuis are the massive table-top mountains of the western Guiana Highlands that tend to be isolated and thus support unique endemic plant and animal species; their sheer cliffsides help create some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world, including Angel Falls, the world's highest (979 m; 3,212 ft) that drops from Auyan Tepui ### People and Society **Population:** total: 31,755,435 (2025 est.) male: 15,808,263 female: 15,947,172 **Nationality:** noun: Venezuelan(s) adjective: Venezuelan **Ethnic groups:** unspecified Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, Indigenous **Languages:** Spanish (official) 98.2%, indigenous 1.3%, Portuguese 0.1%, other 0.4% (2023 est.) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Roman Catholic 48.1%, Protestant 31.6% (Evangelical 31.4%, Adventist 0.2%), Jehovah's Witness 1.4%, African American/umbanda 0.7%, other 0.1%, believer 3.5%, agnostic 0.1%, atheist, 0.4%, none 13.6%, unspecified 0.6% (2023 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 25% (male 3,987,361/female 3,811,307) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 10,264,353/female 10,330,376) 65 years and over: 9.1% (2024 est.) (male 1,303,737/female 1,553,172) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 51.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 37.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 14.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 31.3 years (2025 est.) male: 30.3 years female: 31.7 years **Population growth rate:** 0.88% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 16.45 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.54 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -1.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** most of the population is concentrated in the northern and western highlands along an eastern spur at the northern end of the Andes, an area that includes the capital of Caracas **Urbanization:** urban population: 88.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 2.972 million CARACAS (capital), 2.368 million Maracaibo, 1.983 million Valencia, 1.254 million Barquisimeto, 1.243 million Maracay, 964,000 Ciudad Guayana (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 227 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 13.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 74.5 years (2024 est.) male: 71.5 years female: 77.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.16 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.05 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: total: 93.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 6.7% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4% of GDP (2021) 6% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.66 physicians/1,000 population (2017) **Hospital bed density:** 1 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 25.6% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 2.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Education expenditure:** 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.3% national budget (2024 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 97.2% (2017 est.) male: 97.2% (2017 est.) female: 97.3% (2017 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from mining operations **International environmental agreements:** party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands **Land use:** agricultural land: 24.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 20.6% (2023 est.) forest: 53.5% (2023 est.) other: 22.1% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 88.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 76.73 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 179,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 27.928 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 48.623 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 16.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 3,595.7 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,007.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 328.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 7 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 9.779 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 21.3% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 5.123 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 793.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 16.71 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 1.325 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela conventional short form: Venezuela local long form: República Bolivariana de Venezuela local short form: Venezuela former: State of Venezuela, Republic of Venezuela, United States of Venezuela etymology: in 1499, the stilt-houses built on Lake Maracaibo reminded explorers Alonso de OJEDA and Amerigo VESPUCCI of buildings in Venice, Italy, and they named the region "Venezuola," meaning "Little Venice" **Government type:** federal presidential republic **Capital:** name: Caracas geographic coordinates: 10 29 N, 66 52 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named for the Caracas tribe that originally settled in the area; the origin of their name is unknown **Administrative divisions:** 23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 capital district* (distrito capital), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoátegui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales (Federal Dependencies)**, Distrito Capital (Capital District)*, Falcon, Guárico, La Guairá, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Táchira, Trujillo, Yaracuy, Zulia note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands **Legal system:** civil law system based on the Spanish civil code **Constitution:** history: many previous; latest adopted 15 December 1999, effective 30 December 1999 amendment process: proposed through agreement by at least 39% of the National Assembly membership, by the president of the republic in session with the cabinet of ministers, or by petition of at least 15% of registered voters; passage requires simple majority vote by the Assembly and simple majority approval in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years; reduced to five years in the case of applicants from Spain, Portugal, Italy, or a Latin American or Caribbean country **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Interim President Delcy Eloína RODRÍGUEZ Gómez (since 5 January 2026) head of government: Interim President Delcy Eloína RODRÍGUEZ Gómez (since 5 January 2026) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 6-year term (no term limits) most recent election date: 28 July 2024 election results: 2024: official results disputed; Nicolas MADURO Moros was declared the winner by the MADURO-controlled National Electoral Council; percent of vote - Nicolas MADURO Moros (PSUV) 52%, Edmundo GONZÁLEZ Urrutia (Independent) 43.2%, Luis Eduardo MARTÍNEZ (AD) 1.2%, other 3.6% 2018: Nicolas MADURO Moros reelected president; percent of vote - Nicolas MADURO Moros (PSUV) 67.9%, Henri FALCON (AP) 20.9%, Javier BERTUCCI 10.8% expected date of next election: unknown note 1: the president is both chief of state and head of government note 2: in January 2026, the United States removed Nicolas MADURO Moros from his position as leader; Interim President RODRÍGUEZ has been sworn in and is expected to remain during a transition period note 3: the United States did not recognize Nicolas MADURO Moros as president of Venezuela; the United States recognized that Edmundo GONZÁLEZ won the most votes in the 28 July 2024 presidential election because of overwhelming evidence, including more than 80% of the tally sheets received directly from polling stations that indicated GONZÁLEZ received the most votes by an insurmountable margin **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 277 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 12/6/2020 percentage of women in chamber: 32.1% expected date of next election: May 2025 note: in 2020, the National Electoral Council increased the number of seats in the National Assembly from 167 to 277 for the December 2020 election **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Tribunal of Justice (consists of 32 judges organized into constitutional, political-administrative, electoral, civil appeals, criminal appeals, and social divisions) judge selection and term of office: judges proposed by the Committee of Judicial Postulation (an independent body of organizations dealing with legal issues and of the organs of citizen power) and appointed by the National Assembly; judges serve nonrenewable 12-year terms subordinate courts: Superior or Appeals Courts (Tribunales Superiores); District Tribunals (Tribunales de Distrito); Courts of First Instance (Tribunales de Primera Instancia); Parish Courts (Tribunales de Parroquia); Justices of the Peace (Justicia de Paz) Network **Political parties:** A New Era (Un Nuevo Tiempo) or UNT Cambiemos Movimiento Ciudadano or CMC Christian Democrats or COPEI (also known as the Social Christian Party) Citizens Encounter or EC Clear Accounts or CC Coalition of parties loyal to Nicolas MADURO - Great Patriotic Pole or GPP Coalition of opposition parties - Democratic Alliance (Alianza Democratica) (includes AD, EL CAMBIO, COPEI, CMC, and AP) Come Venezuela (Vente Venezuela) or VV Communist Party of Venezuela or PCV Consenso en la Zona or Conenzo Convergencia Democratic Action or AD Fatherland for All (Patria para Todos) or PPT Fearless People's Alliance or ABP Fuerza Vecinal or FV Hope for Change (Esperanza por el Cambio) or EL CAMBIO Justice First (Primero Justicia) or PJ LAPIZ Movement to Socialism (Movimiento al Socialismo) or MAS Popular Will (Voluntad Popular) or VP Progressive Advance (Avanzada Progresista) or AP The Radical Cause or La Causa R United Socialist Party of Venezuela or PSUV Venezuela First (Primero Venezuela) or PV Venezuelan Progressive Movement or MPV Venezuela Project or PV **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none note: the embassy, which had been run by the Venezuelan political opposition, announced on 5 January 2023, that it had ended all embassy functions **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires John McNAMARA (since 1 February 2025); note - serves as the chief of mission of the Venezuela Affairs Unit, located in the US Embassy, Bogota embassy: Venezuela Affairs Unit, US Embassy, Carrera 45 N. 24B-27, Bogota, Colombia mailing address: 3140 Caracas Place, Washington DC 20521-3140 telephone: 1-888-407-4747 email address and website: ACSBogota@state.gov https://ve.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACS, Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 5 July 1811 (from Spain) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 5 July (1811) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red, with the coat of arms on the left side of the yellow band and an arc of eight five-pointed white stars centered on the blue band meaning: yellow stands for the riches of the land, blue for the courage of its people, and red for the blood shed in attaining independence history: the flag retains the three equal horizontal bands and three main colors from the flag of Gran Colombia, the South American republic that broke up in 1830; in 2006, President Hugo CHAVEZ added the eighth star -- the original seven stars represented the country's provinces that united in the war of independence -- to match Simon Bolivar's flag from 1827 and to represent the historic province of Guayana **National symbol(s):** troupial (bird) **National color(s):** yellow, blue, red **National anthem(s):** title: "Gloria al bravo pueblo" (Glory to the Brave People) lyrics/music: Vicente SALIAS/Juan Jose LANDAETA history: adopted 1881; lyrics were written in 1810; both SALIAS and LANDAETA were executed in 1814 during Venezuela's fight for independence **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Coro and its Port (c); Canaima National Park (n); Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** South American economy; ongoing hyperinflation since mid-2010s; chaotic economy due to political corruption, infrastructure cuts, and human rights abuses; in debt default; oil exporter; hydropower consumer; rising Chinese relations **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $110.943 billion (2023 est.) $106.672 billion (2022 est.) $98.768 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -19.67% (2018 est.) -14% (2017 est.) -15.76% (2017 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $4,900 (2023 est.) $4,600 (2022 est.) $4,000 (2021 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $139.395 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 200.9% (2022 est.) 1,588.5% (2021 est.) 2,355.1% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **Agricultural products:** milk, sugarcane, maize, rice, plantains, oil palm fruit, bananas, chicken, pineapples, potatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** agricultural products, livestock, raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, iron and steel products, crude oil and petroleum products **Labor force:** 11.136 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 5.5% (2024 est.) 5.5% (2023 est.) 5.8% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 10.6% (2024 est.) male: 9.3% (2024 est.) female: 13.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 33.1% (2015 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Average household expenditures:** on food: 52% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Budget:** revenues: $30 million (2017 est.) expenditures: $76 million (2017 est.) **Public debt:** 38.9% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover central government debt, as well as the debt of state-owned oil company PDVSA; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include some debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; some debt instruments for the social funds are sold at public auctions **Current account balance:** -$3.87 billion (2016 est.) -$3.87 billion (2016 est.) -$16.051 billion (2015 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $83.401 billion (2018 est.) $93.485 billion (2017 est.) $28.684 billion (2016 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 50%, China 10%, Spain 9%, Brazil 6%, Turkey 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** crude petroleum, petroleum coke, scrap iron, alcohols, fertilizers (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $18.432 billion (2018 est.) $18.376 billion (2017 est.) $25.81 billion (2016 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 35%, USA 24%, Brazil 12%, Colombia 7%, Turkey 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, soybean meal, corn, plastic products, vehicle parts/accessories (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $9.794 billion (2017 est.) $10.15 billion (2016 est.) $15.625 billion (2015 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Exchange rates:** bolivars (VEB) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 9.975 (2017 est.) 9.257 (2016 est.) 6.284 (2015 est.) 6.284 (2014 est.) 6.048 (2013 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 33.493 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 56.493 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 600 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 25.849 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 21.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 78.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 149,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 80,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 124,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 2,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 730.999 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 801,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 203,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 303.806 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 23.873 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 23.873 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 5.674 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 54.474 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 2.683 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 20.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 71 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** mix of state-run and private broadcast media subject to high levels of control; 13 public service networks, 61 privately owned TV networks, 1 privately owned news channel with limited national coverage, and a Maduro-backed Pan-American channel; 3 Maduro-aligned radio networks control about 65 news stations and another 30 stations targeted at specific audiences; Maduro-sponsored community broadcasters include 235 radio stations and 44 TV stations; the number of private broadcast radio stations declining, but many remain (2021) **Internet country code:** .ve **Internet users:** percent of population: 62% (2017 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 2.7 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** YV **Airports:** 509 (2025) **Heliports:** 88 (2025) **Railways:** total: 447 km (2014) standard gauge: 447 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (41.4 km electrified) **Merchant marine:** total: 272 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 3, container ship 1, general cargo 26, oil tanker 17, other 225 **Ports:** total ports: 31 (2024) large: 1 medium: 2 small: 11 very small: 17 ports with oil terminals: 21 key ports: Amuay (Bahia de Amuay), Bahia de Pertigalete, Ciudad Bolivar, Guanta, La Guaira, La Salina, Las Piedras, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Puerto de Hierro, Puerto la Cruz, Puerto Miranda, Puerto Ordaz, Punta Cardon ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Bolivarian National Armed Forces (Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana, FANB): Bolivarian Army (Ejercito Bolivariano, EB), Bolivarian Navy (Armada Bolivariana, AB; includes marines, Coast Guard), Bolivarian Military Aviation (Aviacion Militar Bolivariana, AMB), Bolivarian Militia (Milicia Bolivariana), Bolivarian National Guard (Guardia Nacional Bolivaria, GNB), Presidential Honor Guard Ministry of Interior, Justice, and Peace: Bolivarian National Police (Policía Nacional Bolivariana, PNB) (2025) note 1: the Bolivarian Militia and the Presidential Honor Guard are considered special/secondary components of the FANB; the Militia is composed of the Military Reserve and the Territorial Militia and is comprised of armed civilians who receive periodic training in exchange for a small stipend note 2: the National Guard was made part of the FANB in 2007 and is responsible for maintaining public order, guarding the exterior of key government installations and prisons, conducting counter-narcotics operations, monitoring borders, and providing law enforcement in remote areas; it reports to both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior, Justice, and Peace note 3: the PNB is a federal force created by Hugo CHAVEZ in 2008 as a “preventative police force,” separate from state and local ones; the PNB largely focuses on policing Caracas’ Libertador municipality, patrolling Caracas-area highways, railways, and metro system, and protecting diplomatic missions; the PNB includes the Special Action Forces (Fuerzas de Acciones Especiales, FAES), a paramilitary unit created by President MADURO to bolster internal security after the 2017 anti-government protests note 4: there are also pro-government armed groups known as colectivos operating in Caracas and other cities **Military expenditures:** 0.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** information varies; approximately 125-150,000 active Armed Forces; estimated 200,000 Bolivarian Militia (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the FANB inventory is a mix of mostly older and some more modern armaments from a variety of foreign suppliers, including China, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Russia/former Soviet Union, Spain, the UK, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-30 (25 for women) for voluntary service; the minimum service obligation is 24-30 months; 17-39 for Militia service; all citizens of military service age (18-50) are obligated to register for military service and subject to military training (2025) **Military - note:** the armed forces (FANB) are responsible for ensuring Venezuela’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; they also have a domestic role, including assisting with maintaining internal security, conducting counter-narcotics missions, contributing to national socio-economic development, and providing disaster relief/humanitarian assistance; the military has been deployed against illegal armed groups operating in the Colombian border region and other areas to combat organized crime gangs involved in narcotics trafficking and illegal mining; it has ties with the militaries of China, Cuba, Iran, and Russia the FANB has a role in the country’s economy and political sectors; military officers hold key positions in state-owned companies, government ministries, and funding agencies; the FANB runs corporation involved in agriculture, banking, communications, energy, insurance, mining, and transportation (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Bolivarian Agency for Space Activities (Agencia Bolivariana para Actividades Espaciales, ABAE; formed 2007) (2025) note: the ABAE is under the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation; it was originally known as the Venezuelan Space Center (CEV; created 2005) **Space program overview:** has a small national program primarily focused on acquiring satellites and expanding the country’s science and technological capabilities; operates satellites and maintains two satellite ground control stations; participates in multinational space organizations such as the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency; closest bilateral partners are China and Russia; also has bilateral framework agreements for space cooperation with Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Uruguay (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2005 - signed space cooperation partnership with China 2008- first communications satellite (Venesat-1 or Bolivar) financed, built, and launched by China 2012 - first remote sensing (RS) satellite (VRSS-1 or Miranda) built and launched by China 2017 - second RS satellite (VRSS-2 or Sucre) built and launched by China 2021 - signed agreement to establish the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (formally established in 2022) 2023 - joined China-Russia project to construct a permanent base on the Moon by the 2030s 2025 - announced intent to participate in planned Mars sample-return mission (Tianwen-3) led by China ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): National Liberation Army (ELN); Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP); Segundo Marquetalia (SM); Tren de Aragua (TdA) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 20,911 (2024 est.) IDPs: 2,338 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 3 — Venezuela does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making any efforts to do so, therefore, Venezuela remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/venezuela/ **Illicit drugs:** USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025) --- ## Vietnam **Slug:** vietnam **Region:** East & Southeast Asia **Flag:** 🇻🇳 **Codes:** cek: vm, iso2: VN, iso3: VNM, iso_num: 704, genc: VNM, stanag: VNM, internet: .vn ### Introduction **Background:** Vietnam's early history included periods of occupation by outside forces and eventual power consolidation under Vietnamese dynastic families. A succession of Han Chinese emperors ruled the area, which was centered on the Red River Valley, until approximately the 10th century. The Ly Dynasty (11th-13th century) created the first independent Vietnamese state, which was known as Dai Viet, and established their capital at Thang Long (Hanoi). Under the Tran Dynasty (13th-15th century), TRAN Hung Dao, one of Vietnam’s national heroes, led Dai Viet forces to fight off Mongol invaders in 1279. After a brief Chinese occupation in the early 1400s, Vietnamese resistance leader LE Thai To made himself emperor and established the Le Dynasty, which lasted until the late 18th century despite decades of political turmoil, civil war, and division. During this period, Dai Viet expanded southward to the Central Highlands and Mekong Delta, reaching the approximate boundaries of modern-day Vietnam by the 1750s. Dai Viet suffered additional civil war and division in the latter half of the 18th century, but it was reunited and renamed Vietnam under Emperor NGUYEN Phuc Anh (aka Gia Long) in 1802. France began its conquest of Vietnam in 1858 and made Vietnam part of French Indochina in 1887. Vietnam declared independence after World War II, but the French continued to rule until communist forces under Ho Chi MINH defeated them in 1954. Under the Geneva Accords of 1954, Vietnam was divided into the communist North and anti-communist South. Fighting erupted between the two governments shortly afterwards with the North supporting communist rebels in the South and eventually committing thousands of combat troops. The US provided to the South significant economic and military assistance, including large numbers of US military forces, which reached a peak strength of over 500,000 troops in 1968. US combat forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese forces overran the South, reuniting the country under communist rule. The conflict, known as the Second Indochina War (1955-1975), devastated Vietnam, spilled over into the neighboring countries of Cambodia and Laos, and is estimated to have resulted in the deaths of up to 3 million Vietnamese civilians and soldiers. It also caused more than 58,000 US combat and non-combat deaths and created deep domestic divisions in the US. Despite the return of peace, the country experienced little economic growth for over a decade because of its diplomatic isolation, leadership policies, and the persecution and mass exodus of citizens, many of them successful South Vietnamese merchants. However, since the enactment of Vietnam's "doi moi" (renovation) policy in 1986, the economy has seen strong growth, particularly in agricultural and industrial production, construction, exports, foreign investment, and tourism. Nevertheless, the Communist Party maintains tight political and social control of the country, and Vietnam faces many related challenges, such as rising income inequality and corruption. ### Geography **Location:** Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, as well as China, Laos, and Cambodia **Geographic coordinates:** 16 10 N, 107 50 E **Map references:** Southeast Asia **Area:** total : 331,210 sq km land: 310,070 sq km water: 21,140 sq km **Area - comparative:** about three times the size of Tennessee; slightly larger than New Mexico **Land boundaries:** total: 4,616 km border countries (3): Cambodia 1,158 km; China 1,297 km; Laos 2,161 km **Coastline:** 3,444 km (excludes islands) **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (May to September) and warm, dry season (October to March) **Terrain:** low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest **Elevation:** highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m lowest point: South China Sea 0 m mean elevation: 398 m **Natural resources:** antimony, phosphates, coal, manganese, rare earth elements, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, timber, hydropower, arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 39.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 21.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 15.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2% (2023 est.) forest: 47% (2023 est.) other: 13.7% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 46,000 sq km (2012) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Sông Tiên Giang (Mekong) river mouth (shared with China [s], Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia) - 4,350 km; Pearl river source (shared with China [m]) - 2,200 km; Red river mouth (shared with China [s]) - 1,149 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Pacific Ocean drainage: Mekong (805,604 sq km) **Population distribution:** though it has one of the highest population densities in the world, the population is not evenly dispersed; clustering is heaviest along the South China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin, with the Mekong Delta (in the south) and the Red River Valley (in the north) having the largest concentrations of people **Natural hazards:** occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta **Geography - note:** note 1: extending 1,650 km (1,025 mi) north to south, the country is only 50 km (31 mi) across at its narrowest point note 2: Son Doong in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is the world's largest cave (greatest cross-sectional area) and is the largest known cave passage in the world by volume at 38.5 million cu m (about 1.35 billion cu ft); it connects to Thoong cave, but not yet officially -- when recognized, it will add an additional 1.6 million cu m; it is so massive that it contains its own jungle, underground river, and localized weather system, with clouds forming inside the cave and spewing from its exits ### People and Society **Population:** total: 106,688,169 (2025 est.) male: 53,597,784 female: 53,090,385 **Nationality:** noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural) adjective: Vietnamese **Ethnic groups:** Kinh (Viet) 85.3%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.9%, Muong 1.5%, Khmer 1.4%, Mong 1.4%, Nung 1.1%, other 5.5% (2019 est.) note: 54 ethnic groups are recognized by the Vietnamese Government **Languages:** Vietnamese (official); English (often as a second language); some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain-area languages (including Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian) major-language sample(s): Dữ kiện thế giới, là nguồn thông tin cơ bản không thể thiếu. (Vietnamese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Catholic 6.1%, Buddhist 5.8%, Protestant 1%, other 0.8%, none 86.3% (2019 est.) note: most Vietnamese are culturally Buddhist **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 23.2% (male 12,953,719/female 11,579,690) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 36,591,845/female 35,887,201) 65 years and over: 8.3% (2024 est.) (male 3,563,611/female 5,182,909) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 46.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 33.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 12.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 7.8 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 33.5 years (2025 est.) male: 32 years female: 34.2 years **Population growth rate:** 0.86% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 14.58 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 5.81 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** though it has one of the highest population densities in the world, the population is not evenly dispersed; clustering is heaviest along the South China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin, with the Mekong Delta (in the south) and the Red River Valley (in the north) having the largest concentrations of people **Urbanization:** urban population: 39.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 9.321 million Ho Chi Minh City, 5.253 million HANOI (capital), 1.865 million Can Tho, 1.423 million Hai Phong, 1.221 million Da Nang, 1.111 million Bien Hoa (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 48 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.7 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.1 years (2024 est.) male: 73.5 years female: 78.9 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.01 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.96 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 97.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 98% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 2.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.6% of GDP (2021) 10.7% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 1.11 physicians/1,000 population (2021) **Hospital bed density:** 2.6 beds/1,000 population (2017 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 90.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 9.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.6% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 2.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 22% (2025 est.) male: 43.1% (2025 est.) female: 2.1% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 9.7% (2023 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 72.8% (2021 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 1.1% (2021) women married by age 18: 14.6% (2021) men married by age 18: 1.9% (2021) **Education expenditure:** 2.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 15.4% national budget (2022 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 96.1% (2022 est.) male: 97.2% (2022 est.) female: 95.1% (2022 est.) **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 14 years (2022 est.) male: 15 years (2022 est.) female: 14 years (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation and soil degradation from logging and slash-and-burn agriculture; water pollution; overfishing; groundwater contamination limits potable water supply; air pollution **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (May to September) and warm, dry season (October to March) **Land use:** agricultural land: 39.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 21.5% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 15.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2% (2023 est.) forest: 47% (2023 est.) other: 13.7% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 39.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 305.404 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 218.502 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 72.383 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 14.52 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 20.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 806.7 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 2,146.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 683.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 40.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 9.57 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 46% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 1.206 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 3.074 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 77.75 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 884.12 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Geoparks:** total global geoparks and regional networks: 4 (2025) global geoparks and regional networks: Dak Nong; Dong Van Karst Plateau; Lang Son; Non nuoc Cao Bang (2025) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam conventional short form: Vietnam local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam local short form: Viet Nam former: Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) abbreviation: SRV etymology: the name translates as "Viet south;" Viet is an ethnic term of unknown origin that dates back to ancient times, and nam (south) refers to the country's location **Government type:** communist party-led state **Capital:** name: Hanoi (Ha Noi) geographic coordinates: 21 02 N, 105 51 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "inside the river," from the Vietnamese words ha (river) and noi (inside), and refers to its location in a bend of the Red River **Administrative divisions:** 58 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities (thanh pho, singular and plural) provinces: An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Ha Nam, Ha Tinh, Hai Duong, Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Ha Noi (Hanoi), Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) **Legal system:** civil law system with European influences **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 28 November 2013, effective 1 January 2014 amendment process: proposed by the president, by the National Assembly’s Standing Committee, or by at least two thirds of the National Assembly membership; a decision to draft an amendment requires approval by at least a two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership, followed by the formation of a constitutional drafting committee to write a draft and collect citizens’ opinions; passage requires at least two-thirds majority of the Assembly membership; the Assembly can opt to conduct a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Vietnam dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Luong CUONG (since 21 Oct 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Pham Minh CHINH (since 26 July 2021) cabinet: Cabinet proposed by the prime minister, confirmed by the National Assembly, and appointed by the president election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly from among its members for a single 5-year term; prime minister recommended by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly note: in August 2024, To LAM was elected general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the country’s most powerful position **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly (Quoc-Hoi) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 500 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 5/23/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Communist Party (485); Other (14) percentage of women in chamber: 31.4% expected date of next election: March 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme People's Court (consists of the chief justice and 13 judges) judge selection and term of office: chief justice elected by the National Assembly upon the recommendation of the president for a 5-year, renewable term; deputy chief justice appointed by the president from among the judges for a 5-year term; judges appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly for 5-year terms subordinate courts: High Courts (administrative, civil, criminal, economic, labor, family, juvenile); provincial courts; district courts; Military Court note: the National Assembly Standing Committee can establish special tribunals on the recommendation of the chief justice **Political parties:** Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV note: other parties banned **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Nguyen Quoc DZUNG (since 19 April 2022) chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737 FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917 email address and website: vanphong@vietnamembassy.us http://vietnamembassy-usa.org/ consulate(s) general: Houston, San Francisco consulate(s): New York **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Marc KNAPPER (since 11 February 2022) embassy: 7 Lang Ha Street, Hanoi mailing address: 4550 Hanoi Place, Washington, DC 20521-4550 telephone: [84] (24) 3850-5000 FAX: [84] (24) 3850-5010 email address and website: ACShanoi@state.gov https://vn.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City **International organization participation:** ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (2024) **Independence:** 2 September 1945 (from France) **National holiday:** Independence Day (National Day), 2 September (1945) **Flag:** description: red field with a five-pointed yellow star in the center meaning: red stands for revolution and blood, and the five-pointed star for the five elements of the populace -- peasants, workers, intellectuals, traders, and soldiers -- that unite to build socialism **National symbol(s):** five-pointed yellow star on a red field, lotus blossom **National color(s):** red, yellow **National anthem(s):** title: "Tien quan ca" (The Song of the Marching Troops) lyrics/music: Nguyen Van CAO history: adopted as the national anthem of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945; it became the national anthem of the unified Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1976; only the first verse is used as the official anthem **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 9 (6 cultural, 2 natural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Complex of Hué Monuments (c); Ha Long Bay (n); Hoi An Ancient Town (c); My Son Sanctuary (c); Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (n); Imperial Citadel of Thang Long - Hanoi (c); Citadel of the Ho Dynasty (c); Trang An Landscape Complex (m); Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son, Kiep Bac Complex of Monuments and Landscapes (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower middle-income socialist East Asian economy; rapid economic growth since Đổi Mới reforms; strong investment and productivity growth; tourism and manufacturing hub; TPP signatory; declining poverty aside from ethnic minorities; systemic corruption **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $1.456 trillion (2024 est.) $1.359 trillion (2023 est.) $1.294 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 7.1% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 8.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $14,400 (2024 est.) $13,500 (2023 est.) $13,000 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $476.388 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3.6% (2024 est.) 3.3% (2023 est.) 3.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 11.9% (2024 est.) industry: 37.6% (2024 est.) services: 42.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 54.3% (2023 est.) government consumption: 8.8% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 30.1% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 1.5% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 86.5% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -78.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** rice, vegetables, sugarcane, cassava, maize, pork, fruits, bananas, coconuts, coffee (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building; mining, coal, steel; cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, mobile phones **Industrial production growth rate:** 8.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 57.133 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 1.5% (2024 est.) 1.7% (2023 est.) 1.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 6.8% (2024 est.) male: 7% (2024 est.) female: 6.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 4.3% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 36.1 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Average household expenditures:** on food: 34.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.6% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 28.1% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 3.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.5% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $68.818 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $83.707 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 58.5% of GDP (2017 est.) note: official data; data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions **Current account balance:** $28.047 billion (2024 est.) $25.793 billion (2023 est.) $1.402 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $429.383 billion (2024 est.) $374.986 billion (2023 est.) $385.241 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** USA 28%, China 20%, Japan 6%, Hong Kong 4%, Germany 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** broadcasting equipment, garments, integrated circuits, machine parts, footwear (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $398.672 billion (2024 est.) $339.785 billion (2023 est.) $369.746 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 49%, Singapore 6%, Japan 6%, Hong Kong 5%, Taiwan 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment, fabric, plastics, telephones (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $83.082 billion (2024 est.) $92.238 billion (2023 est.) $86.54 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $34.426 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** dong (VND) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 24,164.886 (2024 est.) 23,787.319 (2023 est.) 23,271.212 (2022 est.) 23,159.783 (2021 est.) 23,208.368 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 85.725 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 277.501 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 933.237 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 3.106 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 18.197 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 50.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 9.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 4.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 34.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 51.519 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 96.099 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 815,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 43.637 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 3.116 billion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 187,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 544,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 4.4 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 7.48 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 7.48 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 699.426 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 40.263 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 2.316 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 129 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 128 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-controlled broadcast media, with oversight from the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC); state-controlled national TV provider, Vietnam Television (VTV), has several channels with regional broadcasting centers; law limits access to satellite TV, but many access foreign programming via home satellite equipment; state-controlled Voice of Vietnam, the national radio broadcaster, broadcasts on several channels and is repeated on AM, FM, and shortwave stations (2018) **Internet country code:** .vn **Internet users:** percent of population: 78% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 22.8 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** VN **Airports:** 36 (2025) **Heliports:** 26 (2025) **Railways:** total: 2,600 km (2014) standard gauge: 178 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge; 253 km mixed gauge narrow gauge: 2,169 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge **Merchant marine:** total: 1,973 (2022) by type: bulk carrier 117, container ship 45, general cargo 1,176, oil tanker 134, other 501 **Ports:** total ports: 16 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 6 very small: 9 ports with oil terminals: 12 key ports: Da Nang, Hai Phong, Nghe Tinh, Nha Trang, Thanh Ho Chi Minh, Vinh Cam Ranh, Vung Tau ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN; aka Vietnam People's Army, VPA): Ground Forces (Army), Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Defense - Air Force, Vietnam Border Guard, Vietnam Coast Guard Vietnam People's Ministry of Public Security; Vietnam Civil Defense Force (2025) note 1: the People's Public Security Ministry is responsible for internal security and controls the national police, a special national security investigative agency, and other internal security units, including specialized riot police regiments note 2: the Vietnam Coast Guard was established in 1998 as the Vietnam Marine Police and renamed in 2013; Vietnam established a civilian maritime self-defense force in 2010; the Vietnam Department of Fisheries Resources Surveillance (DFIRES; under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), established in 2013, is responsible for fisheries enforcement, aquatic conservation roles, and is designated as Vietnam's standing agency for combating illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing; it is armed, allowed to use force if necessary, and works in tandem with the Vietnam Coast Guard note 3: the PAVN is the military arm of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and responsible to the Central Military Commission (CMC), the highest party organ on military policy; the CMC is led by the CPV General Secretary **Military expenditures:** 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2020 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2019 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 450,000 active-duty People's Army of Vietnam (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the PAVN is equipped largely with armaments from Russia and the former Soviet Union; in recent years, Vietnam has moved to diversify its arms suppliers and has acquired items from countries such as India, Israel, the Netherlands, South Korea, and the US; Vietnam has a small defense industry involved in the manufacture of small arms, ground combat vehicles, and naval systems (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-27 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service for men and women (in practice only men are drafted); service obligation is 24-36 months depending on the branch of service (including Coast Guard and Ministry of Public Security) (2025) **Military deployments:** 200 Abyei/South Sudan/Sudan (UNISFA) (2025) **Military - note:** since withdrawing its military occupation forces from Cambodia in the late 1980s and the end of Soviet aid in 1991, Vietnam has practiced a non-aligned foreign policy and security doctrine known as the "Four Nos" (no alliances, no siding with one country against another, no foreign bases, and no using force in international relations); despite longstanding tensions with Beijing over maritime boundaries in the South China Sea, Vietnam puts a priority on stable relations with China, given its proximity, size, and status as Vietnam's largest trading partner the responsibilities of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) include protecting the country's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interests, as well as assisting civilian authorities with natural disasters; in recent years, the PAVN has placed additional emphasis on protecting Vietnam's interests in the disputed South China Sea; the military is also involved in economic projects, such as electrical infrastructure, oil and gas services, hydroelectric projects, aviation and seaport services, telecommunications, and the shipbuilding industry, while military-owned factories and enterprises produce weapons and equipment (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Vietnam National Space Center (VNSC; established 2011) (2025) note: the VNSC is under the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) **Space program overview:** has a growing national space program focused on acquiring, operating, and exploiting satellites, as well as expanding domestic capabilities in satellites and associated sub-system production, space sciences, and technology applications; builds and operates communications and remote sensing satellites; conducting research and development on space science and applied space technologies, such as advanced optics and space data exploitation; has worked closely with Japan on its space program; has also established relationships with the space agencies or commercial space sectors of some European countries (such as France), India, and the US (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 1980 - first Vietnamese astronaut/cosmonaut into space on Soviet spacecraft 2008 - first telecommunications satellite (VINASAT-1) built by US company and launched on European rocket 2012 - first educational/scientific cube satellite (F-1) built jointly with and launched by Japan; second telecommunications satellite (VINASAT-2) built by US and launched on European rocket 2013 - first domestically built remote-sensing (RS)/technology-demonstrator cube satellite (PicoDragon) launched by Japan; first RS satellite (VNREDSat-1a or Vietnam Natural Resources, Environment, and Disaster Monitoring Satellite) launched on European rocket 2016 - signed an agreement with India to establish a satellite tracking and imaging center in Ho Chi Minh City in exchange for access to Indian RS imagery 2018 - completed National Space Center in Hanoi 2021 - announced a developmental roadmap for producing “Made in Vietnam” small satellites as part of a larger effort to increase space sciences and technology through 2030; signed an agreement with Japan to increase cooperation on space defense ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 19 (2024 est.) IDPs: 2,568 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 20,590 (2024 est.) --- ## Virgin Islands **Slug:** virgin-islands **Region:** Central America and Caribbean **Flag:** 🇻🇮 **Codes:** cek: vq, iso2: VI, iso3: VIR, iso_num: 850, genc: VIR, stanag: VIR, internet: .vi ### Introduction **Background:** The Danes secured control over the southern Virgin Islands of Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix during the 17th and early 18th centuries. Sugarcane, produced by African slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish holdings, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848. In 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the northern Virgin Islands of Saint Thomas and Saint John and inflicted severe damage to structures, roads, the airport on Saint Thomas, communications, and electricity. Less than two weeks later, Hurricane Maria passed over the island of Saint Croix in the southern Virgin Islands, inflicting considerable damage with heavy winds and flooding rains. ### Geography **Location:** Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico **Geographic coordinates:** 18 20 N, 64 50 W **Map references:** Central America and the Caribbean **Area:** total : 1,910 sq km land: 346 sq km water: 1,564 sq km **Area - comparative:** twice the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 188 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November **Terrain:** mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little flat land **Elevation:** highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m **Natural resources:** pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism **Land use:** agricultural land: 9.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.3% (2023 est.) forest: 58.2% (2023 est.) other: 32.4% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** overall population density throughout the islands is relatively low, but concentrations appear around Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas and Christiansted on St. Croix **Natural hazards:** several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes **Geography - note:** important location along the Anegada Passage, a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean ### People and Society **Population:** total: 103,792 (2025 est.) male: 49,195 female: 54,597 **Nationality:** noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens) adjective: Virgin Islander **Ethnic groups:** African-American or African descent 71.4%, White 13.3%, Indigenous 0.4%, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 0.1%, other 6.3%, mixed 7.5% (2020 est.) note: 18.4% self-identify as Latino **Languages:** English 71.6%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 17.2%, French or French Creole 8.6%, other 2.5% (2010 est.) **Religions:** Protestant 65.5%, Roman Catholic 27.1%, other Christians 2.2%, other 1.5%, none 3.7% (2010 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 18.7% (male 9,983/female 9,547) 15-64 years: 59.8% (male 29,519/female 32,899) 65 years and over: 21.5% (2024 est.) (male 10,018/female 12,411) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 68 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 37.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 2.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 43.4 years (2025 est.) male: 42.1 years female: 43.9 years **Population growth rate:** -0.58% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 10.88 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 9.43 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -7.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** overall population density throughout the islands is relatively low, but concentrations appear around Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas and Christiansted on St. Croix **Urbanization:** urban population: 96.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 52,000 CHARLOTTE AMALIE (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 7.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 80.7 years (2024 est.) male: 77.6 years female: 84.1 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.95 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.95 (2025 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: total: 99.1% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: total: 0.9% of population (2022 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** lack of natural freshwater resources; protection of coral reefs; solid waste management; coastal development; increased boating and overfishing **Climate:** subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November **Land use:** agricultural land: 9.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.3% (2023 est.) forest: 58.2% (2023 est.) other: 32.4% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 96.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 2.378 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.378 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 146,500 tons (2024 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies abbreviation: VI etymology: in 1493, the islets, cays, and rocks around the major islands in the chain reminded explorer Christopher COLUMBUS of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers (Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes), which over time was shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes) **Government type:** unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches **Dependency status:** unincorporated, organized territory of the US, with policy relations with the US federal government under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior **Capital:** name: Charlotte Amalie geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named in honor of Danish King CHRISTIAN V’s wife, Charlotte AMALIE of Hesse-Kassel, after the colony was established in 1672 **Administrative divisions:** no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 3 islands are considered second-order: Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas **Legal system:** US common law **Constitution:** history: 22 July 1954 - the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands functions as a constitution for this US territory **Citizenship:** see United States **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal note: island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025) head of government: Governor Albert BRYAN, Jr. (since 7 January 2019) cabinet: Territorial Cabinet appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of electors chosen from each state; president and vice president serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of the Virgin Islands do not vote in elections for US president and vice president, but they can vote in the Democratic and Republican party presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 8 November 2022 election results: 2022: Albert BRYAN, Jr. reelected governor; percent of vote - Albert BRYAN, Jr. (Democratic Party) 56%, Kurt VIALET (independent) 38% 2018: Albert BRYAN, Jr. elected governor in the second round; percent of vote in first round - Albert BRYAN, Jr. (Democratic Party) 38.1%, Kenneth MAPP (independent) 33.5%, Adlah "Foncie" DONASTORG, Jr. (independent) 16.5%, other 11.9%; percent of vote in second round- Albert BRYAN, Jr. (Democratic Party) 54.5%, Kenneth MAPP (independent) 45.2%, other 0.3% expected date of next election: November 2026 **Legislative branch:** note: the Virgin Islands delegate to the US House of Representatives can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands (consists of the chief justice and 2 associate justices) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Virgin Islands Senate; justices serve initial 10-year terms and upon reconfirmation, during the extent of good behavior; chief justice elected to position by peers for a 3-year term subordinate courts: Superior Court (Territorial Court renamed in 2004); US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (has appellate jurisdiction over the District Court of the Virgin Islands; it is a territorial court and is not associated with a US federal judicial district); District Court of the Virgin Islands **Political parties:** Democratic Party Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM Republican Party **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (territory of the US) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** none (territory of the US) **International organization participation:** AOSIS (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs) **Independence:** none (territory of the US) **National holiday:** Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 31 March (1917) **Flag:** description: white field with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials "V" and "I"; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in its right talon and three arrows in its left, with a shield of seven red and six white vertical stripes below a blue panel meaning: white is a symbol of purity, and the letters stand for the Virgin Islands **National anthem(s):** title: "Virgin Islands March" lyrics/music: multiple/Alton Augustus ADAMS, Sr. history: adopted 1963; serves as a local anthem _____ title: "The Star-Spangled Banner" lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH history: official anthem, as a US territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** high-income, tourism-based American territorial economy; severe COVID-19 economic disruptions; major rum distillery; high public debt; sluggish reopening of large oil refinery; environmentally susceptible to hurricanes; many informal industries **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $4.9 billion (2022 est.) $4.965 billion (2021 est.) $4.789 billion (2020 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** -1.3% (2022 est.) 3.7% (2021 est.) -1.6% (2020 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $46,500 (2022 est.) $46,900 (2021 est.) $45,100 (2020 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $4.672 billion (2022 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 68.9% (2022 est.) government consumption: 34.4% (2022 est.) investment in fixed capital: 7.5% (2016 est.) investment in inventories: 15% (2016 est.) exports of goods and services: 97.4% (2022 est.) imports of goods and services: -108.3% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle **Industries:** tourism, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, electronics **Labor force:** 47,200 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 12.1% (2024 est.) 12.4% (2023 est.) 13.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 25.3% (2024 est.) male: 22% (2024 est.) female: 28.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Budget:** revenues: $1.496 billion (2016 est.) expenditures: $1.518 billion (2016 est.) **Exports:** $4.549 billion (2022 est.) $4.069 billion (2021 est.) $1.62 billion (2020 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Haiti 14%, Guadeloupe 7%, Malaysia 7%, Martinique 7%, Barbados 7%, British Virgin Islands 5% (2019) **Exports - commodities:** refined petroleum, jewelry, recreational boats, watches, rum (2019) top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $5.058 billion (2022 est.) $4.057 billion (2021 est.) $3.184 billion (2020 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** India 18%, Algeria 14%, South Korea 9%, Argentina 9%, Sweden 7%, Brazil 5% (2019) **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, crude petroleum, rubber piping, jewelry, beer (2019) **Exchange rates:** the US dollar is used ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 326,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 618.819 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 50.181 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 97.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 2.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** exports: 4 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 16,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 76,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 88 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 79,100 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 92 (2022 est.) **Broadcast media:** about a dozen TV stations, including 1 public TV station; multi-channel cable and satellite TV available; 24 radio stations **Internet country code:** .vi **Internet users:** percent of population: 64% (2017 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 9,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 2 (2025) **Heliports:** 4 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 2 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, other 1 **Ports:** total ports: 6 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 3 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Frederiksted, Limetree Bay, Port Alucroix ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** US Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD); US Virgin Islands National Guard (VING) **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the US --- ## Wake Island **Slug:** wake-island **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Codes:** cek: wq, genc: XWK, stanag: UMI, internet: -, comment: ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands ### Introduction **Background:** Early Micronesian and Polynesian settlers probably visited Wake Island, and oral legends tell of periodic voyages to the islands by people from the Marshall Islands. Wake Island was uninhabited when Spanish explorer Alvaro de Mendana de NEYRA became the first European to see it in 1568 and still had no inhabitants when English captain Samuel WAKE sailed by it in 1796. The United States Exploring Expedition visited the island in 1841, and the US annexed it in 1899 to use as a cable and refueling station for its newly acquired Pacific territories of Hawaii, the Philippines, and Guam. In the 1930s, Pan American Airways built facilities on Wake Island so that it could be used as a stopover for flights from the US to China. In 1941, the US began to install military assets on Wake Island, and Japan then captured the island and held it until the end of World War II. In 1946, commercial airlines resumed using Wake Island as a refueling stop. In 1973, the Marshall Islands claimed Wake Island, based on the oral legends, although the US has not recognized these claims. In 1974, the US military took exclusive control of the island’s airstrip and restricted visitors. In 1978, Bikini Islanders from the Marshall Islands, who were evacuated in the 1950s and 1960s because of US nuclear tests, considered rehoming on Wake Island, but the US military rejected that plan. Since the 1970s, the island has been important for missile defense testing. In 2009, Wake Island was included in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands **Geographic coordinates:** 19 17 N, 166 39 E **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 7 sq km land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km **Area - comparative:** about 11 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 19.3 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical **Terrain:** atoll of three low coral islands, Peale, Wake, and Wilkes, built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim **Elevation:** highest point: unnamed location 8 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** none **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0 sq km (2022) **Natural hazards:** subject to occasional typhoons **Geography - note:** strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean ### People and Society **Population:** total: no permanent inhabitants note: personnel maintain and operate the airfield and weather station ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited potable water; hazardous waste disposal **Climate:** tropical **Land use:** agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 1.214 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.214 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: Wake Island etymology: the name comes from one of two explorers who sighted the islands in the late 1700s; British Captain William WAKE visited in 1792, as did his relative, British Captain Samuel WAKE, in 1796, and sources disagree on which captain claimed the honor of naming the island **Dependency status:** unincorporated, unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Department of the Interior; the 11th US Air Force currently conducts activities on the atoll, and it is managed from Pacific Air Force Support Center **Legal system:** US common law **Citizenship:** see United States **Independence:** none (territory of the US) **Flag:** the US flag is used ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2021) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 8,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) ### Communications **Broadcast media:** US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) provides satellite radio/TV broadcasts (2018) ### Transportation **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Wake Island ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of the US; the island serves as a trans-Pacific refueling stop for military aircraft and supports US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) testing activities; Wake is managed by the US Air Force (2025) --- ## Wallis and Futuna **Slug:** wallis-and-futuna **Region:** Australia-Oceania **Flag:** 🇼🇫 **Codes:** cek: wf, iso2: WF, iso3: WLF, iso_num: 876, genc: WLF, stanag: WLF, internet: .wf ### Introduction **Background:** Around 800 B.C., the first settlers arrived on the islands of Wallis and Futuna, which are a natural midpoint between Fiji and Samoa. Around A.D. 1500, Tongans invaded Wallis, and a chiefdom system resembling Tonga’s formal hierarchy developed on the island. Tongans attempted to settle Futuna but were repeatedly rebuffed. Samoans settled Futuna in the 1600s, and a slightly less centralized chiefdom system formed. Dutch explorers were the first Europeans to see the islands in 1616, followed intermittently by other Europeans, including British explorer Samuel WALLIS in 1767. French Catholic missionaries were the first Europeans to permanently settle Wallis and Futuna in 1837, and they converted most of the population of both islands by 1846. The missionaries and newly converted King LAVELUA of Uvea on Wallis asked France for a protectorate in 1842 following a local rebellion. France agreed, although the protectorate status would not be ratified until 1887. In 1888, King MUSULAMU of Alo and King TAMOLE of Sigave, both on Futuna, signed a treaty establishing a French protectorate; the Wallis and Futuna protectorate was integrated into the territory of New Caledonia the same year. France renegotiated the terms of the protectorate with the territory’s three kings in 1910, expanding French authority. Wallis and Futuna was the only French colony to side with the Vichy regime during World War II, until the arrival of Free French and US troops in 1942. In 1959, inhabitants of the islands voted to separate from New Caledonia, becoming a French overseas territory in 1961. Despite the split, a significant Wallisian and Futunan community still lives in New Caledonia. In 2003, Wallis and Futuna became a French overseas collectivity. The islands joined the Pacific Islands Forum as an associate member in 2018, two years after France’s other Pacific territories became full members of the organization. ### Geography **Location:** Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand **Geographic coordinates:** 13 18 S, 176 12 W **Map references:** Oceania **Area:** total : 142 sq km land: 142 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets **Area - comparative:** 1.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. **Land boundaries:** total: 0 km **Coastline:** 129 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm **Climate:** tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October); rains 250-300 cm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees Celsius **Terrain:** volcanic origin; low hills **Elevation:** highest point: Mont Singavi (on Futuna) 522 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m **Natural resources:** NEGL **Land use:** agricultural land: 42.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 35.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 74.9% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 0.6 sq km (2022) **Natural hazards:** cyclones; tsunamis **Geography - note:** both island groups have fringing reefs; Wallis contains several prominent crater lakes ### People and Society **Population:** total: 15,998 (2025 est.) male: 8,217 female: 7,781 **Nationality:** noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander **Ethnic groups:** Polynesian **Languages:** Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language) 58.9%, Futunian 30.1%, French (official) 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 est.) **Religions:** Roman Catholic 99%, other 1% **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 19.8% (male 1,643/female 1,511) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 5,535/female 5,247) 65 years and over: 12.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,023/female 1,005) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 48.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 29 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 19.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 5.1 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 36.9 years (2025 est.) male: 35.5 years female: 37.3 years **Population growth rate:** 0.19% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 11.63 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.13 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -3.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 0% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1,000 MATA-UTU (capital) (2018) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 81.1 years (2024 est.) male: 78.2 years female: 84.2 years **Total fertility rate:** 1.71 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 0.84 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: rural: 99.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: NA rural: 0.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: rural: 94.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: rural: 5.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.8% of population (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 57.2% (2018 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 99.8% (2023 est.) male: 99.9% (2023 est.) female: 100% (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain) due to wood as the main fuel source; soil erosion; lack of natural freshwater resources; lack of soil fertility on the islands of Uvea and Futuna **Climate:** tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October); rains 250-300 cm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees Celsius **Land use:** agricultural land: 42.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 35.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 74.9% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 0% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna local short form: Wallis et Futuna former: Hoorn Islands is the former name of the Futuna Islands etymology: Wallis Island is named after British Captain Samuel WALLIS, who visited in 1767; Futuna is a local name, and the meaning is unclear **Government type:** parliamentary democracy (Territorial Assembly); overseas collectivity of France **Dependency status:** overseas collectivity of France **Capital:** name: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea) geographic coordinates: 13 57 S, 171 56 W time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) **Administrative divisions:** 3 administrative precincts (circonscriptions, singular - circonscription) Alo, Sigave, Uvea **Legal system:** French civil law **Constitution:** history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) amendment process: French constitution amendment procedures apply **Citizenship:** see France **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Administrator Superior Jean-François de MANHEULLE (since 17 November 2025) head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Munipoese MULI'AKA'AKA (since 20 March 2022) cabinet: Council of the Territory appointed by the administrator superior on the advice of the Territorial Assembly election/appointment process: French president elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); administrator superior appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly elected by assembly members note: there are 3 traditional kings with limited powers **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Territorial Assembly (Assemblée territoriale) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 20 (directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/20/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Ofa mo'oni ki tou fenua (2); Mauli fetokoniaki (2); 1 seat each from 16 other lists note: 1 senator is indirectly elected to the French Senate by an electoral college for a 6-year term, and 1 deputy is directly elected to the French National Assembly for a 5-year term **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Court of Assizes or Cour d'Assizes (consists of 1 judge; court hears primarily serious criminal cases) judge selection and term of office: NA subordinate courts: courts of first instance; labor court note 1: appeals beyond the Court of Assizes are heard before the Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel (in Noumea, New Caledonia) note 2: justice is generally administered under French law by the high administrator, but the 3 traditional kings administer customary law **Political parties:** Left Radical Party or PRG (formerly Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG) Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians) Rally for Wallis and Futuna-The Republicans (Rassemblement pour Wallis and Futuna) or RPWF-LR Socialist Party or PS Taumu'a Lelei Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF **Diplomatic representation in the US:** none (overseas territory of France) **Diplomatic representation from the US:** none (overseas collectivity of France) **International organization participation:** PIF (observer), SPC, UPU **Independence:** none (overseas collectivity of France) **National holiday:** Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790) note: often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on 14 July 1789 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are la Fête nationale (National Holiday) and le Quatorze Juillet (14th of July) **Flag:** description: unofficial local flag has a red field with four white isosceles triangles in the middle; the apexes of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; a small flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper-left corner meaning: the triangles represent the three native kings of the islands and the French administrator history: the design is derived from a red flag with a white cross that French missionaries introduced in the 19th century note: the flag of France is used for official occasions **National symbol(s):** red saltire (Saint Andrew's Cross) on a white square on a red field **National color(s):** red, white **National anthem(s):** title: "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille) lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle history: official anthem, as a French territory ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower-middle-income, agrarian French dependency economy; heavily reliant on French subsidies; licenses fishing rights to Japan and South Korea; major remittances from New Caledonia; aging workforce; import-dependent; deforestation-fueled fragility **Agricultural products:** coconuts, breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish **Industries:** copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber **Budget:** revenues: $32.54 million (2015 est.) expenditures: $34.18 million (2015 est.) **Exports - partners:** Denmark 35%, Sweden 14%, Netherlands 14%, Pakistan 9%, Poland 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** seats (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000 **Imports - partners:** Fiji 35%, France 32%, NZ 11%, Australia 6%, China 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, prepared meat, poultry, iron pipe fittings, animal food (2023) **Exchange rates:** Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 110.31 (2024 est.) 110.347 (2023 est.) 113.474 (2022 est.) 100.88 (2021 est.) 104.711 (2020 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 3,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2021 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 12,200 (2023) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 107 (2023) **Broadcast media:** publicly owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which broadcasts to France's overseas departments, collectivities, and territories, is carried on the RFO Wallis and Fortuna TV and radio stations (2019) **Internet country code:** .wf **Internet users:** percent of population: 45.8% (2021 est.) ### Transportation **Airports:** 2 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 1 (2023) by type: general cargo 1 **Ports:** total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Mata-Utu ### Military and Security **Military - note:** defense is the responsibility of France --- ## West Bank **Slug:** west-bank **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇵🇸 **Codes:** cek: we, iso2: PS, iso3: PSE, iso_num: 275, genc: XWB, stanag: PSE, internet: .ps, comment: ISO identifies as Occupied Palestinian Territory ### Introduction **Background:** The landlocked West Bank -- the larger of the two Palestinian territories -- is home to some three million Palestinians. Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., the area currently known as the West Bank has been dominated by a succession of different powers. In the early 16th century, it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire. The West Bank fell to British forces during World War I, becoming part of the British Mandate of Palestine. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Transjordan (later renamed Jordan) captured the West Bank and annexed it in 1950; Israel then captured it in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under the Oslo Accords -- a series of agreements that were signed between 1993 and 1999 -- Israel transferred to the newly created Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for the many Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank, as well as the Gaza Strip. In addition to establishing the PA as an interim government, the Oslo Accords divided the West Bank into three areas, with one fully managed by the PA (Area A), another fully managed by Israel (Area C), and a third with shared control (Area B) until a permanent agreement could be reached between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel. In 2000, a violent intifada, or uprising, began across the Palestinian territories, and in 2001, negotiations for a permanent agreement between the PLO and Israel on final status issues stalled. Subsequent attempts to re-start direct negotiations have not resulted in progress toward determining final status of the area. The PA last held national elections in 2006, when the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) won a majority of seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political faction in the West Bank, and HAMAS failed to maintain a unity government, leading to violent clashes between their respective supporters and to HAMAS's violent seizure of all PA military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in 2007. In 2018, the Palestinian Constitutional Court dissolved the PLC. In recent years, Fatah and HAMAS have made several attempts at reconciliation, but the factions have been unable to implement agreements. ### Geography **Location:** Middle East, west of Jordan, east of Israel **Geographic coordinates:** 32 00 N, 35 15 E **Map references:** Middle East **Area:** total : 5,860 sq km land: 5,640 sq km water: 220 sq km note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967 **Area - comparative:** slightly smaller than Delaware **Land boundaries:** total: 478 km border countries (2): Israel 330 km; Jordan 148 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters **Terrain:** mostly rugged, dissected upland in west, flat plains descending to Jordan River Valley to the east **Elevation:** highest point: Khallat al Batrakh 1,020 m lowest point: Dead Sea -431 m **Natural resources:** arable land **Land use:** agricultural land: 64.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 46.1% (2023 est.) forest: 1.8% (2023 est.) other: 32.1% (2023 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip **Irrigated land:** (2013) 151 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip **Major lakes (area sq km):** salt water lake(s): Dead Sea (shared with Jordan and Israel) - 1,020 sq km note - endorheic hypersaline lake; 9.6 times saltier than the ocean; lake shore is 431 meters below sea level **Population distribution:** the most populous Palestinian communities in the West Bank are located in the central ridge and western half of its territory; Jewish settlements are located throughout the West Bank, the most populous in the Seam Zone -- between the 1949 Armistice Line and the separation barrier -- and around Jerusalem **Natural hazards:** droughts **Geography - note:** landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers (2017) ### People and Society **Population:** total: 3,310,554 (2025 est.) male: 1,682,493 female: 1,628,061 note: approximately 468,300 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank (2022); approximately 236,600 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem (2021) **Ethnic groups:** Palestinian Arab, Jewish, other **Languages:** Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood) major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. **Religions:** Muslim 80-85% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 12-14%, Christian 1-2.5% (mainly Greek Orthodox), other, unaffiliated, unspecified <1% (2012 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 36.7% (male 609,497/female 579,227) 15-64 years: 59.5% (male 979,719/female 949,746) 65 years and over: 3.9% (2024 est.) (male 59,234/female 65,946) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 68.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 61.4 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 14.8 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 22 years (2025 est.) male: 21.6 years female: 22.1 years **Population growth rate:** 2.03% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 27.24 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 3.2 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -3.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the most populous Palestinian communities in the West Bank are located in the central ridge and western half of its territory; Jewish settlements are located throughout the West Bank, the most populous in the Seam Zone -- between the 1949 Armistice Line and the separation barrier -- and around Jerusalem **Urbanization:** urban population: 77.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 16 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Infant mortality rate:** total: 14.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 17.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 76.5 years (2024 est.) male: 74.4 years female: 78.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.44 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.67 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 98% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Health expenditure:** 13.5% of national budget (2022 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Physician density:** 3.25 physicians/1,000 population (2020) **Hospital bed density:** 1.3 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 2.1% (2020 est.) note: estimate is for Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 62.4% (2020 est.) note: data includes Gaza and the West Bank **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 0.7% (2020) women married by age 18: 13.4% (2020) note: includes both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Education expenditure:** 5.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Literacy:** total population: 98% (2022 est.) male: 99% (2022 est.) female: 97% (2022 est.) note: estimates are for Gaza and the West Bank **School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):** total: 13 years (2023 est.) male: 12 years (2023 est.) female: 14 years (2023 est.) note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank ### Environment **Environmental issues:** adequacy of freshwater supply; sewage treatment **Climate:** temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters **Land use:** agricultural land: 64.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 11.8% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 46.1% (2023 est.) forest: 1.8% (2023 est.) other: 32.1% (2023 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip **Urbanization:** urban population: 77.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 3.913 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 3.913 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Particulate matter emissions:** 31.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.387 million tons (2024 est.) note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 251 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 37 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 158 million cubic meters (2022) note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. **Total renewable water resources:** 837 million cubic meters (2022 est.) note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: none conventional short form: West Bank etymology: name refers to the location of the British Mandate of Palestine that was occupied and administered by Jordan in 1948, on the west bank of the Jordan River; the designation was retained after the 1967 Six-Day War and subsequent changes in administration **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 4 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Ancient Jericho/Tell es-Sultan; Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem; Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town; Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir ### Economy **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $20.339 billion (2024 est.) $27.694 billion (2023 est.) $29.016 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Real GDP growth rate:** -26.6% (2024 est.) -4.6% (2023 est.) 4.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Real GDP per capita:** $3,800 (2024 est.) $5,400 (2023 est.) $5,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **GDP (official exchange rate):** $13.711 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 53.7% (2024 est.) 5.9% (2023 est.) 3.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 5.7% (2022 est.) industry: 17.4% (2022 est.) services: 58.3% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 95.5% (2024 est.) government consumption: 20.7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.7% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 1.7% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 21% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -60.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, poultry, milk, potatoes, sheep milk, eggplants, gourds **Industries:** small-scale manufacturing, quarrying, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs **Industrial production growth rate:** -32.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Labor force:** 1.391 million (2022 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Unemployment rate:** 24.5% (2022 est.) 26.4% (2021 est.) 25.9% (2020 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 36.1% (2022 est.) male: 31.6% (2022 est.) female: 56.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 29.2% (2016 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 36.4 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.5% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 27.1% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Remittances:** 5.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 18.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 24% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Budget:** revenues: $1.409 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $1.499 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues and expenditures (excluding grants and social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Taxes and other revenues:** 21.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Current account balance:** -$2.899 billion (2024 est.) -$2.895 billion (2023 est.) -$2.037 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Exports:** $2.885 billion (2024 est.) $3.413 billion (2023 est.) $3.533 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Exports - partners:** Jordan 51%, Turkey 12%, UAE 8%, Saudi Arabia 5%, UK 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Exports - commodities:** scrap iron, tropical fruits, olive oil, building stone, prepared meat (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Imports:** $8.264 billion (2024 est.) $11.637 billion (2023 est.) $12.257 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Imports - partners:** Egypt 25%, Jordan 17%, China 8%, Germany 7%, UAE 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Imports - commodities:** cement, raw sugar, cars, baked goods, perfumes (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.328 billion (2024 est.) $1.323 billion (2023 est.) $896.9 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip **Exchange rates:** new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 3.7 (2024 est.) 3.67 (2023 est.) 3.36 (2022 est.) 3.23 (2021 est.) 3.442 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 352,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 6.956 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 6.925 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 988 million kWh (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 66.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 33.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Coal:** exports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 29,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Energy consumption per capita:** 14.991 million Btu/person (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 383,653 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.) note: entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 4,148,420 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 77 (2023 est.) note: entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip **Broadcast media:** the Palestinian Authority operates 1 TV and 1 radio station; about 20 private TV and 40 radio stations; Jordanian TV and satellite TV accessible **Internet country code:** .ps note: IANA has designated .ps for the West Bank, same as Gaza Strip **Internet users:** percent of population: 87% (2023 est.) note: includes the Gaza Strip **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 431,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2023 est.) note: includes the Gaza Strip ### Transportation **Airports:** 1 (2025) **Heliports:** 2 (2025) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** per the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority (PA) is not permitted a conventional military but maintains security and police forces; PA security personnel have operated exclusively in the West Bank since HAMAS seized power in the Gaza Strip in 2007; PA forces include the Palestinian National Security Forces, Presidential Guard, Civil Police, Civil Defense, Preventive Security Organization, the General Intelligence Organization, and the Military Intelligence Organization (2024) note: the National Security Forces conduct gendarmerie-style security operations in circumstances that exceed the capabilities of the Civil Police; it is the largest branch of the PA security services and acts as the internal Palestinian security force; the Presidential Guard protects facilities and provides dignitary protection; the Preventive Security Organization is responsible for internal intelligence gathering and investigations related to internal security cases, including political dissent **Military expenditures:** not available **Military and security service personnel strengths:** the PA police and security forces have approximately 28,000 active personnel, including about 11,500 National Security Forces (2024) **Military - note:** Palestinian Authority security forces maintain security control of 17.5% (called Area A) of the West Bank, as agreed by the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel in the Oslo Accords, although Israeli security forces frequently conducted security operations there; Israeli security forces maintain responsibility for the remaining 82.5% of the West Bank, including Area B (22.5%), where the Palestinian Authority has administrative control, and Area C (60%), where Israel maintains administrative control (2024) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade; HAMAS; Palestine Islamic Jihad; Palestine Liberation Front; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** IDPs: 2,032,011 (2024 est.) --- ## World **Slug:** world **Region:** World **Codes:** cek: xx, genc: -, stanag: -, internet: -, comment: the Factbook uses the W data code from DIAM 65-18 Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features, Data Standard No. 3, December 1994, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency ### Introduction **Background:** Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating World Wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of vast colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology; (e) the Cold War between the Western alliance and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living standards in North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased concerns about environmental degradation including deforestation, energy and water shortages, declining biological diversity, and air pollution; and (h) the ultimate emergence of the US as the only world superpower. The planet's population continues to expand at a fast rate: from 1 billion in 1820 to 2 billion in 1930, 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in 1987, 6 billion in 1999, 7 billion in 2012, and 8 billion in 2022. For the 21st century, the continued exponential growth in science and technology raises both hopes (e.g., advances in medicine and agriculture) and fears (e.g., development of even more lethal weapons of war). ### Geography **Geographic overview:** The surface of the Earth is approximately 70.9% water and 29.1% land. The water portion is the World Ocean, the single largest feature of the planet and one that connects all places on the globe. The continental landmasses divide this ocean into five major ocean basins, which are (in decreasing order of size) the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic. The World Factbook describes these five as oceans. Because of the major ocean currents and the effects of the major air masses above them, the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans are generally divided at the equator into the North and South Pacific Oceans and the North and South Atlantic Oceans, creating seven major water bodies -- the so-called "Seven Seas." About 97.5% of the Earth's water is saltwater. Of the 2.5% that is fresh, about two thirds is frozen, mostly locked up in mountain glaciers and the Antarctic ice sheets. If all the surface ice on earth fully melted, the sea level would rise about 70 m (230 ft). Earth's land portion is divided into landmasses called continents. Different continental definitions are recognized in certain parts of the world, with some more heavily based on culture than physical geography. Depending on the convention used, the number of continents can vary from five to seven. The most common classification recognizes seven, which are (from largest to smallest) Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia. Asia and Europe are sometimes lumped together into a Eurasian continent, and North and South America are sometimes grouped as the Americas, with either usage resulting in a continent total of six (or five, if both are used). North America is commonly understood to include Greenland and the Caribbean islands and to extend south to the Isthmus of Panama. The Ural Mountains and the Ural River are usually considered the easternmost part of Europe, the Caspian Sea is the limit to the southeast, and the Caucasus Mountains, the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean to the south. Asia usually incorporates all the islands of the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The Pacific islands are often lumped with Australia and designated as Oceania or Australasia. Africa's northeast extremity is frequently delimited at the Isthmus of Suez, but for geopolitical purposes, the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula is often included as part of Africa. In total, the United States recognizes 197 countries. Using the seven-continent model and grouping islands with adjacent continents, Africa has the most countries with 54. Europe has 49 countries and Asia 48, with five countries shared: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkey. North America has 23, Oceania has 16, and South America has 12. countries by continent: Africa (54): Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe Europe (49): Albania, Andorra, Austria, Azerbaijan*, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia*, Germany, Greece, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan*, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia*, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey*, Ukraine, United Kingdom (* indicates part of the country is also in Asia) Asia (48): Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan*, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cyprus, Georgia*, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan*, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Russia*, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkey*, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen (* indicates part of the country is also in Europe) North America (23): Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United States Oceania (16): Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu South America (12): Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela Three of the states described above – France, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom – consist of smaller political entities that are referred to as countries. France considers French Polynesia an overseas country; the Kingdom of the Netherlands refers to all four of its constituent parts (the Netherlands and the islands of Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten) as countries; and the United Kingdom is composed of the countries of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. the World from space: Earth is the only planet in the solar system to have water in its three states of matter: liquid (oceans, lakes, and rivers), solid (ice), and gas (water vapor in clouds). From a distance, Earth would be the brightest of the eight planets in the solar system because of the planet's water reflecting sunlight. Earth has a slight equatorial bulge -- a difference between its equatorial and polar diameters -- because of the centrifugal force from the planet rotating on its axis. The equatorial diameter is 12,756 km, but the polar diameter is 12,714 km; the circumference at the equator is 40,075 km, and the polar circumference is 40,008 km. **Area:** total : 510.072 million sq km land: 148.94 million sq km water: 361,899,999 sq km note: 70.9% of the world's surface is water, 29.1% is land **Area - comparative:** land area about 16 times the size of the US **Area - rankings:** top fifteen World Factbook entities ranked by size: Pacific Ocean 155,557,000 sq km; Atlantic Ocean 76,762,000 sq km; Indian Ocean 68,556,000 sq km; Southern Ocean 20,327,000 sq km; Russia 17,098,242 sq km; Antarctica 14,200,000 sq km; Arctic Ocean 14,056,000 sq km; Canada 9,984,670 sq km; United States 9,826,675 sq km; China 9,596,960 sq km; Brazil 8,515,770 sq km; Australia 7,741,220 sq km; European Union 4,324,782 sq km; India 3,287,263 sq km; Argentina 2,780,400 sq km top ten largest water bodies: Pacific Ocean 155,557,000 sq km; Atlantic Ocean 76,762,000 sq km; Indian Ocean 68,556,000 sq km; Southern Ocean 20,327,000 sq km; Arctic Ocean 14,056,000 sq km; Coral Sea 4,184,100 sq km; South China Sea 3,595,900 sq km; Caribbean Sea 2,834,000 sq km; Bering Sea 2,520,000 sq km; Mediterranean Sea 2,469,000 sq km top ten largest landmasses: Asia 44,568,500 sq km; Africa 30,065,000 sq km; North America 24,473,000 sq km; South America 17,819,000 sq km; Antarctica 14,200,000 sq km; Europe 9,948,000 sq km; Australia 7,741,220 sq km; Greenland 2,166,086 sq km; New Guinea 785,753 sq km; Borneo 751,929 sq km top ten largest islands: Greenland 2,166,086 sq km; New Guinea (Indonesia, Papua New Guinea) 785,753 sq km; Borneo (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia) 751,929 sq km; Madagascar 587,713 sq km; Baffin Island (Canada) 507,451 sq km; Sumatra (Indonesia) 472,784 sq km; Honshu (Japan) 227,963 sq km; Victoria Island (Canada) 217,291 sq km; Great Britain (United Kingdom) 209,331 sq km; Ellesmere Island (Canada) 196,236 sq km top ten longest* mountain ranges (land-based): Andes (Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina) 7,000 km; Rocky Mountains (Canada, US) 4,830 km; Great Dividing Range (Australia) 3,700 km; Transantarctic Mountains (Antarctica) 3,500 km; Kunlun Mountains (China) 3,000 km; Ural Mountains (Russia, Kazakhstan) 2,640 km; Atlas Mountains (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) 2,500 km; Appalachian Mountains (Canada, US) 2,400 km; Himalayas (Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, China, Nepal, Bhutan) 2,300 km; Altai Mountains (Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia) 2,000 km *lengths are approximate; if oceans are included, the Mid-Ocean Ridge is by far the longest mountain range at 40,389 km top ten largest forested countries (sq km and percent of land): Russia 8,149,310 (49.8%); Brazil 4,935,380 (58.9%); Canada 3,470,690 (38.2%); United States 3,103,700 (33.9%); China 2,098,640 (22.3%); Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,522,670 (67.2%); Australia 1,250,590 (16.3%); Indonesia 903,250 (49.9%); Peru 738,054 (57.7%); India 708,600 (23.8%) (2016 est.) top ten most densely forested countries (percent of land): Suriname (98.3%), Federated States of Micronesia (91.9%), Gabon (90%), Seychelles (88.4%), Palau (87.6%), Guyana (83.9%), Laos (82.1%), Solomon Islands (77.9%), Papua New Guinea (74.1%), Finland (73.1%) (2016 est.) top ten largest (non-polar*) deserts: Sahara (Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan, Tunisia) 9,200,000 sq km; Arabian (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Yemen) 2,330,000 sq km; Gobi (China, Mongolia) 1,295,000 sq km; Kalahari (Botswana, Namibia, South Africa) 900,000 sq km; Patagonian (Argentina) 673,000 sq km; Syrian (Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia) 500,000 sq km; Chihuahuan (Mexico) 362,000 sq km; Kara-Kum (Turkmenistan) 350,000 sq km; Great Victoria (Australia) 348,750 sq km; Great Basin (United States) 343,169 sq km *if the two polar deserts were included, they would rank first and second: Antarctic Desert 14,200,000 sq km and Arctic Desert 13,900,000 sq km ten smallest independent countries: Holy See (Vatican City) 0.44 sq km; Monaco 2 sq km; Nauru 21 sq km; Tuvalu 26 sq km; San Marino 61 sq km; Liechtenstein 160 sq km; Marshall Islands 181 sq km; Cook Islands 236 sq km; Niue 260 sq km; Saint Kitts and Nevis 261 sq km **Land boundaries:** the land boundaries in The World Factbook total 279,035.5 km (not counting shared boundaries twice), but the number is only an estimate because of the difficulty in precisely measuring natural features such as rivers note 1: 46 nations and other areas are landlocked, these include: Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Czechia, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, South Sudan, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe; two of these, Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan, are doubly landlocked note 2: worldwide, about one quarter of interior (non-coastal) borders are rivers; South America with 43% leads the continents, followed by North America with 32%, Africa with 30%, Europe with 23%, and Asia with 18%; Australia has no interior national river borders note 3: two nations, China and Russia, each border 14 other countries **Coastline:** 356,000 km note: 95 nations and other entities are islands that border no other countries: American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Baker Island, Barbados, Bermuda, Bouvet Island, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cabo Verde, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Clipperton Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Comoros, Cook Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Cyprus, Dominica, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Greenland, Grenada, Guam, Guernsey, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Howland Island, Iceland, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Jan Mayen, Japan, Jarvis Island, Jersey, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Kiribati, Madagascar, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated States of Micronesia, Midway Islands, Montserrat, Nauru, Navassa Island, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Palmyra Atoll, Paracel Islands, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Singapore, Sint Maarten, Solomon Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Spratly Islands, Sri Lanka, Svalbard, Taiwan, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Virgin Islands, Wake Island, Wallis and Futuna **Maritime claims:** most countries make the following claims measured from the mean low-tide baseline as described in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea: territorial sea - 12 nm, contiguous zone - 24 nm, and exclusive economic zone - 200 nm; additional zones provide for exploitation of continental shelf resources and an exclusive fishing zone; boundary situations with neighboring states prevent many countries from extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 nm **Climate:** a wide equatorial band of hot and humid tropical climates is bordered north and south by subtropical temperate zones that separate two large areas of cold and dry polar climates ten driest places on Earth (average annual precipitation): McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica 0 mm (0 in) Arica, Chile 0.76 mm (0.03 in) Al Kufrah, Libya 0.86 mm (0.03 in) Aswan, Egypt 0.86 mm (0.03 in) Luxor, Egypt 0.86 mm (0.03 in) Ica, Peru 2.29 mm (0.09 in) Wadi Halfa, Sudan 2.45 mm (0.1 in) Iquique, Chile 5.08 mm (0.2 in) Pelican Point, Namibia 8.13 mm (0.32 in) El Arab (Aoulef), Algeria 12.19 mm (0.48 in) ten wettest places on Earth (average annual precipitation): Mawsynram, India 11,871 mm (467.4 in) Cherrapunji, India 11,777 mm (463.7 in) Tutunendo, Colombia 11,770 mm (463.4 in) Cropp River, New Zealand 11,516 mm (453.4 in) San Antonia de Ureca, Equatorial Guinea 10,450 mm (411.4 in) Debundsha, Cameroon 10,299 mm (405.5 in) Big Bog, US (Hawaii) 10,272 mm (404.4 in) Mt Waialeale, US (Hawaii) 9,763 mm (384.4 in) Kukui, US (Hawaii) 9,293 mm (365.9 in) Emeishan, China 8,169 mm (321.6 in) ten coldest places on Earth (lowest average monthly temperature): Verkhoyansk, Russia (Siberia) -47°C (-53°F) January Oymyakon, Russia (Siberia) -46°C (-52°F) January Eureka, Canada -38.4°C (-37.1°F) February Isachsen, Canada -36°C (-32.8°F) February Alert, Canada -34°C (-28°F) February Kap Morris Jesup, Greenland -34°C (-29°F) March Cornwallis Island, Canada -33.5°C (-28.3°F) February Cambridge Bay, Canada -33.5°C (28.3°F) February Ilirnej, Russia -33°C (-28°F) January Resolute, Canada -33°C (-27.4°F) February ten hottest places on Earth (highest average monthly temperature): Death Valley, US (California) 39°C (101°F) July Iranshahr, Iran 38.3°C (100.9°F) June Ouallene, Algeria 38°C (100.4°F) July Kuwait City, Kuwait 37.7°C (100°F) July Medina, Saudi Arabia 36°C (97°F) July Buckeye, US (Arizona) 34°C (93°F) July Jazan, Saudi Arabia 33°C (91°F) June Al Kufrah, Libya 31°C (87°F) July Alice Springs, Australia 29°C (84°F) January Tamanrasset, Algeria 29°C (84°F) June **Terrain:** a compilation of terrain extremes can be found in the World elevation entry; the world's ocean floors also display wide variation, as explained in the bathymetry and major ocean currents entries under each of the five ocean entries (Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Southern) top ten world caves: compiled from Geography - note(s) under country entries largest cave: Son Doong in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam, is the world's largest cave (greatest cross sectional area) and is the largest known cave passage by volume; it currently measures a total of 38.5 million cu m (about 1.35 billion cu ft); it connects to Thung cave, but not yet officially -- when recognized, it will add an additional 1.6 million cu m in volume largest ice cave: the Eisriesenwelt (Ice Giants World) inside the Hochkogel mountain near Werfen, Austria, is the world's largest and longest ice cave system at 42 km (26 mi) longest cave: Mammoth Cave in west-central Kentucky is the world's longest known cave system with more than 650 km (405 mi) of surveyed passageways longest salt cave: the Malham Cave in Mount Sodom in Israel is the world's longest salt cave at 10 km (6 mi); its survey is not complete, so its recorded length will eventually increase longest underwater cave: the Sac Actun cave system in Mexico is the longest underwater cave in the world at 348 km (216 mi), and the second-longest cave worldwide longest lava tube cave: Kazumura Cave on the island of Hawaii is the world's longest and deepest lava tube cave; it has been surveyed at 66 km (41 mi) long and 1,102 m (3,614 ft) deep deepest cave: Veryovkina Cave in the country of Georgia is the world's deepest cave at 2,212 m (7,257 ft) deepest underwater cave: the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the world's deepest surveyed underwater cave at 404 m (1,325 ft); its survey is not complete, and it could be 800-1,200 m deep largest cave chamber: the Miao Room in the Gebihe cave system in China's Ziyun Getu He Chuandong National Park has about 10.78 million cu m (380.7 million cu ft) of volume largest bat cave: Bracken Cave outside San Antonio, Texas, is the world's largest bat cave; an estimated 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats roost in the cave from March to October, making it the world's largest known concentration of mammals bonus "cave" - the world's largest sinkhole: the Xiaoxhai Tiankeng sinkhole in Chongqing Municipality, China is 660 m deep, with a volume of 130 million cu m **Elevation:** highest point: Mount Everest 8,849 m lowest point: Denman Glacier (Antarctica) more than -3,500 m (in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is the lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the Pacific Ocean) mean elevation: 840 m top ten highest mountains (measured from sea level): Mount Everest (China-Nepal) 8,849 m; K2 (China-Pakistan) 8,611 m; Kanchenjunga (India-Nepal) 8,586 m; Lhotse (China-Nepal) 8,516 m; Makalu (China-Nepal) 8,485 m; Cho Oyu (China-Nepal) 8,188 m; Dhaulagiri (Nepal) 8,167 m; Manaslu (Nepal) 8,156 m; Nanga Parbat (Pakistan) 8,125 m; Annapurna (Nepal) 8,091 m; note: Mauna Kea (United States) is the world's tallest mountain as measured from base to summit; the peak lies on the island of Hawaii, but its base begins more than 70 km offshore and at a depth of about 6,000 m; total height estimates range from 9,966 m to 10,203 m top ten highest island peaks: Puncak Jaya (New Guinea) 4,884 m (Indonesia)*; Mauna Kea (Hawaii) 4,207 m (United States); Gunung Kinabalu (Borneo) 4,095 m (Malaysia)*; Yu Shan (Taiwan) 3,952 (Taiwan)*; Mount Kerinci (Sumatra) 3,805 m (Indonesia); Mount Erebus (Ross Island) 3,794 (Antarctica); Mount Fuji (Honshu) 3,776 m (Japan)*; Mount Rinjani (Lombok) 3,726 m (Indonesia); Aoraki-Mount Cook (South Island) 3,724 m (New Zealand)*; Pico de Teide (Tenerife) 3,718 m (Spain)* * indicates the highest peak for that Factbook entry highest point on each continent: Asia - Mount Everest (China-Nepal) 8,849 m; South America - Cerro Aconcagua (Argentina) 6,960 m; North America - Mount McKinley (United States) 6,190 m; Africa - Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) 5,895 m; Europe - El'brus (Russia) 5,633 m; Antarctica - Vinson Massif 4,897 m; Australia - Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m highest capital on each continent: South America - La Paz (Bolivia) 3,640 m; Africa - Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) 2,355 m; Asia - Thimphu (Bhutan) 2,334 m; North America - Mexico City (Mexico) 2,240 m; Europe - Andorra la Vella (Andorra) 1,023 m; Australia - Canberra (Australia) 605 m lowest point on each continent: Antarctica - Denman Glacier more than -3,500 m; Asia - Dead Sea (Israel-Jordan) -431 m; Africa - Lac Assal (Djibouti) -155 m; South America - Laguna del Carbon (Argentina) -105 m; North America - Death Valley (United States) -86 m; Europe - Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan-Russia) -28 m; Australia - Lake Eyre -15 lowest capital on each continent: Asia - Baku (Azerbaijan) -28 m; Europe - Amsterdam (Netherlands) -2 m; Africa - Banjul (Gambia); Bissau (Guinea-Bissau), Conakry (Guinea), Djibouti (Djibouti), Libreville (Gabon), Male (Maldives), Monrovia (Liberia), Tunis (Tunisia), Victoria (Seychelles) 0 m; North America - Basseterre (Saint Kitts and Nevis), Kingstown (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), Panama City (Panama), Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago), Roseau (Dominica), Saint John's (Antigua and Barbuda), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) 0 m; South America - Georgetown (Guyana) 0 m; Australia - Canberra (Australia) 605 m **Land use:** agricultural land: 38% (2022 est.) arable land: 10.7% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 1.5% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 25.8% (2022 est.) forest: 30.6% (2022 est.) other: 31.4% (2022 est.) **Irrigated land:** 3,242,917 sq km (2012 est.) **Major lakes (area sq km):** top ten largest natural lakes: Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan) 374,000 sq km; Lake Superior (Canada, United States) 82,100 sq km; Lake Victoria (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) 62,940 sq km; Lake Huron (Canada, United States) 59,600 sq km; Lake Michigan (United States) 57,750 sq km; Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia) 32,000 sq km; Great Bear Lake (Canada) 31,328 sq km; Lake Baikal (Russia) 31,500 sq km; Lake Malawi (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania) 22,490 sq km; Great Slave Lake (Canada) 28,568 sq km note 1: the areas of the lakes are subject to seasonal variation; only the Caspian Sea is saline, the rest are fresh water note 2: Lakes Huron and Michigan are technically a single lake because the flow of water between the Straits of Mackinac that connects the two lakes keeps their water levels at near-equilibrium; combined, Lake Huron-Michigan is the largest freshwater lake by surface area in the world note 3: if ranked by water volume, the Caspian Sea would still be first, but it would be followed Lakes Baikal, Tanganyika, Superior, and Malawi; Lake Superior contains more water than the other four North American Great Lakes (Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario) combined **Major rivers (by length in km):** top ten longest rivers: Nile (Africa) 6,650 km; Amazon (South America) 6,436 km; Yangtze (Asia) 6,300 km; Mississippi-Missouri (North America) 6,275 km; Yenisey-Angara (Asia) 5,539 km; Huang He/Yellow (Asia) 5,464 km; Ob-Irtysh (Asia) 5,410 km; Congo (Africa) 4,700 km; Amur (Asia) 4,444 km; Lena (Asia) 4,400 km note: there are 21 countries without rivers: three in Africa (Comoros, Djibouti, Libya), one in the Americas (Bahamas), eight in Asia (Bahrain, Kuwait, Maldives, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen), three in Europe (Malta, Monaco, Holy See), and six in Oceania (Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Tonga, Tuvalu); these countries also do not have natural lakes **Major watersheds (area sq km):** a watershed is a drainage basin on an area of land where precipitation collects and drains off into a common outlet, such as into a river, bay, or other body of water; oceans ultimately take in the drainage from 83% of all land area; the remaining 17% of the land drains into internal (endorheic) basins The World Factbook lists 51 watersheds across 102 countries: Asia - 18 Europe - 9 Africa - 9 North and Central America - 8 South America - 5 Australia - 2 all watersheds with an area of at least 500,000 sq km have been included, along with a number of smaller, regionally significant watersheds; together, these represent the surface hydrology water flows that are the world's primary sources of fresh water for individual consumption, industry, and agriculture **Major aquifers:** aquifers are underground layers of water-bearing permeable rock formations; groundwater from aquifers can be extracted using a water well The World Factbook lists 37 major aquifers across 52 countries: Africa - 13 Asia - 10 North America - 5 South America - 3 Europe - 4 Australia -2 these aquifers contain the bulk of the stored volume of groundwater; this represents more than 30% of the world's fresh water; in the US, groundwater is primarily used for irrigation; globally, 70% of the groundwater withdrawn is used for agriculture; groundwater also supplies almost half of all drinking water worldwide **Population distribution:** six of the world's seven continents are widely and permanently inhabited; Asia is the most populous continent, with about 60% of the world's population (China and India together account for over 35%); Africa comes in second with over 15%, Europe has about 10%, North America 8%, South America almost 6%, and Oceania less than 1%; the harsh conditions on Antarctica prevent any permanent habitation **Natural hazards:** large areas of the world are subject to severe weather and natural disasters (cyclones, earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, etc.) volcanism: this is a driver and consequence of plate tectonics, the physical process reshaping the Earth's lithosphere; the world is home to more than 1,500 potentially active volcanoes, with over 500 of these erupting in recorded history; an estimated 500 million people live near volcanoes; associated dangers include lava flows, mud flows, pyroclastic flows, ash clouds, ash fall, ballistic projectiles, gas emissions, landslides, earthquakes, and tsunamis; in the 1990s, the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior created a list of 16 "Decade Volcanoes" with great potential for destruction: Avachinsky-Koryaksky (Russia), Colima (Mexico), Etna (Italy), Galeras (Colombia), Mauna Loa (US), Merapi (Indonesia), Nyiragongo (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Rainier (US), Sakurajima (Japan), Santa Maria (Guatemala), Santorini (Greece), Taal (Philippines), Teide (Spain), Ulawun (Papua New Guinea), Unzen (Japan), Vesuvius (Italy) volcano statistics: countries with the most volcanoes: (Holocene Epoch, the past 12,000 years*): United States (162), Japan (122), Indonesia (120), Russia (117), Chile (91); *roughly 1,350 volcanoes have erupted over this time period; about 40-50 eruptions are ongoing at any one time; the frequency of volcanoes has not increased longest erupting volcano: Santa Maria volcano in Guatemala has been constantly erupting since 22 June 1922; the Yasur volcano on Tanna Island in Vanuatu has been in constant activity since Captain Cook observed it in 1774, but it is not cited due to lack of a clear start date; tephra stratigraphy and radiocarbon dating show that the Yasur activity may have begun ca. A.D. 1270 highest volcano (above sea level): Nevado Ojos del Salado (6,893 m; 22,615 ft) on the Chile-Argentina border is the world's highest volcano above sea level and the highest peak in Chile highest volcano (from base): Mauna Kea (US) is the world's tallest mountain, measured from base to summit; the peak lies on the island of Hawaii, but its base begins more than 70 km (43 mi) offshore and at a depth of about 6,000 m; total height estimates range from 9,966 m to 10,203 m earthquakes: the vast majority of earthquakes occur in three large zones; the Circum-Pacific Belt (known as the Ring of Fire) borders the Pacific and is the largest zone of volcanic and seismic activity, with about 90% of earthquakes (81% of the largest) and about 75% of active volcanoes; the belt extends northward from Chile along the South American coast, then through Central America, Mexico, the western US, southern Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands, to Japan, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, the southwestern Pacific, and New Zealand; the Alpide Belt extends from Java to Sumatra, northward along the mountains of Burma, eastward through the Himalayas and the Mediterranean, and into the Atlantic Ocean, accounting for about 17% of the largest earthquakes; the third belt follows the long Mid-Atlantic Ridge **Wonders of the World:** The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: The conquests of Alexander the Great (r. 336-323 B.C.) in the fourth century B.C. fostered the spread of Greek culture to the lands around the eastern Mediterranean and much of the Middle East, ushering in what is today referred to as the Hellenistic Period (323-31 B.C.). Hellenistic sightseers compiled guidebooks with outstanding monuments in those parts of the world, including Persia, Egypt, and Babylon. Seven sites were usually emphasized since that number was considered magical, perfect, and complete. Not all wonders lists from ancient times agreed, but six sites consistently appeared (the Walls of Babylon sometimes substituted for the Lighthouse of Alexandria). The “classic” Seven Wonders most often cited are listed below. 1. The Great Pyramid of Egypt The oldest of the Seven Wonders, the Great Pyramid, is the only one that remains largely intact. Commissioned by the Pharaoh Khufu (r. ca. 2589-2566 B.C.), it is the largest of the three pyramids at Giza. It served as the ruler’s tomb and was built over a period of about 20 years, concluding around 2560 B.C. The pyramid is estimated to have been 146.5 m tall when completed and was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years (until the 14th century A.D.). Most of the original limestone casing stones that formed the outer smooth surface of the pyramid are gone. Today, the pyramid’s height is about 139 m. 2. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon This is the only one of the ancient Seven Wonders for which a definitive location has never been established. No surviving Babylonian texts mention the Gardens, nor have any archeological remains been discovered in today’s Iraq. According to tradition, the gardens were a remarkable feat of engineering, with an ascending series of mud-brick-tiered gardens containing a variety of trees, shrubs, and vines that, when viewed from below, resembled a leafy green mountain. The Gardens are frequently attributed to the Neo-Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II (r. 605-562 B.C.), who may have had them built for his Median wife, Queen Amytis, because she missed the green hills and valleys of her homeland. 3. The Temple of Artemis (Artemision) at Ephesus This Greek temple at Ephesus (3 km southwest of Selcuk in present-day western Turkey) was dedicated to the goddess Artemis and was completely rebuilt twice: once after a 7th century B.C. flood and then after a 356 B.C. act of arson. In its final form, it was judged to be one of the Seven Wonders and survived for 600 years. The building was composed entirely of marble, with massive dimensions reported to be 130 m by 69 m, and included 127 columns, each about 18 m tall. The temple was damaged in a Gothic raid in A.D. 268, and Christians finally closed it in the early-to-mid 5th century. The structure was dismantled in succeeding centuries, and today almost nothing of the temple remains. 4. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus Constructed in about 350 B.C., the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was located on the site of the present-day city of Bodrum in southwestern Turkey. It was the tomb of Mausolus, a Persian ruler, and his wife -- the term "mausoleum" is derived from his name. The structure stood about 45 m high and took about 20 years to complete. A series of earthquakes between the 12th and 15th centuries A.D. devastated the structure, which was the last of the original Seven Wonders to be destroyed. 5. The Colossus of Rhodes This statue of the Greek sun god Helios, constructed at the entrance to Rhodes' harbor to celebrate the city's successful repulse of a siege, was made of iron tie bars to which brass or bronze plates were attached to form a skin. Contemporary descriptions list its height at about 70 cubits, or 33 m – approximately the same height as the Statue of Liberty (34 m) – which would make it the tallest statue in the ancient world. Completed in about 280 B.C., the monument stood for only about 54 years until it toppled in an earthquake in 226 B.C. The remains lay on the ground for over 800 years before finally being sold for scrap. 6. The Lighthouse (Pharos) of Alexandria Completed around 275 B.C., the lighthouse stood on Pharos Island at the entrance to the Egyptian port city of Alexandria for about 1,600 years. Three earthquakes severely damaged it between A.D. 956 and 1323, when it was deactivated. The shape of the structure appeared on a number of ancient coins: a solid square base, which made up about half the height, supported an octagonal middle section and a cylindrical top. The height of the structure is thought to have been between 100 m (328 ft) and 140 m (459 ft). A mirror at its apex reflected sunlight during the day, and a fire burned at night. 7. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia in Greece The giant seated statue of the king of the Greek gods in the sanctuary of Olympia was completed by the Greek sculptor Phidias in about 435 B.C. Roughly 13 m (43 ft) tall, it was constructed of ivory plates and gold panels on a wooden framework, and the god’s throne was ornamented with ebony, ivory, gold, and precious stones. With the rise of Christianity, the sanctuary at Olympia fell into disuse; the details of the statue’s final destruction are unknown. note: The Lighthouse of Alexandria may have been the last of the wonders to be completed (ca. 275 B.C.), and the Colossus of Rhodes was the first to be destroyed in about 226 B.C., so the Seven Wonders existed at the same time for only about 50 years in the middle of the third century B.C. The New Seven Wonders of the World: A private initiative to come up with a new list of seven of the world’s wonders sprang up early in the new millennium. Worldwide balloting -- via internet or telephone -- included a list of 200 existing monuments. Over 100 million votes were reportedly cast over a period of several years, and the final list below was announced on 7 July 2007 (7-7-2007). The seven are inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 1. Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico This archeological site includes the impressive remains of a large pre-Columbian Mayan city that flourished around A.D. 600-1100. Among the structures at the site are the massive Temple of the Warriors complex, an observatory (El Caracol), the Great Ball Court, and the Sacred Cenote (sinkhole) where offerings were made. The most famous building is the step-pyramid known as the Temple of Kukulcan that dominates the center of the site and serves as the symbol of Chichen Itza. The pyramidal structure is 24 m (79 ft) high; the crowning temple adds another 6 m (20 ft). Located in the dense jungles of Yucatan, it is one of the most visited tourist sites in Mexico. 2. The Colosseum, Rome, Italy The Roman Emperor Vespasian began construction on the Colosseum in A.D. 72, and his son Titus completed it in A.D. 80, with Domitian (A.D. 81-96) making further modifications. The three emperors make up the Flavian Dynasty, and the structure is also known as the Flavian Amphitheater. It is estimated to have seated about 65 thousand spectators and was most famously used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. Earthquakes and thieves destroyed much of the original structure, but it remains an iconic symbol of Rome. The Colosseum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. 3. Christ the Redeemer Statue, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Built between 1922 and 1931, the 30-m (98-ft) sculpture is reputed to be the largest Art Deco statue in the world. Its pedestal provides another 8 m (26 ft) in height, and the arms stretch out to 28 m (92 ft). Built of reinforced concrete and soapstone, the statue has become a cultural icon of both Rio and Brazil. 4. Great Wall, China The name refers to a series of fortification systems that stretched across China's northern historical borders and served as protection against nomadic peoples. An archeological survey revealed that the wall and its associated branches measure 21,196 km (13,171 mi). The earliest of the walls date to the 7th century B.C.; stretches began to be linked in the 3rd century B.C., and successive dynasties added to or maintained sections of the walls. The best-known and best-preserved parts of the wall were built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The Great Wall is acknowledged as one of the most impressive architectural feats in history. 5. Machu Picchu, Cuzco Region, Peru The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, situated on a 2,430 m (7,972 ft) Andean mountain ridge, is now thought to have been erected as an estate for the Inca Emperor Pachacuti (r. 1438-1471) and may have also served as a religious sanctuary. Built between about 1450 and 1460, it was abandoned a century later, at the time of the Spanish conquest. It was built in the classic Inca style, using polished, fitted, dry-stone walls, and was home to about 750 people, mostly support staff to the nobility. The religious monuments include the Intiwatana, a carved ritual stone that was a kind of sundial and is referred to as “The Hitching Post of the Sun,” the Torreon or Temple of the Sun, and the Intimachay, a sacred cave. 6. Petra, Ma’an, Jordan Petra is believed to have been established in the 4th century B.C. as the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, an entity that grew wealthy as the nexus of trade routes in the southern Levant. The Roman Empire annexed it in A.D. 106. The city is famous for its carved-rock architecture and water conduit system, which allowed the Nabataeans to create an artificial oasis. The city may have had a population of 20,000 at its peak in the first century A.D. 7. Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India This ivory-white mausoleum was commissioned in 1632 by Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658) as the final resting place for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The building also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The Taj Mahal is the centerpiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex that includes a guest house, a mosque, and formal gardens. The project was completed in 1653. note: The Great Pyramid of Egypt, the only surviving wonder of the ancient seven, received honorary status on the New Seven Wonders list. **Geography - note:** note: the Earth is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old, about one-third of the 13.8-billion-year age estimated for the universe; the earliest widely accepted date for life appearing on Earth is 3.48 billion years ago ### People and Society **Population:** total: 8,057,236,243 (2024 est.) male: 4,046,854,454 female: 4,010,381,789 **Languages:** most-spoken language: English 18.8%, Mandarin Chinese 13.8%, Hindi 7.5%, Spanish 6.9%, French 3.4%, Arabic 3.4%, Bengali 3.4%, Russian 3.2%, Portuguese 3.2%, Urdu 2.9% (2022 est.) most-spoken first language: Mandarin Chinese 12.3%, Spanish 6%, English 5.1%, Arabic 5.1%, Hindi 3.5%, Bengali 3.3%, Portuguese 3%, Russian 2.1%, Japanese 1.7%, Punjabi, Western 1.3%, Javanese 1.1% (2018 est.) note 1: the six UN languages -- Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, Russian, and Spanish (Castilian) -- are the mother tongue or second language of about 49.6% of the world's population (2022), and are the official languages in more than half the states in the world; some 400 languages have more than a million first-language speakers (2018) note 2: all told, there are estimated to be 7,168 living languages spoken in the world (2023); approximately 80% of these languages are spoken by fewer than 100,000 people; about 150 languages are spoken by fewer than 10 people; communities that are isolated in mountainous regions often develop multiple languages -- Papua New Guinea, for example, boasts about 840 separate languages (2018) note 3: approximately 2,300 languages are spoken in Asia; 2,140, in Africa; 1,310 in the Pacific; 1,060 in the Americas; and 290 in Europe (2020) **Religions:** Christian 31.1%, Muslim 24.9%, Hindu 15.2%, Buddhist 6.6%, folk religions 5.6%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, unaffiliated 15.6% (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 24.5% (male 1,018,005,046/female 958,406,907) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 2,658,595,672/female 2,592,930,538) 65 years and over: 10.3% (2024 est.) (male 370,253,736/female 459,044,344) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 53.4 (2024 est.) youth dependency ratio: 37.7 (2024 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 15.7 (2024 est.) potential support ratio: 6.4 (2024 est.) **Median age:** total: 31 years (2020 est.) male: 30.3 years female: 31.8 years **Population growth rate:** 1.03% (2021 est.) note: this rate results in about 154 net additions to the worldwide population every minute or 2.6 people every second **Birth rate:** 17 births/1,000 population (2024 est.) note: this rate results in about 260 worldwide births per minute or 4.3 births every second **Death rate:** 7.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.) note: this rate results in about 121 worldwide deaths per minute or 2 deaths every second **Population distribution:** six of the world's seven continents are widely and permanently inhabited; Asia is the most populous continent, with about 60% of the world's population (China and India together account for over 35%); Africa comes in second with over 15%, Europe has about 10%, North America 8%, South America almost 6%, and Oceania less than 1%; the harsh conditions on Antarctica prevent any permanent habitation **Urbanization:** urban population: 57.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.73% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** ten largest urban agglomerations: Tokyo (Japan) - 37,393,000; New Delhi (India) - 30,291,000; Shanghai (China) - 27,058,000; Sao Paulo (Brazil) - 22,043,000; Mexico City (Mexico) - 21,782,000; Dhaka (Bangladesh) - 21,006,000; Cairo (Egypt) - 20,901,000; Beijing (China) - 20,463,000; Mumbai (India) - 20,411,000; Osaka (Japan) - 19,165,000 (2020) ten largest urban agglomerations, by continent: Africa - Cairo (Egypt) - 20,901,000; Lagos (Nigeria) - 134,368,000; Kinshasha (DRC) - 14,342,000; Luanda (Angola) - 8,330,000; Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania) - 6,702,000; Khartoum (Sudan) - 5,829,000; Johannesburg (South Africa) - 5,783,000; Alexandria (Egypt) - 5,281,000; Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire) - 5,203,000; Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) - 4,794,000 Asia - Tokyo (Japan) - 37,393,000; New Delhi (India) - 30,291,000; Shanghai (China) - 27,058,000; Dhaka (Bangladesh) - 21,006,000; Beijing (China) - 20,463,000; Mumbai (India) - 20,411,000; Osaka (Japan) - 19,165,000; Karachi (Pakistan) - 16,094,000; Chongqing (China) - 15,872,000; Istanbul (Turkey) - 15,190,000 Europe - Moscow (Russia) - 12,538,000; Paris (France) - 11,017,000; London (United Kingdom) - 9,304,000; Madrid (Spain) - 6,618,000; Barcelona (Spain) - 5,586,000, Saint Petersburg (Russia) - 5,468,000; Rome (Italy) - 4,257,000; Berlin (Germany) - 3,562,000; Athens (Greece) - 3,153,000; Milan (Italy) - 3,140,000 North America - Mexico City (Mexico) - 21,782,000; New York-Newark (United States) - 18,804,000; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana (United States) - 12,447,000; Chicago (United States) - 8,865,000; Houston (United States) - 6,371,000; Dallas-Fort Worth (United States) - 6,301,000; Toronto (Canada) - 6,197,000; Miami (United States) - 6,122,000; Atlanta (United States) - 5,803,000; Philadelphia (United States) - 5,717,000 Oceania - Melbourne (Australia) - 4,968,000, Sydney (Australia) - 4,926,000; Brisbane (Australia) - 2,406,000; Perth (Australia) - 2,042,000; Auckland (New Zealand) - 1,607,000; Adelaide (Australia) - 1,336,000; Gold Coast-Tweed Head (Australia) - 699,000; Canberra (Australia) - 457,000; Newcastle-Maitland (Australia) - 450,000; Wellington (New Zealand) - 415,000 South America - Sao Paulo (Brazil) - 22,043,000; Buenos Aires (Argentina) - 15,154,000; Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) - 13,458,000; Bogota (Colombia) - 10,978,000; Lima (Peru) - 10,719,000; Santiago (Chile) - 6,767,000; Belo Horizonte (Brazil) - 6,084,000; Brasilia (Brazil) - 4,646,000; Porto Alegre (Brazil) - 4,137,000; Recife (Brazil) - 4,127,000 (2020) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Maternal mortality ratio:** 197 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 28.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 70.5 years (2020) male: 68.4 years female: 72.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 2.42 children born/woman (2020 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 97.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 84% of population (2022 est.) total: 91.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 16% of population (2022 est.) total: 8.2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 10.4% of GDP (2021) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 88.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 70.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 80.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 11.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 29.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 19.2% of population (2022 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 12.3% (2022) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 63.8% (2024 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 4.3% (2023) women married by age 18: 18.7% (2023) men married by age 18: 2.7% (2022) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** large areas of the world are subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of biodiversity; soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion; ozone layer depletion; waste disposal; temperature change **World biomes:** Types of biomes: A biome is a biogeographical designation describing a biological community of plants and animals that has formed in response to a physical environment and a shared regional climate. Biomes can extend over more than one continent. Different classification systems define different numbers of biomes. The World Factbook recognizes the following seven biomes used by NASA: tundra, coniferous forest, temperate deciduous forest, rainforest, grassland, shrubland, and desert. Tundra biome: The tundra is the coldest of the biomes. It also receives low amounts of precipitation, making the tundra similar to a desert. Tundra comes from the Finnish word tunturia, meaning "treeless plain." Tundra is found in the regions just below the ice caps of the Arctic, extending across North America to Europe and to Siberia in Asia. Temperatures usually range between -40°C (-40 °F) and 18°C (64°F). The temperatures are so cold that there is a layer of permanently frozen ground below the surface, called permafrost. This permafrost is a defining characteristic of the tundra biome. In the tundra summers, the top layer of soil thaws only a few inches down, providing a growing surface for the roots of vegetation. This biome sees 150 to 250 mm (6 to 10 in) of rain per year. Vegetation in the tundra has adapted to the cold and the short growing season and consists of lichens, mosses, grasses, sedges, and shrubs, but almost no trees. Coniferous forest biome: The coniferous forest is sandwiched between the tundra to the north and the deciduous forest to the south. Coniferous forest regions have long, cold, snowy winters; warm, humid summers; well-defined seasons; and at least four to six frost-free months. The average temperature in winter ranges from -40°C (-40°F) to 20°C (68°F). The average summer temperatures are usually around 10°C (50°F). 300 to 900 mm (12 to 35 in) of rain per year can be expected in this biome. Vegetation consists of trees that produce cones and needles, which are called coniferous-evergreen trees. Some needles remain on the trees all year long. Some of the more common conifers are spruces, pines, and firs. Temperate deciduous forest biome: Temperate deciduous forests are located in the mid-latitude areas, which means that they are found between the polar regions and the tropics. The deciduous forest regions are exposed to warm and cold air masses, which cause this area to have four seasons. Hot summers and cold winters are typical. The average daily temperatures range between -30°C (-22°F) and 30°C (86°F), with a yearly average of 10°C (50°F). On average, this biome receives 750 to 1,500 mm (30 to 59 in) of rain per year. Vegetation includes broadleaf trees (oaks, maples, beeches), shrubs, perennial herbs, and mosses. Rainforest biome: The rainforest biome remains warm all year and stay frost-free. The average daily temperatures range from 20°C (68°F) to 25°C (77°F). Rainforests receive the most yearly rainfall of all of the biomes, and a typical year sees 2,000 to 10,000 mm (79 to 394 in) of rain. Vegetation typically includes vines, palm trees, orchids, and ferns. There are two types of rainforests: tropical rainforests are found closer to the equator, and temperate rainforests are found farther north near coastal areas. The majority of common houseplants come from the rainforest. Grassland biome: Grasslands are open, continuous, and fairly flat areas of grass. Found on every continent except Antarctica, they are often located between temperate forests at high latitudes and deserts at subtropical latitudes. Depending on latitude, the annual temperature range can be -20°C (-4°F) to 30°C (86°F). Grasslands receive around 500 to 900 mm (20 to 35 in) of rain per year. Tropical grasslands have dry and wet seasons that remain warm all the time. Temperate grasslands have cold winters and warm summers with some rain. Vegetation is dominated by grasses but can include sedges and rushes, along with some legumes (clover) and herbs. A few trees may be found in this biome along the streams, but not many due to the lack of rainfall. Shrubland biome: Shrublands include chaparral, woodland, and savanna, and are composed of shrubs or short trees. Many shrubs thrive on steep, rocky slopes, but there is usually not enough rain to support tall trees. Shrublands are located in west coastal regions between 30° and 40° North and South latitude and are usually found on the borders of deserts and grasslands. The summers are hot and dry with temperatures up to 38°C (100°F). Winters are cool and moist, with temperatures around -1 °C (30°F). Annual rainfall in the shrublands varies greatly, but 200 to 1,000 mm (8 to 40 in) of rain per year can be expected. Vegetation includes aromatic herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano), shrubs, acacia, chamise, grasses. Plants have adapted to fire caused by frequent lightning strikes in the summer. Desert biome: The most important characteristic of a desert biome is that it receives very little rainfall, usually about 250 mm (10 in) of rain per year. During the day, desert temperatures rise to an average of 38°C (100°F). At night, desert temperatures fall to an average of -4°C (about 25°F). Vegetation is sparse, consisting of cacti, small bushes, and short grasses. Perennials survive for several years by becoming dormant and flourishing when water is available. Annuals are referred to as ephemerals because some can complete an entire life cycle in weeks. Since desert conditions are so severe, the plants that live there need to adapt to compensate. Some, such as cacti, store water in their stems and use it very slowly, while others, like bushes, conserve water by growing few leaves or by having large root systems to gather water. **Climate:** a wide equatorial band of hot and humid tropical climates is bordered north and south by subtropical temperate zones that separate two large areas of cold and dry polar climates ten driest places on Earth (average annual precipitation): McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica 0 mm (0 in) Arica, Chile 0.76 mm (0.03 in) Al Kufrah, Libya 0.86 mm (0.03 in) Aswan, Egypt 0.86 mm (0.03 in) Luxor, Egypt 0.86 mm (0.03 in) Ica, Peru 2.29 mm (0.09 in) Wadi Halfa, Sudan 2.45 mm (0.1 in) Iquique, Chile 5.08 mm (0.2 in) Pelican Point, Namibia 8.13 mm (0.32 in) El Arab (Aoulef), Algeria 12.19 mm (0.48 in) ten wettest places on Earth (average annual precipitation): Mawsynram, India 11,871 mm (467.4 in) Cherrapunji, India 11,777 mm (463.7 in) Tutunendo, Colombia 11,770 mm (463.4 in) Cropp River, New Zealand 11,516 mm (453.4 in) San Antonia de Ureca, Equatorial Guinea 10,450 mm (411.4 in) Debundsha, Cameroon 10,299 mm (405.5 in) Big Bog, US (Hawaii) 10,272 mm (404.4 in) Mt Waialeale, US (Hawaii) 9,763 mm (384.4 in) Kukui, US (Hawaii) 9,293 mm (365.9 in) Emeishan, China 8,169 mm (321.6 in) ten coldest places on Earth (lowest average monthly temperature): Verkhoyansk, Russia (Siberia) -47°C (-53°F) January Oymyakon, Russia (Siberia) -46°C (-52°F) January Eureka, Canada -38.4°C (-37.1°F) February Isachsen, Canada -36°C (-32.8°F) February Alert, Canada -34°C (-28°F) February Kap Morris Jesup, Greenland -34°C (-29°F) March Cornwallis Island, Canada -33.5°C (-28.3°F) February Cambridge Bay, Canada -33.5°C (28.3°F) February Ilirnej, Russia -33°C (-28°F) January Resolute, Canada -33°C (-27.4°F) February ten hottest places on Earth (highest average monthly temperature): Death Valley, US (California) 39°C (101°F) July Iranshahr, Iran 38.3°C (100.9°F) June Ouallene, Algeria 38°C (100.4°F) July Kuwait City, Kuwait 37.7°C (100°F) July Medina, Saudi Arabia 36°C (97°F) July Buckeye, US (Arizona) 34°C (93°F) July Jazan, Saudi Arabia 33°C (91°F) June Al Kufrah, Libya 31°C (87°F) July Alice Springs, Australia 29°C (84°F) January Tamanrasset, Algeria 29°C (84°F) June **Land use:** agricultural land: 38% (2022 est.) arable land: 10.7% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 1.5% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 25.8% (2022 est.) forest: 30.6% (2022 est.) other: 31.4% (2022 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 57.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.73% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 37.079 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 16.652 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 12.463 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 7.964 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 54 trillion cubic meters (2011 est.) ### Government **Capital:** time difference: there are 21 world entities (20 countries and 1 dependency) with multiple time zones: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, France, Greenland (part of the Danish Kingdom), Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Mexico, Micronesia, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Russia, Spain, United States note 1: in some instances, the time zones pertain to portions of a country that lie overseas note 2: in 1851, the British set their prime meridian (0° longitude) through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England; this meridian became the international standard in 1884 and thus the basis for the standard time zones of the world; today, GMT is officially known as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and is also referred to as "Zulu time"; UTC is the basis for all civil time, with the world divided into time zones expressed as positive or negative differences from UTC note 3: each time zone is based on 15° starting from the prime meridian; in theory, there are 24 time zones based on the solar day, but there are now upward of 40 because of fractional hour offsets that adjust for various political and physical geographic realities; see the Standard Time Zones of the World map included with the World and Regional Maps daylight saving time: some 67 countries -- including most of the world's leading industrialized nations -- use daylight savings time (DST) in at least a portion of the country; China, Japan, India, and Russia are major industrialized countries that do not use DST; Asia and Africa generally do not observe DST, and it is generally not observed near the equator, where sunrise and sunset times do not vary enough to justify it; some countries observe DST only in certain regions; only a minority of the world's population -- about 20% -- uses DST **Administrative divisions:** 197 countries, 69 dependent areas and other entities **Dependent areas:** Australia dependencies: Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island (6) France dependencies: Clipperton Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna (8) New Zealand dependency: Tokelau (1) Norway dependencies: Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard (3) United Kingdom dependencies: Anguilla; Bermuda; British Indian Ocean Territory; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands; Falkland Islands; Gibraltar; Montserrat; Pitcairn Islands; Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Turks and Caicos Islands (12) United States dependencies: American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island (14) **Legal system:** the legal systems of nearly all countries are modeled on elements of five main types: civil law (including French law, the Napoleonic Code, Roman law, Roman-Dutch law, and Spanish law), common law (including English and US law), customary law, mixed or pluralistic law, and religious law (including Islamic sharia law); an additional type of legal system -- international law -- governs the conduct of independent nations in their relationships with one another **International law organization participation:** all UN members are parties to the statute that established the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court; as of June 2025, 125 countries have also ratified or acceded to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICCt), the treaty that established the ICCt (see the reference guide on International Organizations and Groups for differences between the ICJ and ICCt mandates) **Executive branch:** chief of state: there are 27 countries with royal families in the world: most are in Asia (13) and Europe (10), three are in Africa, and one in Oceania; monarchies by continent are as follows: Asia (Bahrain, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates); Europe (Belgium, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom); Africa (Eswatini, Lesotho, Morocco); Oceania (Tonga) note 1: Andorra and the Holy See (Vatican) are also monarchies of a sort, but they are not ruled by royal houses; Andorra has two co-princes (the president of France and the bishop of Urgell) and the Holy See is ruled by an elected pope note 2: the UK sovereign is also the monarch for the 14 Commonwealth countries (including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand) **Legislative branch:** 230 political entities have legislative bodies; of these, 144 are unicameral (a single “house”) and 86 are bicameral (both upper and lower houses); 33 territories, possessions, or other special administrative units have their own governing bodies **Flag:** a "World" flag does not exist, but the United Nations (UN) flag -- adopted on 7 December 1946 -- has sometimes been used to represent the entire planet; the flag displays the official UN emblem in white on a blue background; the emblem design shows a world map in an azimuthal equidistant projection centered on the North Pole, with the image flanked by two olive branches; blue was chosen to represent peace, in contrast to the red usually associated with war; the map projection includes all the continents except Antarctica note 1: the flags of 12 nations -- Austria, Botswana, Georgia, Jamaica, Japan, Laos, Latvia, Micronesia, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Switzerland, and Thailand -- have no top or bottom and may be flown with either long edge on top note 2: the most common colors found on national flags are as follows: red (~75%), white (~70%), and blue (~50%); these three colors are so prevalent that there are only two countries, Jamaica and Sri Lanka, that do not include one of them; the three next most popular colors are yellow/gold and green (both ~45%) and black (~30%) note 3: flags composed of three colors are by far the most common type and, of those, the red-white-blue combination is the most widespread **National anthem(s):** title: almost every country has a national anthem (and Denmark and New Zealand have two); most anthems have lyrics, which are usually in the official language or the most common language of the country; countries with more than one official language sometimes offer several versions note: the first anthem to be officially adopted (1795) was "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille) of France; Japan claims to have the shortest anthem, "Kimigayo" (The Emperor's Reign), that consists of 11 measures; Japan's anthem has the world's oldest lyrics, dating to the 10th century or earlier; Greece has the anthem with the longest lyrics, "Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian" (Hymn to Liberty), with 158 stanzas; Uruguay has the anthem with the longest musical score, "Himno Nacional" (National Anthem of Uruguay), with 105 bars (almost five minutes) **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1,223 (952 cultural, 231 natural, 40 mixed) (2024) note: a summary of each country's UNESCO World Heritage sites can be found in the national heritage data field, under the Government category for the country ### Economy **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $173.163 trillion (2024 est.) $167.633 trillion (2023 est.) $162.058 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2.9% (2024 est.) 2.9% (2023 est.) 3.4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $21,300 (2024 est.) $20,800 (2023 est.) $20,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $111.326 trillion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 3% (2024 est.) 5.9% (2023 est.) 7.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 4% (2024 est.) industry: 26% (2024 est.) services: 66.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 56.4% (2023 est.) government consumption: 16.6% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 25.9% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.6% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 29.1% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -28.3% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** the whole range of agricultural products top ten agricultural products by global production tonnage: sugarcane, maize, rice, wheat, milk, oil palm fruit, potatoes, soybeans, cassava, vegetables (2023) **Industries:** dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in computers, robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical equipment; most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a small portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly adjusting to these technological forces; the accelerated development of new technologies is complicating already grim environmental problems **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.9% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 3.696 billion (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 4.9% (2024 est.) 5% (2023 est.) 5.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 13.6% (2024 est.) male: 13.2% (2024 est.) female: 15.3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $21.68 trillion (2017 est.) expenditures: $23.81 trillion (2017 est.) **Taxes and other revenues:** 13.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Exports:** $32.379 trillion (2024 est.) $31.271 trillion (2023 est.) $31.782 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - commodities:** the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services top ten commodities by share of world trade: crude petroleum, cars, refined petroleum, integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment, gold, natural gas, garments, vehicle parts/accessories, packaged medicine (2022) **Imports:** $31.244 trillion (2024 est.) $30.334 trillion (2023 est.) $30.871 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - commodities:** the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services top ten - share of world trade: see listing for exports ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 91.4% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 97.7% electrification - rural areas: 84% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 9.08 billion kW (2023 est.) consumption: 27.047 trillion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 810.999 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 804.542 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.053 trillion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 60.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 9.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 5.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 14.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 2.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Nuclear energy:** Number of operational nuclear reactors: 416 (2025) Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 62 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 376.59GW (2025) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 214 (2025) **Coal:** production: 9.368 billion metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 9.382 billion metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1.494 billion metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1.507 billion metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1.166 trillion metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 99.887 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 101.86 million bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 1.697 trillion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 4.143 trillion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 4.1 trillion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 1.219 trillion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 1.226 trillion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 206.683 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 73.108 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 839.8 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 9.01 billion (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2024 est.) **Internet users:** percent of population: 74% (2025 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 1,495,600,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2022 est.) note: the worldwide total of fixed broadband subscriptions has been higher than fixed telephony subscriptions since 2017 ### Transportation **Airports:** 47,242 (2025) **Heliports:** 21,741 (2025) **Railways:** total: 1,148,186 km (2013) **Merchant marine:** total: 103,577 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 13,141, container ship 5,815, general cargo 19,918, oil tanker 11,604, other 53,099 ### Military and Security **Military expenditures:** 2.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 20-21 million active-duty military personnel worldwide (2025) note: the largest militaries in the world based on personnel numbers belong to China, India, the US, North Korea, and Russia **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the US is the world's leading arms exporter (2024) **Military deployments:** as of mid-2025, there were approximately 68,000 personnel deployed on UN peacekeeping missions worldwide (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List: (25 countries) Algeria, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Fiji, Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Maldives, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe (2025) Tier 3: (20 countries) Afghanistan, Belarus, Burma, Cambodia, Chad, People's Republic of China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Laos, Macau, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Sint Maarten, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela (2025) --- ## Yemen **Slug:** yemen **Region:** Middle East **Flag:** 🇾🇪 **Codes:** cek: ym, iso2: YE, iso3: YEM, iso_num: 887, genc: YEM, stanag: YEM, internet: .ye ### Introduction **Background:** The Kingdom of Yemen (colloquially known as North Yemen) became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1918 and in 1962 became the Yemen Arab Republic. The British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern port of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became the People's Republic of Southern Yemen (colloquially known as South Yemen). Three years later, the southern government adopted a Marxist orientation and changed the country's name to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. The exodus of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of hostility between the states, which were formally unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist movement and brief civil war in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to delineate their border. Fighting in the northwest between the government and the Houthis, a Zaydi Shia Muslim minority, continued intermittently from 2004 to 2010, and then again from 2014 to the present. The southern secessionist movement was revitalized in 2007. Public rallies in Sana'a against then President Ali Abdallah SALIH -- inspired by similar Arab Spring demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt -- slowly gained momentum in 2011, fueled by complaints over high unemployment, poor economic conditions, and corruption. Some protests resulted in violence, and the demonstrations spread to other major cities. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) mediated the crisis with the GCC Initiative, an agreement in which the president would step down in exchange for immunity from prosecution. SALIH eventually agreed to step down and transfer some powers to Vice President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI. After HADI's uncontested election victory in 2012, SALIH formally transferred all presidential powers. In accordance with the GCC Initiative, Yemen launched a National Dialogue Conference (NDC) in 2013 to discuss key constitutional, political, and social issues. HADI concluded the NDC in 2014 and planned to proceed with constitutional drafting, a constitutional referendum, and national elections. The Houthis, perceiving their grievances were not addressed in the NDC, joined forces with SALIH and expanded their influence in northwestern Yemen, which culminated in a major offensive against military units and rival tribes and enabled their forces to overrun the capital, Sana'a, in 2014. In 2015, the Houthis surrounded key government facilities, prompting HADI and the cabinet to resign. HADI fled first to Aden -- where he rescinded his resignation -- and then to Oman before moving to Saudi Arabia and asking the GCC to intervene militarily in Yemen. Saudi Arabia assembled a coalition of Arab militaries and began airstrikes, and ground fighting continued through 2016. In 2016, the UN initiated peace talks that ended without agreement. Rising tensions between the Houthis and SALIH culminated in Houthi forces killing SALIH. In 2018, the Houthis and the Yemeni Government participated in UN-brokered peace talks, agreeing to a limited cease-fire and the establishment of a UN mission. In 2019, Yemen’s parliament convened for the first time since the conflict broke out in 2014. Violence then erupted between HADI's government and the pro-secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC) in southern Yemen. HADI's government and the STC signed a power-sharing agreement to end the fighting, and in 2020, the signatories formed a new cabinet. In 2020 and 2021, fighting continued as the Houthis gained territory and also conducted regular UAV and missile attacks against targets in Saudi Arabia. In 2022, the UN brokered a temporary truce between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition. HADI and his vice-president resigned and were replaced by an eight-person Presidential Leadership Council. Although the truce formally expired in 2022, the parties nonetheless refrained from large-scale conflict through the end of 2023. Saudi Arabia, after the truce expired, continued to negotiate with the Yemeni Government and Houthis on a roadmap agreement that would include a permanent ceasefire and a peace process under UN auspices. ### Geography **Location:** Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia **Geographic coordinates:** 15 00 N, 48 00 E **Map references:** Middle East **Area:** total : 527,968 sq km land: 527,968 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen) **Area - comparative:** almost four times the size of Alabama; slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming **Land boundaries:** total: 1,601 km border countries (2): Oman 294 km; Saudi Arabia 1,307 km **Coastline:** 1,906 km **Maritime claims:** territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin **Climate:** mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east **Terrain:** narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula **Elevation:** highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,666 m lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m mean elevation: 999 m **Natural resources:** petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper; fertile soil in west **Land use:** agricultural land: 44.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 41.7% (2023 est.) forest: 1% (2023 est.) other: 54.5% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 6,800 sq km (2012) **Population distribution:** the vast majority of the population is found in the Asir Mountains (part of the larger Sarawat Mountain system), located in the far western region of the country **Natural hazards:** sandstorms and dust storms in summer volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Jebel at Tair (Jabal al-Tair, Jebel Teir, Jabal al-Tayr, Jazirat at-Tair) (244 m), which forms an island in the Red Sea, became active in 2007; other historically active volcanoes include Harra of Arhab, Harras of Dhamar, Harra es-Sawad, and Jebel Zubair, although many of these have not erupted in over a century **Geography - note:** strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and one of world's most active shipping lanes ### People and Society **Population:** total: 34,505,496 (2025 est.) male: 17,275,539 female: 17,229,957 **Nationality:** noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni **Ethnic groups:** predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asian, European **Languages:** Arabic (official) major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: a distinct Socotri language is widely used on Socotra Island and Archipelago; Mahri is still fairly widely spoken in eastern Yemen **Religions:** Muslim 99.1% (official; virtually all are citizens, an estimated 65% are Sunni and 35% are Shia), other 0.9% (includes Jewish, Baha'i, Hindu, and Christian; many are refugees or temporary foreign residents) (2020 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 34.4% (male 5,622,998/female 5,430,285) 15-64 years: 62.2% (male 10,112,603/female 9,865,805) 65 years and over: 3.4% (2024 est.) (male 485,538/female 623,214) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 70.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 64.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 18.4 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 20.5 years (2025 est.) male: 21.9 years female: 22.2 years **Population growth rate:** 2.22% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 29.07 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** the vast majority of the population is found in the Asir Mountains (part of the larger Sarawat Mountain system), located in the far western region of the country **Urbanization:** urban population: 39.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.71% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.292 million SANAA (capital), 1.080 million Aden, 941,000 Taiz, 772,000 Ibb (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 20.8 years (2013 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 118 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 42.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 49.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 39 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 68.2 years (2024 est.) male: 65.8 years female: 70.6 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.65 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.78 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 77.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 51.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 61.8% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 22.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 48.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 38.2% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 4.3% of GDP (2015) 2.5% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.1 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 83.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 44.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 59.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 16.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 55.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 40.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 17.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 20.2% (2025 est.) male: 33.1% (2025 est.) female: 7.3% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 40.7% (2022 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 63.9% (2023 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 6.5% (2023) women married by age 18: 29.6% (2023) **Literacy:** female: 54.1% (2023 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** limited natural freshwater resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban **Climate:** mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east **Land use:** agricultural land: 44.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 2.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 41.7% (2023 est.) forest: 1% (2023 est.) other: 54.5% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 39.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.71% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 8.193 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 93,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 8.08 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 21,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 43.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Methane emissions:** energy: 190.5 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 192.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 135.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 0.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.837 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 8% (2016 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 265 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 65 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 3.235 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 2.1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Yemen conventional short form: Yemen local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah local short form: Al Yaman former: Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen] etymology: the name origin is unclear but may come from the Arabic word al-yamin, meaning "the right," as a reference to its geographic position in relation to Mecca **Government type:** in transition **Capital:** name: Sanaa geographic coordinates: 15 21 N, 44 12 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is reputed to mean "fortified place" in an ancient language **Administrative divisions:** 22 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan, 'Adan (Aden), Ad Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, Amanat al 'Asimah (Sanaa City), 'Amran, Arkhabil Suqutra (Socotra Archipelago), Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Raymah, Sa'dah, San'a' (Sanaa), Shabwah, Ta'izz **Legal system:** mixed system of Islamic (sharia) law, Napoleonic law, English common law, and customary law **Constitution:** history: adopted by referendum 16 May 1991 (following unification) **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Yemen; if the father is unknown, the mother must be a citizen dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: Presidential Leadership Council Chairperson Dr. Rashad Muhammad al-ALIMI (since 19 April 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Salim Salih BIN BURAYK (since 9 May 2025) cabinet: 24 members from northern and southern Yemen, with representatives from Yemen's major political parties election/appointment process: formerly, the president was directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); vice president appointed by the president; prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 21 February 2012 election results: 2012: Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI (GPC) elected consensus president note: on 7 April 2022, President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI announced his abdication, the dismissal of Vice President ALI MUHSIN al-Ahmar and the formation of a Presidential Leadership Council, an eight-member body chaired by former minister Rashad AL-ALIMI; on 19 April 2022, the Council was sworn in before Parliament and began assuming the responsibilities of the president and vice president and carrying out the political, security, and military duties of the government; in May 2025, Chairperson al-ALIMI made changes to his cabinet **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament (Majlis) legislative structure: bicameral note: the last legislative election occurred in 2003, and the six-year term for the House of Representatives expired in 2009. Ongoing instability, beginning in 2011, has since prevented new elections. A new Shura Council was appointed in 2021 and is currently chaired by Dr. Ahmed Obaid bin Dagher (as of Jan 2025). **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: House of Representatives (Majlis Annowab) number of seats: 301 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 4/27/2003 parties elected and seats per party: General People's Congress (GPC) (238); Yemeni Congregation for Reform (Islah) (46); Other (17) percentage of women in chamber: 0% **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Shura Council (Majlis Alshoora) number of seats: 111 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal most recent election date: 4/28/2001 percentage of women in chamber: 1.1% note: the Shura Council serves in an advisory role to the president; it has no legislative responsibilities **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the court president, 2 deputies, and nearly 50 judges; court organized into constitutional, civil, commercial, family, administrative, criminal, military, and appeals scrutiny divisions) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council, which is chaired by the president of the republic and includes 10 high-ranking judicial officers; judges serve for life with mandatory retirement at age 65 subordinate courts: appeal courts; district or first instance courts; commercial courts **Political parties:** General People’s Congress or GPC (3 factions: pro-Hadi, pro-Houthi, pro-Salih) Nasserist Unionist People's Organization National Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party Southern Transitional Council or STC Yemeni Reform Grouping or Islah Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulwahab Abdullah Ahmed AL-HAJRI (since 24 July 2025) chancery: 2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760 FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017 email address and website: Information@yemenembassy.org https://www.yemenembassy.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Steven H. FAGIN (since 1 June 2022); note - the embassy closed in March 2015; Yemen Affairs Unit currently operates out of US Embassy Riyadh mailing address: 6330 Sanaa Place, Washington DC 20521-6330 telephone: US Embassy Riyadh [966] 11-835-4000 FAX: US Embassy Riyadh [966] 11-488-7360 email address and website: YemenEmergencyUSC@state.gov https://ye.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, EITI (temporarily suspended), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMHA, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNVIM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen established with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]); notable earlier dates: 1 November 1918 (North Yemen independent from the Ottoman Empire), 27 September 1962 (North Yemen becomes republic), 30 November 1967 (South Yemen independent from the UK) **National holiday:** Unification Day, 22 May (1990) **Flag:** description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black meaning: the band colors come from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black) overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white) note: similar to the flags of Iraq (Arabic inscription centered in the white band) and Egypt (heraldic eagle centered in the white band) **National symbol(s):** golden eagle **National color(s):** red, white, black **National anthem(s):** title: "Al-qumhuriyatu l-muttahida" (United Republic) lyrics/music: Abdullah Abdulwahab NOA'MAN/Ayyoab Tarish ABSI history: adopted 1990; the music first served as the anthem for South Yemen before unification with North Yemen in 1990 **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 5 (4 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Old Walled City of Shibam (c); Old City of Sana'a (c); Historic Town of Zabid (c); Socotra Archipelago (n); Landmarks of the Ancient Kingdom of Saba, Marib (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** low-income Middle Eastern economy; infrastructure, trade, and economic institutions devastated by civil war; oil/gas-dependent but decreasing reserves; massive poverty, food insecurity, and unemployment; high inflation **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $18.719 billion (2024 est.) $18.908 billion (2023 est.) $19.294 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 0.8% (2018 est.) -5.1% (2017 est.) -9.4% (2016 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $200 (2024 est.) $200 (2023 est.) $300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $8.278 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 29.1% (2022 est.) 26% (2021 est.) 19.6% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 28.7% (2018 est.) industry: 25.4% (2018 est.) services: 41.8% (2018 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **Agricultural products:** mangoes/guavas, potatoes, milk, onions, spices, chicken, sorghum, watermelons, tomatoes, grapes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale production of cotton textiles, leather goods; food processing; handicrafts; aluminum products; cement; commercial ship repair; natural gas production **Industrial production growth rate:** -1.1% (2018 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 7.848 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 17.1% (2024 est.) 17.1% (2023 est.) 17.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 32.4% (2024 est.) male: 31.8% (2024 est.) female: 38.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Remittances:** 20.05% of GDP (2023 est.) 16.02% of GDP (2022 est.) 19.44% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $2.207 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $3.585 billion (2019 est.) **Current account balance:** -$2.419 billion (2016 est.) -$3.026 billion (2015 est.) -$1.488 billion (2014 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $384.5 million (2017 est.) $938.469 million (2016 est.) $1.867 billion (2015 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UAE 28%, India 21%, Saudi Arabia 17%, Oman 7%, Malaysia 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, fish, scrap iron, shellfish, industrial acids/oils/alcohols (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $4.079 billion (2017 est.) $8.256 billion (2016 est.) $7.697 billion (2015 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** China 23%, UAE 15%, Saudi Arabia 11%, Turkey 8%, India 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** wheat, raw sugar, rice, iron bars, plastic products (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $1.251 billion (2022 est.) $1.688 billion (2021 est.) $969.613 million (2020 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $6.492 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Yemeni rials (YER) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1,355.116 (2023 est.) 1,115.002 (2022 est.) 1,028.108 (2021 est.) 743.006 (2020 est.) 486.731 (2019 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 76% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 96.1% electrification - rural areas: 65% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 1.79 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 2.579 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 486.24 million kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 83% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 17% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** consumption: 27,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 36,000 metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 58,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 3 billion barrels (2021 est.) **Natural gas:** production: 10.286 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 10.286 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 478.555 billion cubic meters (2021 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 2.987 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 728,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 20 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 51 (2023 est.) **Broadcast media:** state-run TV with 2 stations; state-run radio with 2 national radio stations and 5 local stations; stations from Oman and Saudi Arabia can be accessed **Internet country code:** .ye **Internet users:** percent of population: 14% (2020 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 486,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 7O **Airports:** 37 (2025) **Heliports:** 6 (2025) **Merchant marine:** total: 30 (2023) by type: general cargo 2, oil tanker 1, other 27 **Ports:** total ports: 10 (2024) large: 1 medium: 2 small: 2 very small: 5 ports with oil terminals: 6 key ports: Aden, Al Ahmadi, Al Mukalla, Al Mukha, Ras Isa Marine Terminal ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Yemeni Armed Forces: Yemeni National Army, Air Force and Air Defense, Navy and Coastal Defense Forces, Border Guard, Strategic Reserve Forces (includes Special Forces and Presidential Protection Brigades, which are under the Ministry of Defense but responsible to the president), Popular Committee Forces (aka Popular Resistance Forces; government-backed tribal militia) Ministry of Interior: Security Forces, Emergency Forces, Counterterrorism Units (2025) note 1: both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have raised and continue to back tribal and regionally based irregular forces in Yemen note 2: Houthi (alt Huthi; aka Ansarallah) forces include land, aerospace (air, missile), naval/coastal defense, presidential protection, special operations, internal security, and militia/tribal auxiliary components; a considerable portion--up to 70 percent by some estimates--of Yemen’s military and security forces defected in whole or in part to former president SALAH and the Houthi opposition in 2011-2015 **Military and security service personnel strengths:** not available **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the Yemeni Government forces have an inventory consisting primarily of older foreign-supplied weapons systems, mostly of Russian or Soviet origin (2025) note: Houthi rebel forces are armed largely with weapons seized from the Yemeni Government stockpiles, smuggled in from Iran, and manufactured copies of Iranian designs and pre-war Yemeni Government weapons **Military service age and obligation:** limited available information; 18 is the legal minimum age for military service under the Yemeni Government (2025) note: there is widespread recruitment of fighters by numerous armed groups operating in Yemen; all parties to the civil war have been implicated in child soldier recruitment and use; in 2022, the Houthis signed a plan with the UN to end the recruitment and use of child soldiers; Houthi leaders previously pledged to end the use of child soldiers in 2012, as did the Government of Yemen in 2014; in 2019, the Saudi and UAE-led coalition committed to protect children in a memorandum of understanding signed with the UN **Military - note:** government forces under the Yemeni Ministry of Defense are responsible for both external and internal defense; their priorities are the Houthi separatists (aka Ansarallah), the terrorist groups al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in Yemen (ISIS-Yemen), and maritime security, particularly against arms smuggling; in 2022, the Yemeni Government and the Houthis signed a truce, halting most fighting and establishing humanitarian measures; the former front lines of conflict, in some areas mirroring Yemen’s pre-unification borders, remain static; AQAP and ISIS-Yemen continue to be active in remote areas (2025) ### Terrorism **Terrorist group(s):** Terrorist group(s): Ansarallah (Houthis); Hizballah; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) - Yemen; al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 60,921 (2024 est.) IDPs: 4,795,983 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Special Case; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/yemen/ --- ## Zambia **Slug:** zambia **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇿🇲 **Codes:** cek: za, iso2: ZM, iso3: ZMB, iso_num: 894, genc: ZMB, stanag: ZMB, internet: .zm ### Introduction **Background:** Bantu-speaking groups mainly from the Luba and Lunda Kingdoms in the Congo River Basin and from the Great Lakes region in East Africa settled in what is now Zambia beginning around A.D. 300, displacing and mixing with previous population groups in the region. The Mutapa Empire developed after the fall of Great Zimbabwe to the south in the 14th century and ruled the region, including large parts of Zambia, from the 14th to 17th century. The empire collapsed as a result of the growing slave trade and Portuguese incursions in the 16th and 17th centuries. The region was further influenced by migrants from the Zulu Kingdom to the south and the Luba and Lunda Kingdoms to the north, after invading colonial and African powers displaced local residents into the area around the Zambezi River, in what is now Zambia. In the 1880s, British companies began securing mineral and other economic concessions from local leaders. The companies eventually claimed control of the region and incorporated it as the protectorate of Northern Rhodesia in 1911. The UK took over administrative control from the British South Africa Company in 1924. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred British economic ventures and colonial settlement. Northern Rhodesia’s name was changed to Zambia upon independence from the UK in 1964, under independence leader and first President Kenneth KAUNDA. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices, economic mismanagement, and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule and propelled the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) into power. The subsequent vote in 1996, however, saw increasing harassment of opposition parties and abuse of state media and other resources. Administrative problems marked the election in 2001, with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his death in 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who won a special presidential byelection later that year. BANDA and the MMD lost to Michael SATA and the Patriotic Front (PF) in the 2011 general elections. SATA, however, presided over a period of haphazard economic management and attempted to silence opposition to PF policies. SATA died in 2014 and was succeeded by his vice president, Guy SCOTT, who served as interim president until 2015, when Edgar LUNGU won the presidential byelection and completed SATA's term. LUNGU then won a full term in the 2016 presidential elections. Hakainde HICHILEMA was elected president in 2021. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Africa, east of Angola, south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo **Geographic coordinates:** 15 00 S, 30 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 752,618 sq km land: 743,398 sq km water: 9,220 sq km **Area - comparative:** almost five times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Texas **Land boundaries:** total: 6,043.15 km border countries (8): Angola 1,065 km; Botswana 0.15 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,332 km; Malawi 847 km; Mozambique 439 km; Namibia 244 km; Tanzania 353 km; Zimbabwe 763 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April) **Terrain:** mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains **Elevation:** highest point: Mafinga Central 2,330 m lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m mean elevation: 1,138 m **Natural resources:** copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower **Land use:** agricultural land: 32.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 26.9% (2023 est.) forest: 60.6% (2023 est.) other: 7.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,560 sq km (2012) **Major lakes (area sq km):** fresh water lake(s): Lake Tanganyika (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Burundi) - 32,000 sq km; Lake Mweru (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo) - 4,350 sq km; Lake Bangweulu - 4,000-15,000 sq km seasonal variation **Major rivers (by length in km):** Congo river source (shared with Angola, Republic of Congo, and Democratic Republic of Congo [m]) - 4,700 km; Zambezi river source (shared with Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km) Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin **Population distribution:** one of the highest levels of urbanization in Africa; high density in the central area, particularly around the cities of Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, and Mufulira, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** periodic drought; tropical storms (November to April) **Geography - note:** landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural river boundary with Zimbabwe; Lake Kariba on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border forms the world's largest reservoir by volume (180 cu km; 43 cu mi) ### People and Society **Population:** total: 22,021,971 (2025 est.) male: 11,066,079 female: 10,955,892 **Nationality:** noun: Zambian(s) adjective: Zambian **Ethnic groups:** Bemba 21%, Tonga 13.6%, Chewa 7.4%, Lozi 5.7%, Nsenga 5.3%, Tumbuka 4.4%, Ngoni 4%, Lala 3.1%, Kaonde 2.9%, Namwanga 2.8%, Lunda (north Western) 2.6%, Mambwe 2.5%, Luvale 2.2%, Lamba 2.1%, Ushi 1.9%, Lenje 1.6%, Bisa 1.6%, Mbunda 1.2%, other 13.8%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.) **Languages:** Bemba 33.4%, Nyanja 14.7%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.5%, Chewa 4.5%, Nsenga 2.9%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda (North Western) 1.9%, Kaonde 1.8%, Lala 1.8%, Lamba 1.8%, English (official) 1.7%, Luvale 1.5%, Mambwe 1.3%, Namwanga 1.2%, Lenje 1.1%, Bisa 1%, other 9.7%, unspecified 0.2% (2010 est.) note: Zambia is said to have over 70 languages, although many of these may be considered dialects; all of Zambia's major languages are members of the Bantu family; Chewa and Nyanja are mutually intelligible dialects **Religions:** Protestant 75.3%, Roman Catholic 20.2%, other 2.7% (includes Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Baha'i), none 1.8% (2010 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 42.1% (male 4,418,980/female 4,337,187) 15-64 years: 55.1% (male 5,726,265/female 5,736,732) 65 years and over: 2.8% (2024 est.) (male 262,008/female 317,944) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 75.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 71.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 4.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 22.3 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 19 years (2025 est.) male: 18.2 years female: 18.6 years **Population growth rate:** 2.51% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 29.6 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 4.91 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** 0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** one of the highest levels of urbanization in Africa; high density in the central area, particularly around the cities of Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, and Mufulira, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 46.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 3.181 million LUSAKA (capital), 763,000 Kitwe (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 19.2 years (2018 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 85 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 30.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 38.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 32.1 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 66.9 years (2024 est.) male: 65.2 years female: 68.7 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.67 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.81 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 88.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 51.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 68.2% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 11.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 48.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 31.8% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 6.6% of GDP (2021) 8.9% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.32 physicians/1,000 population (2022) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 78.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 40.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 57.9% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 21.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 59.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 42.1% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 8.1% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 2.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 11.7% (2025 est.) male: 21.4% (2025 est.) female: 2.4% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 11.8% (2018 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 55.7% (2018 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 5.2% (2018) women married by age 18: 29% (2018) men married by age 18: 2.8% (2018) **Education expenditure:** 4.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 14.5% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 71.1% (2018 est.) male: 81.7% (2018 est.) female: 62.2% (2018 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** air pollution and acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; loss of biodiversity; poaching; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April) **Land use:** agricultural land: 32.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 26.9% (2023 est.) forest: 60.6% (2023 est.) other: 7.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 46.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 9.877 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 4.835 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 5.042 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 16.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.608 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 12.6% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 290 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 130 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.152 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 104.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Zambia conventional short form: Zambia former: Northern Rhodesia etymology: name is derived from the Zambezi River, which flows through the western part of the country and forms the southern border with Zimbabwe **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Lusaka geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after a village with a headman (chief) called LUSAAKAS **Administrative divisions:** 10 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Muchinga, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law and customary law **Constitution:** history: several previous; latest adopted 24 August 1991, promulgated 30 August 1991 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly in two separate readings at least 30 days apart; passage of amendments affecting fundamental rights and freedoms requires approval by at least one half of votes cast in a referendum prior to consideration and voting by the Assembly **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: only if at least one parent is a citizen of Zambia citizenship by descent only: yes, if at least one parent was a citizen of Zambia dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years for those with an ancestor who was a citizen of Zambia, otherwise 10 years residency is required **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Hakainde HICHILEMA (since 24 August 2021) head of government: President Hakainde HICHILEMA (since 24 August 2021) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president from among members of the National Assembly election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 12 August 2021 election results: 2021: Hakainde HICHILEMA elected president; percent of the vote - Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 57.9%, Edgar LUNGU (PF) 37.3%, other 4.8% 2016: Edgar LUNGU reelected president; percent of vote - Edgar LUNGU (PF) 50.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 47.6%, other 2%; note - the president is both chief of state and head of government expected date of next election: 2026 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: National Assembly legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 167 (156 directly elected; 8 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 44420 parties elected and seats per party: United Party for National Development (UPND) (82); Patriotic Front (PF) (60); Independents (13); Other (1) percentage of women in chamber: 15% expected date of next election: August 2026 **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, deputy chief justice, and at least 11 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 11 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the advice of the 9-member Judicial Service Commission, which is headed by the chief justice, and ratified by the National Assembly; judges normally serve until age 65 subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Industrial Relations Court; subordinate courts (3 levels, based on upper limit of money involved); Small Claims Court; local courts (2 grades, based on upper limit of money involved) **Political parties:** Alliance for Democracy and Development or ADD Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD Party of National Unity and Progress or PNUP Patriotic Front or PF United Party for National Development or UPND **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Chibamba KANYAMA (since 30 June 2023) chancery: 2200 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4009 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826 email address and website: info@zambiaembassy.org https://www.zambiaembassy.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Michael C. GONZALES (since 16 September 2022) embassy: Eastern end of Kabulonga Road, Ibex Hill, Lusaka mailing address: 2310 Lusaka Place, Washington DC 20521-2310 telephone: [260] (0) 211-357-000 FAX: [260] (0) 211-357-224 email address and website: ACSLusaka@state.gov https://zm.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 24 October 1964 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 24 October (1964) **Flag:** description: green field with a soaring orange eagle in the upper-right corner; a panel of three vertical bands is under the eagle, in red (left side), black, and orange meaning: green stands for the country's natural resources and vegetation, red for the struggle for freedom, black for the people, and orange for the country's mineral wealth; the eagle represents the people's ability to rise above the nation's problems **National symbol(s):** African fish eagle **National color(s):** green, red, black, orange **National anthem(s):** title: "Lumbanyeni Zambia" (Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free) lyrics/music: multiple/Enoch Mankayi SONTONGA history: adopted 1964; the melody, which comes from the popular song "God Bless Africa," a popular song and anthem in southern Africa **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls ### Economy **Economic overview:** lower-middle-income sub-Saharan economy; regional hydroelectricity producer; trade ties and infrastructure investments from China; IMF assistance to restructure debt burden; one of youngest and fastest-growing labor forces; systemic corruption; extreme rural poverty **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $79.207 billion (2024 est.) $76.129 billion (2023 est.) $72.251 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 4% (2024 est.) 5.4% (2023 est.) 5.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $3,700 (2024 est.) $3,700 (2023 est.) $3,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $26.326 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 15% (2024 est.) 10.9% (2023 est.) 11% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 1.8% (2024 est.) industry: 37.5% (2024 est.) services: 55.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 47.1% (2023 est.) government consumption: 13.3% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 26.4% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 5% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 40.8% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -37.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, cassava, maize, soybeans, milk, vegetables, wheat, groundnuts, sweet potatoes, beef (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** copper mining and processing, emerald mining, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture **Industrial production growth rate:** 3.5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 7.407 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 6% (2024 est.) 6% (2023 est.) 6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 9.9% (2024 est.) male: 10.1% (2024 est.) female: 9.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 60% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 51.5 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 1.5% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 39.1% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 0.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $5.388 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $6.19 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated **Public debt:** 71.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP **Taxes and other revenues:** 16.8% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** -$582.715 million (2023 est.) $1.093 billion (2022 est.) $2.63 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $11.454 billion (2023 est.) $12.444 billion (2022 est.) $11.728 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** Switzerland 27%, China 15%, India 13%, UAE 12%, DRC 10% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** raw copper, refined copper, gold, precious stones, electricity (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $10.854 billion (2023 est.) $10.022 billion (2022 est.) $7.691 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** South Africa 25%, China 15%, UAE 10%, India 5%, Japan 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, fertilizers, trucks, sulphur, tractors (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $3.173 billion (2023 est.) $2.968 billion (2022 est.) $2.754 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $16.597 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Zambian kwacha (ZMK) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 26.166 (2024 est.) 20.212 (2023 est.) 16.938 (2022 est.) 20.018 (2021 est.) 18.344 (2020 est.) ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 47.8% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 87% electrification - rural areas: 14.5% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 3.986 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 14.399 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 3 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 180 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.229 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 11% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 87.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 2.091 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 2.081 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 15,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 103,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 945 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** refined petroleum consumption: 34,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 8.265 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 81,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 23.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 109 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** 47 state-controlled and private TV stations; state-owned Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) has 2 TV channels, controls 1, and owns shares in 2 more; 137 radio stations, with 133 private and 4 state-owned (2019) **Internet country code:** .zm **Internet users:** percent of population: 33% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 99,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1 ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** 9J **Airports:** 120 (2025) **Heliports:** 4 (2025) **Railways:** total: 3,126 km (2014) narrow gauge: 3,126 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge note: includes 1,860 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) **Merchant marine:** total: 2 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 1 ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Zambia Defense Force (ZDF): Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force, Zambia National Service Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security: Zambia Police (2025) note 1: the Zambia National Service is a support organization that also does public work projects; its main objectives revolve around land development, agriculture, industries, youth skills training as well as arts, sports and culture; the ZDF also includes a Defense Force Medical Service note 2: the Zambia Army comprises the Regular Force, the Home Guard, and the Territorial Reserve **Military expenditures:** 1.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 16,000 active Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the ZDF's inventory is largely comprised of Chinese, Russian, and Soviet-era weapons and equipment along with smaller quantities of items from other suppliers such as Israel, South Africa, and the US (2025) **Military service age and obligation:** 18-25 years of age (17 with parental consent) for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription; initial service of 7 years followed by 5 in the Reserves (2025) **Military deployments:** 930 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025) **Military - note:** the Zambia Defense Forces (ZDF) are responsible for territorial defense, border security, and providing support to African and UN peacekeeping operations; it also has some domestic security responsibilities in cases of national emergency and is involved in socio-economic support; in recent years, ZDF has been directed to assist in agricultural production; the ZDF is part of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Standby Force and participates in multinational training exercises; it has received training assistance from China and the US the ZDF traces its roots to the Northern Rhodesia Regiment, which was raised by the British colonial government to fight in World War II; the ZDF was established in 1964 from units of the dissolved Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland armed forces; it participated in a number of regional conflicts during the 1970s and 1980s; Zambia actively supported independence movements such as the Union for the Total Liberation of Angola (UNITA), the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC), and the South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) (2025) ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 88,918 (2024 est.) IDPs: 131,349 (2024 est.) --- ## Zimbabwe **Slug:** zimbabwe **Region:** Africa **Flag:** 🇿🇼 **Codes:** cek: zi, iso2: ZW, iso3: ZWE, iso_num: 716, genc: ZWE, stanag: ZWE, internet: .zw ### Introduction **Background:** The hunter-gatherer San people first inhabited the area that eventually became Zimbabwe. Farming communities migrated to the area around A.D. 500 during the Bantu expansion, and Shona-speaking societies began to develop in the Limpopo valley and Zimbabwean highlands around the 9th century. These societies traded with Arab merchants on the Indian Ocean coast and organized under the Kingdom of Mapungubwe in the 11th century. A series of powerful trade-oriented Shona states succeeded Mapungubwe, including the Kingdom of Zimbabwe (ca. 1220-1450), Kingdom of Mutapa (ca. 1450-1760), and the Rozwi Empire. The Rozwi Empire expelled Portuguese colonists from the Zimbabwean plateau, but the Ndebele clan of Zulu King MZILIKAZI eventually conquered the area in 1838 during the era of conflict and population displacement known as the Mfecane. In the 1880s, colonists arrived with the British South Africa Company (BSAC) and obtained a written concession for mining rights from Ndebele King LOBENGULA. The king later disavowed the concession and accused the BSAC agents of deceit. The BSAC annexed Mashonaland and then conquered Matabeleland during the First Matabele War of 1893-1894, establishing company rule over the territory. In 1923, the UK annexed BSAC holdings south of the Zambezi River, which became the British colony of Southern Rhodesia. The 1930 Land Apportionment Act restricted Black land ownership and established rules that would favor the White minority for decades. A new constitution in 1961 further cemented White minority rule. In 1965, the government under White Prime Minister Ian SMITH unilaterally declared its independence from the UK. London did not recognize Rhodesia’s independence and demanded more voting rights for the Black majority in the country. International diplomacy and an uprising by Black Zimbabweans led to biracial elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, who led the uprising and became the nation's first prime minister, was the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) from independence until 2017. In the mid-1980s, the government tortured and killed thousands of civilians in a crackdown on dissent known as the Gukurahundi campaign. Economic mismanagement and chaotic implementation of land redistribution policies periodically crippled the economy. General elections in 2002, 2008, and 2013 were severely flawed and widely condemned but allowed MUGABE to remain president. In 2017, Vice President Emmerson MNANGAGWA became president after a military intervention that forced MUGABE to resign, and MNANGAGWA cemented power by sidelining rival Grace MUGABE (Robert MUGABE’s wife). In 2018, MNANGAGWA won the presidential election, and he has maintained the government's longstanding practice of violently disrupting protests and politicizing institutions. Economic conditions remain dire under MNANGAGWA. ### Geography **Location:** Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia **Geographic coordinates:** 20 00 S, 30 00 E **Map references:** Africa **Area:** total : 390,757 sq km land: 386,847 sq km water: 3,910 sq km **Area - comparative:** about four times the size of Indiana; slightly larger than Montana **Land boundaries:** total: 3,229 km border countries (4): Botswana 834 km; Mozambique 1,402 km; South Africa 230 km; Zambia 763 km **Coastline:** 0 km (landlocked) **Maritime claims:** none (landlocked) **Climate:** tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March) **Terrain:** mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east **Elevation:** highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save Rivers 162 m mean elevation: 961 m **Natural resources:** coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals **Land use:** agricultural land: 41.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 10.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 31.3% (2023 est.) forest: 35.9% (2023 est.) other: 22.3% (2023 est.) **Irrigated land:** 1,740 sq km (2012) **Major rivers (by length in km):** Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Limpopo (shared with South Africa [s], Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 1,800 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth **Major watersheds (area sq km):** Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km) **Major aquifers:** Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin **Population distribution:** aside from major urban agglomerations in Harare and Bulawayo, population distribution is fairly even, with slightly greater overall numbers in the eastern half, as shown in this population distribution map **Natural hazards:** recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare **Geography - note:** landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural river boundary with Zambia; in full flood (February-April), the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water; Lake Kariba on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border forms the world's largest reservoir by volume (180 cu km; 43 cu mi) ### People and Society **Population:** total: 17,472,752 (2025 est.) male: 8,503,108 female: 8,969,644 **Nationality:** noun: Zimbabwean(s) adjective: Zimbabwean **Ethnic groups:** African 99.6% (predominantly Shona; Ndebele is the second largest ethnic group), other (includes Caucasian, Asiatic, mixed race) 0.4% (2022 est.) **Languages:** Shona (official, most widely spoken) 80.9%, Ndebele (official, second most widely spoken) 11.5%, English (official, traditionally used for official business) 0.3%, 13 minority languages (official; includes Chewa, Chibarwe, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Shangani, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda, and Xhosa) 7%, other 0.3% (2022 est.) note: data represent population by mother tongue **Religions:** Apostolic Sect 40.3%, Pentecostal 17%, Protestant 13.8%, other Christian 7.8%, Roman Catholic 6.4%, African traditionalist 5%, other 1.5% (includes Muslim, Jewish, Hindu), none 8.3% (2022 est.) **Age structure:** 0-14 years: 38.3% (male 3,315,075/female 3,254,643) 15-64 years: 57.8% (male 4,758,120/female 5,152,773) 65 years and over: 3.9% (2024 est.) (male 270,595/female 399,146) **Dependency ratios:** total dependency ratio: 72.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 65.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 14.7 (2025 est.) **Median age:** total: 21.3 years (2025 est.) male: 20.3 years female: 22 years **Population growth rate:** 1.82% (2025 est.) **Birth rate:** 28.18 births/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Death rate:** 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Net migration rate:** -3.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.) **Population distribution:** aside from major urban agglomerations in Harare and Bulawayo, population distribution is fairly even, with slightly greater overall numbers in the eastern half, as shown in this population distribution map **Urbanization:** urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Major urban areas - population:** 1.578 million HARARE (capital) (2023) **Sex ratio:** at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) **Mother's mean age at first birth:** 20.3 years (2015 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49 **Maternal mortality ratio:** 358 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.) **Infant mortality rate:** total: 32.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 37 deaths/1,000 live births female: 29.6 deaths/1,000 live births **Life expectancy at birth:** total population: 67.2 years (2024 est.) male: 65.6 years female: 68.8 years **Total fertility rate:** 3.42 children born/woman (2025 est.) **Gross reproduction rate:** 1.68 (2025 est.) **Drinking water source:** improved: urban: 92.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 47.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 62.3% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 7.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 52.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 37.7% of population (2022 est.) **Health expenditure:** 2.8% of GDP (2021) 5.2% of national budget (2022 est.) **Physician density:** 0.14 physicians/1,000 population (2023) **Sanitation facility access:** improved: urban: 97.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 50.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 65.6% of population (2022 est.) unimproved: urban: 2.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 49.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 34.4% of population (2022 est.) **Obesity - adult prevalence rate:** 15.5% (2016) **Alcohol consumption per capita:** total: 3.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 1.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) **Tobacco use:** total: 8.4% (2025 est.) male: 17.6% (2025 est.) female: 0.7% (2025 est.) **Children under the age of 5 years underweight:** 9.6% (2024 est.) **Currently married women (ages 15-49):** 62.2% (2022 est.) **Child marriage:** women married by age 15: 5.4% (2019) women married by age 18: 33.7% (2019) men married by age 18: 1.9% (2019) **Education expenditure:** 0.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 17.9% national budget (2025 est.) **Literacy:** total population: 93.2% (2019 est.) male: 93.1% (2019 est.) female: 93.4% (2019 est.) ### Environment **Environmental issues:** deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; poaching; toxic waste and heavy metal pollution from mining **International environmental agreements:** party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements **Climate:** tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March) **Land use:** agricultural land: 41.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 10.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 31.3% (2023 est.) forest: 35.9% (2023 est.) other: 22.3% (2023 est.) **Urbanization:** urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) **Carbon dioxide emissions:** 12.578 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 7.629 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 4.949 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) **Particulate matter emissions:** 14.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) **Waste and recycling:** municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.45 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 21.8% (2022 est.) **Total water withdrawal:** municipal: 547.078 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 81.352 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 4.281 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) **Total renewable water resources:** 20 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) ### Government **Country name:** conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe conventional short form: Zimbabwe former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe-Rhodesia etymology: takes its name from the Kingdom of Zimbabwe (13th-15th century) and its capital of Great Zimbabwe, which was built of stone; the name Zimbabwe comes from the Bantu phrase zimba we bahwe, meaning "houses of stones;" the former name, Rhodesia, was derived from the name of British colonial administrator Cecil RHODES **Government type:** presidential republic **Capital:** name: Harare geographic coordinates: 17 49 S, 31 02 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after a village of Harare at the site of the present capital; the village name derived from a Shona chieftain, NE-HARAWA, whose name meant "he who does not sleep" **Administrative divisions:** 8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands **Legal system:** mixed system of English common law, Roman-Dutch civil law, and customary law **Constitution:** history: previous 1965 (at Rhodesian independence), 1979 (Lancaster House Agreement), 1980 (at Zimbabwean independence); latest final draft completed January 2013, approved by referendum 16 March 2013, approved by Parliament 9 May 2013, effective 22 May 2013 amendment process: proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of Parliament and assent of the president of the republic; amendments to constitutional chapters on fundamental human rights and freedoms and on agricultural lands also require approval by a majority of votes cast in a referendum **International law organization participation:** has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt **Citizenship:** citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Zimbabwe; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years **Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal **Executive branch:** chief of state: President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 4 September 2023) head of government: Vice President Constantino CHIWENGA (since 11 September 2023) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president, responsible to National Assembly election/appointment process: each presidential candidate nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least 1 candidate from each province) and directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (no term limits); co-vice presidents drawn from party leadership most recent election date: 23 August 2023 election results: 2023: Emmerson MNANGAGWA reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Emmerson MNANGAGWA (ZANU-PF) 52.6%, Nelson CHAMISA (MDC-T) 44%, Wilbert MUBAIWA (NPC) 1.2%, other 2.2% 2018: Emmerson MNANGAGWA elected president in first round; percent of vote - Emmerson MNANGAGWA (ZANU-PF) 50.7%, Nelson CHAMISA (MDC-T) 44.4%, Thokozani KHUPE (MDC-N) 0.9%, other 4% expected date of next election: 2028 **Legislative branch:** legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral **Legislative branch - lower chamber:** chamber name: National Assembly number of seats: 280 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 45161 parties elected and seats per party: ZANU-PF (175); Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) (104) percentage of women in chamber: 30.1% expected date of next election: August 2028 note: 60 seats are reserved for women and 10 additional seats are reserved for candidates aged 21 - 35 **Legislative branch - upper chamber:** chamber name: Senate number of seats: 80 (60 directly elected; 20 indirectly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 45161 parties elected and seats per party: ZANU-PF (33); Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) (27) percentage of women in chamber: 44.3% expected date of next election: August 2028 note: 18 seats are reserved for the National Council Chiefs, and 2 reserved for members with disabilities **Judicial branch:** highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the chief and deputy chief justices and 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president on recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent body consisting of the chief justice, Public Service Commission chairman, attorney general, and 2-3 members appointed by the president; judges normally serve until age 65 but can elect to serve until age 70; Constitutional Court judge appointment NA; judges serve nonrenewable 15-year terms subordinate courts: High Court; Labor Court; Administrative Court; regional magistrate courts; customary law courts; special courts **Political parties:** Citizens Coalition for Change Movement for Democratic Change or MDC-T National People's Congress or NPC Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU **Diplomatic representation in the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Sarah BHOROMA (since 12 November 2024) chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100 FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326 email address and website: general@zimembassydc.org https://zimembassydc.org/ **Diplomatic representation from the US:** chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela M. TREMONT (since August 2024) embassy: 2 Lorraine Drive, Bluffhill, Harare mailing address: 2180 Harare Place, Washington DC 20521-2180 telephone: [263] 867-701-1000 FAX: [263] 24-233-4320 email address and website: consularharare@state.gov https://zw.usembassy.gov/ **International organization participation:** ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO **Independence:** 18 April 1980 (from the UK) **National holiday:** Independence Day, 18 April (1980) **Flag:** description: seven equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green, with a white isosceles triangle edged in black based on the left side; in the middle of the triangle, a yellow bird is on top of a five-pointed red star meaning: the bird represents the long history of the country; white stands for peace, green for agriculture, yellow for mineral wealth, red for the blood shed to achieve independence, and black for the people **National symbol(s):** Zimbabwe bird symbol, African fish eagle, flame lily **National color(s):** green, yellow, red, black, white **National anthem(s):** title: "Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe" [Ndebele] "Simudzai Mureza WeZimbabwe" [Shona] (Blessed Be the Land of Zimbabwe) lyrics/music: Solomon MUTSWAIRO/Fred Lecture CHANGUNDEGA history: adopted 1994; lyrics in the country's three main languages were written by Zimbabwean poet and academic MUTSWAIRO **National heritage:** total World Heritage Sites: 5 (3 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Mana Pools National Park, Sapi, and Chewore Safari Areas (n); Great Zimbabwe National Monument (c); Khami Ruins National Monument (c); Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls (n); Matobo Hills (c) ### Economy **Economic overview:** low income Sub-Saharan economy; political instability and endemic corruption have prevented reforms and stalled debt restructuring; new Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency latest effort to combat ongoing hyperinflation; reliant on natural resource extraction, agriculture and remittances **Real GDP (purchasing power parity):** $57.391 billion (2024 est.) $56.249 billion (2023 est.) $53.399 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **Real GDP growth rate:** 2% (2024 est.) 5.3% (2023 est.) 6.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency **Real GDP per capita:** $3,500 (2024 est.) $3,400 (2023 est.) $3,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars **GDP (official exchange rate):** $44.188 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate **Inflation rate (consumer prices):** 104.7% (2022 est.) 98.5% (2021 est.) 557.2% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices **GDP - composition, by sector of origin:** agriculture: 5.4% (2024 est.) industry: 31.8% (2024 est.) services: 55.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data **GDP - composition, by end use:** household consumption: 91.5% (2024 est.) government consumption: 12.5% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 3.6% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.9% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 22.1% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -30.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection **Agricultural products:** sugarcane, beef, maize, cabbages, potatoes, tomatoes, milk, onions, bananas, wheat (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage **Industries:** mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, diamonds, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages **Industrial production growth rate:** 2.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency **Labor force:** 6.386 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work **Unemployment rate:** 8.6% (2024 est.) 8.8% (2023 est.) 10.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment **Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24):** total: 14% (2024 est.) male: 12.9% (2024 est.) female: 15.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment **Population below poverty line:** 38.3% (2019 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line **Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income:** 50.3 (2020 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality **Household income or consumption by percentage share:** lowest 10%: 2.5% (2017 est.) highest 10%: 34.8% (2017 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population **Remittances:** 9.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 9.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 9.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities **Budget:** revenues: $17 million (2018 est.) expenditures: $23 million (2018 est.) **Taxes and other revenues:** 7.2% (of GDP) (2018 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP **Current account balance:** $133.877 million (2023 est.) $304.966 million (2022 est.) $348.215 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars **Exports:** $7.603 billion (2023 est.) $7.453 billion (2022 est.) $6.575 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars **Exports - partners:** UAE 45%, China 18%, South Africa 15%, Mozambique 4%, Hong Kong 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports **Exports - commodities:** gold, tobacco, nickel, minerals, diamonds (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars **Imports:** $10.293 billion (2023 est.) $9.569 billion (2022 est.) $8.104 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars **Imports - partners:** South Africa 37%, China 15%, Bahamas, The 5%, Singapore 5%, UAE 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports **Imports - commodities:** refined petroleum, fertilizers, trucks, soybean oil, stone processing machines (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars **Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:** $484.973 million (2024 est.) $115.53 million (2023 est.) $598.622 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars **Debt - external:** $6.671 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars **Exchange rates:** Zimbabwean dollars (ZWD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 3,266.332 (2024 est.) 3,509.172 (2023 est.) 374.954 (2022 est.) 88.552 (2021 est.) 51.329 (2020 est.) note: ongoing hyperinflation rendered Zimbabwean dollar essentially worthless; introduction of Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) as new currency effective April 2024 ### Energy **Electricity access:** electrification - total population: 50.1% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 89% electrification - rural areas: 33.7% **Electricity:** installed generating capacity: 2.491 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 8.346 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 395 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 2.297 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.864 billion kWh (2023 est.) **Electricity generation sources:** fossil fuels: 32.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 65.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) **Coal:** production: 7.968 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 6.705 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 984,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 71,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 502 million metric tons (2023 est.) **Petroleum:** total petroleum production: 800 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 34,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) **Energy consumption per capita:** 10.855 million Btu/person (2023 est.) ### Communications **Telephones - fixed lines:** total subscriptions: 310,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2023 est.) **Telephones - mobile cellular:** total subscriptions: 15.7 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 94 (2024 est.) **Broadcast media:** government owns all local radio and TV stations; foreign shortwave broadcasts and satellite TV available; in rural areas, access to TV broadcasts is extremely limited; analog TV only, no digital service (2017) **Internet country code:** .zw **Internet users:** percent of population: 38% (2023 est.) **Broadband - fixed subscriptions:** total: 269,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2023 est.) ### Transportation **Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:** Z **Airports:** 144 (2025) **Heliports:** 5 (2025) **Railways:** total: 3,427 km (2014) narrow gauge: 3,427 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) ### Military and Security **Military and security forces:** Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) Ministry of Home Affairs: Zimbabwe Republic Police (2025) **Military expenditures:** 0.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 1% of GDP (2020 est.) **Military and security service personnel strengths:** approximately 30,000 active Zimbabwe Defense Forces (2025) **Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:** the ZDF inventory is comprised mostly of Russian/Soviet-era and Chinese armaments with smaller quantities of older or obsolescent material from countries such as Brazil, France, Italy, South Africa, the UK, and the US (2025) note: since the early 2010s, Zimbabwe has been under an arms embargo from the EU, as well as targeted sanctions from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US **Military service age and obligation:** 18-22 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (enlisted personnel); 18-24 for officer cadets; 18-30 for technical/specialist personnel; no conscription (2025) **Military - note:** the primary responsibilities of the Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) are protecting the country’s sovereignty and territory and securing its borders; it also has a role in domestic security and socio-economic development projects and has continued to be active in the country’s politics since the 2017 military-assisted political transition; the ZDF is part of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Standby Force and provided troops for the SADC military deployment to Mozambique from 2021-2024; Zimbabwe has defense ties with China and Russia the ZDF was formed after independence from the former Rhodesian Army and the two guerrilla forces that opposed it during the Rhodesian Civil War (aka "Bush War") of the 1970s, the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA); the ZDF intervened in the Mozambique Civil War (1983-1992), the Democratic Republic of Congo during the Second Congo War (1998-2003), and the Angolan Civil War (1975-2002) during the late 1990s (2025) ### Space **Space agency/agencies:** Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency (ZINGSA; established in 2019 and officially launched in 2021) (2025) note: ZINGSA is under the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science, and Technology Development **Space program overview:** has a nascent program with the goal of using space technologies in economic development, including remote sensing capabilities to assist with monitoring or managing agriculture, food security, climate change, disease outbreaks, environmental hazards and disasters, and natural resources, as well as weather forecasting; has cooperated with Japan and Russia (2025) **Key space-program milestones:** 2020 - began a program (BIRDS-5) sponsored by Japan to promote the development of a domestic space program by designing, building, testing, launching, and operating the first satellites for participating countries 2021 - established satellite ground communications station and completed national wetlands mapping project 2022 - first nano-sized remote sensing/educational satellite (ZIMSAT-1) built with Japan’s assistance and launched by Japan under the BIRDs-5 program 2024 - second RS satellite (ZIMSAT-2) built with Russian assistance and launched by Russia ### Transnational Issues **Refugees and internally displaced persons:** refugees: 22,432 (2024 est.) IDPs: 32,675 (2024 est.) **Trafficking in persons:** tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Zimbabwe remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/zimbabwe/ ---